These Notebooks Replaced My Phone (and Healed My Mind)

Is handwriting dying out?

Some days it feels like it. Most people I know rarely pick up a pen unless they’re signing a contract or scribbling a grocery list. And I get it — our smartphones do everything. Call. Text. Navigate. Answer every random question that pops into our heads. Access to infinite information. Endless apps. And yet… somehow, my phone is also the single biggest source of distraction in my life.

Not just doomscrolling on social media. I’ll be deep in thought, then a question pops up — and boom, I’m on Google, or I’ve drifted into ChatGPT, or I’ve lost 20 minutes down a rabbit hole. When everything is available instantly, our own resourcefulness can vanish. I don’t like who I become when I consume more than I create. It feels like my attention — and sometimes even my soul — is leaking away.

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So I did something simple. I picked up a notebook.

Now, I journal with pen and paper almost every day. These notebooks aren’t just tools — they’re anchors. They give me back a direct line between my thoughts and the real world. No tabs. No pings. No algorithm trying to hijack my focus. Just me, the page, and a quiet kind of clarity.

Let me walk you through what this system looks like.

1. Morning Pages – Catching the Vague Mind

My thoughts in the morning are messy. Not full sentences. Sometimes not even words. Just fragments: images, worries, daydreams, fears, love. So I write it all down. Not for anyone to read. Not to sound smart. Just to get the fog out of my head.

Five minutes of “mental hygiene.” That’s how I think of it.

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Some mornings, I also use this time to write down my intentions for the day — what I want to feel, focus on, or pay attention to. This small act minimizes multitasking and helps me respond to life rather than react.

2. Story of the Day – Training Presence Through Reflection

Every evening, I try to write a little story about my day. Even if it was uneventful. Even if it felt boring.

Here’s the strange thing: doing this has made me feel like time slows down.

When we were kids, summer felt endless. As adults, years fly by. Why? Because we stop noticing. We stop creating memories.

When I journal my day — the good, the bad, the awkward, the beautiful — I remember it.

Life doesn’t need to be thrilling to be story-worthy. It just needs attention.

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This habit was inspired by Harvard professor Jennifer L. Roberts, who makes her art students observe a single painting for three hours. The longer you look, the more you see. Same with life.

3. The Logbook – Progress Through Documentation

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For training, I keep a separate logbook. Right now, I’m using it for Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. As a beginner, it’s easy to forget the techniques and details, especially when I get submitted five times in one roll.

By logging my sessions — what I practiced, what worked, what didn’t — I’m creating my own private coaching system.

I used to think I’d remember everything. Spoiler: I don’t.

This applies to any practice: breathwork, strength, mobility, meditation. Documenting your practice gives you feedback, shows patterns, and helps you improve faster. It turns training into a craft, not just a routine.

4. The System – Analog Tools for a Digital World

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Here’s what I use right now:

• A large bullet journal (Leuchtturm) for morning pages, evening reflections, and deeper thoughts

• A pocket notebook for messy ideas, to-dos, spontaneous insights, and BJJ notes

• A separate training logbook for structured movement or skill practice

These notebooks live in my pocket, on my desk, and in my gym bag. They don’t buzz, vibrate, or lure me into a black hole.

They’re simple. Honest. Tangible.
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I’m not anti-tech. I still use my phone, watch YouTube, read articles, and listen to podcasts. But now, I do it with more intention.

Because when I journal, I notice when something is trying to pull my attention — and I choose, instead, to push it toward something meaningful.

That’s how these notebooks are replacing my phone — not in function, but in soul.