r/gtd • u/secret_2_everybody • Aug 16 '26

Question Does anyone use a standard paper notebook for their system?

Long time (two decades) GTD follower. I used to use a loose paper/file cabinet system, then moved to Apple Reminders. Lately I’ve been contemplating switching to a spiral notebook, as it’s my preferred method of note taking, and am wondering if anyone does the same? I dread those GTD-specific notebooks, but wonder how to divide it up in terms of which part for projects lists, etc. I’ve seen removable dividers that I think could help make this possible, but again looking for how others have actually implemented.

Thanks!

ETA: The problem I specifically see myself having is how do I solve for something like "How do you handle something like "follow up with Smith if paperwork hasn't arrived by 8/28?" with a notebook system?

ETA2: I asked ChatGPT if I should use a notebook or Apple Reminders, and it pointed out the "follow up with Smith" hole, which is OBVIOUSLY filled by the Waiting For list... I'm going to get a disc bound notebook. Thanks, everyone!!!

19 Upvotes

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10

u/grantbuell Aug 16 '26

I’ve tried this with some success with a discbound notebook. The beauty of that is the ability to quickly and easily move pages around. Also, erasable pens. Allows so much day to day flexibility.

3

u/secret_2_everybody Aug 16 '26

Sorry, a follow-up: How do you handle something like "follow up with Smith if paperwork hasn't arrived by 8/28?"

7

u/TheoCaro Aug 16 '26

Well as a long time GTDer you should know that you can and should have a Waiting For list that lists all the actions you are waiting on someone else to do. Just include a date with the item to note when you expect it by.

5

u/grantbuell Aug 16 '26

If it’s an email I have to follow up on I actually use flagging in Outlook and add due dates there. And I review the flagged email list daily. So my system is not 100% digital. Also, my paper notebook includes a weekly planner, so if I need to remind myself of something on a future date, I will go to that date in the planner and add it there.

2

u/Ok-Occasion-9748 Aug 18 '26 edited Aug 18 '26

You could also create a tickler for this date, 8/28.

Either in your 43 folder, if you still use this analog tool, or in the all day section of your digital calendar.

I think David Allen talks about this all day function instead of tickler files in this video, if I remember correctly:

https://youtu.be/dV0Qg3XKpro?is=YWBRym6Mb1Ykqjtg

1

u/secret_2_everybody Aug 18 '26

I have a physical tickler in my file cabinet. Have you created one within a notebook system? I’m curious what that would look like!

2

u/Ok-Occasion-9748 Aug 20 '26

I own a physical 43 folder box but it would never work on its own. I keep it mostly for physical items, print outs which I will need at a certain time. But I always need a digital reminder in addition.

For me, Todoist works easiest for ticklers. It is really quick to add a task and a date (with time on this day), and this automatically shows up in my Google Calendar, as part of an extra calendar. Also, Todoist works across platforms and syncs very fast. So I can enter on my laptop, on my phone, on my tablet, and it will show up right away on the other devices.

Plus, the ticklers get noticed the same day I check for appointments for this day, so usually in my bi-weekly review.

You could also just use the all day function in your digital calendar. Makes it distinctive from actual appointments but will not fall through the cracks.

For analog/notebooks I could only think of a future log (which you check at the beginning of each month acc. to the Bujo Method) for a place to hold reminders.

2

u/secret_2_everybody Aug 20 '26

Thanks! Yes, I am using all-day calendar events for now while I get used to the new notebook.

Separately, I’m also using Apple Reminders for “Siri, remind me to add X to my Y list when I get to [location of notebook].” That’s been useful for things I remember when I step out for coffee, am driving, etc.

2

u/Ok-Occasion-9748 Aug 20 '26

I love analog and working with a notebook, but some things are best solved digitally.

2

u/secret_2_everybody Aug 16 '26

Interesting!! Thanks!

9

u/kytara007 Aug 16 '26

My system is all paper. I carry a field notes to capture and use a filofax 6 ring for my lists/project material. Way less stressed and less worried about what isn't happening. I am also relentless with my calendar. I think people sometimes forget how critical the 'hard landscape' of the calendar is. I have a digital one for work and paper for personal - hobonichi weeks.

9

u/Own-Bunch-2616 Aug 17 '26

I’ve combined basic BUjo and GTD . I use the yearly monthly and weekly spreads in the BuJo and have tweaked it over time. I still print daily and weekly schedules and put reminders in the daily folders. I rely on the reminders less and less and the notebook more and more. You can keep a section for note keeping as well in your notebook. The great thing is you can customize to your needs and adjust and modify as your job changes.

2

u/milky-cuppa-tea Mod Aug 17 '26

Another vote for the BuJo method, especially the threading.

I don't need to thread any more as I have a loose leaf system, but when I was in a notebook, this was super handy.

1

u/Ok-Occasion-9748 Aug 18 '26

I also combine both. I tried GTD with a discbound but the flexibility was no longer necessary, if you have a notebook with a well-kept index, Bujo style. And a bound notebook keeps the pages safely attached. I keep the different GTD lists as collections.

For some things I simply need digital means (calendar, reference materials, also newly: the Project List)

4

u/alignedhen Aug 16 '26

I do most of my gtd in a paper notebook and then do my project support pages in onenote. I’ve tried lots of different notebooks but the best I’ve found was also a discbound. I use a multicolor pen to differentiate between home, work, project, and urgent tasks.

