So many things cross our minds each day that it’s amazing that we don’t have smoke coming out our ears.  Thousands of decisions are made on a second by second basis.  Yet, with all this action happening every moment, we tend to forget one of the simplest tools known to people.  The notebook. 

Nobody should leave home without one, let alone go to a meeting, workshop, seminar or function.  You can have a cut-down index card in your breast pocket, a small flip-book in your purse or any number of choices of notepads.  The important thing is to have something to write on and something to write with at all times.

Capture that good idea or question.  Record that name or address.  Plan that next activity or strategy.  Create that task list, chore list, bucket list.  The act of writing something down ensnares the idea as it crosses your brain.  It also allows it to escape all the mish-mash in your head.  (see The Sisters of Hope.) 

Here is a good test.  Take a notepad and a pen into every meeting you have for the next week.  Taking notes shows the person you are with that you are interested.  These notes can also help you remember any follow-up, track any ideas that came from the meeting and list out any tasks that the meeting generates.  I think you will find that writing things down is one of the simplest yet most productive types of planning in the world.

This idea is as old as writing itself.  In Latin, the phrase “Qui scribit bis legit” means “He who writes reads twice.” The thought is that if you really want to learn something, write it down and “see” it twice.  The Latin word “disco” means “to learn.”  So let’s “disco writing it down.”