Ideas of what to write in a notebook
10 Ideas to Help You Fill An Empty Notebook
The possibilities are pretty much endless. Throughout history, notebooks have been used to record all sorts of things.
If you opened up one of Leonardo Da Vinci’s notebooks, the Codex Arundel, you’d see a variety of things including ideas for mechanical objects, observations on how water flows in a river, studies of celestial objects, and theories of bird flight.
In his Renaissance contemporary, Michelangelo's, you’d find this hand drawn grocery list for a herring, tortelli, two fennel soups, four anchovies and “a small quarter of a rough wine.”
A notebook can hold anything you can imagine
If you are staring uncertainly at the empty pages and wondering what you should fill them with, here are ten ideas to get you started. Maybe you’re the next Leonardo da Vinci? (Or maybe you just need to keep track of your food.) Starting can be intimidating. It needn’t be. We’re here to help.
10 ideas to help you fill an empty notebook
1. Start a diary
One of the most famous uses for a notebook is for keeping a diary. A diary is a lens for truth. It’s where you can be honest about the things you observe going on in your life. It can be as detailed as you want, touching on whatever you decide, because it’s a tool tailor-made for you. We all need to unload, and doing it in a diary can have a positive effect on how you see things. Getting your thoughts down on paper can clear your mind. For more on this, here is out ten step guide to starting a diary.
2. Start taking notes
According to Itamar Shatz of self-help website Effectiviology, “research shows that taking notes by hand allows you to remember the material better than typing those notes on a computer.” This is because the act of writing by hand forces you to actually process the information. “People tend to give more consideration to which parts of the material they should write down.
” If you want to attain a more thorough understanding of a subject, open up your notebook and get writing. As a bonus, you’ll never have to carry around a charger or hunt for a wall plug.
3. Plan your life
You might immediately be thinking, “whoah, wait a minute. That’s a bit of an undertaking.” And you’d be right. You don’t have to plan out every single activity but having a plan for some of the things you want to achieve is helpful. At the end of the first chapter of Meaningful Work: A Quest to Do Great Business, Find Your Calling, and Feed Your Soul, author Shawn Askinosie says to “step away from the book” and start writing. He charges you to write down defining moments in life that gave you pause or charged you up. Considering those events and how you felt about them is the first step on the lifelong journey that is your life. We highly recommend the book, if only so you can put it down and start writing.
4. Start a travel journal
There’s an old Icelandic proverb - Heimskt er heimaalið barn - which when translated means “a child needs to leave the shelter to learn.
” It contains the Icelandic word for stupid - heimskur - which isn’t so much about a biological defect as it is about the notion of willful ignorance, of “never having sailed away from home.” Travel gives you a greater understanding of the world. This doesn’t mean you need a passport and a plane ticket. It means getting a little bit out of your comfort zone and seeing someplace new and maybe meeting different people.
5. Record your dreams
Your brain is always on. During the day it’s working more or less under your control. But when you sleep it’s still going. Ever sleep on a problem? You wake up the next day and the solution that eluded you 24-hours ago appears before you clear as day. Dreaming is the way your brain works out problems and attempting to recall them can be pretty interesting. Recording dreams and reflecting on them can be fun and may inform you of new ways to tackle problems during the day. Note: some dreams are just kooky and leave you scratching your head. That’s OK too.
6. Set life goals (daily ones count)
What do you want to achieve in a year? In a month? Even a day? Setting various goals and achieving them can give you a real sense of satisfaction. Maybe you want to write a novel. "Start setting goals. Maybe you want to get healthier (more on that later). Start setting goals. A big goal is great but smaller readily achievable ones are just as helpful, probably more so." Shawn Askinosie quoted above was a high profile defense attorney before he gave it up to start a fair trade chocolate company. He set and changed goals. It’s OK for you to ditch old goals for new ones too. Do what’s right for you.
7. Start a quote collection
“Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness, and many of our people need it sorely on these accounts.” That’s by the American author and satirist Mark Twain, and we put it here to reiterate the importance of (sustainable) travel along with the usefulness of having a good quote at your disposal.
8. Collect aha moments
Ever come up with a clever turn of phrase or fun idea? “Oh, I’ll remember it later,” you thought to yourself. And then when you went to recall it, blank. Write it down! Our stone paper pocket diaries are great for this particular use.
9. Exercise tracker
Record how many miles you walked, sets of weights you’ve lifted, or the number of protein shakes you’ve drunk. If you bite it, write it, food diaries are the best way to help you maintain a healthy weight. Throw in a little activity and you’re on the road to health.
10. Pass down wisdom to your family
I will share with you a bit of wisdom I gained at a young age. Do not microwave an egg that is still in its shell. But if you do, do not open the door until after it explodes. Not as enlightening as the Family Sagas of the Icelanders, but a useful pearl of wisdom nonetheless.
You are sure to do better.
