Here’s what happens in your head when you capture information: Your past self and future self are essentially strangers. This isn’t a memory problem. It’s a design problem. Traditional note-taking optimizes for the moment of capture, not the moment of need. You’re designing for your motivated self who has time to read everything carefully, not… Read More »Progressive Summarization
I keep two thinking systems. The first is my mind map system for note-taking, a precise hierarchical system of organised notes with careful cross-references and indexes. It’s logical, structured and works exactly as intended. The second is a beaten-up cardboard box stuffed with random note cards. I call it my “Chaos Box.” No organization. No… Read More »The Chaos Box
I thought I knew how to take notes. Capture the key points, write them down, and review them later. Simple, right? But my notes were a jumbled mess, and I forgot the material as quickly as I learned it. Not surprisingly, that approach failed me time and again – until I learned about the RRR… Read More »The RRR (Remark, Reflect, Reference) Note-taking technique
Sick of information overload? Drowning in digital notes? Meet your new productivity hero: The Fanny Pack! This tourist staple is a minimalist’s dream tool and its tiny size is a superpower. By limiting what you can carry to a micro notebook and a few cards, it acts as a built-in bullshit filter. Suddenly, only truly… Read More »The Fanny Pack: A surprisingly powerful productivity companion