New here? The Stationery Pulse is a short weekly letter for people who still think on paper. Every Monday I round up what's worth reading in the analog world: pens, notebooks, planners, and the people using them well, then close with whatever's new from Planning Engineered. One letter, once a week. That's it.

If you leave your pens loose in your bag, your pocket, or on the desk, a leather case is going to be a great choice. This one is a five-pen case, and again, thank you to Galen Leather for sending this over for me to check out. The leather is aging beautifully, and I love that it matches my wallet. That's one of the nice things about Galen Leather, and it shows in some of the reviews I've seen online too. This week's roundup picks up that same leather thread, with a giveaway winner walking off with the Sinclair pen case.

What's new in analog

• Giveaway Winner: Galen Leather Sinclair Case (Well-Appointed Desk): Only one Sinclair case was up for grabs in this giveaway, and Well-Appointed Desk has already emailed the winner directly to claim it. Check your spam folder if you entered, because an unclaimed prize gets handed to a new winner after seven days.

• Sunday Reading for August 16, 2026 (Gentleman Stationer): This week's Sunday Reading roundup singles out Dromgoole's collaboration with Pilot on the Custom 823 "The Sixty-Five," alongside recaps from the 2026 DC Pen Show and a returning Leonardo Dolcevita colorway. It's the quickest way to catch what pen show buyers and bloggers linked to this week without reading every post yourself.

• Swatching the #ferriswheelpress Vintage Photography ink collection (Mark Your Pages): Ferris Wheel Press's new Vintage Photography ink collection leans into old Hollywood, with dark moody inks and silver and champagne shimmer inside packaging styled like vintage film reels. Mark Your Pages can't keep every box, so the swatches get paired with cut-out pieces from the packaging in a stamp journal instead.

• My NEW Homemade Notebook-Making Setup! (Gare the Bear): Gare the Bear returns this week with another update to a homemade notebook-making setup that's been evolving in stages. If you've been following the process video after video, this is the next step forward.

• The Paper Workout Journal (Bullet Journal): The Bullet Journal blog's author has logged every CrossFit workout on paper for nearly 12 years, a habit that keeps drawing questions from gym members who assume paper means avoiding screens. Reading Audrey Watters' Substack piece "The Case for a Paper Fitness Journal" prompted a look back at why the method still holds up after more than a decade.

• The best thing you can do for yourself in 2026 is to keep a daily diary (Bullet Journal): Bullet Journal's latest piece frames a daily diary as a personal project: small entries add up over time into what it calls an asset built from years of scattered sentences. It also introduces two parallel stories, one about a pottery professor and one about a photography professor, that make the point that producing a high quantity of work beats aiming for a single polished one.

• Ask TGS: Are Leather or Fabric Pen Cases "Better" for your Pens? (Gentleman Stationer): The Gentleman Stationer weighs leather against fabric pen cases and lands on a clear verdict: neither material actually risks damaging a pen, so the choice comes down to weight, animal-product concerns, and how a case ages over time. The piece runs through four cases currently in rotation, from a Rickshaw Fillmore to a Nagasawa Kip leather folio, with cognac and saddle named as the favorite leather colors.

• What I Kept From Bullet Journaling & What I Finally Let Go (Mark Your Pages): Before building out a 2027 planner, Mark Your Pages revisits years of Bullet Journaling and sorts the method into what still works, what's been adapted, and what's finally been dropped. The video isn't arguing for or against the system itself; it's making the case that a planning setup should keep changing as life does.

From the channel

That's it for this week. See you back here next Monday.

Looking for more? Every tool and template I use and recommend lives on the Planning Engineered resources page.

Luis

New here? The Stationery Pulse is a short weekly letter for people who still think on paper. Every Monday I round up what's worth reading in the analog world, pens, notebooks, planners, and the people using them well, then close with whatever's new from Planning Engineered. One letter, once a week. That's it.

Half the stationery world is at the DC Pen Show this week or writing about it. The recaps are worth reading before the next one lands.

I spent my week with a five-pen case that actually protects what you put in it. That is rarer than it should be.

Below is what caught my eye, plus a good reminder that a habit survives on the second miss, not the first.

What's new in analog

• My Stationery Office Tour! (AlexanderWrites): AlexanderWrites walks through her full workspace and lists discount codes for Endless, Lochby, and Scriveiner. If you've been waiting to try any of those brands, here's a good way to save on the order.

• Sunday Reading for August 9, 2026 (Gentleman Stationer): Gentleman Stationer teases that some new machines are heading to Nashville in October for the On the Paper Trail Live event. Worth a look if you're nearby, since the post notes the machines may only be around briefly before they get shipped back.

• What 20 years of Thinking On Paper taught me (Rachelle in Theory): Rachelle in Theory looks back on two decades of putting thoughts on paper, with a linked guide for anyone who wants to start doing the same. It's a solid watch if you want a long-view perspective on what a paper-based thinking practice actually does over years, not weeks.

• Upgrading My Homemade Pocket Notebooks! (Gare the Bear): Gare the Bear picked up a Vevor guillotine paper cutter and says it changed how she assembles her own pocket notebooks. If you're making notebooks by hand, her take on the cutter could save you some trial and error.

• Daily Plan With Me: Sardines 🐟 Hobonichi Cousin (The Coffee Monsterzco): The Coffee Monsterzco settles into a Hobonichi Cousin for a relaxed plan-with-me touching on work and everyday life. It's an easy watch if you like company while you fill in your own planner. Shop (affiliate): Hobonichi Techo, Hobonichi Cousin.

• After Years of Bullet Journaling, I Realized My Planner Needed to Change (Mark Your Pages): Mark Your Pages noticed this year's annual setup felt different, moving past the usual question of which planner to buy. It's worth reading if your own system has started to feel like it needs a rethink rather than a replacement.

• my first yoseka stationery fest ✨ (Tori on Paper): Tori on Paper recaps her first Yoseka Stationery Fest and what she picked up while she was there. If you're weighing whether a stationery fest is worth attending, her first-timer account gives a real sense of it.

• Fashionable Friday: International Cat Day (Well-Appointed Desk): Well-Appointed Desk marks International Cat Day by pairing stationery with cats. It's a light, quick read for anyone who keeps both a planner and a cat in the house.

• Weekly Drops: DC Pen Show Weekend Edition! (Gentleman Stationer): Gentleman Stationer previews their DC Pen Show weekend, bringing Roterfaden, OnionBrand, and Lochby to the floor. If you're attending the show, this tells you exactly which booth to visit for those brands.

• Missing once is fine. Missing twice is a new habit. (Rachelle in Theory): Rachelle in Theory argues that missing a habit once is a slip, but missing it twice starts turning into a new pattern. It's a short, practical reminder for anyone trying to keep a daily planning or journaling habit going.

• Which pen is your favorite? Sound off in the comments (Mark Your Pages): Mark Your Pages opens the floor by asking which pen is everyone's favorite. Drop your pick in the comments if you want to compare notes with other readers.

• See You in DC? (Well-Appointed Desk): Well-Appointed Desk is flying out to the DC Pen Show, where she'll be at the Dromgoole's table as their resident pen expert. If you're at the show, that's exactly where to track her down.

Links marked (affiliate) support Planning Engineered at no extra cost to you.

From the channel

That's it for this week. See you back here next Monday.

