Thread by @jonrog1

1) All right, I've received enough DM's, I'll make myself useful -- the notebook system!

2) First, a dedicated notebook for every project. This notenbook is creative -- questions, rebreaks, notes from the room that require in-depth consideration, etc. This is the creative/thinking space.

3) I have a separate notebook dedicated to examining my own workflow, notes about screenwriting or management books I read, etc, but you can skip that because you're normal people.

4) The new notebook I've been using for the past two years is a system to track EVERYTHING, because my company has 5-10 projects minimum going at a time, plus shitloads of phone calls for production when in production, tracking deadlines, that sort of thing.

I use the dot gridded Leutner 1917 -- I like the paper in Scribbles That Matter better but I don't like the size. IN the back I've saved a bunch of pages to list the wishlist/recommendations for books, podcasts, TV shows, movies, so I always have "what's next' for media.

The "to-do" timeline/process for active projects are back there too, using the square checkbox system from @donttrythis EVERY TOOLS A HAMMER, a book I cannot recommend enough. It is not the book you'll think it is, and it's better for it.

From the front -- I skip the bullet notebook future log, etc, everything's too in flux. I'm fine keeping the calendar generally in Google cal, it's better coordinated with my assistants and out-of-company-invitations.

8) Dammit, dropped the numbers -- right, then, each month, 1st section Bullet point to-do, All outstanding from last month, *everything*. If you know GTD, this is where all your unsorted tasks go. Add to it as you go, so give yourself three pages or so.

9) FWIW I keep an index card on me at all times jotting down new tasks or an open text file on my desktop, and then data dump at the end of the day.

2nd Section -- OPEN AND FOLLOW-UP. We get a lot of "sure, call me back about that project later" or "where's that contract?" This is specifically for phone calls, because my business is phone call intensive. Emails create their own threads, they're fine sitting where they are.

10) 3rd section -- MONTHLY DELEGATED. Similar to the previous, but internal. The previous is contact oriented, calls I personally need to follow-up up. This is assigned, actionable tasks. Usually the first word in the entry is the name of the project, because that's how I think.

(Ugh, the numbering's a loss) 4th Section: WORKOUTS. You don't need this, but having to stare at this on a regular basis keeps me running often enough to not die of rage.

5th Section: MONTHLY CALLS, I track calls and meetings in the daily pages, but have a few pages just for a bullet list of all the calls in the month, just so I can remind myself of who I talked to on what day, and go to that day for the notes.

Now we're into the daily pages. At the beginning of each week, there's a page of WEEK X - PRIORITIES, with three categories.
MUST
SHOULD
COULD
Three to five items in each. Achievable goals. NO MORE THAN THAT. If it's more than that, it's just a to-do list, and that's useless.

Then each day has a timeline, 6am to 9pm running down the lefthand top of the page, and the 3-5 goals of the day on the righthand top. below that, a section marked MORNING, then CALLS then MEETINGS, then EVENING.

(Each day is a page, if that was unclear). MORNING is just reminders, mood, news, etc. Each CALL has a quick bullet summary, as does each MEETING. More details if necessary go in the project notebook. EVENING is just a paragraph of things to remember, be they personal or historic

Just like a bullet notebook, whatever task doesn't get done gets shoved to the next day. The list does not get longer. It stays the same. If you accomplish more -- aces, that goes here too. But you start each day with three things, and if you get them done, YOU WIN THE DAY.

FWIW I do a quick wrap-out page for every month, just general feelings on projects, workflow, whatever. Again, flavor to taste.

Everything's in one notebook. Everything's in easy reach. What I need to do & call is right in front of me. Leutner 1917 will take about six months of this system. Every day is roughly timeboxed, every day has actionable goals I have to consciously decide upon in the morning.

This sounds like a lot -- it is not. Trust me. Once you're in the flow of it, each day is five to ten minutes of conscious choice -- which is what you should be spending thinking about your work day anyway.

And, finally in the front of the notebook, written big red ink so I see it every day is the list (I think) from GTD --
DO IT (if it takes less than two minutes)
SCHEDULE IT
DELEGATE IT
FILE IT
TRASH IT

a reminder for my emails but also task in general.

Does this system make me a paragon of efficiency? Abso-fucking-lutely not. But I'm never lost or confused, and I'm always moving forward on *something*. And that's good enough for me.

I'd also note the idea of keeping a daily journal working on specific projects comes from Elizabeth George's great book on novel writing, WRITE AWAY. Absolutely changed my creative life. /fin