Back in college I was the guy with a palm pilot holstered on my waist — a nerd among nerds. Though I dearly loved my PDA I eventually left it for my PAA: Personal Analogue Assistant.
My PAA is this silver clipboard from which I run my life:
Each sheet of paper on the PAA is a Getting Things Done next action list. All errands are on one list, phone calls on another, etc. This way, when I’m at home, I flip to the ‘Home’ list and see all the things that I can work on from my hflat.
To handle recurring to-do’s, during my weekly review I print a file that contains these items. There is one page for each day of the week, each listing the things that need to be done on that day.
I hesitated going over to such a relative monstrosity after my tiny PDA. Try as I might, my PAA will never fit into a dorky holster on my belt (which may be an advantage). Eventually, I settled into the luxury of using A4 paper to keep life in order. The space of A4 gives the freedom to scribble a single thought across an entire page without worrying about abbreviating notes to fit on a two-inch screen or graffiti interruptions when the PDA misreads a letter.
To handle the increased size of a PAA over a PDA I permanently carry a messenger bag. The unexpected benefit of this mobile storage space has been so great that I’ve never looked back. My messenger bag now holds a few small necessities that I wouldn’t have carried otherwise, but that make life much easier.
The physical sturdiness of a clipboard also has a few more advantages over a stack of index cards or a PDA. It provides a write-anywhere surface that removes the hassle of taking meeting notes or writing in cramped cafes. Also, any sheets of paper needed for the day can be strapped into the clipboard to keep them handy for meetings and appointments. The last unintentional advantage is that everyone takes a man with a clipboard very, very seriously.
So go get a clipboard, some A4 paper, and build your PAA.
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I actually read about this quite a while ago, and have on and off been using it. What can I say, I’m attached to my lil’ hPDA.
All I’ve really got to add:
* If you get a clipboard with a storage compartment, beware the risk of letting it become a second inbox. Integrate it into your system however you like, simply make sure of just that: It’s in the system, rather than a stray collection area. Personally, as a college student, I found it most useful as an area to keep all of my syllabuses and class schedules, as they were my most referenced materials.
* Be careful with writing utensils. It was a bit stupid on my part (well, a lot stupid), but I used an aluminum clipboard with single sheets of paper, and my Pilot G2s scratched right through it. Now the previously beautiful tool is covered in little ink splotches and marks.
* Like omni-tools? If you’re using a cheaper clipboard, go crazy and draw on the back. In high school, I had a storage clipboard with chess pieces in it, and a chessboard drawn on the back. A hand drawn ruler can be handy in a few informal situations. Write down your personal dream/goal for life in capital letters. It may take off points from professionalism, but hey, it’s a tool that’s meant to be used.