A Thinking Book
to allow your ideas to flow.
If you're anything like me, the bar for buying a new notebook has never been particularly high. But there's something especially satisfying about owning one that actually has a job to do. A difference, I've found, that usually comes down to purpose.
I recently discovered the concept of a dedicated thinking book through Rachelle on YouTube. What resonated with me most was her approach to using templates as a framework for thinking. It’s adaptable depending on what you’re trying to achieve.
I have notebooks everywhere: filled ones, half-filled ones, untouched ones. And I’ve always found that writing by hand lets my thinking go somewhere it wouldn’t otherwise. There’s something about being in the mess of it and not knowing quite where you’re headed that I find comforting.
Here are the dedicated notebooks I currently keep:
Journal: completely free-form, no structure, no agenda. Just space to exist on the page.
Projects: this keeps track of conversations, ideas for any new and long-standing projects I am working towards with any updates.
Conference & Events: a way of keeping those insights separate from my day-to-day notes, so I can actually find them again. Keynotes, conversations, ideas sparked in the room. I keep these all in one place.
Bag book: a slim notebook that lives in my bag and catches everything: reminders, shopping lists, passing thoughts, small reflections. What I love about it is that nothing gets lost. Even in the busiest, most distracted moments, I can capture it and come back to it later.
And here’s what I’m working towards:
Mind mapping notebook: I heard someone at an online event last year mention they kept a notebook purely for mind maps, and it immediately clicked for me. I’m very visual in the early stages of an idea, so having dedicated space for that just makes sense. I’ve already bought a beautiful A4 notebook for this purpose now I just need to actually use it. That’s my goal for this month.
Thinking notebook: Rachelle’s video re-sparked the idea of building something more personalised: a book shaped around how my thinking actually works, designed to help me develop and transfer ideas rather than just capture them. I’ll report back in a few months.
How do you organise your thoughts? I’d love to know!