I intentionally do a bi-modal system. Digital content can live forever and be everywhere, which paper is easier to capture but harder to sort and search and transmit. Digital notes are forever, and searchable, and likable, etc. Digit notes store things I have decided I want to remember forever (or things like URLs that are already digitized).
Everywhere I exist, I keep a legal pad - but any notebook will do. Near the couch, at my desk at home, at my desk at work, etc. the notebook is a list of facts/todos/whatever - each one its own line, and it gets crossed out when not relevant either because it’s done or I’ve decided I don’t care anymore. Literally like “don’t forget taxes” or “email John” or “bug at library X file Y line Z”. If enough items on a page are crossed out, I rewrite the items on a new page and rip that page out. Throw it away. Paper is ephemeral, and temporal. I typically go through at least page a day when working at my desk. Whenever I’m bored and procrastinating, I’ll read through the notes. They remind me important things I’m thinking about that I can’t keep top of mind. Anything particularly important I’ll cross out and write up digitally in my digital notes.
Importantly this lets me meet the information where it is. Work notebook is mostly work notes. Home notebook is mostly home stuff etc. there is no timeline or formal system to copy things over. If something was deadly important, I might take the time to digitize it immediately but generally a pen and pad favor speed of capture with minimal opportunity for distraction.
Everywhere I exist, I keep a legal pad - but any notebook will do. Near the couch, at my desk at home, at my desk at work, etc. the notebook is a list of facts/todos/whatever - each one its own line, and it gets crossed out when not relevant either because it’s done or I’ve decided I don’t care anymore. Literally like “don’t forget taxes” or “email John” or “bug at library X file Y line Z”. If enough items on a page are crossed out, I rewrite the items on a new page and rip that page out. Throw it away. Paper is ephemeral, and temporal. I typically go through at least page a day when working at my desk. Whenever I’m bored and procrastinating, I’ll read through the notes. They remind me important things I’m thinking about that I can’t keep top of mind. Anything particularly important I’ll cross out and write up digitally in my digital notes.
Importantly this lets me meet the information where it is. Work notebook is mostly work notes. Home notebook is mostly home stuff etc. there is no timeline or formal system to copy things over. If something was deadly important, I might take the time to digitize it immediately but generally a pen and pad favor speed of capture with minimal opportunity for distraction.