LeStallion
LeStallion
Journal For Organizing Thoughts - Organizing Your Thoughts with Journals
https://lestallion.com/collections/journal-notebook-for-organizing-thoughts
The mental chaos most of us experience daily feels like having 50 browser tabs open in our minds simultaneously. How do we bring order to this internal disorder? Our deep dive explores the transformative power of structured journaling as a solution to mental clutter.
We examine why high-quality journals like Lestallion's make such effective tools for thought organization. Beyond just attractive stationery, these notebooks feature intentional design elements - premium paper that makes writing pleasurable, built-in tables of contents that create categorization systems, and numbered pages that transform random notes into searchable knowledge databases. These seemingly simple features become powerful tools for bringing structure to scattered thinking.
The psychology behind journaling reveals why pen-to-paper is uniquely effective for mental clarity. Writing physically engages different neural pathways than typing, slowing down your thought process and creating space for deeper consideration. This externalization of thoughts quite literally removes them from your mental queue, reducing cognitive load and creating bandwidth for clearer thinking. Our discussion shares real-world examples of this transformation - from a graphic designer who created a project command center that revolutionized her creative process to a retired teacher who finally completed his first novel draft through structured note-taking.
Want to experience this mental decluttering yourself? Try dedicating just 5-10 minutes daily to journaling with intention. Create distinct sections for different areas of your life, use prompts when facing blank page paralysis, and regularly review past entries to track progress. Your journal can become the bridge between wanting something and actually achieving it – the external brain that helps transform mental chaos into productive clarity.
Listen now to discover how this ancient practice might be the modern solution to your overwhelmed mind.
Other Episodes
https://www.buzzsprout.com/2071281/episodes/16945729-journaling-for-nature-lovers-where-memory-meets-nature-lovers
https://www.buzzsprout.com/2071281/episodes/16945732-journal-for-calming-anxiety-the-power-of-journaling-for-better-calming-anxiety
https://www.buzzsprout.com/2071281/episodes/16945735-journal-for-spiritual-awakening-how-the-right-journal-transforms-spiritual-awakening
https://www.buzzsprout.com/2071281/episodes/16945739-journal-for-success-and-motivation-journaling-your-way-to-success-and-motivation
LeStallion offers premium PU leather journal notebooks for writing, dedicated to all those who are pursuing their dreams and goals, or nurturing their personal development and mental health.
For More Info on LeStallion, check out:
https://lestallion.com/
Welcome back everyone to the Deep Dive. You know the drill you send us your sources, we dive in, pull out the good stuff and try to make sense of it all for you.
Speaker 2:Yeah, connecting those dots.
Speaker 1:Exactly, and today we're looking at something I think pretty much everyone struggles with right Just the sheer amount of thoughts swirling around and how to maybe bring a bit of order to it all.
Speaker 2:It's that internal chaos sometimes. We looked at the info you sent about Lestallion's journal notebook for organizing thoughts.
Speaker 1:Ah, lestallion, yeah, I know them. They make some really nice notebooks, high quality stuff.
Speaker 2:They really do and we're going to explore why their specific approach, the features they build in, are actually quite effective for you know, getting that mental clarity, maybe boosting productivity, just by using a dedicated journal.
Speaker 1:Yeah, because that feeling is so familiar, isn't it Like your brain is just full work stuff, personal life, maybe creative ideas popping up?
Speaker 2:It's a lot.
Speaker 1:It really is like having 50 browser tabs open in your head. You just need a way to close them down. Organize the important ones.
Speaker 2:That's a great way to put it and that's really where this idea of a dedicated journal comes into play, specifically one designed, you know, for organizing thoughts. Right Lestallion even asks in their material something like looking for a way to keep thoughts organized and productive, and they say, basically this kind of journal can help. It's about giving those fleeting ideas a place to land.
Speaker 1:Okay, so one thing. Lestallion talks about is their paper quality, which maybe sounds like a small thing, but I've definitely used cheap notebooks and it's just not pleasant. Ink bleeds, it feels scratchy. Lestallion's paper is usually really smooth. Why is that actually important for, like, organizing your brain?
Speaker 2:Well, it's interesting. There's a bit of psychology there, I think. When the tool itself feels good to use smooth paper, nice pen, if it feels sound it makes the act of writing feel more deliberate. Yeah, Valuable maybe.
Speaker 1:Less of a chore.
Speaker 2:Exactly If it's frustrating to write, if the ink feathers or the pen skips, you're just less likely to stick with it, aren't you? Especially if your mind already feels cluttered. You don't need more friction.
Speaker 1:That makes sense, OK. So beyond the paper they have some clever features, the built in table of contents. That one jumped out at me immediately. How does that help organize thoughts?