Looking for more? Every tool and template I use and recommend lives on the Planning Engineered resources page.

Luis

The two covers I cut for the mid-year review were the LOCHBY Voyager and the LOCHBY Mini Field Journal. Both great covers. I was just finding that the wax canvas, and specifically these covers, were a little larger than I wanted to carry around.

The two that came out of the rotation. Both LOCHBY, both waxed canvas, both a size too big for how I actually carry.

I didn’t run a protocol

So I downsized the planner, which used to live in the Voyager. I still kept the Field Notes system, but I went from the 4-notebook system I shared in an earlier video down to 2: one general-purpose catch-all, and one that’s kind of a collection notebook, for stuff I want to keep long term. I keep those in the Paper Republic cover in olive, and it stays slim enough that I can still fit it in a pocket. It does feel a little bulky in there, but overall it makes for a great pocket carry.

The olive Paper Republic cover the 2-notebook system lives in.

I really don’t have one precise test I run. I just use the stuff the way I like to use it, and pay attention to what starts bugging me. Some people complain that a cover is bulky. Some don’t. It’s kind of a personal preference thing. I wouldn’t say there’s a specific test for it.

The controls that stuck

My two favorite pens right now are the Pilot Vanishing Point and, honestly, the pen that retracts with a click mechanism has been a game changer. I’ve wanted that pen for a while. I carry it with my planner, the MeePlus in personal size, and that thing goes with me everywhere. One of the biggest complaints about fountain pens is having to twist the cap off, then remember to put it back on or it dries out. Having something that just clicks is great for everyday use.

The Vanishing Point with the nib out. One click, no cap.

For gel pens, I really love the Zebra Sarasa. I’ve also been testing a Fisher Space Pen with pressurized ink, I’ll be carrying that on an upcoming trip. I’ve been enjoying how reliable that pen is in pretty much any condition: cold, warm, raining, it just writes.

The one thing I do on purpose is test fountain pens on paper that isn’t fountain-pen friendly, just to see what it can handle. Different inks, different nib sizes, they all behave differently. And even within the same paper manufacturer there’s enough variance that a pen can behave great in one notebook and not so great in the next one.

Why I’m telling you the unglamorous version

I started with the A5 Leuchtturm1917, like almost everyone does. I’ve been leaning a lot more into smaller notebooks and more compact pens since, and that just feels better, especially since I travel a lot and want tools that travel easier. What actually failed with the Leuchtturm was just the size. It felt too bulky and hard to carry around. Very protective, which was great, but I wanted something more compact.

I’m still looking for a pocket notebook that’s more fountain-pen friendly. I do enjoy Field Notes quite a bit though, just for how they look. At this point it’s more of a hobby, having a variety and being able to change them pretty quickly.

Honestly, I just enjoy the tactile nature of the stationery, and testing new things the day they show up. I’ve been recording these videos for almost a year now, which has been a lot of fun, and along the way I’ve picked up filmmaking and podcasting too. It started as something I did on the side, and it kept growing.

Working with brands is part of that too, getting to know what each one actually has to offer. I think some of the best brands I’ve talked to have a good story behind them.

So that’s the actual promise: I’ll tell you what I carried, what I dropped, and what the thing I dropped got right on its way out.

Some of the links above are affiliate links. They cost you nothing and they help pay for the testing.

If you’ve found a pocket notebook that really handles fountain pen ink, reply and tell me. That one’s still open on my desk.

New here? The Stationery Pulse is a short weekly letter for people who still think on paper. Every Monday I round up what's worth reading in the analog world: pens, notebooks, planners, and the folks using them well, then close with whatever's new from Planning Engineered. One letter, once a week. That's it.

Mid-year is when I actually admit which planners aren't earning their spot on the desk, and this week's video walks through the two I cut. Pen show season is picking up too: JetPens has next year's Hobonichi on preview, and there's no shortage of bag debates for anyone who's still deciding how to carry their kit. Here's what else caught my eye in analog stationery this week.

What's new in analog

• Lochby Field Sling Plus Review (AlexanderWrites): AlexanderWrites reviews the Lochby Field Sling Plus, covering how the bag handles daily carry, and includes his discount codes for Lochby and Endless Pens. If you're shopping for a new sling bag, it gives you a real opinion to weigh before you spend the money.

• Sunday Reading for July 26, 2026 (Gentleman Stationer): Gentleman Stationer's Sunday roundup points to Pen Addict Kimberly's nib-by-nib ranking of the Platinum 3776, a pen whose body they've never warmed to but whose nibs they rate highly. If you own a 3776 or are considering one, this tells you which nib grade is actually worth seeking out.

• Finally, an Organization System for Creatives & Artists (Rachelle in Theory): Rachelle in Theory lays out a five-part system for capturing ideas before they slip away, built for creatives and artists who need somewhere to hold inspiration when it strikes. It's a practical framework to borrow if your current notebook setup keeps letting good ideas fall through.

• This Notebook System Brings My Ideas to LIFE! (Gare the Bear): Gare the Bear walks through the notebook system he relies on for DIY and woodworking projects, tracking a build from idea through to the finished piece. It's a solid model to copy if you've ever lost measurements or steps mid-project because nothing got written down.

• All About My Commonplace Journal (The Coffee Monsterzco): The Coffee Monsterzco offers a flip-through of her commonplace journal, one she says won't get a full review again for years. If you've been curious what a long-term commonplace journal looks like once it's actually full, this is a rare look inside one.

• What's the Best Everyday Stationery Bag? My Own Considerations and 5 Options for Pen Show Season (Gentleman Stationer): Gentleman Stationer weighs five everyday stationery bag options as pen show and trade show season ramps up, thinking through what actually holds up for hauling gear to a show. If you've got a show on your calendar this season, it saves you the trial and error of packing the wrong bag.

• The Planner Bridge I Didn't Know I Needed (Mark Your Pages): Mark Your Pages introduces a bridge tool for the moment an idea or reminder hits and the planner isn't within reach. It's worth a look if you've ever lost a good idea because your planner was sitting in another room.

• Hobonichi Techo 2027 Preview Exhibit at the 2026 San Francisco Pen Show (JetPens): JetPens is hosting a Hobonichi Techo 2027 preview exhibit at the 2026 San Francisco Pen Show, letting attendees browse the full new lineup and handle the planner books and covers in person. If you're headed to the show, it's a chance to see next year's Hobonichi releases before anyone else does. Shop (affiliate): Hobonichi Techo.

• Introducing UNION, Our collaboration collection with The Superior Labor (Yoseka Stationery): Yoseka Stationery has launched UNION, a collaboration collection with The Superior Labor built around honest craftsmanship, marking the start of an ongoing partnership between the two brands. Follow it if you like either brand, since this is only the first release in what's meant to be a continuing collaboration.

• Notebook Review: NYBG x Moomin Collection (Well-Appointed Desk): Well-Appointed Desk reviews the NYBG x Moomin notebook collection, tied to the Summer of Moomin event at the New York Botanical Garden. If you're a Moomin fan or collect event-tied stationery, this shows you exactly what's in the set.

• Cursive Italic Esterbrook Estie Grind (AlexanderWrites): AlexanderWrites shows off a cursive italic grind on the Esterbrook Estie, paired with Oblation's Multnomah Mocha ink and a DiLoro pen case. If you're weighing a custom grind for your own Estie, this gives you a clear look at how an italic cut changes the writing experience.

