Paper notebook. I wouldn’t recommend loose sheets of paper. :) After 15 years of writing notes on loose sheets I would start differently :)

Go Tim Ferris way - notebook where the first page is left for the table of contents, and number all even-numbered pages as first step.

My thoughts are so all over the place that I've settled on 3x5 note cards. It also makes the transition to the computer much easier, because I can re-arrange them in a way that is somewhat organized before taking a picture that gets transcribed

You might want to check out Scrivener (Mac and Windows). I use that in lieu of note cards. The cork board function lets you re-arrange text and media to your hearts content and then compile the final output to Word, PDF whatever. It's designed for non-linear writing.

https://literatureandlatte.com

The point here is imho that you intentionally remove the computer from the path (in some part of your work) if you want to achieve some focused deep work (in case that you aren’t coding ofc :)

I started out using the back of punched cards, when those ran out, made my own out of scrap paper.

Scrivener just matched my workflow - usually for technical reports. Lot of cut/paste from a variety of sources.

I agree with this. It's not that the digital tools don't exist, it's that my best think gets done when I go for a walk with nothing but a pen and a stack of blank 3x5s.

Possibility to re-arrange is ofc good when working on something in progress.

But how do you archive these cards? That always drove me mad so I use them only for something “encyclopaedical” otherwise it is too much messy.

At one point I had a physical filing system, but now they get converted to digital pretty quickly since I don't have to pay 10/hr to get it done. I also usually keep a daily card, and sometimes a few weekly/current lists on the note cards and just carry them around until I'm done with them.

It's mainly the capturing of the ideas that I prefer writing physically. After that, being able to move them around my digital system makes them most useful because I can have dynamic views that surface priorities and related notes without having to physically sift through the stacks.

I hate handwriting with a passion. I have my whole life. I have horrible handwriting and my hand gets sore 5 seconds after I start writing.

I am sure it is because I don't hold my pen/pencil correctly, but I think after 43 years I am not going to suddenly fix that.

You sound likely to have dysgraphia, based on the fact I have all the same aspects and a dysgraphia diagnosis.

I am similar. If I physically write a couple times a week, my hand adapts though. It's a skill like any other.

Fountain pens are nice too since you don't need any pressure.

My writing looks a lot better if I just force myself to slow down and be deliberate, but honestly it's a constant battle. I'd definitely benefit from practicing penmanship on it's own.

Worth mentioning - for a long time, I found my handwriting messy AND my hand would tire out. When I was about a teen-ager, I decided to write in call-caps, very clearly. I've been doing that for a long time now, and worth giving a try.

teen-ager? call-caps? Cursive (several hundred years old) fixes this.. all-capitals(caps) or block-caps makes writing more laborious, possibly easier to read (which is why it used to be requested on hand-written forms?)

> (several hundred years old)

Several thousand more like.

Me too. And I can type so much faster and without thinking about it than I can write.

I've had many writing classes in school and different holders for the pen etc but I never managed to improve at all. Writing is just not for everyone.

> my hand gets sore 5 seconds after I start writing.

Use a fountain pen. You can't press too hard: it bends and breaks the nib.

Disposable ones are good enough now, e.g. the Pilot V-Pen.

https://cultpens.com/products/pilot-vpen-v4-disposable-fount...