📝 What is commonplace journaling?

Small changes can have a big impact on your life.

Sometimes, it’s just leaving a journal on your desk.

Today’s newsletter introduces the idea of commonplace journaling, a centuries-old note-taking method that helps boost creativity & focus.

Commonplace journals helped some of history’s greatest thinkers to organize their thoughts.

Francis Bacon, John Milton, Isaac Newton, and Thomas Jefferson all kept commonplace books.

Leonardo da Vinci described his commonplace book as:

Just think of it as a low-tech version of your iPhone’s Notes App.

As people try to deal with information overload and the self-sabotaging thought processes that come with 24/7 social media, more people may turn to commonplace journals as a way of organizing and calming their minds.

What is commonplace journaling?

At the heart of this journaling method is the “commonplace book”, a kind of scrapbook where the writer records interesting observations, quotations, passages, or ideas.

Commonplace journaling differs from other kinds of journaling, which focus on recording personal thoughts and reflections.

Commonplace books can also contain the reader’s reflections, but they should be focused on the collected material.

Commonplace journaling techniques vary, but they usually include these elements:

• Recording interesting material

• Organizing related ideas

• Summarizing or paraphrasing information

On the surface, commonplace journaling may look like just a place where information is stored.

A real commonplace journal is far more personal than that. You can think of it as an extension of your brain and intellect.

A person’s individual perspective affects what material collected, how the material is grouped up, and what parts are emphasized in paraphrased sections.

Commonplace journaling is a way to build knowledge, rather than just store it.

Where did commonplace journaling come from?

Intellectuals and philosophers have used commonplace journals for thousands of years.

Scholars in ancient Greece and Rome created compilations of wise sayings and ideas, with “Meditations” by Marcus Aurelius being the most well-known example.

Scholars and members of the educated middle classes continued to use commonplace books from the Middle Ages up until the modern era.

As author Steven Johnson said:

“Just about anyone with intellectual ambition in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries was likely to keep a commonplace book.”

Condensing and organizing information oneself became less popular in the 20th and 21st centuries, as electronic media made it easier for people to organize information.

But: Commonplace journaling is regaining popularity among communities seeking ways to avoid information overload and regain intellectual autonomy.

How can you start commonplace journaling?

One way to start commonplace journaling is to make a plan to read several books you own.

Dedicate a chunk of time each day to reading, and keep it up.

As you go through the books, write down your thoughts in the margins of the page.

These sorts of notes, which have been gathered in books for centuries, are called “marginalia.”

When a book is finished, write your favorite quotes, ideas, and reactions in a commonplace book.

Another good idea is to keep a small pocketbook with you. Write down interesting ideas or quotes that you encounter during the day.

At the end of the day, sit down and transfer the information to your commonplace book.

Transferring the information takes a bit more effort, but it also enables daily reflections.

Arranging the material you find in categories also encourages you to engage critically with the things you hear, read, and see throughout the day.

Why should we consider commonplace journaling?

Humans encounter more information on a daily basis than at any other time in history.

Information access is generally a good thing. You can find countless free books and educational videos online that provide opportunities for self-improvement and fulfillment.

But too much can lead to information overload.

Commonplace journaling encourages you to find your own material (instead of consuming what the algorithm delivers to you) and organize it in ways that make the most sense to you. 

Ultimately, this encourages more deep thinking about the ideas that are important to you.

Writing and reading a commonplace book also focuses your mind on interesting things outside yourself.

This helps to prevent aimless thinking, procrastination, and self-doubt during your journaling time.

To sum up, commonplace journaling provides a way to:

• Filter information

• Focus thought and reflection

• Avoid unhelpful thought patterns

• Inspire creative thought and work

Over time commonplace books become like a personal encyclopedia.

But, unlike encyclopedias, a personal commonplace book starts to reveal themes and patterns in your interests and observations.

As the book grows, it starts to show you a narrative of your own intellectual journeys. Enjoy your adventure.

ART OF THE DAY

A Scholar in His Study by Godfrey Kneller. 1668.