Catalog Anything
Summary: Cataloging your notebook with the Muryõ method is something I’ve been doing for over a decade. Apparently, this “hack” has been around for centuries, though I haven’t been able to isolate its origins. Cataloging or indexing is an imperative component of the Muryō Method. Cataloging gives you the ability to write freely because you don’t have to worry about organizing your content into different notebooks. In this lesson, you’ll learn how to use the Muryō Method to free your writing, drawing, and notetaking.
Time needed: 3 minutes
Items needed:
- Muryō Insert
- Your favorite notebook (mine is the Leuchtturm1917 Dotted A5*)
- Pen or pencil of choice (mine is the Pilot Metropolitan Collection Gel Roller Pen*)
Insert Muryō.
1.Insert your Muryō behind the page you want to catalog. Your Muryō Insert will act sort of like a placemat to keep the rest of your notebook nice and clean. Placing the insert on the previous page also makes it really easy to line up your index.
Line up Muryō.
2.Line up your Muryō Insert. It’s important that you line up the Muryō Insert with either the top of your notebook or with a common artifact that exists throughout your notebook. You want to make sure your index lines up with the right items each time.
Mark the edge of the page.
3.Use your pen or pencil to mark the edge of the page. Once you’ve lined up the Muryō Insert you’re going to mark the edge of the page with a little scribble over the index. In this example, we are cataloging a journal entry. So our mark goes over the “Journal” index line. Don’t worry about marking up your insert, that’s what it’s there for. Also make sure to mark multiple indexes if it applies, making it easier to cross-reference items later.
Review your entries.
4.Take a moment to look admire your work. Now that you’ve marked your latest journal entry you can admire all the great work you’ve done. It’s important to reflect on your progress, at this moment you’re going to feel very connected to your notebook and your work. Notice how easy it will be to find all your journal entries going forward.
Related:
