How we track habits - blending analogue and digital - Stationery Freaks Podcast

In this episode Rob shares his goal setting process using paper and digital tools. Rob explains what makes a good goal, Helen asks lots of questions and Rob shares how to track goals.

We cover:

1. Goals should be measurable and timebound
2. An annual review is a positive process
3. Painting a picture of the future and aligning goals is important
4. The why is important
5. Precious little red notebooks
6. Tracking in ToDoist
7. The power of journaling

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In this episode we explore the world of Hobonichi Planners. Helen decided that January was a good time to switch productivity, journaling and note-taking systems (it may not have been a wise decision).

She chats us through the world of Hobonichi Planners and how she is using them to "force" her to develop the habit of journaling. She also needed mountains of stickers. All the stickers.

We also cover Midori notebooks (Helen raves about these), Etsy Hobonichi sticker providers and why productivity systems must be hacked to make them work for you.

Rob explores "containers with rules" and explain how he's impressed with a new calendar view in Todoist.

We hope you enjoy this episode.

Why not subscribe to the Stationery Freaks newsletter also - https://stationeryfreaks.substack.com/

Thanks 
Helen and Rob

It's that time of the year again - time for something festive.

In this special edition, episode 4 of 4, we offer up some advice and insights into things we would buy if money were no object.

Rob breaks the rules on this one, Helen less so.

Listen to the end for a magical and amazing idea we'd love to do, but alas, money IS an object.

We cover:
- Helen - Smythson Soho Luxury Notebooks. About £170 - £250
- Rob - Parker Bumble Bee - ebay link so may expire. £5000 for a pen!
- Helen - Diamine Inkvent Calendar - this is SO cool. £89.95
- Rob - Antique Writing Desk - link may expire if sold. £3650
- Helen - Helen would like a pen made from the Apple Tree made famous by Isaac Newton. We believe you can only get them in the store at Woolsthorpe Manor, not online. Alternatively, Helen would like a pen made of wood from the actual York Minster.
- Rob - My more reasonable choice (although still expensive) would be this amazing pencil sharpener by Labour And Wait. Epic. But is around £200.

We make use of affiliate links which means you don't pay any more but we earn a tiny commission that goes to keeping the servers running.

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It's that time of the year again - time for something festive.

In this special edition, episode 3 of 4, we offer up some advice and insights into stationery accessories that are on our gift list.

Helen shares three and Rob shares three.

We cover:
- Helen - TipEx Mouse
- Rob - Firbon A4 paper cutter
- Helen - Bookaroo Sticky Tabs
- Rob - Rapesco desktop Pencil Sharpener
- Helen - Hobonichi Deco Rush Stickers
- Rob - Vretti thermal printer (here's the Vretti one I bought but it looks like it's been discontinued) Here's a "memoking" that receives high praise.
- Helen also shares her disappointment about Dove Grey ink

We make use of affiliate links which means you don't pay any more but we earn a tiny commission that goes to keeping the servers running.

• This Christmas Gift Guide newsletter is out now - subscribe here : https://stationeryfreaks.substack.com/
• Check out the website : https://www.stationeryfreaks.com/
• Follow us on Insta : https://www.instagram.com/stationeryfreaksuk/

It's that time of the year again - time for something festive.

In this special edition, episode 2 of 4, we offer up some advice and insights into notebooks that are on our gift list.

Helen shares three and Rob shares three.

We cover:
- Helen - Zen Art B5 Dotted Notebook
- Rob - Ottergami A5 notebook
- Helen - Atoms to Astronauts notebooks
- Rob - A4 Yellow Legal Pads
- Helen - Midori Notebook
- Rob - Plotter Japan Notebook

And an honourable mention (we both assumed the other had it on their list) to the very excellent Mark and Fold Everyday Notebook (And no, we are not sponsored or affiliated with Mark and Fold :) )

We make use of affiliate links which means you don't pay any more but we earn a tiny commission that goes to keeping the servers running.

After the first three episodes have aired we'll send out a Christmas Gift Guide newsletter - subscribe here : https://stationeryfreaks.substack.com/

Check out the website : https://www.stationeryfreaks.com/

Follow us on Insta : https://www.instagram.com/stationeryfreaksuk/

It's that time of the year again - time for something festive.

In this special edition, episode 1 of 4, we offer up some advice and insights into 6 pens/pencils/inks that are on our gift list.

Helen shares three and Rob shares three.

We cover:
Helen - The Stalogy Gel Pen
Rob - Sharpie Ultra Fine
Helen - Glow in the dark ink (Etsy)
Rob - Staedtler Norris School Pencils
Helen - Waterman Carene Ink Pen (Fountain Pen)
Rob - Waterman Deluxe Ink Pen (Fountain Pen)

We make use of affiliate links which means you don't pay any more but we earn a tiny commission that goes to keeping the servers running.