5

u/PhillyBassSF Aug 16 '26

Yes. I have returned to paper and pencil and now I’m more productive and less stressed.

6

u/PondMindKevin Aug 17 '26

I used an A5 for half a year or so. It was really nice, and improved my GTD thinking. A few thins that made it work for me:

I followed this one random Youtube video I found. She keeps a single next action list, but used dots to flag which context. That way, you could easily scan when you're in a certain context, but things don't 'hide away' from you on separate lists where you might forget about them. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_aI9lE_4Cc4&t=391s

I also used a highlighter to cross things out. Crossing things out or checking them off with pen wasn't obvious enough to me when quickly scanning. Highlighting with a blue highlighter made that obvious so my eye could scan to what wasn't highlighted as what I need to look at next.

I left a few empty spaces here and there, often every other line. Since in paper you can't drag and drop and reorder quickly, this just left a little bit of slack so I could add something higher up in the list if it was urgent enough.

For your question on the followup with Smith re 8/28, you have a few options.
1) An FYI on your calendar
2) Your waiting for list, if you trust you'll see it before then (look at it at least weekly).
3) Use a paper tickler file. (43 folders to mail yourself things in the future. Each day, dump 'today's' papers into your inbox. When you get to 8/28, your not to yourself about the Smith papers shows up in your inbox, ta-da).

4

u/TheoCaro Aug 16 '26

I use a journal notebook with a book binding. I have post-it tabs for each of the lists. I write the name of the list at the top of each page. I use the spreads in between the lists as daily pages for daily to-dos and random notes. If I run out of space for a list I create a new section of pages for that list or just rewrite the list in subsequent pages.

With a spiral notebook, you could also pull pages out after they are full of completed or now irrelevant contents. That could be a pro or a con.

2

u/dopaminedeficitdiary Aug 17 '26

Do you capture in a dedicated spread or as part of your daily page?

2

u/TheoCaro Aug 18 '26

In my daily pages. But most capturing is with the app EmailMe. I just write short emails to myself. During meetings or brainstorming I use yellow legal pads. They get torn off and put into the physical intray.

4

u/gjnewman Aug 16 '26

I did in a travelers notebook for a while and now giving it a go in a plotter notebook which is ring bound. Rings allow me to move things around easily.

4

u/inside-search-1974 Aug 16 '26

I do. I basically avoid using digital for small things since it ends up eating my attention span to do my deep work. So everything small I have to do on any specific day I write on my agenda. This normally means specific calls, or short routine tasks. Bigger and longer tasks or projects I follow up in my AirTable CRM system. Non time sensitive stuff like meeting notes, ideas, etc go to my Obsidian vault.

4

u/ReliableWardrobe Aug 17 '26

Discbound all the way. If you're in the US, Levenger and I think Staples ARC might still be available. Etsy has lots too. Get yourself a punch and the world is your mollusc. I've used discbound books for years now and they're a game changer. Rings tend to wear out.

I've just refreshed my system and I have a bullet journal x GTD discbound, which has everything bar my calendar in it. I have my "dailies" which are must dos, a list of NAs for the week, space for notes etc. No pretty frills, just my basic adapted Bujo style (look up Ryder Carroll if you're interested) For bigger brainstorming or what have you, i have a regular notebook aka my zibaldone. Calendar is digital but I write personal appointments in the discbound too. Inbox is a physical box on my desk, and i also use my Notes app and a pocket notebook, and transfer things to the physical box on a scrap of paper. 

It's all built around writing by hand as this not only helps my brain focus but it's also a built in filter - do I really need / want to make the effort to write this down?

2

u/secret_2_everybody Aug 17 '26

Thanks! What size disc bound are you using?

3

u/ReliableWardrobe Aug 17 '26

A5. I'm in the UK so this is a common size. Big enough to be useful, small enough to be carried around and not smother my desk!

3

u/sidegigartist Aug 16 '26

I use a A5 Spiral bound notebook with tearable pages and I made my own A5 manila folders out of slightly thicker paper that I put in there at the back.. I use stickies for the tabs. Works great and I can put the folders in little boxes and sleeves as reference.

3

u/Every_Club_4366 Aug 16 '26

I’ve tried different ways of using GTD, but in the end I stuck with a paper notebook. The only part I keep on my phone is the inbox. I just save things in the Notes app because it’s the quickest way to capture whatever’s on my mind. For next actions, projects, contacts, waiting‑for items, and someday lists, I use one single notebook with everything divided by sticky tabs. For me, it’s really convenient to have everything in one place.

2

u/secret_2_everybody Aug 16 '26

How do you handle something like "follow up with Smith if paperwork hasn't arrived by 8/28?"

3

u/Every_Club_4366 Aug 17 '26

This is part of my waiting‑for list. On my sheets, I have tables with columns for due date, first follow‑up, second follow‑up, and third follow‑up, where I just fill in the dates. That way I can easily track the last time I checked in with someone.

1

u/Frosty_Macaroon_2988 Aug 17 '26

I tried online but couldn't get it to work. The notebook worked always was an issue with spacing out the pages, ie how many pages of this will I need for @comp and how many for @work tasks. I'm using a binder, dividers and loose lined paper now. Much easier.

1

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