Journaling for Chronic Illness Management: How Keeping a Physical Journal Helps Chronic Illness Management

https://lestallion.com/collections/journal-notebook-for-chronic-illness-management

Are you drowning in digital productivity tools while still feeling hopelessly disorganized? Our latest Deep Dive tackles the powerful simplicity of putting pen to paper in a thoughtfully designed journal.

We unpack the concept of using a quality physical notebook as a "command center for your brain" – a tangible alternative to the digital noise that leaves many of us feeling like we're "juggling smoke." Through examining Lestallion's journal designs (originally created for photographers but applicable to anyone seeking greater productivity), we explore how specific features translate to real organizational benefits.

The 211 numbered pages with 120 GSM paper that prevents frustrating ink bleed-through. The built-in table of contents that functions as your personal analog database. The practical A5 size with soft faux leather cover that travels easily between meetings. The 7.5mm dashed line spacing that accommodates both linear note-taking and visual thinking. Each intentional design element contributes to a system that grounds scattered thoughts and creates clarity.

We share real stories of transformation: the overwhelmed project manager who finally visualized project timelines effectively, the procrastinating writer who tracked daily word counts to build momentum, and the entrepreneur who created an invaluable decision archive by journaling consistently for years. These aren't isolated successes – they represent the fundamental shift that occurs when we move certain productivity practices from screens to paper.

Ready to reclaim control over your chaotic workflow? Consider how the simple act of maintaining a quality journal might be the productivity breakthrough you've been searching for. What part of your day feels most overwhelming right now? That's exactly where your journaling practice should begin.

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https://www.buzzsprout.com/2071281/episodes/17110045-journal-for-gardeners-how-dedicated-garden-journals-transform-your-growing-success
https://www.buzzsprout.com/2071281/episodes/17110047-journal-for-diy-projects-how-structured-journals-transforms-your-diy-projects
https://www.buzzsprout.com/2071281/episodes/17117791-journal-for-photography-rediscovering-photography-with-journals-in-an-overwhelmed-world

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/

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Welcome back to the Deep Dive.
Today, we're really zeroing inon, well, something pretty
fundamental using a journal,specifically a good notebook, to
really crank up yourproductivity.

Speaker 2 (00:12):
Yeah, and we're digging into what we've learned
from Lestallion, looking attheir specific journal designs,
like the one initially aimed atphotographers, but also just the
general idea of productivityjournaling they discuss.

Speaker 1 (00:23):
Exactly the mission today is pretty straightforward
Figure out how a really wellthought out journal can help you
, the listener, get moreorganized, stay focused and just
generally be more productive,Less frazzled, maybe.

Speaker 2 (00:38):
Definitely less frazzled.
We want to see how it becomes astrategic tool, not just a
place for random notes.

Speaker 1 (00:43):
Because, look, we know many of you have probably
tried all the apps, the digitalstuff.
Maybe just grab any oldnotebook.

Speaker 2 (00:49):
Right, and maybe it just didn't quite click.
It felt overwhelming or, Idon't know, disconnected somehow
.

Speaker 1 (00:55):
So this is about exploring that tangible
alternative, and we've talkedabout Lestallion before.
They're known for qualityjournals.
Today, it's about why theirspecific features are well
pretty useful for boostingproductivity.

Speaker 2 (01:08):
Okay, let's dive in.
The big challenge we hear aboutand honestly feel sometimes is
just being swamped.

Speaker 1 (01:15):
Oh yeah, thoughts flying everywhere, deadlines
popping up.

Speaker 2 (01:19):
Feeling totally overwhelmed by everything you
need to track.
It's like juggling smokesometimes.

Speaker 1 (01:23):
Ah yeah, Good analogy .
And that's exactly wheregrabbing a physical journal can
be such a grounding thing.

Speaker 2 (01:30):
Like a command center for your brain.

Speaker 1 (01:32):
Kind of A place to deliberately dump all that
mental clutter.
Turn the chaos into somethingclearer A roadmap.

Speaker 2 (01:38):
Yeah, and Lestallion mentions this even in their
photography context, sayingwithout a structured journal,
it's easy to forget the details,and that's true for any project
, right?

Speaker 1 (01:48):
Absolutely, not just photos.
Think about your work, yourpersonal goals.
How often do those tiny butvital details just vanish?

Speaker 2 (01:55):
And a journal gives you that structure to capture
them, revisit them, avoid that.
Oh, I wish I'd remembered thatfeeling.

Speaker 1 (02:03):
So it's more than just blank pages.
Then the actual journal matters.

