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April 9, 2025 12 mins

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.

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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/

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Transcript

Episode Transcript

Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Welcome back everyone to the Deep Dive.
You know the drill you send usyour sources, we dive in, pull
out the good stuff and try tomake sense of it all for you.

Speaker 2 (00:08):
Yeah, connecting those dots.

Speaker 1 (00:10):
Exactly, and today we're looking at something I
think pretty much everyonestruggles with right Just the
sheer amount of thoughtsswirling around and how to maybe
bring a bit of order to it all.

Speaker 2 (00:23):
It's that internal chaos sometimes.
We looked at the info you sentabout Lestallion's journal
notebook for organizing thoughts.

Speaker 1 (00:30):
Ah, lestallion, yeah, I know them.
They make some really nicenotebooks, high quality stuff.

Speaker 2 (00:35):
They really do and we're going to explore why their
specific approach, the featuresthey build in, are actually
quite effective for you know,getting that mental clarity,
maybe boosting productivity,just by using a dedicated
journal.

Speaker 1 (00:48):
Yeah, because that feeling is so familiar, isn't it
Like your brain is just fullwork stuff, personal life, maybe
creative ideas popping up?

Speaker 2 (00:55):
It's a lot.

Speaker 1 (00:55):
It really is like having 50 browser tabs open in
your head.
You just need a way to closethem down.
Organize the important ones.

Speaker 2 (01:10):
That's a great way to put it and that's really where
this idea of a dedicated journalcomes into play, specifically
one designed, you know, fororganizing thoughts.
Right Lestallion even asks intheir material something like
looking for a way to keepthoughts organized and
productive, and they say,basically this kind of journal
can help.
It's about giving thosefleeting ideas a place to land.

Speaker 1 (01:31):
Okay, so one thing.
Lestallion talks about is theirpaper quality, which maybe
sounds like a small thing, butI've definitely used cheap
notebooks and it's just notpleasant.
Ink bleeds, it feels scratchy.
Lestallion's paper is usuallyreally smooth.
Why is that actually importantfor, like, organizing your brain
?

Speaker 2 (01:45):
Well, it's interesting.
There's a bit of psychologythere, I think.
When the tool itself feels goodto use smooth paper, nice pen,
if it feels sound it makes theact of writing feel more
deliberate.
Yeah, Valuable maybe.

Speaker 1 (01:57):
Less of a chore.

Speaker 2 (01:58):
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 alreadyfeels cluttered.
You don't need more friction.

Speaker 1 (02:08):
That makes sense, OK.
So beyond the paper they havesome clever features, the built
in table of contents.
That one jumped out at meimmediately.
How does that help organizethoughts?

Speaker 2 (02:20):
So the table of contents.
Think of it like a map for yourown mind.
You decide up front.
Ok, this section is for ProjectX.
This part is for personal goals.
This is for random ideas.
You note it down.
Uh-huh, you're imposingstructure right from the start.
It lets you categorize thingsand, crucially, find them again
later without reading the wholenotebook.

(02:40):
It's about being intentionalwith your thoughts.

Speaker 1 (02:42):
Right.
Finding that specific notelater which leads to the
numbered pages Seems basic, butI can totally see the value.
I've wasted so much timeflipping through old notebooks.

Speaker 2 (02:50):
Absolutely Numbered pages are well fundamental.
If you want to create areference system, okay, you can
make notes like see page 42 forthe meeting notes right in your
table of contents or even inanother entry.
It turns the journal from justa list of thoughts into
something more like a searchabledatabase of your thinking,
makes past ideas useful again.

Speaker 1 (03:10):
Accessible and actionable.
I like that Right, andLestallion offers them in A5
size, which seems prettypractical.
Yeah, not too big, not toosmall.

Speaker 2 (03:18):
Yeah, it's a good balance Enough writing space,
but still portable.

Speaker 1 (03:21):
And they have different covers too right, like
the soft cover airage, ash,gray, black you mentioned or a
hardback, like the black fauxleather one.

Speaker 2 (03:33):
Exactly, and that choice matters because, again,
it's a personal tool.
Do you need something ruggedfor travel?
A hard cover might be better.
Just for beside the bed, maybea soft cover.
It's about making it fit yourroutine.

Speaker 1 (03:41):
Making it easy to actually use.

Speaker 2 (03:43):
Right, so it doesn't become just another thing you
bought and didn't use.

Speaker 1 (03:46):
You know, hearing about these features it makes me
think of a friend.
Let's call her Sarah.
She's a graphic designer supercreative.

Speaker 2 (03:53):
Okay.

Speaker 1 (03:53):
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 (04:04):
Yeah, I can imagine that sounds pretty typical for a
creative sometimes.
What did she do?

