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A simple, quick and efficient trusty
Behold, the dynamic duo on my desk – my trusty desk notepad and my organiser. Why, you ask? To get things done and to be able to quickly take notes when I’m in a video meeting or on the phone. When a deadline bomb drops in the middle of a call, who has time to flip through an organizer? Not me. I quickly jot it down in my notepad, and later mark it in my planner. Sometimes I’m on the phone and need to take quick notes and I don’t have the time to open apps on my computer. A notepad is such a simple item, but I can say with all confidence that it is an essential in my workflow and day-to-day life.
Sure, I’ve flirted with the digital note-taking apps. However, I always end up back with my tried-and-true piece of paper. Grabbing my pen and desk notepad which are always in arm reach is simply faster than opening an app. My notes are often spontaneous and opening a note app on my Mac -which has multiple software open- isn’t very efficient. Ever clicked the wrong icon while racing against time? Yeah, been there, lost precious seconds, not proud.
There’s another peculiar reason for choosing my desk notepad over other things I could write on. Brace yourself stationery nerds, this one’s for you. I’m protective of my notebooks, you see. I don’t want to ruin a notebook with scribbles and hastily written notes that I probably won’t need for longer then a week. I consider notebooks for ideas, for journaling or to take to meetings, but not for short-term information. Call it eccentric, call it quirky, I call it stationery wisdom.
Use a desk notepad to unburden your brain
We’ve all been there, we have small tasks to do, and they’re all roaming in our heads using up all our precious RAM. You’re juggling thoughts and you end up questioning yourself, what did the client say about the project deadline? Did I or did I not send that invoice? Trying to play mental Tetris with these details in our already busy life as freelancers is a guaranteed recipe for disaster. If this sounds familiar, you know the importance of dropping the information on a notepad. As your pen meets paper, the chaos in your mind finds order, granting you a stress-free day.
Deciphering what exactly needs to be done
Using a to-do list as a freelancer can offer several benefits. The ritual is clear—identify your tasks, determine what comes first, pen them down, execute, and with each task done and crossed out, watch the triumph of completion unfold. You can create a to-do list for the day or week. The later depends on preferences of visual representation of your workload. Here is my favourite methods on how to create a to-do list.
The Ivy Lee Method
This method is a 100 years old, and still valid to this day. All you have to do is create your list in 15 minutes at the end of your day for your next.
Step 1
List the top six crucial tasks for the upcoming day. Make sure to stick to six.
Step 2
Arrange these tasks in order of their importance.
Step 3
Begin your day by tackling the first item on your list, do not move on to another task until the first one is completed. I know it’s tempting to switch, but that’s how you get distracted and don’t get things done. Resist the urge!
Step 4
When the day is over, transfer any unfinished tasks to the following day.
Upgrade your desk setup
I used to have simple notepads on my desk, the ones with the horrible looking covers where you rip each page as you go, ultimately leaving you with a lonely survivor clinging to a cardboard back. You know the type, right? Functional, yes, but oh-so-hideous. I take pride on my desk setup, I like a clutter-free desk and enjoy it most with products that boost my productivity but at the same time also are pleasing to the eye and well designed. The era of ugly notepads is over, I will share with you what I consider the holy grail desk notepad.
Exacompta FAF No.3 Desk Notepad
Behold, the greatest desk notepad with a heritage half as old as the Ivy Lee to-do list method we discussed earlier. To put it plainly, it’s been around since 1928. The visionary behind its design is none other than the iconic Gustav Eiffel himself, the mastermind behind the Eiffel Tower. Yup, you heard that right. Now, let’s dive into the details of this invention.
The notepads have luminous white paper. You are able to choose between dotted (my personal preference) or plain. It has a certain weightiness to it, which makes it a dream to write on. As you might know by now, I’m all about durability — I like my things to withstand the test of time, and this notepad is nothing short of timeless. Just grab your refills, and voilà, you’ve got the perfect writing companion.
Conclusion
In my freelancer’s manual, a notepad is a non-negotiable essential. It can serve for many purposes like swift notes and spontaneous scribbles to the sacred routine to-do list that you worship and abide by each day. No matter the function, why not do it with a touch of retro and style, right?
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