Speaker 2:So the table of contents. Think of it like a map for your own mind. You decide up front. Ok, this section is for Project X. This part is for personal goals. This is for random ideas. You note it down. Uh-huh, you're imposing structure right from the start. It lets you categorize things and, crucially, find them again later without reading the whole notebook. It's about being intentional with your thoughts.
Speaker 1:Right. Finding that specific note later which leads to the numbered pages Seems basic, but I can totally see the value. I've wasted so much time flipping through old notebooks.
Speaker 2:Absolutely Numbered pages are well fundamental. If you want to create a reference system, okay, you can make notes like see page 42 for the meeting notes right in your table of contents or even in another entry. It turns the journal from just a list of thoughts into something more like a searchable database of your thinking, makes past ideas useful again.
Speaker 1:Accessible and actionable. I like that Right, and Lestallion offers them in A5 size, which seems pretty practical. Yeah, not too big, not too small.
Speaker 2:Yeah, it's a good balance Enough writing space, but still portable.
Speaker 1:And they have different covers too right, like the soft cover airage, ash, gray, black you mentioned or a hardback, like the black faux leather one.
Speaker 2:Exactly, and that choice matters because, again, it's a personal tool. Do you need something rugged for travel? A hard cover might be better. Just for beside the bed, maybe a soft cover. It's about making it fit your routine.
Speaker 1:Making it easy to actually use.
Speaker 2:Right, so it doesn't become just another thing you bought and didn't use.
Speaker 1:You know, hearing about these features it makes me think of a friend. Let's call her Sarah. She's a graphic designer super creative.
Speaker 2:Okay.
Speaker 1:But, oh man, she used to struggle keeping track of ideas. Yeah. Notes on napkins. Sketches in five different pads. Emails to herself it was chaos, dwarfer crazy. Pads. Emails to herself it was chaos, dwarfer crazy.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I can imagine that sounds pretty typical for a creative sometimes. What did she do?
Speaker 1:Well, she ended up getting a Lestallion Journal. I think it was that black hardcover one. She was skeptical at first. You know Just another notebook. So the idea of one place for project thoughts appealed to her and what really clicked were the numbered pages and the table of contents.
Speaker 2:Ah, okay, how did she use them?
Speaker 1:So for each new project she'd block out a few pages, write down the client, brief initial thoughts, deadlines, and log that in the table of contents. Then, as she sketched or brainstormed later, she'd jot down page numbers referencing back to those initial notes.
Speaker 2:Oh, interesting. So she was creating her own kind of index as she went.
Speaker 1:Exactly she said being able to quickly find like that specific color code the client mentioned weeks ago, just by checking her contents page or a note she made. It saved so much time, less mental clutter. She even started giving each client their own section marked in the table of contents. It became her project command center. And she mentioned the paper too, said even rough sketches felt a bit more solid, more considered.
Speaker 2:That's a fantastic example. It shows how these aren't just features on a list. They become real tools that people adapt to how they work. They help manage complexity.
Speaker 1:Totally Okay, so stepping back a bit from Lestallion. Specifically, what are the bigger benefits? Just using any journal to try and organize your thoughts? What's the magic there?
Speaker 2:Well, zooming out the act of journaling itself, like the practice, has some really significant upsides for mental organization. It's not just about writing stuff down Right, it's a process. Yeah, it can not just about writing stuff down Right. It's a process. It can lead to more mental clarity, better focus. It can genuinely boost productivity, even creativity.
Speaker 1:How does just you know pen on paper do all that?
Speaker 2:So the physical act of writing, it actually engages your brain, differently than typing or just thinking. It's slower, more deliberate. When you write a thought down, you're essentially pulling it out of that mental swirl, you're externalizing it, giving it form.
Speaker 1:Getting it out of your head.
Speaker 2:Exactly, you're offloading that cognitive load. It frees up mental bandwidth, letting you think more clearly about other things. It's like decluttering your mental desktop.
Speaker 1:Okay, decluttering the mental desktop. I like that and the Lestallion Info mentioned tracking progress.
Speaker 2:How does a journal help with that? Because it becomes a record right, A tangible history of your thinking, your projects, your goals. By writing things down regularly, especially with things like numbered pages, making it easy to look back, you can actually see how ideas developed or how far you've come on a goal. You can spot patterns, maybe see where you got stuck before. It gives you perspective.
Speaker 1:Yeah, that perspective can be really motivating or just illuminating.
Speaker 2:Definitely, and it's like having this personal archive of your own mind's journey.
Speaker 1:I also imagine just the act of writing reflecting it could be good for stress cathartic.
Speaker 2:Oh, absolutely, that's a huge benefit. Journaling can be a really powerful way to process emotions. Getting frustrations, joys, worries down on paper provides a huge benefit. Journaling can be a really powerful way to process emotions. Getting frustrations, joys, worries down on paper provides a healthy outlet.
Speaker 1:Instead of letting them just cycle around in your head.