Speaker 1 (04:08):
Well, she ended up getting a Lestallion Journal.
I think it was that blackhardcover one.
She was skeptical at first.
You know Just another notebook.
So the idea of one place forproject thoughts appealed to her
and what really clicked werethe numbered pages and the table
of contents.

Speaker 2 (04:24):
Ah, okay, how did she use them?

Speaker 1 (04:27):
So for each new project she'd block out a few
pages, write down the client,brief initial thoughts,
deadlines, and log that in thetable of contents.
Then, as she sketched orbrainstormed later, she'd jot
down page numbers referencingback to those initial notes.

Speaker 2 (04:41):
Oh, interesting.
So she was creating her ownkind of index as she went.

Speaker 1 (04:44):
Exactly she said being able to quickly find like
that specific color code theclient mentioned weeks ago, just
by checking her contents pageor a note she made.
It saved so much time, lessmental clutter.
She even started giving eachclient their own section marked
in the table of contents.
It became her project commandcenter.
And she mentioned the paper too, said even rough sketches felt

(05:05):
a bit more solid, moreconsidered.

Speaker 2 (05:08):
That's a fantastic example.
It shows how these aren't justfeatures on a list.
They become real tools thatpeople adapt to how they work.
They help manage complexity.

Speaker 1 (05:17):
Totally Okay, so stepping back a bit from
Lestallion.
Specifically, what are thebigger benefits?
Just using any journal to tryand organize your thoughts?
What's the magic there?

Speaker 2 (05:30):
Well, zooming out the act of journaling itself, like
the practice, has some reallysignificant upsides for mental
organization.
It's not just about writingstuff down Right, it's a process
.
Yeah, it can not just aboutwriting stuff down Right.
It's a process.
It can lead to more mentalclarity, better focus.
It can genuinely boostproductivity, even creativity.

Speaker 1 (05:48):
How does just you know pen on paper do all that?

Speaker 2 (05:50):
So the physical act of writing, it actually engages
your brain, differently thantyping 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'reexternalizing it, giving it
form.

Speaker 1 (06:04):
Getting it out of your head.

Speaker 2 (06:05):
Exactly, you're offloading that cognitive load.
It frees up mental bandwidth,letting you think more clearly
about other things.
It's like decluttering yourmental desktop.

Speaker 1 (06:14):
Okay, decluttering the mental desktop.
I like that and the LestallionInfo mentioned tracking progress
.

Speaker 2 (06:20):
How does a journal help with that?
Because it becomes a recordright, A tangible history of
your thinking, your projects,your goals.
By writing things downregularly, especially with
things like numbered pages,making it easy to look back, you
can actually see how ideasdeveloped or how far you've come
on a goal.
You can spot patterns, maybesee where you got stuck before.
It gives you perspective.

Speaker 1 (06:41):
Yeah, that perspective can be really
motivating or just illuminating.

Speaker 2 (06:45):
Definitely, and it's like having this personal
archive of your own mind'sjourney.

Speaker 1 (06:49):
I also imagine just the act of writing reflecting it
could be good for stresscathartic.

Speaker 2 (06:55):
Oh, absolutely, that's a huge benefit.
Journaling can be a reallypowerful way to process emotions
.
Getting frustrations, joys,worries down on paper provides a
huge benefit.
Journaling can be a reallypowerful way to process emotions
.
Getting frustrations, joys,worries down on paper provides a
healthy outlet.

Speaker 1 (07:05):
Instead of letting them just cycle around in your
head.

Speaker 2 (07:07):
Precisely.
It can reduce stress, buildresilience and you know, even
that little back pocket featureLestallion includes.
Maybe you would tuck a note ora reminder in there.
That sparks reflection later.
It's all part of creating thatreflective space.

Speaker 1 (07:21):
Okay, so let's say someone's listening and they're
thinking.
All right, I'm convinced I needto try this.
What are some effective ways toactually use a journal, maybe
like a Lestallion one, to getorganized?
Any strategies?

Speaker 2 (07:34):
Yeah, definitely.
One really solid approach is tocreate distinct sections.
Use that table of contentsright at the start.
Maybe a section for work tasks,one for personal goals, one for
creative sparks, maybe justdaily thoughts.
Structure helps organize theinput.

Speaker 1 (07:52):
Compartmentalizing makes sense.
What if you just stare at theblank page though, like where do
I even start?

Speaker 2 (07:58):
That happens.
Prompts are great for that.
You can find tons online orjust make your own.
Simple things like what are mytop three priorities today?
Or what's blocking me onproject Y.
Even with just standard linepages, like in some listallion
softcovers, these prompts giveyou a starting point, a focus.

