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Take better notes, by hand

brianschrader.com

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Re: Take better notes, by hand

#61

Post by flkiwi »

Zancarius wrote: post #56
WhyCause wrote: post #46

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The slowness is a feature, not a bug. It gives your brain time to chew on it a little bit, digesting the information and storing it away instead of just copy-pasting. Speed-hacks like shorthand and stenographers' machines are for copying exactly what was said, not consuming and understanding it. I would be very surprised if there were not very old studies moldering in a paper journal somewhere investigating the infor…

I recently started journaling by hand and was somewhat frustrated with the excruciatingly slow speed versus typing. Eventually, I realized that the slowness was, as you said, a feature. It forces you to think . You have no choice but to take time with your words. Sometimes brevity is a gift (one I usually don't have). I migrated to fountain pens and haven't looked back. Partially, it's because I enjoy the experience…

Same principle applies to, e.g., Leica cameras. Yes, they're pricey (absurdly so), but the lack of features, the slow speed, and the lack of configuration contributes to me improving my photography. It doesn't make me a better photographer, but it gives me the time and space to focus on being one, rather than just firehosing my camera at whatever is in front of me. It makes my photography intentional rather than reactive.

Re: Take better notes, by hand

#62

Post by h45x1 »

hammock wrote: post #57
h45x1 wrote: post #17

I have a dedicated couple of pages in a notebook, where I write down the note-taking conventions I use. When transitioning to a new notebook, I would copy those pages, possibly making a few improvements based on past usage. A most unhurried release cycle, if I can say so myself. Regarding the space management, there are many solutions straight out of the programming world, of course: utilize both sides of the noteboo…

Would you share your notetaking schemata?

Sure. Though to each his own, I'd imagine. Mine is quite basic.

- 4 pages at the back are reserved for index.

- Daily journal starts at the back.

- There is no obligation to have regular entries in the daily journal.

- ◦ denotes a past event; ◦ hh:mm denotes an upcoming or past event.

- → denotes a task.

- "circled" → denotes a completed task.

- strikeghrough denotes a cancelled or refiled task.

- ¿ optional task, not sure about something ?

- "-" is for all types of second-level bullets.

(As a side note, I mostly do task organization on the computer, but sometimes in a journal as well.)

- Topics start at the front.

- Topics are free-form.

- A new year starts a new journal. (I don't care for the new year resolutions though. At best, a list of side quests I'd like to do.)

Re: Take better notes, by hand

#63

Post by kstenerud »

I keep hearing this from time to time, and hey, if taking notes by hand helps you, go for it. More power to you.

But I'm not you. What works for you may not be a panacea. I work best with notes in a text editor, in markdown. I like to be able to move thoughts around, rearrange them, refine them. That also makes me remember them better. Handwritten notes are not conducive to that.

Re: Take better notes, by hand

#65

Post by throwawa324 »

kid64 wrote: post #60
dotancohen wrote: post #32

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I use a Boox E-Ink tablet with the built-in handwriting notes app. It exports to PDF and I can copy everything to my Debian machine via ADB. I absolutely love it. E-Ink is close enough to paper for me, and the EMR (Wacom) stylus is close enough to a pen for me.

Yeah but do you trust those guys?

reMarkable tablet, for example, works offline just fine

Re: Take better notes, by hand

#66

Post by ferngodfather »

Bridged7756 wrote: post #30

Paper is just too inconvenient to use for long term storage and revisiting imo. It's better suited as a transitive storage medium, either for short lived stuff like tasks, checklists, or acting as a writing inbox that you later capture into a digital medium. Even with the capture downside, I don't think that I can do away with paper and pen. There's something invigorating about using paper that no keyboard or screen…

I was in the same position as you when I started my law degree!

My solution was:

- Take notes on paper

- Scan with Genius Scan (free) or similar

- Upload to Microsoft Document Intelligence on Azure to get character recognition and a PDF output (standard OCR sucks for handwriting; also free for up to like 50 docs a month)

- Tidy up the text and store in Mediawiki long-term (you can also upload a copy of the OCR enabled PDF) (FOSS)

- File paper notes

- Throw paper notes once module is complete

Re: Take better notes, by hand

#67

Post by juanpabloaj »

I love to use a paper notebook for fast notes, random thoughts, and to capture tasks (something similar to a GTD inbox). With it, I use a small system of symbols (some degree of similarity with the bullet journal method).

The only issue with paper is the edition. My solution has been to use a compact, slim ring binder with a notebook-like feel. If required, you can move sheets to reorganize content, move the most important ones to another place, etc. Until now, the best alternative that I have found is the Kokuyo Campus Smart Ring Binder.

Re: Take better notes, by hand

#68

Post by kerneis »

Zambyte wrote: post #40
railgunmerlin wrote: post #11

anyone try e-ink style tablets (like remarkable?) the form factor/ability to backup is attractive to me but the price tag is a bit nuts...

I am currently typing from a Daylight Computer that I've been using as my primary mobile device (over a laptop or smartphone) for a bit over a year now. I've used it so much the edges have started to peel off a bit where I hold it. Easily worth the money for me. Days of battery life, buttery smooth animations, reflective e-paper display, full android with an unlockable bootloader, it's great.

Can you really unlock the bootloader? I see it mentioned a lot as an upcoming feature (since 2024…) but couldn't find documentation about it.

Re: Take better notes, by hand

#69

Post by wduquette »

pklausler wrote: post #12
wduquette wrote: post #10

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I love the Leuchtterm 1917s. They've got everything you say, and they hold up under daily use without falling apart. As for pens, I use the Uniball Jetstream 0.38 ballpoint--fine point, doesn't skip, and I prefer ballpoints. I used a Coleto Hitec C multi-pen for a while, but the refills are skinny and run out of ink quickly, and I like the feel of the Jetstream ballpoint better. (The refills for the regular Coleto Hi…

If you like Leuchtterm, you'll love Quo Vadis Habana notebooks, if you can find them in stock.

The Habanas don't seem to have page numbers, which is one of the things I particular like about the 1917s.

Re: Take better notes, by hand

#70

Post by apparent »

Artgor wrote: post #55

I love writing things down when I brainstorm; it helps me think. But taking notes by hand is not feasible for me. My handwriting is atrocious (always has been); if I want to write a nice-looking text, I have to slow down significantly, and then it becomes too slow. Also, searching, indexing, and everything - it works better with digital.

I think iPads now have a feature that 'neatens up' your handwriting. It's supposed to retain some of the original character, but just be a bit more legible. I've not used the feature but look forward to trying it when I upgrade to a newer device.
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