When you read a book, you can approach it passively, letting the words wash over you without leaving a lasting impression. Alternatively, you can engage actively by starting a note-taking system. The distinction between making notes and taking notes isn’t originally mine, but it’s a concept worth exploring.
If you’re new to this idea, here’s what you need to know:
Taking notes is often a near-verbatim exercise. You jot down everything that seems important, with the intention of revisiting your notes later to distill and study them. These notes are often temporary, discarded after a test, a business meeting, or once they’ve served their immediate purpose.
Making notes, on the other hand, is an entirely different approach. Here, you’re creating something enduring—notes that will live in your system for life, serving as a reference point throughout your future work. Here’s how to make meaningful notes:
- Follow a Consistent Format: Each note should stand on its own but also work well in conjunction with others. This consistency will help you retrieve and connect ideas more effectively.
- Focus on Future Value: Make your notes on topics that your future self will find valuable. These should be insights or concepts that you anticipate returning to.
- Create Connections: Link each note to others in your system. This can be done through grouping, tagging, or using a reference system similar to the Dewey Decimal System. The goal is to ensure that no note is an isolated idea, which could otherwise be lost over time.
- Take Your Time: Whether handwriting or typing, make your notes legible and visually appealing. They don’t have to be perfect, but they should have an aesthetic that invites you to engage with them.
- Centralize Your Notes: Keep all your notes in a common location, whether it’s a digital vault like Obsidian, a commonplace book, a Zettelkasten, or even a drawer in your kitchen. What matters is that you dedicate a specific space for your valuable ideas.
- Revisit Your Notes Regularly: Use them as a foundation for your thinking and work. Think of them as tools that promote and refine your best ideas.
Until tomorrow, read slowly – take notes – apply the ideas.
-Eddy
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