Inside My Journal Stack: Analog Favorites in a Digital World

While I prefer digital tools for much of my process now, I started journaling with notebooks a few decades ago, and I’m still a fan of analog journaling and regularly use a small collection of print journals. Their purpose is less focused on my daily gratitude practice, which Day One handles expertly, and more of a problem-solving, ideation, time-tracking, and note-taking tool. Here are a few of my favorite notebooks and journals that I have in my collection and use regularly.

Moleskine

When I started journaling, the first notebook that I fell in love with was a Moleskine. That was over twenty years ago, and I still use them. They’re available everywhere, made well, and come in many shapes and sizes with different paper styles (dots, graphs, etc.). Over the years, I’ve used the Moleskine Classic Medium hardcover in black and the soft cover Cahier as well. I even remember an early Internet blog celebrating all things Moleskine, which I used to follow and enjoy. It became so popular that Moleskine eventually acquired it as part of its marketing campaign.

The Subtle Notebook

The Subtle Notebook from Cortex Brand is another favorite of mine. The paper has a lovely feel, and I appreciate that the upper corner of the page is perforated, allowing you to rip the corner off easily; this is convenient for finding the page you’re working on. It’s indicative of the thoughtful design touches that Myke Hurley and CGP Grey have added.

Field Notes

The best everyday carry option for me is Field Notes. It’s beautifully designed and made with so much creativity. I’ve had many of these over the years, and they’re always delightful to use. Coudal Partners and Draplin Design Co. regularly introduce innovative and beautiful designs that remain faithful to the core aesthetic. I still remember when these first came out. The product was, and remains, of such high quality. It helps that their visual design is always on point, and the marketing speaks to my very soul. Watch out, you might get hooked on these.

Ugmonk Analog

I’ve determined that I am a disorganized person. It’s just my nature. I still manage to perform and complete my work, but I sometimes take the long way to get there. I use the Analog system from Ugmonk to stay on track, less as a specific journaling tool and more as a tool to track the journey. I primarily use the Analog cards and the Discbound notebook, which is always open and on my desk next to my keyboard, to track projects and move things from my brain (or from the brains of others standing at my door or via email or text) into the proper places.

What’s Next?

I’m pretty settled with the analog journals that I’m currently using, although I’m always open to trying out new notebooks and seeing how they do. I am actively exploring more print-based tools from a few different makers to help me manage my time, energy, and focus. If you have some suggestions on tools that fit these use cases, let me know.

Analog vs. Digital: Results From My Journaling Format Poll

I recently conducted a poll on Threads and asked folks about their preferred journaling format. I offered three options: print, digital, and hybrid.

Print was the winner with 47%. Unsurprisingly, given the results, the comments largely favored pen and paper. One user shared that writing by hand helped them remember what they had written, and another said it was about the art and connection with the tangible nature of paper.

Another respondent shared the challenges she faces when attempting to write in a new journal and said she preferred the ease of editing digital journals for that reason.


I wrote a post entitled Your Story Matters: Overcoming the Perfect Journal Fallacy for those facing a similar struggle around getting started in a paper journal. It's a common challenge, and given how popular analog journaling is, I wanted to share something encouraging.

For my journaling practice, I fall into both groups. I use Day One for most of my regular journaling practice. I use a Subtle Notebook, and a Field Notes Memo Book for my analog needs.

Whatever tool you're using, remember this: the most important aspect of journaling is doing it in whatever format most likely to help you succeed.