The tools on this table probably cost me about $10, and it's almost as valuable as my Mac Air.
$0.75: Turkish tea.
$2.00: Sturdy plastic folder with current biggest projects in it.
$1.00: Old scratchbook.
$1.00: New scratchbook.
$0.00: Waste paper torn out of scratchbook so it gets thinner as time passes and skimmable on incomplete stuff.
$1.50: Pack of 4-color pens.
$4.00: Nice drawing paper.
I've been asked very often why I use paper so heavily. My answer in three-fold:
1. It's tangible, physical, and tactile. The chance of not looking at it again is very low. The chance with new computer files in areas you don't access often? Rather high.
2. Ever read the myriad of studies about how additional computer monitor space makes you more productive? Yeah. This is almost equivalent to infinite monitor space.
3. No constraints on form factor: Graphs, charts, tables, writing, drawings, different colors of pen all can be instantly and seamlessly blended together. It's very fast for mixing and merging complex ideas in the fastest possible way to visualize, explore, understand relationships between, and otherwise work through a lot of data.
I go through a lot of paper. I highly recommend it. Having two different kinds of paper is a good start, one where you treat it almost sacred and carefully think it through (my drawing paper), and one where you intentionally treat it like dirt and move fast (scratchbooks). Add in four colors of pens, and just go crazy.
It's really hard to get across quite how much utility I get out of this stuff. I wouldn't expect an instant boost by buying notebooks and pens (but it might happen); I've learned a lot of little tricks over the years of doing this, and they keep becoming better tools.
Perhaps it's similar to how a carpenter gets more versatile with the same tools over time.
But I really just can't recommend it enough. If you're doing anything where your income is tied to your creative or expansive output, or ability to achieve tangible results rapidly... well, the ROI might just be insane for you.
If you forced me to choose between no smartphone or no notebooks for the rest of my life, I'd choose no smartphone. They're that valuable. If you're not using them, you're potentially missing a form factor and tool as valuable as your smartphone.
And just like how you can become more effective with your smart phone by using and playing with the technology more, you get more effectiveness out of notebooks by using and playing with them more.
I've never regretted buying paper and pens. There's stuff I've done on them where I was deadlocked on the computer and it came easily on paper. It's hard to describe and probably somewhat unbelievable at first. But I really can't emphasize enough how much of a try it's worth. It's so cheap! And easy! You just... buy paper and use it.
Give it a whirl. Even if it doesn't stick for you right now, it's a good bet to try.
For the people it does stick with, it might unlock life-changing (no exaggeration) thinking benefits.