Blog · Pocket Notebooks

How to Set Up a Pocket Notebook You Will Actually Use

The things that I like to do right away to pick a new notebook, and some of the things I like to set up at the beginning.

Luis Duque, PE · September 26, 2026 · 7 min read

It's a simple process that I do every time I finish a notebook and start a new one. It helps me stay organized.

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Step	What I do	Why
1	Number, name and date	Find it later in the archive
2	Mini calendar and important dates	No need for my big planner
3	Back page as an index	Jot down important pages and highlights
4	Daily log	Bullets for tasks, dashes for notes
5	Weekly habit tracker	Keep track of routine
6	Weekly task list	Know what I need to do this week
7	Number the pages and flatten them	Reference them, and teach the spine to open
8	Close it out and archive	Migrate what matters, add a sticker

1. Give it a number, a name and a date

I give all the notebooks a number. So this was number five in the collection. I'm going to start by doing the date and the name.

These are the National Parks edition from Field Notes. And I've been going through a lot of these ones. And looking at these ones, I'm leaning towards this Joshua Tree.

2. Draw a mini calendar

A couple of things I like to do are to draw a map or a calendar at the beginning and some important dates. I have a couple colors. This purple matches the cover, so why not?

I just like to start the week that I'm on. I'll fill out some of the dates once I'm in front of my computer.

In this notebook I had our UK trip. So any trips, any birthdays, any major events, I like to put them here, because I do have my planner, but I don't carry that thing with me.

This is more of a stay at the desk, get things done. So I like having just a few dates that are important to keep.

The calendar in front is a great way to just know some of the big events and things happening. It's something I can look at as I'm using the notebook. I don't need my big planner to know when is the next birthday, when is the next trip.

3. Save the back page for an index

Next thing I like to do is leave this back page as an index. I don't use it a ton. But sometimes it's nice to jot down a few important pages from that, as well as maybe some highlights from that notebook.

These ones are super thin. So I don't really need an index. I just like leaving a page just in case I need it.

The master index is actually going pretty well. And I reference some of the other notebooks that have maybe some special dates and some special content.

4. Start the daily log

And then today I'm going to put today's date. And from there I'll just write whatever I do today.

I use a bullet for tasks, a dash for notes, an equal sign for any feelings, and a circle for any events. And that just gets filled in as the day goes on.

5. Add a weekly habit tracker

I like to do a habit tracker. I'm just going to keep it simple this week.

Just numbers for how much water I'm drinking and how much coffee I'm having. I like to keep track of that. And then I'll just do the days of the week.

So if I have three bottles of water today, then I'll write the number, and so on. I leave a little space in the bottom for any reflection or anything that happens.

Habit tracking is something I've been doing recently, on a weekly basis, and that has been great as well.

6. Write a weekly task list

Next thing I like to do, especially at the beginning of the week, is a task list. Usually what comes here is any open tasks from my previous week that need to be done this week.

I like to have a list of all the things I need to do within the week. That way, I'm aware of how much time I'm really putting into different tasks, and being more mindful of the things that I need to do.

I like to use red to indicate some of the high priority things that need to happen. And if it doesn't get completed within the week, then it gets moved to the next week or back to my project notebook, which I have in a separate notebook.

And there I keep track of, hey, this project needs to have this many tasks before it's completed. This is the notebook I carry with me all the time. I know what I need to do this week.

7. Number the pages and break in the spine

The next thing I like to do is number the pages. And there's a couple reasons why I like to do this.

The new ones want to be closed. So one of the things I like to do is go through each page, numbering them, and I like to make sure as I'm going that all of the pages are flat.

This teaches the spine to be a little more flexible. I come to the middle and fold it back, and in the middle it opens completely flat.

And then as you go in each of the pages, it's going to stay a little flatter, which I prefer as I have it open on my desk.

I know I'm not going to number the pages later on. I sometimes fall behind. So it's nice to just get it out of the way.

8. Close out the old notebook

I write the date that I finished it. This took me about 3 weeks, which is a little longer than usual, but that's totally okay.

I go and read some of the entries, anything important that needs to be moved to maybe a more permanent notebook, any open tasks that need to be moved to a project notebook or to the new pocket notebook.

Sometimes I add the tab once they're sitting in the box. I just have a label maker, just printed it out and put it there. That way if I lay all of them down I can see the dates as they progress.

When to start a new one

I typically like to start them at the beginning of the week. That way I'm starting the week fresh. They usually last me about two weeks when I'm writing a normal amount.

Tasks are one of the main uses I have for these pocket notebooks, as well as just general journaling and reflection that keeps me grounded, and everything gets recorded because this thing comes with me everywhere.

Verdict: set it up in one sitting at the start of a week. Numbering the pages and flattening the spine up front is the step that pays back every day after.

The gear worth a look

Field Notes: the thin pocket notebooks I set up this way, one every two weeks or so.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What should you set up first in a new pocket notebook?

I give all the notebooks a number. A couple of things I like to do are to draw a map or a calendar at the beginning and some important dates.

Why number the pages of a pocket notebook?

I know I'm not going to number the pages later on. I sometimes fall behind. So it's nice to just get it out of the way.

How do you make a new notebook lie flat?

I come to the middle and fold it back, and in the middle it opens completely flat. This teaches the spine to be a little more flexible.

How long does a pocket notebook last?

They usually last me about two weeks when I'm writing a normal amount. This last one took me about 3 weeks, which is a little longer than usual.