• Which E-Reader is worth it in 2026? (Steven Foster): Steven Foster runs through which e-readers are actually worth buying in 2026, weighing the current options against each other. If you've been holding off on an e-reader purchase, this gives you a clearer read on where to put your money.

Links marked (affiliate) support Planning Engineered at no extra cost to you.

From the channel

New on the blog: - Techo Kaigi 2026: What I Cut From My Planner Lineup

That's it for this week. See you back here next Monday.

Looking for more? Every tool and template I use and recommend lives on the Planning Engineered resources page.

Luis

New here? The Stationery Pulse is a short weekly letter for people who still think on paper. Every Monday I round up what's worth reading in the analog world: pens, notebooks, planners, and the folks using them well, then close with whatever's new from Planning Engineered. One letter, once a week. That's it.

Traveler's Company just kicked off its CARAVAN world tour celebrating the TRAVELER'S notebook's 20th anniversary, and three separate corners of the stationery world covered it this week, which tells you how much that little brand still matters to people who carry a passport notebook everywhere. On the pen side, a steel nib priced well under the usual flex-nib tax is apparently doing the job, and someone finally explains how they've kept 75 pocket notebooks organized without losing the plot. Here's what's worth your time this week, plus what shipped on the channel and the site.

What's new in analog

• A Wonderful Steel Flex Nib? Magna Carta 250 Review: This video reviews a steel flex nib pitched as the Magna Carta 250 and links out to a Pilot Custom Heritage 912 along with discount codes for Endless Pens. If you're curious about flex writing without committing to a gold nib, this gives you a real comparison point and a way to try it cheaper.

• Sunday Reading for July 19, 2026 (Gentleman Stationer): Gentleman Stationer's Sunday roundup points to "Ten Pens, but Make it Seven," a post about narrowing a collection down to its core. It's a useful prompt if your own pen case has grown past what you actually reach for and you want help deciding what stays.

• I Filled 75+ Pocket Notebooks, here's how! (Gare the Bear): Gare the Bear hit 75+ filled pocket notebooks and made a video marking the milestone, with a link to buy GTB pocket notebooks. Watching someone actually finish that many notebooks is a good gut check if you tend to start notebooks and never close them out.

• Weekly Plan With Me: Cutesy Football ⚽ Hobonichi Cousin (The Coffee Monsterzco): The Coffee Monsterzco shares a weekly plan-with-me in a Hobonichi Cousin done up in a football theme, with a shop link and coupon. It's a simple spread to borrow ideas from if you're looking to refresh your own weekly layout. Shop (affiliate): Hobonichi Techo, Hobonichi Cousin.

• plan with me (this finally works!) (Tori on Paper): Tori on Paper introduces a new weekly, sometimes biweekly, planner spread she's been using for both work and personal scheduling. Worth a look if you're after a layout that can flex between two different kinds of demands on your time.

• A Public Service Announcement: Pen Disassembly and The Importance of Carefully Vetting Online Information (Gentleman Stationer): Gentleman Stationer flags two pens that should never be disassembled at home and should go back to Pilot for service, tying it to a warning about vetting repair advice found online. It's a direct reminder that not every DIY pen fix you find on the internet is safe for the pen or your warranty.

• Wisterlight ✨ from @ferriswheelpress3796 (Mark Your Pages): Mark Your Pages highlights Ferris Wheel Press's "Wisterlight," an indigo-based ink with green-pink duochrome shimmer. If you're building out a shimmer ink collection, this is one more data point on a color combination worth seeing in person.

• Journaling Using Cross Writing | #crosswriting #journal #handwriting #journaling #shorts (Lilla Björn Stationery): Lilla Björn Stationery demonstrates cross writing, an 18th- and 19th-century technique for fitting more text on a page when postage was priced by the sheet. It's a fun bit of history to borrow for a journal even though it wasn't originally meant for that use.

• TRC CARAVAN 20th Anniversary Limited Items (Traveler's Company): Traveler's Company posted the list of limited items for the TRC CARAVAN 20th Anniversary. If you collect Traveler's Notebook releases, this is the rundown to check before anything sells out.

• TRAVELER’S COMPANY CARAVAN 20th Anniversary in Chicago and New York (Traveler's Company): Traveler's Company announced CARAVAN 20th Anniversary stops in Chicago and New York. If you're near either city, it's a chance to see the anniversary lineup in person before deciding what to buy online.

• MD PRODUCT: A Comprehensive Guide (JetPens): JetPens put together a full guide to the MD PRODUCT line, the minimalist notebook series recently renamed from MD to MD PRODUCT. It's a solid reference if you want to understand the differences across the lineup before picking one up.

• TRAVELER’S COMPANY CARAVAN 20th Anniversary - NYC (Yoseka Stationery): Yoseka Stationery is hosting the TRAVELER'S COMPANY CARAVAN 20th Anniversary in New York, the brand's first NY visit since 2017, with 20th anniversary limited items on hand to browse. If you're local, it's worth planning around since events like this don't come back often.

Links marked (affiliate) support Planning Engineered at no extra cost to you.

From the channel

New on the blog: - The Best Paper for Fountain Pens, Tested - My Everyday Carry Setup: Aer Day Sling Max Review - The 10 Pens I Actually Reach for Every Day (Ranked by Use)

That's it for this week. See you back here next Monday.

Looking for more? Every tool and template I use and recommend lives on the Planning Engineered resources page.

Luis

New here? The Stationery Pulse is a short weekly letter for people who still think on paper. Every Monday I round up what's worth reading in the analog world, pens, notebooks, planners, and the folks using them well, then close with whatever's new from Planning Engineered. One letter, once a week. That's it.

Pen show season is in full swing, with two solid recaps in this week's roundup if you couldn't make it out west. There's also a good case for treating watercolor as a journaling tool instead of fine art, worth a read if the medium has intimidated you. On my end, I'm sharing the ten pens I actually reach for every day, ranked by how much I use them, and the most expensive one didn't win.

What's new in analog

• Summer Launch Party Happy Hour at HQ (Field Notes): Field Notes is hosting a Launch Party Happy Hour for its 71st Quarterly Limited Edition (Summer) at their HQ this Thursday, July 16, from 4 to 7pm. If you're local or can get there, it's a chance to see the new edition in person before the wider release. Shop (affiliate): Field Notes.

• JetPens Coupons, Promos, and More (JetPens): JetPens keeps a running list of its current coupons and promo codes in one place. It's worth bookmarking if you order from them regularly, since it can save you money on your next haul.

• PNW Pen Show 2026 Recap 🖊️ (AlexanderWrites): AlexanderWrites recaps the 2026 PNW Pen Show and shares discount codes for Wancher, Lochby, and Scriveiner. Useful if you missed the show or want to try one of those brands at a discount.

• Sunday Reading for July 12, 2026 (Gentleman Stationer): Gentleman Stationer's Sunday Reading for July 12 rounds up notable stationery posts, including a look at Sailor's Que Será erasable gel pen via Pen Addict. It's a quick way to catch up on what the pen community has been discussing this week.

