I thought it might be entertaining to future me to create a record of the things I use to get my work done as the calendar turns from one year to the next. This is partially a reflection of changes I’ve made in the past year and partially a snapshot of the current state of my tools.
Notebooks
The biggest change this year has been my steady return to, and, in some cases, preference for, analog options. As I noted previously , I have experimented with using a tablet and the app Goodnotes for my planner and notebooks. In February, I transitioned away from the slab of glass and back to old-fashioned paper.
Two key factors led me back. I disliked writing on glass, and weekly and monthly reviews are much more satisfying in a physical notebook. I don’t know what it is about my brain but I’ll take flipping pages over swiping on a screen any day. I also came to crave the blank pages of a notebook over the preprinted planner layouts and had a background hum of worry about replacement costs. When I went digital I was leveraging hardware that totaled upwards of $600, as opposed to a $20 notebook and $2 pen.
I use a Leuchtturm 1917 A5, with dot grid pages, as a notebook to organize my life. It hews pretty strictly to Ryder Carroll’s bullet journal system. I find it most valuable for weekly reviews and daily plans, but I also use monthly pages and the future log. It helps tame the chaos of a sometimes busy life.
I’ve also been carrying a Field Notes pocket notebook when I’m away from my desk and have been experimenting with notebooks dedicated to brainstorming, mind mapping, or just being a place where I don’t mind being messy.
Research Journal
Just like I transitioned away from a digital planner to a physical notebook, I did the same for my research journal. I had been using an Obsidian note (and before that an Evernote file), but the advantages of analog drew me back to my roots in grad school where I used single-subject notebooks to track my research projects. I like how the notebook reduces distractions and helps me context shift. When I open my analog research journal, my brain orients to the task much more than opening a digital file. Here, too, I like flipping pages to review progress much more than scrolling or keyword searching in a digital file.
I’ve been experimenting with a slim softcover notebook that I can tuck behind my bullet journal. My Paper Republic leather cover makes it easy to carry both together.
Pens
I don’t consider myself a pen snob by any means, but I like to use pens that do the job consistently while minimizing minor irritants. This has been a rocky journey in 2025. I started the year using a Pentel Energel 0.7mm metal tip as my multipurpose writing implement of choice. I love writing with it but grew frustrated with how often the ink smeared or transferred onto other pages in my Leuchtturm 1917. Switching notebooks was unthinkable so I spent part of the summer on a quest for a pen that had a similar writing experience to the Energel without the drawbacks.
I thought I had found it with the Squire by Baronfig that uses the Schmidt Short P8126 refills. I like this pen a lot. The construction and balanced feel in the hand are both superb. The ink was inconsistent, though. New cartridges seemed to be overly wet and I felt like I was painting at some points. The consistency evened out fairly quickly (usually after a day or two) but then it seemed like the cartridges were short lived and needed replaced frequently. The inconsistent ink flow and expensive-for-me refill costs motivated me to return the Squire to its cases and look elsewhere.
Next, I tried two gel pens–the Uniball Zento and the Zebra Zarasa Dry, both in 0.7mm tips. I first trialed the Zento, telling myself I would use it until it smeared or transferred ink in my bullet journal. Once that happend, I’d switch to the Zarasa Dry. Neither pen lasted more than a couple of days. I would be writing quickly, not thinking about dry time, or turned a page too soon. Smears and transfers resulted, and the pens when in my drawer.
I turned next to the Uniball Signo 207, a pen I had used before the Energel, and wrote with it more or less happily from August to the beginning of December. The Signo 207 smeared but not as frequently as the other pens, so I grinned and tried to bear it.
Earlier this month I finally decided I’d rather exchange the vibrant ink and smooth writing of the gel pens for a pen that delivered a decent writing experience with no smears or transfers–the Uniball Jetstream RT ballpoint.
The Jetstream RT has been growing on me. My quest might be over.
Software
Even though I’ve turned toward analog much more frequently this year, I also spent a fair amount of time in various applications getting work done.
Notes Apps: My notes workflow is a hybrid of analog notebooks, notecards, and digital files. My preferred notes apps are Obisdian and Apple Notes.
File Storage / File Database: DEVONthink 3.
To Do Apps: When I need something besides my bullet journal I turn to Apple Reminders and Things 3. Each application has a slightly different use case for me.
Calendar App: Fanstical.
Word Processor: After using Ulysses for a couple years, I returned to Microsoft Word for my academic writing. I don’t blog enough to have a dedicated app, but I mainly use Obsidian.
Email: Mail.app for work and Gmail for personal.
Hardware
My workhorse is my MacBook Pro 14″ M3 with 16GB of memory and 512GB of storage. I turn to my fourth generation iPad Air, purchased in 2020, for annotating journal articles with an Apple Pencil and a few other things.
That’s it, I think. I’m pretty happy with my tools as I gear up for the new year.
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