Speaker 2:Precisely. It can reduce stress, build resilience and you know, even that little back pocket feature Lestallion includes. Maybe you would tuck a note or a reminder in there. That sparks reflection later. It's all part of creating that reflective space.
Speaker 1:Okay, so let's say someone's listening and they're thinking. All right, I'm convinced I need to try this. What are some effective ways to actually use a journal, maybe like a Lestallion one, to get organized? Any strategies?
Speaker 2:Yeah, definitely. One really solid approach is to create distinct sections. Use that table of contents right at the start. Maybe a section for work tasks, one for personal goals, one for creative sparks, maybe just daily thoughts. Structure helps organize the input.
Speaker 1:Compartmentalizing makes sense. What if you just stare at the blank page though, like where do I even start?
Speaker 2:That happens. Prompts are great for that. You can find tons online or just make your own. Simple things like what are my top three priorities today? Or what's blocking me on project Y. Even with just standard line pages, like in some listallion softcovers, these prompts give you a starting point, a focus.
Speaker 1:And I guess doing it regularly is key, not just when you feel overwhelmed.
Speaker 2:Consistency is huge, Even just five or 10 minutes a day. It builds a habit, keeps the mental clutter from piling up. You process things more in real time.
Speaker 1:Right, staying ahead of it.
Speaker 2:Yeah, and it's not just about writing, it's also revisiting that track progress idea we talked about Look back. Exactly. Look back, see what you wrote last week, last month. Are you moving forward? Do you need to adjust those numbered pages and table of contents? Make that review process so much easier. Okay, and finally, really lean into that reflect and release aspect. Use the journal to genuinely process stuff, not just list tasks. That's where a lot of the stress reduction comes from.
Speaker 1:The Listallion info also mentioned using journals for goal setting. Specifically, how does that work? How can the notebook help you achieve things?
Speaker 2:Well, a journal is like a bridge, really, between wanting something and doing something. First step write the goal down clearly, maybe with a deadline. Makes it real, it does, it feels more concrete, more accountable. Then the journal becomes your workspace for that goal.
Speaker 1:How so.
Speaker 2:You break it down. Big goal becomes smaller steps. You list the actions needed. Maybe you use the lined pages in a listalien to outline your plan. Assign mini deadlines.
Speaker 1:Oh, okay, action planning.
Speaker 2:Exactly, and then you use it to track your progress. Did you do the thing you planned for Tuesday? What happened? What's next? Reviewing it regularly keeps you focused, motivated. It's your personal strategy, doc.
Speaker 1:Roadmap and logbook Got it. You know this reminds me of my uncle, uncle David, retired. Got it. You know this reminds me of my uncle, uncle David, retired teacher For years. He talked about writing a book.
Speaker 2:Oh yeah, A common dream.
Speaker 1:Totally, but it always felt huge, vague, you know. Then, maybe two years ago, he got a journal, one of those Lestallion soft covers. He liked that it was light.
Speaker 2:Okay.
Speaker 1:And he just started jotting ideas, chapter thoughts, character bits, nothing formal, but what he said really helped was using the numbered pages.
Speaker 2:Ah, interesting how.
Speaker 1:As ideas grew he'd refer back. Idea on page 12 connects to this new thought. He'd make little notes that let him link things together, build structure organically, even if the thoughts came out of order.
Speaker 2:That's brilliant Using a simple feature to manage a complex non-linear process like writing.
Speaker 1:Yeah, and he started using the table of contents too, eventually, like sections for plot, characters, research. He said. Having it all in one physical place, not scattered across files, made it feel less daunting, helped him finally chip away at it. And guess what? He actually finished a first draft last month.
Speaker 2:Hey, that's fantastic, seriously, that's a perfect story of how these tools, used intentionally, can turn a big dream into something real.
Speaker 1:Right, okay, so let's wrap this up Bringing it back to Lestallion Journal specifically. What's the main takeaway for someone trying to organize their thoughts? Maybe get more productive.
Speaker 2:I think the core message is that Lestallion really focuses on creating an optimal environment for thought organization. It starts with the quality that nice paper makes you want to write. Then you have the smart features, the table of contents, the numbered pages. These aren't gimmicks, they're practical tools for structuring information, finding it again, tracking progress, even things like the different sizes and covers, the back pocket. It all adds up to a tool that feels personal and supportive, helping you bring clarity and control to that busy mind.
Speaker 1:A conducive space, basically.
Speaker 2:Exactly A conducive space for thinking clearly.
Speaker 1:Okay, so, as you've been listening today, maybe think about this when in your life or what project feels the most mentally cluttered right now? Just pick one area. Could actually dedicating a physical space for those thoughts, maybe using a tool like a list Allian journal, but those features we talked about could that be the thing that helps unlock some clarity or boost your progress or just bring a little more calm it's definitely something to consider yeah, how could intentionally structuring those thoughts on paper maybe open up possibilities you haven't thought of yet worth pondering?