• A productivity system so good you HAVE to be consistent (Rachelle in Theory): Rachelle in Theory walks through a productivity system built to keep you consistent, with a discount code for Saffron Co attached. Worth a watch if you've struggled to stick with a planning method past the first few weeks.

• One notebook won’t fix your life… but three might 😜 (Mark Your Pages): Mark Your Pages makes the case that a single notebook can't cover every part of your life, but a small set working together can. Useful framing if you keep abandoning one all-purpose notebook and wondering why it never sticks.

• PNW Pen Show! (AlexanderWrites): AlexanderWrites checks in from the PNW Pen Show. Worth a watch if you want a first-hand look at the show floor this year.

• The Field Notes Leather Jacket! | Full Review (Gare the Bear): Gare the Bear reviews Field Notes' new Leather Jacket, their latest leather cover offering. If you're deciding whether to protect your Field Notes books in leather, this lays out what to expect before you buy. Shop (affiliate): Field Notes.

• Sketchbook Flip Through ✏️ Product Ideas & Designs (The Coffee Monsterzco): The Coffee Monsterzco flips through a sketchbook that's held up well and shares the product ideas and designs that came out of it, with a 10% off code for their shop. A fun watch if you like seeing a working sketchbook turn into finished products.

• Paper Review: Graphilo by Kobeha (Gentleman Stationer): Gentleman Stationer reviews Graphilo by Kobeha after naming it a top-tier pick in the revamped "Hierarchies of Fountain Pen Friendly Paper" resource. Worth a read if you're hunting for paper that handles fountain pen ink well and want to know why this one earned the upgrade.

• Stop Using Watercolor Like an Artist, Use It Like a Journaler (Mark Your Pages): Mark Your Pages argues watercolor isn't just for artists and shows how bullet journalers and planners can use it to add color without needing painting skill. Helpful if you've wanted more color in your spreads but assumed watercolor was out of reach.

• Writing with a Stub Nib Left Handed (AlexanderWrites): AlexanderWrites covers what it's like writing with a stub nib as a left-handed writer, with discount codes for Wancher, Lochby, and Scriveiner among others. Handy if you're left-handed and curious whether a stub nib will fight your writing angle or work with it.

Links marked (affiliate) support Planning Engineered at no extra cost to you.

From the channel

New on the blog: The 10 Pens I Actually Reach for Every Day (Ranked by Use)

That's it for this week. See you back here next Monday.

Looking for more? Every tool and template I use and recommend lives on the Planning Engineered resources page.

— Luis

New here? The Stationery Pulse is a short weekly letter for people who still think on paper. Every Monday I round up what's worth reading in the analog world, pens, notebooks, planners, and the folks using them well, then close with whatever's new from Planning Engineered. One letter, once a week. That's it.

Half of this week's roundup is people quietly admitting they own too much. Well-Appointed Desk is telling you to do less, Gare the Bear picked a top five instead of a top twenty, and AlexanderWrites named the five things he doesn't regret instead of the fifty he does. I like that shift. A stationery habit that keeps expanding isn't a system, it's just accumulation, and the writers worth reading this week are the ones editing down instead of buying more.

What's new in analog

• Sunday Reading for July 5, 2026 (Gentleman Stationer): This is Gentleman Stationer's weekly roundup, and this edition points to Pen Addict's writeup on the 2026 St. Louis Pen Show. If you've never made it to a regional show, the recap gives you an honest sense of scale and crowd before you plan a trip to one yourself.

• Turning my Esterbrook Estie box into a stamp journaling page (Mark Your Pages): Mark Your Pages turns an Esterbrook Estie pen box into a stamp journaling page instead of tossing it in the recycling bin. It's a small, practical idea if you keep a journal and hate seeing good packaging go to waste.

• My Top 5 Pocket Notebook Covers! (Gare the Bear): Gare the Bear runs down her five favorite pocket notebook covers with links to where each one is sold. If your current cover is worn out, this saves you the guesswork of testing a handful yourself.

• June 2026 Planner Update | Hobonichi, Reading, Commonplace, Sketchbook (The Coffee Monsterzco): The Coffee Monsterzco posts a June update covering a reading journal, a commonplace book, and a sketchbook. It's a useful look at how one person splits tracking across several books instead of forcing everything into a single planner. Shop (affiliate): Hobonichi Techo.

• Happy 4th of July Weekend! Announcements, New Resources, and a Holiday Weekend Special! (Gentleman Stationer): Gentleman Stationer catches readers up on six months of news: upcoming in-person events, a new podcast, a trip to Japan, and shop growth. Worth a quick read if you follow their events or shop and want the update in one place instead of piecemeal.

• journals getting me through the summer | mid-year techo kaigi (Tori on Paper): Tori on Paper shares a mid-year check-in on the journals getting her through summer, including Hobonichi Cousin, Hobonichi Weeks, and Paper Republic. If you're deciding between planner formats, watching how someone runs several side by side beats reading a spec sheet. Shop (affiliate): Hobonichi Techo, Hobonichi Cousin.

• Happy Birthday (Field Notes): Field Notes marked the occasion by giving away The Founding Documents, a pocket edition of the Constitution and Declaration of Independence, with any order placed July 3rd or 4th. Worth knowing about if you order from them regularly and want to see what extras show up around their promotions.

• Do Less. (Well-Appointed Desk): Well-Appointed Desk asks a plain question this week, prompted by a piece from Greta Johnsen's newsletter: what can you take off your plate? It's a fair check for anyone whose stationery habit has quietly turned into one more thing to manage.

• I Ordered More Fountain Pens... and Have Zero Regrets (Mark Your Pages): Mark Your Pages shares a Vanness Pen Shop haul with two new pens, including a Kaweco Sport in a new icy yellow. If you're weighing a Vanness order or tracking new Kaweco colors, this gives you a real look before you spend the money.

• Set up a Bullet Journal Monthly Spread with me (Chad Everyday): Chad Everyday walks through setting up a bullet journal monthly spread, including how he records daily highlights and habit tracking. Handy if your own monthly layout has gone stale and you want a fresh one to borrow.

• The 5 Stationery Items I DON’T Regret Purchasing (AlexanderWrites): AlexanderWrites lists the five stationery purchases he doesn't regret, along with discount codes for Wancher, Lochby, Scriveiner, and others. Useful if you're about to buy and want a second opinion plus a code that actually saves you money.

• Paper Republic Grand Voyageur One Year Review (Steven Foster): Steven Foster checks back in on the Paper Republic Grand Voyageur leather journal a year after buying it. If you're considering a long-term journal cover, this tells you how it held up under real use instead of just how it looked on day one. Shop (affiliate): Paper Republic Grand Voyageur (Pocket).

Links marked (affiliate) support Planning Engineered at no extra cost to you.

From the channel

New on the blog: - Analog Planning With ADHD: Why Paper Holds What My Brain Drops - How to Set Up a Ring Planner Without Overbuying - How to Print Planner Inserts at Home Without Wrecking the Margins - Fountain Pen Friendly Paper for Planners: What Actually Stops the Bleed - Planner Insert Sizes Explained: A5, Personal, Pocket, and the Rest

That's it for this week. See you back here next Monday.

Looking for more? Every tool and template I use and recommend lives on the Planning Engineered resources page.

