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Lately, in the interest of continuous improvement, I've tried replacing my Moleskine day planner with an iPhone app called Things. It's generally modeled on David Allen's Getting Things Done system.

From a data management angle, Things just kills paper in every way possible. And because it's digital, I can make backups. If my phone disappers or dies, I still have my data.

But I'm sticking with paper.

My Moleskine planner features a pocket perfect for holding small, flat items. (Gift cards, checks, receipts, stamps, prescriptions, etc.) And there's enough space on the pages to take notes as well. Things on my iPhone doesn't cope well with sentence-length task descriptions or notes. The net result of using the day planner is that I have my to-do lists, my notes, and any small necessaries in one neat package.

And there are a few completely non-tangible reasons to stick with a paper day planner.

The Moleskine has PR value. When I sit down at a meeting and open my book, it tells everyone that I've got my act together. I've had more than one person remark on this, and I think it carries extra impact because I'm a techie. When I go old school, people notice.

And while everyone I've met is understanding (even admiring) when I pause to write something in my planner, they get impatient with my tapping on a phone. "What are you doing?" they ask. They're yet more annoyed when I explain that I'm using a to-do list app. Somehow, pausing to write in a book is admirable, but pausing to tap information into a phone is geeky and annoying.

And until I switched to Things, I didn't appreciate the mental benefits of leaving the book at home. When I don't have the book with me, I'm officially off duty. With my to-do list in my phone, I think about it more, which is the opposite of what I want.

I don't like the idea that with Things, my to-do lists sit atop a stack of technologies, any of which could fail. Backups are great, but there really is something to be said for a system in which I can track tasks, take notes, draw diagrams, hold necessary papers, and which never needs recharging, and can't be infected by viruses or maimed by software glitches.

And yes, I really like the look and feel of the Moleskine book and the pens I use. Making tactile and visual pleasures part of my daily life is important too.

So yeah. Things is a fantastic program. But I just don't see a compelling need to change. And that feeling is confirmed by the distinct comfort of returning to my paper-only system.