I’m a distractible person.
Don’t get me wrong, I can be laser-focused for several hours on, let’s say, a guitar tone. But send me to the grocery store for an onion, and I’ll return with strawberries, ballpoint pens, tiki torches—pretty much everything besides an onion.
I tell you this because I’ve realized that looking at my phone is like sending me to the grocery store. Especially when I’m trying to quickly capture a song idea. Before I can jot it down in my Notes app, I see shiny things: a text message, breaking news, my cousin’s wife’s sister’s husband commented on my Instagram post. By the time I’m done with all that, I don’t remember the idea. I often don’t even remember having an idea.
I’ve tried pretty much everything. I’ve done the grayscale. Turned off all notifications. Do not disturb mode. I’ve even stuck all my apps in one folder on the second Home Screen, so that I use the search bar to open an app.
But lately, what I’ve found most helpful is a good old-fashioned pocket notebook.
Now, I know what you’re thinking. Wouldn’t it be faster to use your phone? Aren’t you just being an old curmudgeon?
As to the first question, what I’ve found is that it’s much faster to write down the idea than it is to pull out my phone, tap it 73 times, backspace because I realized it autocorrected incorrectly, all this while trying not to get sucked into the vortex, of which my success rate is 2 percent.
Now, as to the second question about being an old curmudgeon, my wife would say, “yes.” I enjoy getting the next iPhone update like I enjoy getting kicked in the shins.
Honestly, though, I like many of the features of having a phone. I use the voice recorder all the time (hard to get audio in a notebook). I love being able to text friends and family and share photos. I’m not anti-technology, I’m just pro song ideas.
If this resonates, try the paper method. I recommend using a recipe card, Moleskine, or this, which is what I use.
Love,
Aaron