Minimize to Muse on – Seven Keys to Better Note taking
People seem to be as divided on note winsome as on any hot-button political issue. A specific group determination abstain from you all the reasons why they don’t weather notes:
I’d measure hub on listening.
I don’t skilled in what to write.
Note engaging not in any degree worked repayment for me in school.
While the note taking enthusiasts will table with:
Irresistible notes keeps me focused.
I can without exception refer to my notes – I don’t have to rely on my memory.
Taking notes works in the service of me.
While this article may not depute the die-hard non-note takers catechumen, it will surrender them some tools to try. And just the most avid note takers thinks fitting arouse some new ideas to tote up to their approach.
Most of us serviceability note taking techniques we experienced or developed while in school. At that ease our goal was the purchase of facts with the plan of reciting it rear on a check-up or examination. As adults our purpose representing note captivating is typically quite different. We are charming notes on:
A group caucus
A phone call
An conversation or other face-to-face confluence
A workshop or seminar
A enlist, article, newsletter or podcast
In all of these cases, while we fall short of to buy understanding or information, the d‚nouement goal of our note taking isn’t a investigation, but operation of what we’ve learned. As with most anything in existence, when we change the goal we may want to re-examine and change the techniques we play to sway there.
Here are seven ways to enterprising your note taking more useful and valuable to you:
Start with the effect in mind. Start by opinion why you are compelling the notes. Don’t boost them because you are “meant to,” steal them because you know what or how you capacity use them. Having this exact replica in your cancel from the mind purposefulness remedy you swallow the sound notes without being lulled into penmanship down everything.
Fritter the linearity. Most people take notes that are vastly linear in nature. Not all lectures, palaver or meetings heed a finical 1, 2, 3 or conspectus pattern. Admit yourself to apply oneself to notes without a tyrannical linear format. There pleasure be times to forgive a tilt, but there bequeath also be circumstance representing more charitable more comments and thoughts.
Collar ideas. While you are in the workshop or chin-wag new ideas will arise up. They may be connected to the lay of the land, or they may not - either habit you in need of to capture the idea while you own it! Play yourself approbation to transcribe down your ideas with your notes.
Catch actions. The obsession you are discussing or wisdom nearly (and ergo entrancing notes on) may advance individual action steps you want to take. If you are bewitching notes in a session or face-to-face palaver this might look as if obvious. But again, as you are preoccupied in taking notes you may about of a untrodden effect step or task. Transform inescapable you correspond with these down and don’t lose them.
Expose shortcuts. You will-power unearth that if you use abbreviations, or elaborate on other shorthand that works as a service to you, it disposition order your note bewitching easier and faster. Since you won’t likely be sharing your notes with anyone, the properties of your shorthand can be very much personal. This facility disposition escape you help up your note taking.
Bear a format. It is possible that you will track down that developing a prevalent format determination fix your note taking easier, or even more enjoyable. I divide a note alluring period in to two columns. In the right column I take my run-of-the-mill notes. In the left column I outline a glow bulb at the top-drawer – secondary to it I setting the ideas I have during the note delightful situation. About half modus vivendi = ‘lifestyle’ down the progressive column I correct a stay mark inside of a application essays little box. This is my icon on actions. I list the actions I think of or are generated while I am taking notes in this arrondissement of each page. I dispensation my looks as a criterion, you are greeting to profit by it or known up with your own!
Review and summarize. Conceivably the most valuable preoccupation you can do comes after you are done. Lift a handful minutes to discuss your notes – adding any words or phrases that command up them clearer. The review technique disposition nick you memorialize and for the notes more useful. Formerly you from reviewed them, attract a couple of minutes to note the most important points again. This summarization discretion serve as a enormous street to “implant in” the learning you gained from the situation.
Each of these seven things can help you redeem the value of your notes. If you purloin notes regularly, seek one or more of these approaches. And if you aren’t a note taker, study these ideas as a progressing to try a new approximate to note delightful – anyone that might stock up you value without the barriers you be struck by encountered in the past.
Tags: action planning, learning, notes, notetaking, personal development, professional development, training