After the first three episodes have aired we'll send out a Christmas Gift Guide newsletter - subscribe here : https://stationeryfreaks.substack.com/
Check out the website : https://www.stationeryfreaks.com/
Follow us on Insta : https://www.instagram.com/stationeryfreaksuk/

In this episode we chat with Amy Cooper-Wright who is the founder of Mark and Fold, one of our favourite stationery companies. Amy talks business, notebooks, gaps in the market, sustainability and shares her desert island stationery!

We chat about:

• Why start a stationery company
• Why Amy was influenced when she was younger by making her own books and running a toy post office
• Why Amy sought out to make the notebook better, not cheaper - and held to her high bar of quality 
• Why Amy was tired of not being able to find decent notebooks to buy
• Logistics, designs, challenges
• Pens, notebooks and the love of stationery
• Why you need to gather your stationery supplies ready to unleash your potential
• Why it's important to build your own system - and why Mark and Fold don't prescribe the system
• Sustainability and waste in the stationery industry
• Desert Island stationery - find out which 5 products Amy would take with her

Special Offer
Our Stationery Freaks newsletter includes some images of our Mark and Fold products and details of the special offer - https://stationeryfreaks.substack.com

We mention the Mark and Fold products that we use:
- The Everyday notebook
- The planner Pad

Amy mentions Kenya Hara and his excellent book 100 whites (affiliate link) all about the colour white and paper.
And here is the notebook Amy couldn't remember the name of: https://www.labobratori.com/
And here is Amy's new adventure in branding and comms - https://www.ames-and.co/

Thanks
Rob and Helen

In this episode we do a lovely interview with Sanne Visser, Technologist, Zentangle and Mandala aficionado and bullet journalling fan.

We cover:
* The Netherlands, bikes, canals and wonderful old libraries that sell stationery
* What Zentangle and Mandala Art is, and why Sanne does it
* The notebooks, pens and pencils used
* Table cloth colouring
* Stoic wisdom books
* Cellotape, staples and Hobonichi planners
* And Sanne shares the 5 items of stationery she would take with her to a desert island
* We also muse whether water bottles and handcream are considered stationery

You can find Sanne here:
https://www.youtube.com/@9outof10testers

https://www.linkedin.com/in/techsannetized/

Products Mentioned:
Posca pens

Sakura Pigma Micron (non-bleed fineliners)

Woodley Dual Brush

Big coloring tablecloth

Mandala coloring book

Find pictures of Sanne's artwork on our website : https://www.stationeryfreaks.com/

In this episode we discuss Helen's recent retreat to Gladstone Library. The surprising thing about the retreat was that there were no obvious stationery freaks....in a library.

• Helen explains what Gladstone Library is and the environment
• Helen talks about her experience at the retreat
• Helen explains how everyone had laptops, and very few stationery freaks were there
• Rob talks a little about his retreat 2 years ago
• Rob remarks that his was like a lads holiday, without the lads
• Helen explains why she's rebooked already
• Plus some hints and tips on doing your own retreat

Gladstone Library - https://www.gladstoneslibrary.org/
Previous episode where Helen Callaghan mentioned Gladstone Library - https://www.stationeryfreaks.com/episodes/helen-callaghan
Our Stationery Freaks newsletter where we shared a picture of Helen at the retreat - https://stationeryfreaks.substack.com/p/travel-chaos-and-laziness-stationery

In this episode we were super inspired by a wonderful YouTube video we watched, called "You're Not Lazy : How to live a chaotically organised life" by YouTuber Elizabeth Filips. 

So, given it summed up how we work, or at least how Rob works (that was why Helen sent him the link to the video), we thought we'd deconstruct the video and share stories about how we operate. And of course, although light on stationery talk, how we use stationery to control our own chaos.

In the episode we talk about:

• Stationery Stories:
  • Helen has bought some single use ink pens
  • Rob's been boring and bought some coloured paper 
  • Helen's daughter is mapping out the entire history of the Roman Empire on a giant sheet of paper. 
  • We chat about white boards
  • Helen is retreating to a library
• And of course, we deconstruct the messages in Elizabeth's videos and how they resonated so much with us.
  • Fall behind, catch up, move ahead
  • Seven year itch - become 1000% better quickly
  • Optimise for passion
  • Adult brat - talk to yourself properly

Elizabeths video is here : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A2sS00egAzg&t=639s
Her channel is here : https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCUFFHXvzAMRSD8Bq4bJppxQ
We mention Van Neistat : https://creatorhub.patreon.com/articles/digital-spaghetti-van-neistat
We mention Mark Forster : http://markforster.squarespace.com/

Check out the newsletter and website at stationeryfreaks.com

Thanks