Deep Questions with Cal Newport · 2026-07-13 · 64 min · 13,093 words

Should I Use Notebooks More Often? (Cal’s Strategy) | Monday Advice

Listen to the original audio · Transcribed with NVIDIA Parakeet · Timestamps stay in sync with the live audio

Do you like the idea of an old fashioned paper notebook? I mean a lot of people do. There's something aesthetically pleasing about a well made notebook. There's also the excitement Of anticipating the original thoughts or insights that This tool is gonna help you usher into the world. But then if you're like most people, you buy that fancy new notebook. And it ends up sitting idle.

And then eventually you forget about it. So here's the problem. It's not enough to simply own a nice notebook. You need a specific use for it that takes specific advantage of its analog format. When it comes to paper in other words, it's how you use it that matters just as much as what You own.

This of course inspires a natural question, what are the most effective ways to make use of a notebook? Well, it's Monday. Which means it's time for an advice episode of this podcast, which is the perfect opportunity to go looking for some answers. Alright, so here's my plan. I'm gonna use myself as an example. Um, I actually use four different types of notebooks on a regular basis. I have them Yeah.

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