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Reasons to use a paper-based task manager

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Re: Reasons to use a paper-based task manager

#21

Post by _delirium »

jkscm wrote: post #15
_delirium wrote: post #5

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The other aspect for me is that I can write better on a book with bound paper pages, than I can on a smartphone. I can type much better than either of those input methods, on a proper keyboard. But if I don't have a proper keyboard, I'm more skilled with a pen than with a simulation of a QWERTY keyboard on a 4.5" touchscreen.

But if you go to a meeting somewhere and you would have to choose between pen/paper or a smartphone which would you choose? Typing speed may not be an advantage of phones [1] but your colleges will not see what you have planned. I could write these thoughts I'm writing right now on paper for myself but I'm "thinking" with you. Maybe it's hard to argue about it because these two things seem superficially similar. But…

If I was at a meeting, I'd certainly write on paper; that's one of the easiest cases! For one, it's more socially acceptable to be writing on a piece of paper than to be looking at a smartphone. When you pull out a smartphone, everyone assumes you're just doing something else (checking email, chatting on IM, whatever).

Re: Reasons to use a paper-based task manager

#22

Post by bdunn »

I've tried just about every web/mobile/desktop todo list out there, and always end up back at pen and paper.

Every night, I list out the things I want to get done the next day. I strike these tasks out throughout the day as I do them. At night, I destroy the list (burn it if we have a fire going) and make a new list. After writing out "Setup split test experiment on blog CTA" a few nights in row, it becomes painfully obvious that it either needs to get done ASAP or it's not worth it.

With software-based todo apps, it's too easy to overload your list, which leads to starting each day depressed over how much you have to do that day.

Re: Reasons to use a paper-based task manager

#23

Post by morganherlocker »

1qaz2wsx3edc wrote: post #4

> 1. Forces brevity > 2. It's always available / It never crashes > 3. Awesome Weekly Summary > 4. Take notes anywhere On 1.) This is something ultimately up to oneself, I could have a larger notebook, or use multiple pages. Brevity more over is about self-discipline in accurately describing tasks. It can also be double edged in that not enough information or vagueness may increase effort require. This is something d…

> For instance, I use Trello as a scratchpad about various things I have going on. I've got about 11 or so person boards. Writing things down and applying a method to limit work in progress is really the corner stone of getting things done in my opinion.

I use trello extensively. I always have an "In Progress" list and an "On Bat" list. "On Bat" maxes at 5 items, "In Progress" always has two items per person on the board (and it should usually only be one item).

Re: Reasons to use a paper-based task manager

#29

Post by wslh »

jmduke wrote: post #3
jkscm wrote: post #2

Probably an ad hominem, but why would someone who has over 7000 tweets and who appears to be tweeting every 3 hours need to carry an additional pen + paper. Wouldn't he have his phone anyway? I wonder why are so many "digital natives" still preaching the advantages of pen an paper over digital texts today.

I mean, that's answered directly in the article: phones run out of battery, Twitter isn't as each to reach for as a notebook. I don't use this guy's specific method, but I've spent the past few months using pen-and-paper as well, and it just works very well for me (using the Bullet Journal technique: bulletjournal.com). I suspect this kind of thing varies wildly from person to person, though.

I use a mix: write the "bullet journal" with OneNote, print it, and continue with a pencil.
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