Raise your hand if you take notes regularly. *Raises hand* Now, keep your hand up if you keep your notes well organized, functional, and easily accessible. *Puts hand down*
I think most of us agree that we scribble notes on various notepads, envelopes, and maybe even napkins, but how well organized is that?! Personally, I have notes all over the place, including different yellow pads and on separate computer documents.
It’s time to get our note taking under control to increase productivity and save our sanity!
How properly taking notes can increase your effectiveness
- Boost comprehension and retention - By keeping quality notes on the key concepts of a non-fiction book you’re reading, you can come back later and quickly scan the information without re-reading the entire book. Also, writing and re-reading these notes will dramatically increase your comprehension of the material.
- Save time and energy - By keeping all notes on a certain theme in one location (eg. article ideas, new website ideas, to-do lists) you can easily save hours you might have otherwise spent searching for that napkin from the Olive Garden.
- Increase creativity - If you’re like me and always coming up with new money-making ideas you’d be surprised what note taking and brainstorming can do to get the creative juices flowing.
- Encourage action - When you write things down you’re more likely to take action. Especially with information from a book or seminar. Writing and reviewing good notes allows you to more effectively implement new ideas into your life and business.
- Get questions answered - By writing down questions you have on a particular theme or subject, you are more equipped to contact mentors and other sources to get those inquires answered.
I plan on taking Tim Ferriss’s advice on note taking to come up with my own system. I’ll be sure to post a follow-up on my note taking progress.
Do you have any note taking tips, strategies, or questions? If so please share them with us here!