Note-taking is far from being an admission of weakness or a sign of age.

On the contrary, effective note-taking is all about understanding how the brain works, and adopting a strategy to stop worrying about forgetting things. Note-taking means we don’t miss out on ideas and opportunities that come to us unexpectedly.

Our brains are powerful machines, but they can also play tricks on us.

So it’s important to understand how note-taking works, and to rely on external tools – memory aids, as it were.

How memory works and how to take notes

Every day, the brain is called upon to process a multitude of more or less important pieces of information. One piece of information quickly chases another, and so on.

It’s a constant bombardment. Immediate memory is limited to a few seconds.

Scientific research on the brain has shown that we can retain an average of seven items for a few seconds. No sooner has information been received than it has been forgotten. For it to settle in the brain, a process of processing and sorting has to take place. And this takes time, involving numerous interactions between information.

So there’s no point in pulling your hair out trying to remember everything, and then feeling guilty because you’ve forgotten something.

NOTE-TAKING: AN ESSENTIAL TOOL TO ENSURE YOU DON’T FORGET ANYTHING
It’s best to adopt an efficient note-taking system to take the pressure off your brain and focus on higher value-added tasks. In fact, it’s said that Einstein wrote down his own telephone number to save his memory for more important things.

What do we need to remember?

Every day, we need to remember appointments, meetings, phone calls to make, answers to so-and-so, things to buy or order, and so on.

So there’s a lot of information to keep track of, so you don’t forget anything.

But it’s also ideas you need to keep.

When you’re working on a project or organizing an event, you’ve probably come up with an idea just as you’re about to fall asleep, taking a shower or going for a walk with the family.

You tell yourself it’s a great idea and that you’ll write it down once you’re awake, back at home or out of the shower.

But you’re wrong.

There’s a good chance the idea will be gone.

That’s why I’m proposing 5 practical tips to help you never forget anything again.

TIP N°1: SET UP AN IDEA AND INFORMATION “TRAP”
The idea is to always have something on hand to jot down information you need to remember (a telephone number, a name, an appointment) or an idea that could be useful for your project.

It doesn’t matter whether it’s paper or digital. What’s important is that you integrate this tool into your daily routine.

This may seem like a simple first step, but… do you really do it?

Personally, this simple trick has enabled me to never again forget the “great ideas” that appear out of nowhere.

TIP N°2: CHOOSE EASY-TO-USE SMARTPHONE APPLICATIONS
If you carry your smartphone with you at all times, choose an application such as Google Calendar or a simple note-taking app.

There are lots of note-taking apps out there, so choose the one you find most convenient. But above all, don’t complicate your life with overly sophisticated tools.

Keep it simple.

For note-taking to be effective, the tool must be adapted to the way you usually proceed.

Above all, avoid being overwhelmed by incessant notifications or reminders.

TIP N°3: DON’T NEGLECT TRADITIONAL TOOLS, SUCH AS DIARIES AND PAPER NOTEBOOKS.
If you prefer paper, carry a small diary and notebook.

The advantage of these tools is that you can take them with you wherever you go, and don’t have to worry about recharging or updating them. On the other hand, they have the disadvantage of having a pen with you at all times, and of perhaps getting lost more easily.

In this digital age, it may be worth keeping a paper tool if it suits you better. Writing by hand also fixes information better in the memory.

In fact, I recommend always keeping a notebook by your bed to jot down ideas that come to you at bedtime or during the night, even if you’re using a smartphone.

TIP N°4: FOR EFFICIENT NOTE-TAKING, SORT YOUR NOTES REGULARLY
From time to time, you should also sort through your notes:

Delete what’s no longer relevant
Redefine important information according to your current priorities.
And if you have a tendency to forget certain things despite taking notes, adopt a color code to clearly identify what you shouldn’t miss.

I consider that the lifespan of a note that is neither sorted nor prioritized is between 2 and 7 days. Beyond that, the note will tend to pile up in a tote box and ultimately serve no purpose.

TIP N°5: INCORPORATE IMAGES INTO YOUR NOTES
Our brains are made that way: it’s easier to remember images than words or numbers.

It’s not usual to do this, but give it a try and you’ll see for yourself how powerful images can be. For example, you can take photos of certain information and display them in your home.

Believe me, it changes everything in terms of note-taking 😉 !

It’s up to you!

How do you make sure you never forget anything? How do you combine digital and paper tools to manage your note-taking?