Luis

Most arguments about productivity tools assume you have to pick a side. Notebook people distrust anything that syncs. App people think paper is a hobby. Every few months someone posts an "I switched from X to Y and my life changed" thread, as if the tool itself were the variable that mattered.

It isn't. The variable that matters is what job you're asking the tool to do and most setups fail because one tool is doing two incompatible jobs at once.

Here's what that looks like on a job site. A site visit produces information in no particular order a measurement, a contractor's comment about a detail that doesn't match the drawings, a half-formed idea about how to sequence the next phase. If I open a laptop and start typing that straight into a project file, I'm not organizing information. I'm transcribing chaos and giving it better formatting. The chaos is still chaos.

A notebook page doesn't let me do that, and the limitation is the point. The page is bounded with a finite amount of room available. That means every line is a small decision about whether this is worth the space. That decision is the actual work. Writing by hand is slow enough that the writing and the thinking happen at the same rate, which is the only rate at which thinking is reliable. Open a blank digital page and that constraint disappears, and the decision disappears with it. You can dump everything in, which means you've decided nothing.

So the system that's worked for me isn't analog instead of digital, or analog and digital running side by side. It's analog, then digital, a one-way pipeline. The notebook in my pocket is where things get filtered: written down, looked at again at the end of the day, and either transferred or thrown away. What survives that filter goes into Obsidian, where it's searchable and connected to everything else I've written down for years. The notebook is disposable on purpose. The digital system is permanent on purpose. Neither one tries to be the other.

I notice the same pattern outside of work, too. The things that stay in rotation for years are usually the ones that had to earn that spot in a smaller, more limited space first, a tool, a habit, a small object that proved itself before it got to be permanent. The notebook is just the version of that idea I happen to be able to explain on camera.

I went deeper on the actual system, the planner, the notebook, the transfer process, all of it. Check out the video from this week:

The problem isn’t the intention. It’s the framework. Most people pick gifts based on what they’d want, or what looks impressive at the price point, rather than asking the harder question: what would this person actually reach for, six months from now, when it’s cold out and their day is already too long?

I think about this as an engineer.

On job sites, you carry what earns its spot. There’s no room in a vest pocket for things that might come in handy. Every tool you bring makes an argument for itself every time you use it. Or it gets left behind. That standard, applied to gifts, changes what you buy.

The Rhodia No. 16 is a $10 A5 notepad. It sounds unimpressive until you use it with any decent pen. The 80gsm paper is the reason fountain pen ink doesn’t bleed through, and the dot grid keeps handwriting honest without the rigidity of lines. I’ve been through a dozen notebooks across a decade of engineering work. This one I keep buying.

The Fisher Space Pen is for the person who doesn’t own a fountain pen and probably won’t, but writes every day and deserves something better than the free pen they picked up from a conference table. It writes upside down, in the cold, on greasy paper. It clips to anything. It’s small enough that it’s always on you.

When someone’s ready to try a fountain pen for the first time, I point them to the Kaweco Sport. It fits in a pocket. You don’t have to think about nib geometry to enjoy it. Fill it, cap it, write.

The TWSBI Eco is the next step: the pen for someone who already knows they like writing with a fountain pen and wants to open up bottled ink. It’s a demonstrator, meaning you can see exactly how much ink is left, which is more useful than it sounds. I’ve been pairing mine with Lamy Azurite, a saturated blue-violet with a gold-green sheen that photographs well and is the kind of color that makes you want to write more just to see it on the page.

The Alpaka Tech Case is where all of it lives. I’ve had mine for two years. It holds the pens, ink samples, a spare notebook, chargers. The whole analog and digital carry in one place. The thing that makes a daily carry a system instead of a pile is usually the container.

None of this is the gift I’m most proud of giving.

My family has two coffee farms in Caldas, Colombia. The region produces some of the best single-origin beans in the world. The coffee I brew before every shoot, the cup that’s in my hand before the camera turns on, comes from there. It’s what I give when I want to give something with a real story behind it.

Ríos de Oro. Single-origin Colombian coffee, from our farms in Caldas.

For the full breakdown, including which variants to buy, what to avoid, and how each fits together as a kit, I put it all into a video this week: Gifts for Dads Who Actually Plan

Until next week,
Luis

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The problem isn't the price. It's that most guides optimize for easy browsing instead of actual use.

The analog tools I carry daily earned their place through field conditions. A bridge inspection means job sites with greasy forms, cold mornings, and no surface worth writing on. A fountain pen that needs a desk and sixty seconds of careful uncapping doesn't survive that environment. A notebook that bleeds through on anything but premium paper becomes a liability in the field. These constraints are real, and they eliminate most of the things in a typical gift guide fast.

So here's the short list — what actually works, organized by price:

Under $25: the Rhodia No. 16 Notepad. A5, 80gsm paper, grid ruling that doesn't fight you. It costs about ten dollars and it writes better than most notebooks three times the price. If the person you're buying for takes any kind of notes — meeting notes, field notes, to-do lists that actually get done — this is where to start.

In that same range: the Fisher Space Pen. It writes upside down, in the cold, on wet paper, and at altitude. It clicks shut in a vest pocket and doesn't leak. That's the whole pitch. No one who has used one on a job site thinks it's overengineered.

$25–60: the Kaweco Sport Fountain Pen is the first fountain pen I'd give to someone who has never owned one. It's small when capped, pocketable, and forgiving — easy to clean, easy to fill, hard to mess up. Fine nib for most people. It makes handwriting more deliberate without requiring a hobby's worth of maintenance.

If they're ready for a proper ink bottle, the TWSBI Eco paired with Lamy Azurite ink is a real step up. The TWSBI has a piston fill mechanism and a demonstrator body — you can see exactly how much ink is left. Azurite is a medium blue with enough personality to make you want to use it.

Over $60: the Alpaka Tech Case is the one thing in this guide that isn't a writing instrument. It holds the whole kit — pens, notebooks, cables, whatever. Structured enough to stay organized, compact enough to go into a bag without taking over. The X-Pack specifically has held up well across a lot of travel.

The one gift I actually make: single-origin coffee from my family's farms in Caldas, Colombia. Ríos de Oro. If there's a dad in your life who takes his coffee seriously, it's worth pointing him there — riosdeoro.com. It's the kind of thing that doesn't end up on a shelf.

If you want the full breakdown — why each item made the list, what to avoid in the same price range, and how the kit comes together — it's all in this week's video →

Quick links

• Rhodia No. 16 Notepad — ~$10

• Fisher Space Pen — ~$25

• Kaweco Sport Fountain Pen — ~$30

• TWSBI Eco Fountain Pen — ~$40

• Lamy Azurite Ink

• Alpaka Tech Case — $60+

I used to check email.

Not because anything urgent was waiting. Because the inbox was one tab away, and two minutes felt like idle time. Then a calendar check. Then a Teams notification. By the time the results loaded, I'd switched contexts three times and lost the thread of the calculation I'd been building for forty minutes.

That wasn't a bad day. That was every day.

The Unified Desktop Problem

Here's the productivity trap nobody names: everything living on one screen sounds like efficiency. It destroys depth.

Every engineer I know has the same setup — structural software in one window, email in another, a task manager open somewhere, calendar alerts firing every thirty minutes. The logic is sound. Everything you need, right there.

