Wow, we are almost at the end of 2021, and it is time to talk about my notebook setup for 2022. Generally, I use three notebooks. One for planning, one for note-taking, and one for journaling. For several years now, my setup includes Rhodia notebook and Hobonichi Techo. I have used Hobonichi Techo as my journal and a Hobonichi plain for note-taking. But for 2022, I will not be having any Hobonichi notebook in my setup. And I plan to use two notebooks for journaling instead of one.
2022 will be the first year ever for me to use Midori. I have always liked the Hobonichi, but this year I want to try something else. Some people claim that Midori paper quality is as good as Tomoe River paper quality. I have tried writing in it for a test, it does feel good, and I think it has less ghosting than the Hobonichi notebook. So hopefully, it lives up to expectations on the more prolonged, more intense use. Plus, getting Midori notebooks in Indonesia seems easier than Hobonichi notebooks, and it costs less.
Planner
I used Hobonichi Techo for my planner for a long time, but in 2020 I switched to Kokuyo Jibun Techo. While I don't quite like Jibun Techo, I learned that I love to plan in the weekly spread format. So in 2021, after looking around, I stumbled upon this Nolty PDCA notebook and started using it. And I must say I loved it. It has everything I ever wanted. The paper quality is top-notch. I was worried about this initially because I use a fountain pen. Still, it turns out, like most Japanese paper, they are fountain pen friendly. The only minor issue with this book is that it does not lie flat, unlike Hobonichi or Rhodia.
This notebook has a calendar to schedule all your appointments and meeting. You have a space to jot down your to-do list with priority. Which is amazing. Because when I use this notebook, I constantly ask myself about the importance of the tasks. Is this task important? Is it urgent? Should I delegate this? Should I refuse to do it? This is not something I constantly do when I only use a to-do list. What happened is that I seemed to be finishing a lot of tasks, but none of them were of any importance.
Note-taking journal
For the note-taking notebook, I will use Midori A5 dot grid. In 2021, I used Hobonichi plain notebook. It comes with 288 pages with different print colors every 72 pages, and Midori only has 192 pages. Even then, the Hobonichi is not as thick as the Midori. So the Midori has big shoes to fill in.
I like the feel of the paper, and the initial fountain pen test is good. So hopefully, I will not have any issues down the road. I will be using my old Hobonichi cover for this notebook. I really hope I will like this notebook because it is easier to get and costs less, but I can always switch to Hobonichi plain next year if I don't like it.
Gratitude journal
In 2022, I will be using a Midori diary for a gratitude journal. In a Midori diary, you have your weekly page across a two-page spread, further divided into eight sections.
According to a study, keeping a gratitude journal can help people sleep better, lower stress, and improve interpersonal relationships. Yes, I want all of those. So in 2022, I plan to write three things I am grateful for every day in each of those sections.
Reflective Journal
I always have liked Rhodia Goalbook. When it first came out, the dots were so dark that they bothered me a lot. But subsequent releases have fixed this issue. The paper quality is excellent. I think it is not as good as Rhodia web notebook, but it is still terrific. It has numbered pages, a table of content, and a monthly calendar. It comes in many colors, but I have been using the silver one for a few years now.
One of my goals in 2022 is to be a more reflective person, and I believe journaling every day will help me achieve this goal. In this journal, I will put my long-term goals and visions, and dreams. I will write down essential questions or problems that I am dealing with. And I will draw a lot of sketches in this notebook.
Wrap up
Yes, four notebooks. I know, crazy, right. But technically, I only carry two notebooks at all times, a planner and a note-taking notebook. The other two journals stay at home, and I only use them in the evening.
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