His blog post and video about his M2 grabbed my attention by my lapels and made me want to use it everyday... all day, any time of the day, always in reach, always there to jot down a note to remember the hundreds of thoughts and ideas I get in the day of things to look at, write about, talk about or whatever.
Neil mentioned using a Rhodia number 12 pad, these measure up at 8.5 x 12 cm a bit bigger than the M2. When I went to my local supermarket I found the Rhodia number 11 pad, which is in fact A7 size (10.5 x 7.4 cm) this is 10mm taller than M2 paper.
However, I found that by punching it slightly off centre, it fits in just right in the M2 and I can still keep my Filofax Mini Pen in the pen loop which is horizontal at the bottom of the right hand inside cover.
So I punched a handful of sheets and started carrying it around with me in my pocket, leaving it on my bedside table at night and I started jotting down things. It was quite a change to my routine but it worked.
If I didn't do something straight away whilst I was wandering around the house or if it was something I had to remember for later on I transfer my notes to my A5 Filofax that sits on my desk. I can get a reasonable number of notes on each sheet, but once full, crossed off or moved to the master A5, I just tear out the page and start a fresh page, I don't even bother to open the rings!
I've been using this for about 3-4 weeks now, and I have far less forgotten thoughts and ideas, far less frustration because I had an idea and then a few hours later I can't remember it.
Oh and you will like this.... I discovered my Kindle clip on light fits on to the top of the M2 a treat, so I can get to jot things in the middle of the night even without putting on the main lights and risk waking up 'the hand of Philofaxy' !
So a great success and it's now part of my tools that I carry around, the M2 goes in my pocket where ever I happen to be. But please don't go rushing off to Ebay to look for an M2 for yourself... yes they do appear on there from time to time.
The Filofax Mini is virtually the same paper size but the traditional portrait format as opposed to the M2's landscape format... but there's nothing to stop you using a Mini around the other way? With the rings at the top of the page holding it with the paper in landscape format.
So I tried some of the A7 size paper in the Mini and it fits in there very nicely too. Although I have found that with the A7 paper the pen doesn't quite fit, so I have trimmed it down width wise by about 8mm or to the nearest line which was easiest to line up each time..
Remember if you have a punch that will punch Filofax Pocket size... it will also punch for Filofax Mini size too... Mini is the same but one ring less.
Comparison of paper sizes.
A7 10.5 x 7.4 cm
Mini 10.5 x 6.7 cm
M2 6.4 x 10.3 cm
So with M2 and the Malden Mini I have two very nice organisers I can use as capture notebooks.
Do you use a separate notebook or organiser to capture your thoughts and ideas during the day?