But attention doesn't work that way. Psychologists call it attention residue — the mental trace that persists when you move between tasks. The inbox check during the model run isn't neutral. It contaminates the next five minutes with whatever you just read, even if you don't respond. When everything lives on one screen, every idle moment is a context-switch invitation. For anyone who already struggles with time blindness or ADHD — which describes more engineers than will admit it — that invitation is almost impossible to refuse.

The fix isn't a better app. The fix is friction.

Friction as a Feature

A Time Timer sits on my desk. It's a circular clock where you set a countdown by rotating a red disc — as time passes, the red shrinks. Nothing vibrates. Nothing pings. It just shows you, visually, how much time is left.

Twenty minutes before a meeting, I set it and close my calendar. The timer is doing that job now. My screen is free.

This is the principle that changed how I work: analog tools don't just replace digital ones. They relieve digital ones of jobs they're bad at. A calendar is poor at showing you how much time you have right now — it requires you to open it, interpret it, close it. A Time Timer shows you at a glance. Attention stays where it was.

The same logic governs the pocket notebook. I carry a three-part system in a Paper Republic Grand Voyager cover — a master index, a daily catch-all, and a dedicated collections notebook for reading lists, maintenance tasks, anything I want to keep permanently. When a thought surfaces during a calculation, I write it down and return to the work. No tab switch. No context debt. The notebook absorbs the interruption without charging interest.

My pen is a Pilot Vanishing Point — a fountain pen with a retractable nib, one click to write. The specificity matters: the lower the friction to write, the faster the notebook absorbs the thought and gives your attention back.

Before any deep work session, I make a cup of coffee. I grew up in Colombia, around coffee — it's from my family's farm. The ritual of it matters as much as the caffeine. Coffee, Time Timer, notebook open. The screen doesn't change. But what I'm asking of it does.

What Progress Looks Like

Digital progress is invisible. A Notion database looks the same whether it holds ten notes or ten thousand. There's no weight to it.

For reading, I use two Lochby pocket notebooks. The first fills as I read — quotes, references, page numbers. The second fills as I think. Weeks after finishing a book, I go back through the first notebook, find what still lands, and write it again in the second — in a different color, with a reflection below it. It's slow. That's the point.

The stack of filled notebooks on my shelf is one of the most motivating things in my office. Not because it signals productivity — because it shows me thinking happened. The handwriting shifts. A sketch from two years ago sits next to a quote copied last week. That's not data. That's a record.

A folder full of digital notes feels like a chore to revisit. A stack of notebooks feels like evidence of a life being lived on purpose.

The Challenge

Take a walk today. Bring a notebook — any notebook — and a pen. Don't bring your phone. When a thought surfaces, write it down.

The walk creates movement. The notebook creates capture. The missing phone removes the invitation to context-switch every thirty seconds.

The screen will be there when you get back. The calculation thread might not be. Start paying attention to the difference.

When Everything Lives in One Place, Nothing Gets Done

The promise of digital tools is consolidation: one device, one screen, everything in reach. In practice, that consolidation became a trap. While a model was running, I’d check email. While reviewing calculations, I’d glance at my calendar. I was always doing the work and thinking about the next thing at the same time. That kind of context-switching doesn’t just cost time — it erodes the quality of whatever you’re actually trying to do.

Analog tools don’t fix this by replacing technology. They fix it by offloading specific cognitive jobs to objects that can’t tempt you with notifications. The goal isn’t to go off-grid. It’s to give your brain fewer things to juggle.

The Ritual That Starts the Day

My first analog tool isn’t a notebook — it’s coffee. I grew up in Colombia, surrounded by it, and the act of making a cup has become a ritual that signals to my brain: deep work is starting now. The specific coffee matters too. It’s from my family’s farm, and that story makes the habit stick.

Paired with the coffee is a Time Timer. If you haven’t seen one, it’s a circular analog clock where you can set a duration and watch the colored disc shrink as time passes. There’s no number to read, no calculation to make — you just see how much time is left.

For someone who deals with ADHD and time blindness, this thing is a genuine tool, not a novelty. If I have 20 minutes before a meeting, I set it, put it on my desk, and stop thinking about the clock entirely. When it goes off, I move. No more compulsive tab-switching to check the time. No more anxiety about whether I’ll miss the meeting. The timer holds that mental space so I don’t have to.

Reading, Capturing, and Actually Keeping What You Learn

I’ve started reading more physical books, and the difference in retention is hard to explain until you experience it. Part of it is the tactile feedback — feeling the pages, watching the bookmark migrate toward the back cover. Progress you can see changes how you engage with the material.

My reading practice pairs the book with two pocket notebooks. The first is a quote journal: anything that strikes me gets written down with a book title and page number for reference. The second is where the thinking happens. After a few weeks, I come back to those quotes, pick the ones still resonating, and write a short reflection on how the idea is landing in my actual life. It’s a slow process. It’s also the only system that’s actually made reading stick in a meaningful way.

For travel, I use a Kindle Paperwhite — not fully analog, but close enough. It keeps me off my phone, it fits in a pocket, and it means I’m never without something worth reading. I’ll take it.

The constant across all of this is a pocket notebook system built around a Paper Republic Grand Voyager cover. Inside I keep three notebooks: a master index that tracks everything I’ve captured across all my notebooks, a catch-all for daily notes, sketches, and whatever needs to exist on paper right now, and a collections notebook for ongoing reference lists — books to read, stationery to try, recurring routines, household maintenance. The catch-all gets replaced every week or two. The collections notebook stays.

My pen of choice lately is the Pilot Vanishing Point — a fountain pen with a retractable nib. For someone grabbing it between tasks or on a walk, the fact that it clicks open instead of uncapping is genuinely meaningful. One click and you’re writing.

Progress You Can See, Presence You Can Feel

Here’s what I didn’t expect when I started leaning on analog tools: the motivation that comes from visible progress. A stack of filled notebooks represents years of thinking. A time timer visually shrinks. A physical book shows you, page by page, how far you’ve come. Digital equivalents exist, but they don’t hit the same way. A folder of notes feels like a chore. A shelf of journals feels like a life.

For me, the deeper shift was this: when I stopped managing everything through the same device I use to do my work, I became more present during both. The engineering work gets my full attention. The walks, the reading, the coffee ritual — those get my full attention too.

The analog toolkit isn’t about doing more or accumulating gear. It’s about finding the specific places where your current system is quietly breaking, and replacing those pieces with something simpler.

So here’s the challenge: the next time you go for a walk, leave your phone behind and bring a notebook and a pen instead. Any notebook. Any pen. If something comes to mind, write it down. That’s it. It’s a small thing, and it might be the one that changes how you think about the rest.

What analog tools have made it into your daily carry? I’d love to hear what’s working — drop it in the comments.

The biggest story to me was not steel itself, surprisingly.

It was the future of the people, innovation, and ideas shaping the industry.

Under the wave of information, four themes stood out: workforce development, speed of construction, artificial intelligence, and the continued importance of standardization.

Those four themes say a lot about where our industry is headed.

1. Building a Town, Not Just a Company

One phrase I heard during the conference stayed with me:

Build a town, not just a company.

That idea captures something many organizations are beginning to understand. Long-term success is not built only through revenue, backlog, or market share. It is built through people, culture, and community.

