In an article on his blog , Cal Newport Private or Broken Links
The page you're looking for is either not available or private!
claims to be more productive during the draft polishing phase of his book writing. He notes this might be because he does this phase with pen and paper instead of digitally.
There are a few benefits to working in an analogue environment:
- Flexibility - pen and paper or index cards are extremely flexible- we are not bound by the functions of an app and can freely shift from writing to list making to drawing and more without breaking thought and needing to switch apps.
- Focus- the analogue environment removes us from potential distractions of the digital environment.
I can appreciate the importance of focus- I am writing this note because I sat down to my computer to write a blog post, got distracted looking at pens online, remembered Cal had mentioned a type of pen in a blog then found a different blog that made this suggestion.
Ways that I am currently shifting towards a more analogue workflow as of 9/27/23 :
- I am using a notebook for sequential journaling and record keeping
- I have enjoyed this greatly and it allows me to perform my reviews without looking at a screen before bed
- Attempting to use a Hipster PDA (stack of index cards) for fleeting notes, and task management.
- I am not sure this will overtake a digital task manager like todoist but I would certainly prefer to carry this stack of cards around rather than my phone
| I think ultimately, for My PKMS overview | My PKMS Private or Broken Links The page you're looking for is either not available or private! I want to store evergreen information digitally to preserve its accessibility and lifespan- but so much information is saved in my system that is not needed to be saved - projects, tasks, fleeting notes and reference etc… Instead of the sort of medium lifespace ephemera I keep in GKeep I could use an analogue solution as well. Although I should remember that with certain information- digital provides a layer of security and accessibility. |
References
Hacks, Study. “Deep Habits: Work Analog.” Cal Newport (blog), February 6, 2015. https://calnewport.com/deep-habits-work-analog/.
Inspired by this observation, I’ve found myself increasingly trying to carve out tasks that can be done free from a screen. I’m now more likely, for example, to venture to a library with only a notebook to work on a proof, or to leave my laptop in my bag at my office to dig into some paper reviews.
Analog work is underrated. Try it for yourself: you won’t be disappointed.