✏️ Boss Diaries: Why Nothing Beats a Spiral Notebook (Even in the Age of Apps)

Yes, you probably have a monster to-do list lurking in your project management software—and that’s fine.

But if you’re working in English as a second language, it gets even more complicated.

We see you, and we get it. 😅

Today, I had 9 meetings with ESL professionals, and everyone agreed:

The struggle is real. 😁

💡 The verdict?

 7 out of 9 said they always bring a spiral notebook!

When your brain feels like 73 browser tabs are open, try this:

✅ Grab an old-fashioned pen or pencil—and a spiral notebook. Come over to the dark side. 🤠

✅ Put today’s date at the top.

✅ Do a brain dump. Get every idea, task, and question onto paper.

Suddenly, it’s not swirling in your head—it’s an action list.

Feeling overwhelmed?

Draw a line down the center of the page:

Business | Personal

Feels better already, doesn’t it?

Then, get strategic:

 👉 Decide & delegate.

 👉 Prioritize: Now or later?

 👉 Many steps? Just pick the first one today.

 👉 Few steps? Do it all today.

This process isn’t just comforting—it’s backed by research:

✏️ Harvard Business Review:

"Writing down your goals will make you more likely to achieve them."

(Source: HBR, If You’re Serious About Goals, Write Them Down)

🧠 UC Berkeley Greater Good Science Center:

"Writing by hand strengthens the learning process."

(Source: UC Berkeley, The Science of Handwriting and Learning)

📝 Vogue:

"There’s a unique pleasure in crossing something off a paper list."

(Source: Vogue, The Return of the Handwritten To-Do List)

Example:

“Complete Quarterly Report” sounds simple—until you unpack it:

1. Research numbers

2. Talk to Mary (Accounting)

3. Reconcile expenses

4. Get forecasts from Lukas (Marketing)

5. Schedule a call

6. Hire a VA to help

You can’t do it all today. But you can choose one step to start.

As Harry S. Truman said:

"In reading the lives of great men, I found that the first victory they won was over themselves… self-discipline with all of them came first."

✅ Pro tip:

Leave your notebook on your desk.

Bring it to Zoom meetings—no apologies.

Try this:

“Sounds good! One sec. Let me grab my notebook.”

 —or—

“Sure thing! Let me jot that down.”

Cross things off (it feels amazing). And when life gets overwhelming? A good teammate—or your notebook—will remind you what matters. Rome wasn’t built in a day.

Find your process—and stick with it, even if it’s a little Y2K like mine. 😉

📩 For support building clarity, confidence, and communication skills, visit AurumBorealis.com.