Speaker 2 (02:07):
Precisely the quality , the features.
They really influence how wellit works as a productivity tool.
And that seems to beLestallion's whole approach
intentional design.

Speaker 1 (02:16):
Okay, so let's talk specifics.
We know they have what 211numbered pages that's a lot of
space.

Speaker 2 (02:22):
It is Plenty of room and the paper that 120 GSM
thickness.
That's noticeable.

Speaker 1 (02:29):
Right, we've mentioned that before.
It feels good to write on and,crucially, no annoying ink bleed
through.
You can use your favorite pen.

Speaker 2 (02:41):
Exactly.

Speaker 1 (02:41):
Which actually encourages you to use it more
consistently, makes the wholeexperience nicer.
And the cover soft faux leatherlooks professional, feels
durable.
Plus, the A5 size is wellpractical Not too big, not too
small.

Speaker 2 (02:50):
Right, easy to carry around.
So these details add up Lots ofspace for planning a good
writing experience.
And it's built to last and gowith you.
It makes it a reliable tool.

Speaker 1 (02:58):
Okay, let's get into the nitty gritty.
What specific Lestallionfeatures really boost
productivity?
How do they work?

Speaker 2 (03:05):
Well, two things jump out immediately the built-in
table of contents and thosenumbered pages.
Seems simple, but it's aframework for organization.

Speaker 1 (03:16):
Yeah, finding stuff later is key If you're juggling
different projects or goals inone notebook.

Speaker 2 (03:19):
You need to locate specific notes quickly.
No endless flipping or tryingto remember where you wrote that
thing down.

Speaker 1 (03:25):
It's efficient it's like your own personal analog
database index, and they havethat back pocket too.
I always find those useful forloose scraps me too.

Speaker 2 (03:35):
It's perfect for, you know, sticky notes maybe your
print out you need for planninglater business cards even keeps
those little important bits fromgetting lost before you
properly log them okay, andwe've also heard about the line
spacing, 7.5 millimeter widelines and those dashed lines
people seem to like like Aaron'sstory we discussed.
Yeah, the dashed lines areinteresting.
The standard wide lines giveyou clarity for writing,

(03:56):
obviously, but the dashes offerflexibility.
Well, you can still writeneatly, but it also makes it
easier to say, sketch out adiagram or a mind map or just
visually separate ideas rightthere on the page.
It caters to different ways ofthinking.

Speaker 1 (04:11):
Right, not just linear text.

Speaker 2 (04:13):
Exactly, I actually have a friend, alex, a project
manager.
He was totally drowning indigital tools, multiple projects
, things falling through thecracks.

Speaker 1 (04:20):
Sounds familiar.

Speaker 2 (04:21):
Yeah, so he started using a Lestallion journal
physically writing tasks downusing the numbered pages and the
table of contents, and help himprioritize actually see the
progress.

Speaker 1 (04:32):
Yeah, a little bit more concrete.

Speaker 2 (04:33):
Totally, and he's specifically mentioned using the
dashed lines during abrainstorming session to sketch
out a rough project timelinenext to his notes Said it helped
him visualize the flow muchbetter than just typing bullet
points.

Speaker 1 (04:46):
That's a great practical example.
So okay, let's talk roadblocks.
We all hit them Distractions,time slipping away, losing
motivation.
How does the journal help there?

Speaker 2 (04:56):
Let's take inconsistency first.
Making journaling a habit istough for lots of people.

Speaker 1 (05:00):
Definitely Feels like another chore sometimes.

Speaker 2 (05:03):
The advice often is start small, don't pressure
yourself.
Just jotting down, say, yourtop three priorities for the day
.
That alone can be powerful.

Speaker 1 (05:13):
Keep it simple.

Speaker 2 (05:14):
Exactly and maybe you know, stick a little reminder
card in that back pocket, aprompt Like what's the one thing
I need to achieve today?
Just a little nudge.

Speaker 1 (05:22):
Okay, what about feeling directionless, like you
don't have clear goals?

Speaker 2 (05:26):
That's where those numbered pages really shine.
Again, you could dedicate awhole section maybe pages 10 to
20, just for your big goals.
Break them down.
Track steps.

Speaker 1 (05:35):
And you can easily flip back to it Right.

Speaker 2 (05:36):
It's a constant visual reminder of what you're
aiming for, keeps you focused.
Reminds me of Sarah, afreelance writer.
I know she struggled a lot withprocrastination.

Speaker 1 (05:47):
A common writer problem.

