I’ve always loved a good notebook — the feel of pen on paper, the satisfying rhythm of a well-organized Bullet Journal. But somewhere between hauling around a rainbow of pens and trying to keep up with multiple notebooks for different parts of life, I started wondering if there was a better way. Enter the unexpected hero of my productivity saga: the e-ink tablet. What started as a search for convenience turned into a surprisingly joyful rediscovery of analog habits in a digital shell. This is the story of how I ditched distractions, found my note-taking groove again, and maybe — just maybe — saved my sanity in the process.
The Modern Art of Note-Taking and Journaling
One of the challenges I’ve had over the years is keeping track of things. Years ago, I read Ryder Carroll’s The Bullet Journal Method. To me, it was a brilliant idea: keep everything in one book with a table of contents, a calendar for each month, another for each week and a daily note of everything I needed to do. I also would have pages for notes from meetings, ideas, daily journalling and so on. It became my go-to to keep track of everything.
The one downside was that I needed a lot of pens of various colours (colour-coding helps to sort items and highlight important thoughts). This made lugging the journal and assortment of pens around somewhat of a pain. Additionally, this did present some challenges when it came to studying for different certifications. For example, taking notes for Project Management would be different compared to technical certifications like Terraform. So I would get a separate journal for each of these (again, making lugging them around challenging).
Now, I’ve tried using the iPad to mimic what I’ve been used to with the Bullet Journal and other journals, but I’ve found it too distracting with too many apps. Plus, it doesn’t feel like I’m writing on paper. Although I got a screen protector that makes it feel somewhat like paper, it still misses the mark. Add to that the battery drain (an iPad charge may last about 4 to 6 hours), and its apparent that I couldn’t replace my paper journal options with a technical one.
What was Old is New Again
Recently, however, someone suggested e-ink devices as an option. Up until this point, the only e-ink device I had was a Kindle. Over the years, I’ve had many Kindles, but the last one I got was the Kindle Paperwhite. And I have pretty much all my books, eBooks and Audible on it. I’ll give credit to Amazon about creating a great eBook device but it’s limited to just Kindle eBooks and Audibles. Getting library e-books and/or audio books from the Halifax Public Library means I have to use Hoopla, which I wouldn’t be able to install on the Kindle.
So, I began looking into e-ink tablets that I could journal and take notes on, read and listen to Kindle eBooks and Audible books on, and borrow library eBooks on. These tablets would have a more paper-like writing feel while having decent battery life. So I began researching.
Surprisingly, there are quite a lot of e-ink tablets. The most well-known include Onyx Boox, reMarkable and Supernote. There are a dozen other smaller manufacturers as well. I was tempted by reMarkable but it has limits to what you can install on it. The same was true for Supernote. While the Supernote was the one that has the best reported experience when it comes to writing, it only comes in a black-and-white format. Colour was one of the requirements I had.
So that left me with Onyx Boox. After looking at their models, I got the Boox Note 4Air C and the Palma 2 (an easier replacement for the Paperwhite but with more e-book options, particularly Hoopla, which allows me to borrow from the Halifax Public Library). While the colour isn’t as vibrant as an iPad, it has enough colour for my needs.
So after a few months of using it, I don’t think I could go back to paper. I now I have a daily journal option, note books of study notes, personal journaling, meeting notes and more. While the Android OS could allow me to install any number of apps, I’ve limited it to just the ones I need.
And the battery lasts a few days even with daily note-taking and certification studying.
By default, Onyx Boox uses EMR (Electromagnetic Resonance) stylus pens. EMR stylus leverage a EM sensor that’s behind the screen to work and are usually tied to a firmware frequency, so I can’t just use any stylus. I have to use ones that sync on that frequency. That said, the only thing that doesn’t last long is the nib on my pen (although I recently purchased a “forever” nib to replace the default Boox ones). I have noticed that my cursive worsens as the nib does, so this new nib (I hope!) will help me keep my writing more readable.
One of the nice features I love is using the lasso function to select, then “copy to clipboard,” and then “paste.” This functionality has been beneficial when I haven’t completed tasks from the day before, and it saves my wrist from re-writing those tasks.
The Epiphany
For most of my life, I believed having the latest and greatest was the best way to go. This was particularly true when it came to laptops, desktops, and myriad devices. As I’ve gotten older, I’ve become pickier about the device’s functionality and less inclined to get the latest flashy models with oversized screens.
One of the big benefits of e-ink is reduced strain on the eyes and less blue emission (blue light has been identified as a possible culprit in impacting sleep, eye strain, and retinal damage). I’ve also found e-ink easier to read with my new-fangled reading glasses (oh, the joys of getting old).
While I’m not a Luddite in the fullest sense, I’m less inclined to depend on the latest, flashiest technology to help me solve day-to-day challenges or to keep me on track with my tasks. Don’t get me wrong: I still love my old-fashioned paper books for reading, but having an e-ink portable “journal” that has all my notes and journals, and one that has all my audibles and e-books in small form-factor makes life easier. And saves my eyes.
So, if you’re considering going digital for your journals, note-taking, studying, and so on, consider an e-ink device. It may save your eyes, and a few trees too!
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