How Rocket Book Saved My Sanity

There have been very few digital tools that I can honestly say have truly changed my life. My first PC (I'm old enough to have used typewriters!), my first iPhone, and now my Rocket Book Everlast. Honestly, my Rocket Book is such a part of my daily life that it had not occurred to me to write a post about it. To me, it would be like writing a post about eating breakfast or sending an email. However, I was at the awesome FTTC (Focus on Teaching and Technology Conference) at the fabulous Katie Linder's keynote workshop. After the workshop, I was storing my notes (more about that later) when the person next to me asked what I was doing. As I was enthusiastically demonstrating Katie overheard and said, "You should blog about your Rocket Book." So, thanks to Katie for the suggestion!

What is a Rocket Book?

It is a reusable notebook that gives you the pen and paper experience combined with digital storage. For those of you that are thinking that you never write notes-you always take them on a digital device-then, this post is not your cup of tea. However, I can't think of anyone I know that doesn't write on paper occasionally. Let's be honest, sometimes it's just not appropriate to have out a digital device while someone is talking, it looks rude.

How does Rocket Book work?

There are three things you need to make your Rocket Book work.
1. Smartphone or tablet (works with both iOS and Android)
2. Rocket Book (You want the Everlast, not the Wave)
3. Frixion Pens (Any Pilot Frixion pen will work, the notebook comes with one)

Step 1

You can get the Rocket Book app free at the App Store or Google Play store. Once you have installed your app you will set destinations. Rocket Book has a set of symbols:

Each symbol represents a destination. Rocket Book offers the ability to send your files to all of these destinations:

You can not only set each destination, you can set Rocket Book to send your files to specific folders, tags, or notebooks within those destinations.

Once you have set your destinations (these are changeable and editable) you are ready to start using your Rocket Book.

Step 2

You are ready to take notes. You can write, doodle, combine the two to sketch note, the world is your oyster, as long as you use a Frixion Pen. (Side Note: These are fabulous pens in their own right. They write on traditional paper and are fully erasable!) When you are done with your notes, you will see the symbols you set in your destinations are repeated at the bottom of each page in your notebook.

To send your notes to your destination you simply select the corresponding symbol by checking it, putting an X through it, or marking it however you choose. You can send the file to multiple locations at the same time if you choose.

Once you have selected your destinations, you use the Rocket Book app to scan the page. With the push of one button I have just sent my notes to my Google Drive, Evernote, and Dropbox. Seriously, it's just that easy.

Step 3

Now for the reusable part. Once you have sent your notes to their destination, you take a damp paper towel and erase your page. I took a video so you can tell I'm not cheating.

So why use a Rocket Book?

If I don't physically write things down, they don't stick in my brain. Typing things doesn't work for me-things don't stick. I used to have 10 notebooks that each had their own purpose plus a gazillion sticky notes all over my desk. It was a nightmare to find things let alone share things with others. If I had something I needed to share, I had to type what I had just written down! Now, I use my Rocket Book and have 2 sticky notes on my desk.

I use my Rocket Book for my daily priority list as well as my short-term, intermediate, and long-term task lists. That means I can add, cross off, and erase to my heart's content, and do that anywhere, but I also have a digital record of these lists. This will come in very handy when I need to do my self-evaluation before I receive my annual review at work. When I am in a meeting and need to share notes, I can send the notes to my email and forward them before I even get up from the table. (I hear the nay-sayers saying they can do this with a device but I revert to the not always appropriate to have a device and sticking things in my brain clauses.)

I also use my Rocket Book in my personal life for to-do lists and shopping lists. I can write them out, my family can add to them, then I can have them on my phone while I'm shopping. Then I can erase them. 

To sum up, the Rocket Book helps me stay organized both professionally and personally, as well as helps me be more green. Definitely a win-win in my book! {Bad pun alert :)}