Speaker 2 (05:48):
Totally.
She started using her journal,setting daily writing targets,
tracking her word count onspecific numbered pages.
Seeing that progress, evensmall amounts, gave her a sense
of accomplishment.
It kept her going.

Speaker 1 (06:00):
That feeling of progress is motivating.

Speaker 2 (06:03):
Hugely.
She even used it to reflect,like after a really good writing
day.
She jot down what worked timeof day, environment, mindset
helped to replicate thosesuccessful conditions.

Speaker 1 (06:14):
Smart.
And what about just feelingcompletely overwhelmed by the
sheer volume of tasks?
Isn't adding journaling?
Just another task.

Speaker 2 (06:22):
It can feel that way, but the idea is simplicity.
Focus on just identifying themost critical tasks.
Writing them down physicallycan actually reduce the feeling
of overwhelm.

Speaker 1 (06:32):
How so.

Speaker 2 (06:33):
It forces clarity Instead of a swirling cloud of
must-dos in your head.
You have a short, manageablelist on paper and the A5 size
helps.
It's easy to grab and jotsomething down quickly.
It's not this huge intimidatingthing.
It's easy to grab and jotsomething down quickly.

Speaker 1 (06:45):
It's not this huge intimidating thing Brings order
to the mental chaos.

Speaker 2 (06:48):
Precisely.

Speaker 1 (06:48):
So we've covered the day-to-day stuff.
What about the bigger picture,the long-term benefits of
sticking with this?

Speaker 2 (06:53):
Well beyond just ticking off tasks, consistent
journaling really hones yourtime management.
You become much more aware ofwhere your time actually goes.

Speaker 1 (07:01):
And creativity does it help there?

Speaker 2 (07:03):
I think so.
It's a space to explore ideasfreely, connect dots, without
the sort of structure orlimitations of a screen.
You can doodle, sketch, writesideways.

Speaker 1 (07:14):
Yeah, it feels less constrained and stress Does it
help with that?

Speaker 2 (07:18):
Absolutely.
In this crazy digital world,having that quiet analog space
to just unload your thoughtsonto paper, it's incredibly
valuable for reducing stress,clearing your head.

Speaker 1 (07:29):
And you mentioned resilience.

Speaker 2 (07:35):
Yeah, by tracking what you do and reflecting on it
successes and failures youlearn.
You see what works for you,what doesn't.
You build resilience byunderstanding your own patterns
and adapting.
It boosts self-awareness hugely.

Speaker 1 (07:42):
You start seeing the patterns, your strengths, maybe
areas to work on.

Speaker 2 (07:45):
Exactly.
You're essentially creatingthis physical record of your own
growth and thinking.

Speaker 1 (07:49):
And that's where the journal quality matters again.
Right, the 211 pages, thesturdy paper.
It's not just a throwawaynotepad.

Speaker 2 (07:56):
Precisely it becomes this long-term archive.
Think about David, anentrepreneur, a friend.
He's used his Lestallionjournals for years.

Speaker 1 (08:04):
Yeah.

Speaker 2 (08:05):
And he says, looking back through them is invaluable.
He sees how his decisionsplayed out, learns from past
mistakes, appreciates how farhe's come.
It's a tangible record of hisjourney.

Speaker 1 (08:14):
That's powerful.
A physical archive of growth.

Speaker 2 (08:17):
It really is Something.
Digital notes don't alwayscapture in the same way.

Speaker 1 (08:21):
OK, so let's wrap this up.
What's the main takeaway foreveryone listening?

Speaker 2 (08:24):
I think the core idea is that a really good dedicated
journal, like the onesListallion makes, with
thoughtful features likenumbered pages, the index, good
paper, the pocket, it isn't justnice to have, it can be a
serious tool for boostingproductivity.

Speaker 1 (08:40):
Right.
It gives you structure fororganizing, a clear space for
focusing away from digital noiseand encourages that reflection
needed for real growth.
Exactly.
So if you're maybe feelingswamped by digital stuff or just
looking for a more I don't knowmindful way to manage your work
and goals, maybe pen and paperin the right kind of journal is
worth another look.

Speaker 2 (09:01):
Yeah, and maybe the thought to leave you with is
this what part of your day, yourworkflow, feels a bit out of
control right now?
Where do you crave more focus?
And just consider, how couldthe simple act of putting pen to
paper in a dedicated,well-designed space be that
first step towards gaining thatcontrol and clarity back,
especially now in our superdigital age?

(09:23):
Something to think about.