I don't make resolutions, but I would like to spend more of my day using pen and paper (or pencil and paper).

I've noticed how many times lately that I reach for these "analog devices" to get me out of a mess - and yet I quickly return to a computer, phone, or iPad.

When I'm stuck on a particular piece of writing, I'll close my computer and take out a pen and a pad of paper and head to a coffee shop.

It's more than just the change of venue - the difference in medium frees some other spot in my mind and I write, I cross out, I write some more.

I should do more of my writing on paper.

I should do more of my creating on paper.

I'm more likely to add a diagram or a little sketch.

So I did what I always do when I feel this way. I went out and bought a bunch of pens and some nice pads of paper.

Now I have to build the habit of using them.

When I'm overwhelmed by all that I have to do, I'll put away my computer and take out a pen and a pad of paper and make a list.

I'll check things off the list as I accomplish them.

If I do something that's not on the list, I'll add them so I can check them off.

I do this for a day or so and then I'm completely caught up so I stop.

I was talking to a friend about this on Friday. He does the same thing.

It's like someone who needs meds to feel better. Once the meds are doing their work and they feel better, they stop taking them. There are some conditions where this is the right thing to do. You had a fever, the fever is gone, you can stop taking the pills. But there are some conditions where the medicine will be required from now on.

I don't know why I don't see pen and paper in that light.

I do much better making lists and tracking how I spend my day. I suppose this doesn't have to be done on paper, but for now I'm trying it.

Mike Rohde, of Sketchnoting fame, gave a wokshop on how he organizes his day. It resonated because it is somewhat similar to a method I've been noodling on that is related to how we schedule and bill for radio advertising.

He uses a variant of bullet journaling and writes about it here.

He's made some changes since this article. He now uses a two page spread where the left side is the daily plan bar and a list of things he'd like to accomplish divided into sections. On the right side he keeps a log where he makes notes on what he accomplished.

My variant is to have a second plan bar on the log page which tracks what I actually accomplished. This is the "billing log". I'm only three days in so I'm not sure what's working and what needs to be tweaked.

If I keep this up, I'll let you know.

By the way, I took a Sketch Noting workshop from Feli at Swift Leeds. I've watched her Sketch Note at conferences for years and wanted to do it. This workshop helped push me in the right direction. We'll see if I follow through.

While I was shopping for notebooks I read this post from Asha on Urban Sketching.

I want to try this.

I've wanted to learn to draw forever - but I don't do it.

Her article has motivated me. I'm going to buy a second notebook and try to make sketches every day.

This fall I met with Chad in Amsterdam (that's also the name he uses in his comic books).

I want to investigate creating books with more drawings o cartoons in them.

I've looked at all sorts of digital tools but I think - once again - the solution is to stat with pen and paper.

I don't know that there's a point to this post, other than perhaps we should step back from our amazing (increasingly AI) digital tools and just sit with our thoughts.