Recommended Pocket Notebooks for Business Owners

Even if it’s just for a casual meeting over coffee, you want to make sure your notebook sends the right message. Photo courtesy of Thom Holmes via Unsplash.com

In a related article titled: Use the Warren Buffett Method and Take Written Notes, I explained the advantages of taking written notes to save your important ideas for later. If you don’t believe me that handwriting your thoughts is the best way to remember them, then you should go back and read that. There is psychological evidence to support it.

Of course, this brings up the question: where should you jot down your notes? Sure, you could grab whatever pad you have laying around, but that’s not very classy, and also not very practical for your needs. And yes, there are better options.

Below, I have listed notebooks that I have bought and used. While these aren’t super-expensive, they are better quality than a simple notebook, from the stitching to the cover, to the paper. This is because if you’re going to whip this out during an important meeting, you want to look professional and organized. Just as what you wear and how you look, your accessories need to show that you mean business.

On to the Notebooks

I have used dozens of different notebooks over the years. I also have to be honest and say that I didn’t always spend money on these because I’m frugal. I used everything from those real-estate pads that agents leave hanging on your front door to stacks of salvaged paper stapled together. I also had a period where I just used index cards help together with a binder clip.

The problem with all of those is that they have no longevity. If you need to review them later, edit them, and keep them on the shelf for reference, then you need something that as similar to a paperback as possible. Consequently, it also has to be compact enough to fit into a pocket so that you can take it with you.

You also don’t want a wire coil binding. While they are handy for laying the notebook flat, they can get crushed, they can unwind, and they can get caught on favorite sweater. They are also typically magnetic which can also be a hassle, although the biggest issue to me is that they add too much bulk.

While I was in college, I used composition notebooks, the kind with the multicolored camo patter and the black tape over the binding, for all my class notes. They were handy in that they looked neat on the shelf, were all the same size, were super cheap, and available anywhere.

Naturally, after college, I started using the mini-version of the 4x6” Composition Notebooks

They were small, familiar, and very convenient. I could just slip one in my back pocket and be on my way. After a while the camo pattern felt a bit college-y, so I switched to Plain 4x6” Composition Books

And I even tied the plastic cover ones for a while. They were a great place to start. I especially liked the fact that they were flexible, so that if you sat down with one of these in your back pocket, you weren’t breaking the binding.

The problem with these wasn’t obvious to me at first, but after I had a whole collection on the shelf, I realized that it wasn’t easy to tell them apart. You can’t use a sharpie on the black binding, so it required a label that I had to stick on there with tape. The second problem is that over time, the black binding started to peel off. I corrected this with additional tape, but the whole idea of these looking professional and well put together was gone.

The luxury models

If you really want to make a statement, you have the option of showing up to your meetings with a brand-name model. Some of the ones I think deserve honorable mention here are the Dingbats (I know, silly name) eco-friendly models, the Japanese Apica CD mini-notebook, or the more expensive but very highly regarded Mercedes of notebooks, the German-made Leuchtturm1917.

That said, I’m a frugal buyer, and after years of buying composition notebooks in bulk, I wasn’t ready to pay 12 dollars and up for a single notebook, even if it had a reputable brand name. Now don’t get me wrong, I’ve used them all and they are fantastic. At these price-points you also get higher paper quality that dries the ink quickly. You also get warrantees against defects and generally very good craftmanship. So they have their place.

But I go through notebooks like I go through snacks next to my desk, so I needed something a bit more affordable that still met my needs. One inexpensive brand that I used for some time was Paperage. I think it’s made in China, but it’s available in larger quantities, lays flat and is reasonably well made with higher quality paper. I used the Paperage Pocket Journal, below, and stuck to the darker colors, although they come in vibrant ones too.

They are very good. I also like the pocket in the back that allows you to store business cards and receipts, and it has convenient tear-out pages. There are other inexpensive imported options out there as well, but Paperage is a notch above.

One other notebook I tried for a while is the Rite In The Rain Mini-Notebook:

It is uniquely weather-proof and just for that reason I wanted to use it everywhere. I didn’t really believe it when I read about it, but these notebooks can actually be submerged in water and the paper will still be useable. With the Fisher Space Pen, this makes a unique combination if you live and work somewhere wet and you need this capability. The notebooks aren’t exactly inexpensive, but they are sure to raise some eyebrows and help you score some points if that’s what you need.

What I use now

Quality is important to me. I really needed something that was available in larger quantities at a reasonable price but still offered excellent durability, good quality paper, and while writing in the rain is cool, I live in SoCal, so that wasn’t needed. I don’t like to tout brand names and expensive options, but I can’t say anything negative about Moleskine Softcover Pocket Notebooks

Now these aren’t fancy and leatherbound (although you can buy fancy covers for them). They really aren’t super expensive looking, but they do look classy enough for my needs. They are also extremely light, small, and flexible. Did I mention they are reasonably inexpensive, available both online and in stores, and the paper quality is excellent.

Yes, I know I still need to attach labels to them when I put them in my bookcase because of the narrow-stitched binding… notice, I said “stiched” not stapled or glued which is also a sign of quality. The bottom line is that they are perfect for my needs, and I will use them over any of the others I have bought over the years.

They also have tear-out sheets, and a convenient pocket in the back. Honestly, it ticks all the important boxes for me but what I like best is that they are so light and flexible. I always hated having that rigid binding in my back pocket that I had with the more expensive leather-bound models, and actually also with the cheaper Composition Books too…

Conclusion

There are tons of options when it comes to pocket notebooks, but if you are looking to make a good impression while also keeping things convenient, then the options narrow quite fast. While there are certainly more expensive options as well, I just can’t bring myself to spend that kind of money on notebooks. It’s not that I’m cheap, but I have other things in my business I should be spending my money on.

That said, I will pay for quality. For a while I was willing to pay quite a bit more and I tried very expensive options, including some I didn’t mention above as they weren’t as impressive. I do see the value in those fancy notebooks, but as with all luxury items, it’s really a diminishing return on investment.

I also appreciate unique options for specific cases, like the all-weather Rite In The Rain notebooks. Apparently they come from Washington where it rains a lot, so I can totally see the need. It’s pretty cool. I was even able to take notes in a pool, but for my needs that’s not really necessary.

The most important thing, however, is that your choice of notebook doesn’t impede your ability to quickly take it out of your pocket and start writing. Not everyone needs the same features, so maybe one of the other notebooks is better for you. Just don’t let anything hold you back from taking notes!

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