Several conversations centered around leadership development and creating workplaces where people can grow. Notes I took throughout the event included ideas like:

• Match people to the right projects

• Build systems that support people

• Be willing to show vulnerability

• Have crucial conversations

• Develop self-aware leaders

• Encourage mentorship

• Give honest feedback

• Create growth plans

Landing at the end of these ideas is not coincidence, but a delivered set of actions that leaders must take if they want to develop their people into leaders.

In an industry facing labor shortages, retirements, and increasing complexity, leadership matters more than ever. Better leaders build stronger teams. Stronger teams deliver better projects. Better projects create better reputations and attract more talent.

Workforce development is not just about recruiting. It is about creating an environment where people want to stay and improve.

2. Faster Construction Is Becoming Essential

Another clear theme was speed.

Products like Fast Floor, Speed Connection, and Speed Core (see a theme here?) have been at the center of AISC’s research work over the last few years. These solutions show how much emphasis is being placed on constructability, labor efficiency, repairability, and sustainability.

That makes sense.

The industry is under pressure from tighter schedules, rising costs, limited labor availability, and a big push for sustainable construction. When that happens, innovation often focuses on simplifying installation and standardizing design and construction processes.

These standardized systems speed up design and construction can create real advantages:

• Less time in the field

• Fewer labor hours

• Safer installation processes

• Better schedule reliability

• Reduced downstream delays

• More sustainable

• Increased repair ability as well as reusability

This is where engineering becomes practical. It is not enough to design something that works on paper. Increasingly, successful solutions are those that work efficiently in the real world.

The future will belong to teams that understand both structural performance and constructability.

3. AI Enters the Chat, in a Practical Way

Artificial intelligence was another topic that stood out, particularly through discussions around Clark AI and how engineers are beginning to use AI tools beyond business assistants.

The most useful examples were centered on how AI can help engineers work faster and focus attention where it matters most. That includes:

• Quickly finding information

• Summarizing standards or references

• Generating first drafts of calculations or workflows

• Organizing project knowledge

• Supporting repetitive design tasks

• Helping teams move faster internally

Used correctly, AI can remove friction from engineering work.

That matters because engineers should spend more time applying judgment, solving problems, and communicating clearly—not digging through files or recreating routine tasks.

AI will not replace good engineers.

But engineers who learn to use AI effectively may outperform those who ignore it.

That shift is already beginning.

4. Standardization

For all the excitement around new products and new technology, one final reminder stood out: standardization still matter.

Discussions around NSBA and updated bridge standard plans reinforced something important. Innovation moves quickly, but the industry still depends on common expectations, sound guidance, and technical consistency, especially for most everyday projects.

Standards provide:

• Safety

• Reliability

• Shared design language

• Quality expectations

• Confidence across owners, engineers, fabricators, and contractors

That foundation is easy to overlook until it is missing and feels “boring” to most. We all became engineers to innovate and design unique projects. The reality is that a lot of projects benefit from these standards. They produce a clear path that is repeatable, minimizes errors, and ultimately are more cost effective.

New tools can improve productivity. New systems can speed construction. AI can enhance workflows.

But standards are the solid ground that free us up to think bigger.

That balance between innovation and discipline is essential.

My Biggest Takeaway

Leaving the conference, I felt encouraged.

This industry is not standing still.

It is investing in people. It is improving how things get built. It is exploring new tools like AI. And it is continuing to strengthen the standards that keep projects safe and dependable.

That combination matters.

Because the future of engineering will not be built by technology alone.

It will be built by organizations that develop people, embrace practical innovation, and maintain the discipline to do things right.

That is what I saw at the Steel Conference.

And that is a future worth paying attention to.

They struggle with keeping it organized, clear, and executable under real constraints—time pressure, shifting priorities, and constant digital interruption.

That gap is what Planning Engineered is built around.

While Engineering Our Future focuses on conversations with engineers and professionals shaping the industry, Planning Engineered focuses on something more operational: how engineers actually think, plan, and execute their work day-to-day.

Not theory. Not productivity hacks. Actual systems used in engineering practice along with my favorite analog tools.

What Planning Engineered is really about

Engineering work is already complex enough. Most of us don’t need more tools—we need better structure around how we use our attention.

Planning Engineered explores:

• How engineering notes and project thinking are structured outside of software tools

• How analog planning systems improve clarity in technical decision-making

• How to reduce cognitive load in environments full of interruptions

• How focus constraints can be turned into structured workflows instead of friction points

The goal is simple: better thinking leads to better engineering output.

A few videos worth watching first

These are good entry points if you want to understand how the system comes together:

Why this matters for engineers early in their careers

Most engineers are trained heavily on technical execution—calculations, codes, design procedures.

Very few are trained on:

• how to organize thought under load

• how to manage multiple technical threads at once

• how to maintain clarity when everything is urgent

That gap is often what separates technically capable engineers from consistently effective ones.

Planning Engineered is an attempt to build that missing layer.

How this connects back to Engineering Our Future

Engineering Our Future captures what the best in the field are doing.

Planning Engineered is about building the internal systems that allow you to actually operate at that level.

One is external perspective.

The other is internal execution.

If this resonates, subscribe to the Planning Engineered YouTube channel. That’s where the full breakdowns live.

And over time, you’ll also start seeing more of this “thinking on paper” approach show up directly in this newsletter—especially where it connects to how engineers can better structure their work, attention, and decision-making in practice.

I walked into the exhibition hall surrounded by steel, technology, and the energy of thousands of professionals pushing our industry forward. Engineers gathered around fabrication equipment, software demonstrations filled large screens, and conversations were happening in every direction. It was immediately clear this was more than a conference. It was a meeting place for ideas, people, and the future of engineering.

As I moved between sessions and the exhibit floor, I kept thinking about how much our profession has changed in recent years. Many of us now work across offices, states, and time zones. Technology has changed how we collaborate, communicate, and solve problems. Being a strong engineer today requires more than technical ability. It also requires adaptability.

One of the first sessions I attended captured that idea well. The speaker talked about “developing a town” instead of simply building a company. That line stayed with me. Towns do not thrive because of roads or buildings alone. They thrive because of the people who live there, contribute there, and care about one another.

The same is true for engineering teams.

The best workplaces I have experienced felt less like organizations and more like communities. People understood their role. They felt valued. They had a voice. There was trust, ownership, and a shared mission. Those environments bring out better work and better people.

Later, I attended a session on workforce development, another major theme throughout the conference. The message was clear: our industry does not grow through technical expertise alone. It grows through mentorship, engagement, and creating places where people can develop. Looking back on my own career, the seasons of greatest growth were always connected to strong leaders and strong teams.

The exhibit hall reinforced that same message in a different way. I saw new design tools, sustainable materials, and construction innovations that will shape the future of our profession. I also heard constant conversations about AI, embodied carbon, and how firms are working to attract and retain talent. Even with all the advances in technology, people remain the real advantage.

By the final day, I walked out with a notebook full of ideas and renewed optimism for where engineering is headed. The true value of the Steel Conference is not only the knowledge shared or the products displayed. It is the community it creates.

It is a reminder that great engineers do more than solve problems. We build teams. We mentor others. We create opportunities. And together, we help shape the future of the profession.

I will share more reflections in future issues, but I wanted to start with the lesson that stood out most: invest in people.