In the end, fun is what counts. Enjoy the task!
Whatever you decide to do with your new notebook or journal, we ask only one thing, that you do not use it to prop up a crooked table. I mean, we’re proud of our products and want you to use them. Not so that you eventually have to buy another one but because our products are meant to be used and will last you a long time besides.
For further reading
Check Your Local Library
(Outgoing Links to Books go to Amazon)
The Motorcycle Diaries by Ernesto Guevara
Meaningful Work: A Quest to Do Great Business, Find Your Calling, and Feed Your Soul by Shawn Askinosie
Keeping a Dream Journal - Psychology Today
Sagas of Icelanders - Wikipedia Entry
Hrafnkel's Saga and Other Icelandic Stories is a good entry point into saga literature. This translation also contains the story of Hreidar the Fool which isn’t a saga but is a hoot to read.
100+ Ideas for Any Blank Notebook — WRITING MINDSET
Got a blank notebook around the house you don’t use? Have a half-filled notebook that you love that you don’t want to ignore any longer? Find a use for any blank notebook using this giant list of 100+ ideas. Any blank notebook will work for any of these activities. Some of these notebook ideas may travel with you throughout your day, some notebooks will stay at home on the shelf. If you need a notebook recommendation, check out the product review page on the blog. One of the main messages on the Writing Mindset blog is that “you are what you write.” However, even more so, you are all of your dreams, goals, and habits. All you need is a blank page.
If you don’t know where to start with a journaling system, start with the post “Choose a Journaling System That Works For You.”
Mental, Emotional, and Physical Self-CareMorning Pages
Braindump Worries/Negative Thoughts
Anxiety Journal
Nightstand Thought Tracker
Date Night Ideas
Fitness Journal
Pregnancy Journal
4th Trimester/Postpartum Recovery Journal
Habit Tracker
Therapy Journal
Inspirational Quotes (Divide by Theme or Type)
Dream Journal
Sleep Tracker
Affirmations
Mediation Scripts or Mantras
Routines
Sunday Scaries
Hygge Journal
Diet or Food Tracker
Meal Planner
Child/Baby Meal Planner
Baby Tracker: Bottles/Diaper Changes/Pumping/Napping
Grocery List
Recipe Book
Exercise Tracker/Fitness Routines
Allergy Tracker
One sentence a day
Gratitude Journal
Scrapbook
Baby’s First Year Scrapbook
Child’s School Papers, Awards, Drawings
Family Journal/Family Tree
Personal Diary
Current Event Notebook
Happiness/Laugher/Funny Moments Journal
Daily Memory Journal
Bullet Journal
Daily To-Do List
Idea Notebook
Vision and Mood
Work Journal
Career Vision and Goals
Teacher Planner
Project Journal
Goal Tracker
40 Before 40 (30 Before 30, etc)
Mind-Mapping
Address Book
Passwords
Wedding Planner
Side Hustle Notes
Budget/Savings Planner
Enneagram Notes
Moving Planner
School or Class Notes
Holiday Planning
Gift Ideas
Event Planning
Toddler Activity Planner
Brush Lettering or Hand Lettering
Sketchbook
Song Lyrics
Doodling Notebook
Collage
Dried Flowers or Leaves
Fashion Design
Poems
Playlists
Sticker or Stamp Collection
Junk Journal
Painting or Watercolors
Pen or Marker Swatches
Travel Journal
Vacation Planning
Language Learning
Bucket List
Photo Album
Garden Planner and Notes
Book Writing Ideas/NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month)
Creative Writing Prompts
Reading List
Movie or TV Show Notes/List
Podcast Notes
Couponing
Shopping Lists/Sales Tracker
DIY Projects
Home Renovation Planning
Home Decorating Dreams/Plans
Nature Journal
Bird Watching
Weather Journal
Fantasy Football Planning
March Madness Notes
TED Talk Notes
Beauty/Makeup Tutorial Notes
Editorial Calendar
Blog Post Planning and Drafting
Business Plan
Social Media Planner and Posting Schedule
Marketing/Affiliate Marketing Plan
Course and Webinar Planner
JournalingStephanie Hamptonblank, blank notebook, journaling, journal, ideasComment
0 LikesIdea Pack: 25 Ways to Fill Your Notebook
Have you finally found the perfect notebook and want to use it, but when you open the first page, you find you don't know what to write about? No problem.
Here are some tips to get you started if you're feeling creatively blocked.
1. Make a list. Wish list, dreams, to-do list, whatever.
2. Colorize the first page. Use pencils, paints, felt-tip pens and any other means at hand.
3. Write down your favorite quotes and sayings. nine0003
4. Draw or write down a real life story.
5. Make a mindmap.
6. Write someone a letter.
7. Fill in the page with even geometric shapes using a special ruler.
8. Make a collage of newspaper or magazine clippings.
Photo — @ronnycakes
9. Write down 20 things you are grateful for.
10. Write a story about what will happen in your life in the coming year. nine0003
11. Make some different textures on the first page using whatever materials you have.
12. Go to a museum and sketch your favorite painting.
13. Go to any website or app like Flickr, Pinterest or Instagram, find a photo that inspires you and write down your thoughts about it.
14. Make pictures for your perfect day.
15. Create a page for what inspires you.
16. Try new techniques, like painting with tea. nine0003
Photo — @kerbyrosanes
17. Use pages to brainstorm ideas for your hobbies: sketch, sketch, write down ideas.
18. Use natural materials like petals or leaves to create a collage.
19. Create your portrait from magazine clippings.
20. Write down the first word that comes to mind. Fill in the rest of the page with visuals that are relevant to the word.
nine0002 21. Tear out a page from your previous notebook and use it as the basis for the first page in your new one.22. Write down your creative ideas and goals for the month or year ahead. Make it pretty.
23. Create a collage inspired by your best day.
24. Complete this first page somewhere outside of your home. Go specially to the street, to a cafe, to visit and do something there.
25. Just write or draw the first thing that comes to mind. The first page will be followed by the next. nine0003
Our selection of notebooks
| Notebook Egolibro (marsala) - old color 1000 UAH |
| Lined Moleskine Classic Notebook (Pocket, Black) 575 UAH |
| Notebook Zakrtka A5 (dotted, grey) 340 UAH |
| Fine's notebook "Garna ideya" 335 UAH |
Photo by @janethecrazy
Photo — @teachercandy
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How to fill in the notepad that is in the bedside table
How to fill in the notepad that is in the bedside table
Surely you have had such a question in your head at least once.
A notebook is blank pages full of promises. Looking at the blank pages, it's almost impossible to resist the temptation to grab a pen and
start filling it out.
Unfortunately or fortunately, so far no application has been able to come close to the sensations of a real notepad that you can pick up. It has a lot of advantages: you can draw, write, paste anything into it, cross out, draw tables and change handwriting. With the right level of creative thinking, you can turn it into a masterpiece of art. nine0003
Here are some tips for filling your notebook
Food and exercise journal
The two pillars of any sport and physical activity are:
- what you eat
- what you exercise
Create a template to keep track of the food you eat. Write down the following: date, time, dish, serving size, nutrients, calories.
Create another template to track your exercise and how many calories you burn.
Also note the following: date, time, activity, duration, calories burned. nine0003
Keep track of time
You can use notepad to keep track of time. Find out once and for all where it disappears.
Also, keep track of the following:
- How much time do you waste when you procrastinate?
- How do you deal with stimuli and distractions?
- Do you complete tasks one at a time or work on several at once?
- How much time do you spend on the most important goals in your life? nine0149
- How much time is spent on non-essential tasks?
Track your spending
Tracking where your money goes is a good and wise strategy. Watch out for the following:
- Do you have frivolous expenses?
- What spending needs to be cut?
- Do you invest your money? For example, in education, in income-producing assets, in new experiences?
Start single phrase logging
If you're short on time or want to challenge yourself, try keeping a journal where you write down just one sentence a day.
Not more. This will help you become more aware and learn to put the maximum meaning into the minimum of words.
If you keep such a diary for five years, then after this period of time you will receive a real time capsule of your life.
Start a gratitude journal
You hear and read this over and over: the key to happiness is learning to be grateful. So when you get yourself a gratitude journal, you will finally understand why there is so much talk about it around.
Research by psychologists has revealed many benefits of regularly writing down the things you are grateful for. The easiest way to keep a gratitude journal is to write down five things you are grateful for every night before bed.
Morning pages
The idea is to write three pages as soon as you wake up. Just write whatever comes to mind for three pages and then stop.
Use the Morning Pages to solve your concerns, plan your day, and understand your true desires.
Audit your life
For example, you began to notice that the last few months you could barely make it to the evening - so exhausted due to lack of energy. Start tracking your energy levels throughout the day. Do you feel exhausted after hanging out with certain people? nine0003
Maybe you should eat an apple and see how it affects your energy level? How do you feel at the end of the working day?
Be like Leonardo da Vinci
Leonardo da Vinci developed the habit of always taking a notebook with him wherever he went. He used it to make sketches of people, birds, or objects he saw while walking, and to record ideas and observations.
With this habit you will be able to: 9
Art Journal
Art magazine includes drawings, doodles and embellishments. It can also be just a list of your ideas: good and not so good. In addition, you can cut out images from magazines and paste them into your art journal, as well as include photographs and other visuals.
Bucket List
Bucket List is a list of things you want to do in your lifetime. Agree, it’s stupid to keep this list in your head, especially since you can’t keep everything. And in a notebook you can also think and plan. Do you want to go to Disneyland? Create a map for this goal.
Learn a language
When you're learning a new language, it's incredibly helpful to keep track of everything you're learning.
