Thank you, Karen!

It means so much to hear how people use our journals and the role journalling can play in someone’s life. You are going to have such a wonderful collection of memories as you continue to fill out your journals.

We will certainly make a note about the Varanasi Silks and Saris, too!

All the best,
Robyn @ Paperblanks

I can only fully agree! As I always loved journaling, about the small things that happen in a day or week, and about my big, philosophical ideas 😉 But it was hard to find books that are beautiful yet practical and with great quality, big enough yet easy to carry with me everywhere.

And then, a few years ago, I found Paperblanks and I am absolutely addicted! I use the books as a diary and have quite an extensive collection. In general it takes me 3 to 6 months to finish 1 Ultra sized lined book of 144 pages. Recently I counted all my still empty ones and I’m pleased to say I have enough for another 3 wonderful writing years OMG (not that this fact will stop me from buying more of these marvels, haha).

I already have the entire Ultra Lined-collection with a magnetic wrap, so I’m expanding my horizons to other collections such as the stunning, golden books with Gustav Klimt as inspiration. There is one collection that unfortunately doesn’t exist in Ultra, which is the Varanasi Silks and Saris. Dear Paperblanks, it would be great (and I think I can speak for all Ultra fans here) if this gorgeous collection is also available in Ultra Lined 😉 Big thanks and keep creating!

Hi Jeroen,

This is a great question! There are a lot of ways that keeping a journal can help you in your professional life, and there is no one right way to go about keeping a professional journal.

You’re off to a great start by keeping a “lessons learned” journal. Writing things has has been scientifically proven to help you actually remember them, so this is a great way to continue your on-the-job learning.

In terms of the type of professional journal you should keep, it really depends on what you hope to get out of it. Do you want to set and achieve goals? Make to-do lists to keep you on track? Keep helpful hints for completing a task more efficiently next time?

A professional journal can be a great place to list advice from your mentors or to write down contacts that you don’t want to risk losing in cyberspace. You can also vent about your current situation (or make plans to change it) without risk of your employer getting wind. Whether you are writing out study notes or analysing a presentation that didn’t go as planned, a journal is a non-judgmental place for being totally honest about your experiences. And ultimately, it is only when you really understand your hopes and goals that you can begin to work toward them.

If you’re looking to set and achieve some goals, here are 15 prompts to help you get started: http://blog.paperblanks.com/2017/01/15-goal-oriented-journalling-prompts-to-start-the-new-year-right/

No matter the type of journal you wish to keep, these are some helpful “first steps” to get you on the right track: http://blog.paperblanks.com/2016/05/5-ways-to-go-from-journal-owner-to-actual-journal-user/

Good luck! Let us know how it goes – we are always looking to hear from real-life journallers and share their ideas.

How would you recommend keeping a work journal? I just started working at a logistical service provider in the Netherlands, and want to start a journal to reflect back on my day and what I learned and/or accomplished.

It’s a busy job, and I take Notes all day to keep the workflow up and not forget a task. I already keep a “lessons learned” journal-ish document on my computer, but that’s meant to help me remind how to perform a certain task, as I’m everyones assistant and can’t afford to forget them.
But – back to the professional journal. How should I get started? What should I note and what does someone typically leave out? Thanks!

Fun article. So true about just writing.

I like to start journals with something easy, like an “about me” section. Doing something basic and easy helps you feel like you’ve broken in the journal and don’t have to come up with something special for the first few pages.

Wow. Thank you so much, Bex, for the thorough and thoughtful comments! It’s appreciated! 🙂

I especially like the fold over flap with magnetic closure, which helps protect the pages when being carried around in a bag. Journals with no closure can sometimes open up and splay in transit which in turn damages the pages. Having the secure flap close around the journal prevents this.

The pocket at the back which has become a somewhat ubiquitous feature of quality journals, is sturdy and can accommodate a decent stash of items I want to secrete away in there. A lot of people find these pockets a nice yet arbitrary feature; I always use them and would feel a bit lost if my journal didn’t have one.

Whilst the beautiful covers are what initially drew me to these journals (and let’s be honest here, these are some of the most stunning journals you can purchase!) it was the overall quality that has seen me become a firm convert. The paper is creamy ivory in colour with a woven texture that not only looks gorgeous, but stands up perfectly to my fountain pens and inks with no bleedthrough or feathering. The tooth of the paper is just enough for the nib to gain some purchase on, without catching or snagging. It is, in short, perfect!

So yeah, I love these journals and wouldn’t use anything else. I do have a couple of smaller Paperblanks notebooks too (one of the cat ones and a shufa one too) which I use for jotting down random notes and lists throughout the day. They’re just really versatile and add an element of luxury to what would otherwise be an incredible prosaic activity.

Thank you to Paperblanks for creating the ultimate journal. I have searched for years trying to find the perfect combination of attractive exterior, fountain pen friendly paper, comfort and durability, within a very reasonable price margin.

Am looking forward to seeing what new designs you guys release in the future.

Bex

Hi Mabell. You can find our products in the “Libri Mundi” bookstores in Ecuador. Hope that helps!

a girl from Ecuador

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