BACKBURNER A5 Idea Catcher Notebook

Most ideas are not lost because they are bad. They are lost because there was nowhere good to put them. Backburner gives every idea a proper home and a clear path forward. 

Capture every idea the moment it arrives on the Quick Capture pages. Just a line or two is enough to hold the thought before it disappears. 

When an idea feels worth developing, move it to its Category page. Add a little more detail: what sparked it, and what needs to be true before you can act on it. Come back and build on it as things evolve. Even a few minutes a week is enough. 

Once a month, sit down for a proper review. Backburner guides you through it: a limited number of ideas evaluated using the effort and impact matrix. Every idea gets a verdict: activate, hold or release. It is structured, focused and does not take long. 

Activated ideas move into your INBOX or your DONE planner. Released ideas move to the Idea Graveyard. The Ideas Activated log keeps a running record of everything that made it through. 

Contents: 

• 1 x double-page contents spread 
• 26 x quick idea capture pages Category pages, numbered and indexed 
• 12 x Review pages with effort and impact matrix 
• 1 x idea graveyard double-page spread 
• 1 x ideas activated log 

Features 

The 300gsm soft-touch cover resists fingerprints and stays looking sharp. A colour-matched sewn spine means the notebook lies completely flat while you write, no hand cramps, no pages springing back. Inside, 100gsm crisp white pages hold any pen cleanly. 

The Inspiration 

Backburner started with an overload. Ideas in my head, on sticky notes, buried in notebooks I would never look at again. Some went the distance. Too many got lost forever. And the ones that did get activated were not always the best choices, because ideas do not arrive at convenient times and the loudest ones in the moment are not always the right ones. 

Even when everything was written down in one place, it was not enough. Without structure, a list of ideas is just a list. 

The capture, review, activate or release process changed that. Every idea gets in. Every idea gets evaluated. And the ones that move forward are the ones that deserve to. 

Designed in Woodend, Victoria, Australia 

Size: A5 (148 x 210mm) 

Pages: 56 pages 

Inner paper: 100gsm crisp white 

Cover: 300gsm with soft-touch matte coating, fingerprint resistant 

Binding: Sewn spine, colour-matched to cover, lies flat 

Sections: Contents, quick capture, category pages, review, idea graveyard, ideas activated 

Colours: Black, Turquoise, Dusty Blue, Lilac 

What is Backburner for? It is for ideas you are not ready to act on yet. Instead of losing them or carrying them around in your head, you capture them, give them a category and develop them over time until the moment is right.  

What are the three idea fields? Each idea gets three fields: IDEA (what it is), SPARKED BY (what prompted it) and IF/WHEN (what conditions need to be true for it to happen). Together they turn a passing thought into something you can honestly evaluate. 

How does the review work? At each review you bring your current ideas to the effort and impact matrix, a four-quadrant grid that helps you assess each idea by the effort it would take and the impact it could have. Then you make a decision: activate it, hold it for next review or release it.  

How often should I review? Monthly works well for most people. Frequent enough to keep ideas moving, spacious enough to give them time to develop. Set a recurring date and protect it. Glass of wine optional.  

What is the Idea Graveyard? The Idea Graveyard is where released ideas are recorded with a short note on why you let them go. It is not a bin. It is a record of decisions made with clarity. Revisiting it over time shows you how your thinking has sharpened and occasionally surfaces an idea that deserves another look. 

What is the Ideas Activated log? A running record of every idea that has moved from Backburner into active life, with the date you activated it. On the days when it feels like nothing is moving, this page reminds you of everything that already has. 

Does Backburner work with DONE and INBOX? Yes. Backburner holds ideas until they are ready. When an idea is activated it moves into your INBOX as a category and from there into your DONE planner as action. Together the three notebooks form a complete system. 

Does Backburner fit in the Signature and Essential Folios? Yes, Backburner is designed to fit perfectly in the Signature and Essential A5 Folios. 

Can I buy more than one Backburner and save?  Yes. Visit our Bundles page and save 20% - 40%. You can select any combination of notebook and colour in the bundles. 

Can I buy Backburner in bulk? Yes, Backburner is available for bulk orders. Please get in touch via our contact page and we will be happy to help.