Notebook Techniques for Organizing Your Mind and Life

"I don't know what to write in my notebook."
Back when I thought that, I would just vent my emotions and leave it at that.
But then, I realized something.

It's not just for organizing your mind; it can also be used for your daily life and actions.

From that point on, my notebook changed.

The more I wrote, the more I felt the power to organize my life returning to me.

This time, I'd like to introduce 10 things that I've found useful to write about, other than just "organizing my mind."

Even if just one of these resonates with you, please give it a try.

1. Today's To-Do List

I open my notebook in the morning and narrow down what I need to do today to three items.

For example:
Write one note
Go to the library
Stretch for just 10 minutes in the evening

I've realized that I can get more done when I have fewer things on my list than when I try to do everything.

Just thinking, "If I can get these done today, that's enough," makes my mind feel at ease.

2. Not-To-Do List

Surprisingly, we spend a lot of time and mental energy on things we don't actually need to do.
A list from one day:
Don't check social media in the morning
Don't overreact to family members' moods
Don't try to do everything perfectly

When you decide what not to do, what you should do naturally comes to mind.
By writing down "I won't do X," your daily actions become simpler.

3. Reviewing How You Spend Your Time

At night, I look back on how I spent my day.
● Good time: "Wrote a note in the morning -> Great sense of satisfaction"
● Wasted time: "Social media after lunch -> 30 minutes gone before I knew it"

I don't just record it; I also write down "why I felt that way."
By doing this, I can see what a "good way to spend time" looks like for me.

4. What You Ate and What You Cooked

Even on days when I feel like the day just slipped away...
sometimes just thinking, "I had a delicious meal," can be a saving grace.
● Breakfast: Rice with raw egg + miso soup
● Lunch: Frozen udon with added vegetables
● Dinner: Mackerel simmered in miso (cooked it myself)

Since I work in the food industry, keeping a record helps me see the connection between my diet and my physical condition or mood.
It's also good for planning future meals, like noting "I didn't have enough vegetables that day."

5. Sleep and Physical Condition Notes

The old me used to ignore vague feelings of being unwell.

But since I started writing things down, I've begun to notice, "Oh, I've had this pattern before."

I write it like this:
Light sleep -> Had caffeine at night
Stiff shoulders -> Did a lot of PC work
Feeling foggy today -> Premenstrual tendency

By writing it down, I can quickly understand the cause of my discomfort.

6. Thoughts on Books, Audible, and Movies

If I just read or watch something, I forget it immediately.
But if I write down even a few thoughts, it's easier to remember.

I'm not good at putting things into words, so this record also serves as practice for developing my vocabulary.

7. Inspiration Notes

Ideas for notes, things I want to write on social media,
anything that pops into my head, I just jot it down.

Even if it's not fully formed, it often comes in handy later.
Many of my 1000-character notes started as one-line memos.

8. Problems and How to Deal With Them

I'm the type who makes a lot of mistakes, so my notebook has become a "countermeasure memo pad."

For example, a day when my daughter was fussy at the nursery school in the morning.
-> Choose clothes together the night before
I write down measures to make life easier like that.

If you write down the emotion, the action taken, and the result as a set,
it becomes an "instruction manual" for the next time the same thing happens.

9. Things to Do During Spare Time

It's a good idea to decide in advance what to do during those spare moments when you might otherwise just end up looking at your phone.

10 minutes: Think about a note structure
30 minutes: Read a book / Listen to Audible
60 minutes: Write a draft at a cafe
By writing it down, you'll be less likely to have your time controlled by others.

10. Three good things

At the end of the day, just write down three "little good things."

Example:
My daughter put on her shoes by herself
I managed to hang out the laundry in the morning
I included two vegetable dishes for dinner

By keeping a record like this, you will realize that there is no such thing as a day where you did nothing.

Summary

A notebook is a place to organize not just your mind, but your life as well.

Your thoughts, emotions, physical condition, and time.
The more you write, the better you will understand yourself.

You don't have to write a lot. To start, try writing just one thing today.