Speaker 1 (08:13):
And I guess doing it regularly is key, not just when
you feel overwhelmed.

Speaker 2 (08:17):
Consistency is huge, Even just five or 10 minutes a
day.
It builds a habit, keeps themental clutter from piling up.
You process things more in realtime.

Speaker 1 (08:24):
Right, staying ahead of it.

Speaker 2 (08:26):
Yeah, and it's not just about writing, it's also
revisiting that track progressidea we talked about Look back.
Exactly.
Look back, see what you wrotelast week, last month.
Are you moving forward?
Do you need to adjust thosenumbered pages and table of
contents?
Make that review process somuch easier.
Okay, and finally, really leaninto that reflect and release

(08:46):
aspect.
Use the journal to genuinelyprocess stuff, not just list
tasks.
That's where a lot of thestress reduction comes from.

Speaker 1 (08:53):
The Listallion info also mentioned using journals
for goal setting.
Specifically, how does thatwork?
How can the notebook help youachieve things?

Speaker 2 (09:02):
Well, a journal is like a bridge, really, between
wanting something and doingsomething.
First step write the goal downclearly, maybe with a deadline.
Makes it real, it does, itfeels more concrete, more
accountable.
Then the journal becomes yourworkspace for that goal.

Speaker 1 (09:16):
How so.

Speaker 2 (09:17):
You break it down.
Big goal becomes smaller steps.
You list the actions needed.
Maybe you use the lined pagesin a listalien to outline your
plan.
Assign mini deadlines.

Speaker 1 (09:26):
Oh, okay, action planning.

Speaker 2 (09:28):
Exactly, and then you use it to track your progress.
Did you do the thing youplanned for Tuesday?
What happened?
What's next?
Reviewing it regularly keepsyou focused, motivated.
It's your personal strategy,doc.

Speaker 1 (09:39):
Roadmap and logbook Got it.
You know this reminds me of myuncle, uncle David, retired.
Got it.
You know this reminds me of myuncle, uncle David, retired
teacher For years.
He talked about writing a book.

Speaker 2 (09:47):
Oh yeah, A common dream.

Speaker 1 (09:49):
Totally, but it always felt huge, vague, you
know.
Then, maybe two years ago, hegot a journal, one of those
Lestallion soft covers.
He liked that it was light.

Speaker 2 (09:58):
Okay.

Speaker 1 (09:59):
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 (10:08):
Ah, interesting how.

Speaker 1 (10:10):
As ideas grew he'd refer back.
Idea on page 12 connects tothis new thought.
He'd make little notes that lethim link things together, build
structure organically, even ifthe thoughts came out of order.

Speaker 2 (10:20):
That's brilliant Using a simple feature to manage
a complex non-linear processlike writing.

Speaker 1 (10:25):
Yeah, and he started using the table of contents too,
eventually, like sections forplot, characters, research.
He said.
Having it all in one physicalplace, not scattered across
files, made it feel lessdaunting, helped him finally
chip away at it.
And guess what?
He actually finished a firstdraft last month.

Speaker 2 (10:43):
Hey, that's fantastic , seriously, that's a perfect
story of how these tools, usedintentionally, can turn a big
dream into something real.

Speaker 1 (10:52):
Right, okay, so let's wrap this up Bringing it back
to Lestallion Journalspecifically.
What's the main takeaway forsomeone trying to organize their
thoughts?
Maybe get more productive.

Speaker 2 (11:03):
I think the core message is that Lestallion
really focuses on creating anoptimal environment for thought
organization.
It starts with the quality thatnice paper makes you want to
write.
Then you have the smartfeatures, the table of contents,
the numbered pages.
These aren't gimmicks, they'repractical tools for structuring
information, finding it again,tracking progress, even things
like the different sizes andcovers, the back pocket.

(11:25):
It all adds up to a tool thatfeels personal and supportive,
helping you bring clarity andcontrol to that busy mind.

Speaker 1 (11:32):
A conducive space, basically.

Speaker 2 (11:34):
Exactly A conducive space for thinking clearly.

Speaker 1 (11:37):
Okay, so, as you've been listening today, maybe
think about this when in yourlife or what project feels the
most mentally cluttered rightnow?
Just pick one area.
Could actually dedicating aphysical space for those
thoughts, maybe using a toollike a list Allian journal, but
those features we talked aboutcould that be the thing that
helps unlock some clarity orboost your progress or just

(12:00):
bring a little more calm it'sdefinitely something to consider
yeah, how could intentionallystructuring those thoughts on
paper maybe open uppossibilities you haven't
thought of yet worth pondering?
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