We often talk about work-life balance like it’s a constant state of control, but let’s be real—life happens in seasons. Sometimes work needs that extra 20%, and sometimes your family or hobbies need to take the front seat.

In this episode, we dive into:

• The 80/20 Rule of Boundaries: Nicolai breaks down how to respect team boundaries while identifying those critical moments when you truly need to rely on one another.

• Earning the “No”: Why saying “yes” to the random tasks early in your career builds the trust and capital you need to set firm boundaries later on.

• The “Too Much Info” Trap: Why you don’t need to over-share personal details when declining a request—less is often more!

• Career Evolution: Luis shares how moving from “yes-man” volunteering to lead roles on major bridge projects has changed his perspective on managing timelines.

Key Timestamps:

• [00:00:33] The reality of “business stretches” and why the podcast took a backseat.

• [00:01:33] Why work-life balance isn’t a balance board, but a series of seasons.

• [00:03:07] Nicolai’s framework for respecting boundaries 80% of the time.

• [00:05:22] Luis on how saying “yes” early on leads to better project opportunities.

Whether you’re a junior engineer looking to prove yourself or a senior lead trying to protect your team’s burnout levels, this conversation is all about finding that seasonal rhythm.

“Financial peace isn’t about having the perfect system—it’s about building habits that give you confidence to handle both emergencies and expected expenses without fear or debt.”

A central theme of our discussion is the distinction between emergency funds, meant for unexpected crises, and sinking funds, designed for predictable but irregular expenses such as holidays, birthdays, and home repairs. We provide actionable tips on setting up high-yield savings accounts, tracking various fund categories, and managing the psychological hurdle of using savings when needed. By emphasizing adaptable systems like customizable sinking funds and a strategic use of HSAs, this episode empowers listeners to start small, build habits, and gradually cultivate lasting peace of mind around money—the goal being to respond to both the expected and the unpredictable without fear or debt.

Lessons and Takeaways

• Build a tailored emergency fund - Calculate your personal “bare bones” monthly expenses and save 3-6 months’ worth in a high-yield savings account to handle unexpected crises without going into debt.

• Create separate sinking funds - Set up dedicated savings categories for predictable irregular expenses like holidays, birthdays, car maintenance, and home repairs to avoid financial stress when these costs arise.

• Start small and build gradually - Begin with manageable savings goals ($500-1000) for your emergency fund, then consistently add to it over time rather than feeling overwhelmed by trying to save everything at once.

• Optimize your health savings - Consider using HSAs strategically not just for medical expenses but as potential long-term investment vehicles with unique tax advantages.

• Develop systems that match your psychology - Create financial tracking methods that work with your personality and habits, making it easier to maintain good money management practices consistently.

Links and References

• Remit Sethi Podcast

• Psychology of Money

• Episode on Paying Debt

This week, I’m sharing my experience moving from a small firm to a big one—and what that’s meant for my career and growth over the last year nine months. This year had a lot of ups and downs (this episode was recorded in June and I am just getting it out…). I am happy for Nicolai’s support through this and I look forward to many more episodes coming out.

What would you like to see more of?

Personal takeaways:

• Flexibility: Turns out, the big company isn’t as slow-moving as I thought. Milestones and structure actually bring freedom to explore, innovate, and make mistakes.

• Expanded toolbox: The more people you connect with—across disciplines—the better you get at your job. Every new conversation and collaboration adds a new tool.

• Resources: There’s more access to technical codes, sample projects, and experts, but also space to build my own reusable tools, like spreadsheets for designs.

• Soft skills: Volunteering and joining internal networks (like Enlace for Hispanic engineers) have grown my network and boosted my confidence. These bigger companies have endless training resources.

• Endless career pivots: You can chart new paths, propose new ideas, and switch directions—all without leaving the company.

Action items for you:

• If you’re thinking of switching firm sizes or career tracks, connect with someone who’s done it. Be curious, not cautious.

• Start a conversation with colleagues outside your “bubble.” There’s wisdom everywhere.

• Volunteer, join an internal group, or attend a conference—don’t wait for permission, but do learn the process for asking.

• Reflect on whether your workflows and resources are making you more effective—and start building (or sharing) something reusable.

As always, keep an open mind. If your current job isn’t sparking joy, experiment with new options before making a leap. We’re here to help you navigate challenges!

If you’ve got questions, feedback, or just want to chat, reply to this email or visit luisfelipeduque.com/contact.

Thanks for tuning in. Let’s continue to engineer our future!

Exciting news—our latest Engineering Our Future podcast episode is now live! Nicolai and I are joined by Danny Farrah, a civil engineer at Jacobs and the creative mind behind Rayo Lejano. In this conversation, we dive into how creative outlets like music can make us better engineers—by sparking fresh ideas, improving our attention to detail, and motivating us to try new things outside our comfort zones.

Danny shares the challenges and wins of balancing technical work and artistic passion, plus his thoughts on the importance of boundaries and keeping creativity alive with a busy schedule. If you’re interested in how your hobbies can boost your career, you won’t want to miss this episode!

5 Key Takeaways:

• Creative pursuits sharpen problem-solving and inspire new technical ideas.

• Attention to detail from music helps in project management and quality control.

• Boundaries and balance are essential for lasting motivation and avoiding burnout.

• Trying new creative outlets builds confidence and supports personal growth.

• Combining technical skills and creative passions makes for well-rounded engineers and richer lives.

We’d love to hear about your own creative projects—just reply to this email with your stories or questions!

Looking forward to hearing from you!

In this episode, Nicolai and I dive into what it’s like to step outside your comfort zone. I recently started taking piano lessons—something I’ve literally never done before. I grew up playing sports, so music was just never part of my world. But honestly? It’s been an awesome challenge, and I wanted to share what I’ve been learning with you all.

🤔 Why this matters (especially if you’re early in your career)

Engineering is all about constant learning. New tech stack, new process, new role—rinse and repeat. Picking up a hobby gives you a low-stakes space to practice that same growth mindset. You learn to be patient with yourself, push through when things get tough, and ask for help when you’re stuck. Plus, reflecting on what worked (and what didn’t) makes your next attempt way better. That feedback loop is crucial. (Forbes on reflective practice)

🎹 Piano, from my perspective

I’m starting completely from scratch. Reading sheet music felt like trying to read hieroglyphics at first. Getting an instructor has been a game-changer—I’m avoiding bad habits, getting real-time feedback, and following a clear plan instead of just fumbling around on YouTube. Same principle applies at work: good mentorship plus focused practice time is what actually moves you forward. (Deep Work)

🧵 Sewing, from Nicolai’s perspective

Nicolai thought he’d knock out an “easy” pillow project. Turns out, not so easy. He gave up for a bit, then realized the whole point wasn’t to make something perfect—it was to figure out how to learn something new. Now he’s back at it with a more realistic goal and some checkpoints along the way. It’s all about progress, not perfection. (Todoist on progress journaling)

📚 Handy links

• Deep Work by Cal Newport

• Forbes: journaling to learn

• Todoist: progress journaling

• ASCE mentorship programs

🏆 Your turn

Pick a hobby outside engineering this week. Two short sessions. Three lines of notes after each. Share with #EngineeringOurFuture—we’d love to shout out a few on the show.

💬 Stay in the Loop

• Newsletter: Weekly vibes, tips, and ep deep dives at luisfelipeduque.com/newsletter.

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