There are two types of people in this world!

There are two types of people in this world 

Over the past decade replacing paper as the primary means of record keeping has increased the use of digital applications exponentially.   The use of these virtual type notebooks is growing in both academia and industry. Understandably, there are still many people who are reluctant to make the switch. The question for you, how do you know if an electronic notebook is the right choice? Here’s a few things to think about.

Organization

Electronic notebooks do a great job of providing tools to keep the notebook functional and organized. Even if you prefer to handwrite your notes, there is an electronic notebook for you. Many interfaces allow notes to be written using a stylus on a tablet PC or iPad. You can choose whether to leave the imported notes in your handwriting or to convert them to text that is searchable which is a great key feature. Simply type in a topic and find it within seconds rather than look page-by-page through written notebooks. Most electronic notebooks also allow you to tag your data and organize them into categories.

Another upside that helps improve organization is the use of automatic time stamping. When beginning a step in your project, it will time stamp that time to your page. 

Sharing

When collaborating as a team, oftentimes each team member has his or her own paper notebook so efficiency can become a problem. With the electronic notebook, sharing notebooks is easy. Many platforms allow multiple users to edit an individual notebook, and sharing is usually a built in feature of the program. Files can also be shared through uploading the electronic notebook to Dropbox or converting it to a PDF that can be printed or emailed. 

Here are some great apps to try:

• Google Keep
• Paper – Dropbox
• Simplenote
• iCloud notes
• Evernote
• OneNote
• ZohoNote
• Saferoom

Storage and Accessibility

Depending on how you set up your electronic notebook, you can have access to it virtually anywhere. A cloud service for storage can be easily obtained through any internet connection and on all of your electronic notebook devices. Backing up your data is effortless since you can store a copy on the cloud or locally—you will essentially have multiple backups in multiple locations.  You can also just store your electronic notebook locally on your computer’s hard drive or a removable storage device.

Benefits of writing notes by hand:

1. Increases your ability to focus
2. Increases your comprehension
3. You will be able to understand and process more information
4. Improves your memory
5. Inspire your creativity
6. Engages your mind
7. Extends your attention span
8. Improves your organization of information
9. Improves your prioritization of skills
10. Provides a condensed document for study

There are many options for paper notebooks: ruled, plain, squared, dot grid (perfect for a bullet journal).

Here are some great Paper notebooks to try:

• Leuchtturm 1917 A5 Plain Hardcover Notebook (Black) with Numbered Pages
• Moleskine Paper Tablet Hard Cover Smart Notebook, Dotted, Large (5″ x 8.25″) Black – 176 Pages
• Moleskine 12 Month 2021 Smart Weekly Planner, Hard Cover, XL (7.5″ x 9.5″) Black
• AmazonBasics Professional Journal, 10.5X7.5 inches, Black, 2-Pack

Security

Security is a hot topic when it comes to digital notebooks. The upside is they  feature password protection. Your data is safe, especially if stored on a removable storage device. A written notebook on the other hand may be easily lost, stollen, or destroyed.

The Blend Between The Two

1. Smart Reusable Notebook

2. Smart Writing Set Pen & Ruled Smart Notebook

3. Livescribe Symphony Smartpen Bluetooth Digital Pen

4. Livescribe 3 smartpen Black Edition

Whichever your pick is, there is definitely something to fit your preferences, work style, and to improve productivity!

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