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Take better notes, by hand

212 points by sonicrocketman

by h45x1

2 subcomments

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 notebook, reserve a minimum number of pages per topic, keep an index with free pages, etc. But there are some hardware ones as well, I'm trying Atoma notebooks (https://atoma.be) these days.

by Bridged7756

3 subcomments

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 could replicate. More in touch with your brain and with your own words, that your feelings flow better into the ink. It is something that makes me enjoy writing.
I've considered e-ink devices in the past but I don't see much value from them. They're a fancier way to draft things at best, in my case, and a worse PKMS/Todo list if anything compared to dedicated tools. I'm paying for an extra device that gives me a bunch of things I won't use, anyways.

by coldcity_again

5 subcomments

I love taking notes by hand for better retention, but (my) longhand is just too slow. It's also an inconvenient format for representing a hierachy or graph of connections.
Anyone else into what my high school biology teacher loved referring to as "pseudo-arachnomorphic diagrams" (Mind Maps[1] / Spider Diagrams)?
They're still my primary paper-based realtime note taking method. They seemed to get a lot of attention a couple of decades ago, but I don't hear them mentioned much recently.
Lots of online/local Mind Map tools available, but I've never really gelled with them (though you do get self-organisation of the nodes!). Once in the digital realm I'm more likely to make notes in Markdown.
[1]: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mind_map

by clobmclob

1 subcomments

I’m surprised that nobody has mentioned the Cornell Notes method which is practically the same thing as what this author describes: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cornell_Notes

by avgDev

1 subcomments

I retain information better when taking notes by hand. However, being able to attach an image and search is absolutely required for me, hence why I use digital notes at work.
I can keep years of notes in a file which I can take and access anywhere whenever I want.

by ModernMech

8 subcomments

This is all good advice but one thing it doesn't touch on is: which pen and notebook?
I like the pilot precision v5 pens because they come in a lot of different colors and the point is very fine.
For notebooks, I prefer the Leuchtturm 1917 series. They come with page numbers, a space for TOC, a pocket in the back for stuff, two book marks, and lots of different sizes and colors and page layouts.
That's important because the other important thing about hand notes for me is one book per topic, and keep them different colors because they will pile up and it helps with differentiating them.

by shevy-java

0 subcomment

For memorizing stuff, I use pen and lighting markers. This works quite well, and they are easy; I can quickly memorize things that way.
However had, for anything else I use the computer, and I style everything the way I need via HTML+CSS for the most part. I don't use HTML directly but a simpler and easier to use template, which is programmable (via ruby). There I also make use of javascript and have a multitude of effects to use. I can use the browser to research past content I stored and it is visually pleasing. And it takes not as long as handwriting either. So while I do use pen and paper still and probably will for the rest of my life, I am mostly in the digital era myself. I don't understand why I'd want to use pen and paper. Granted, I have to archive a lot of things, but I use various USB sticks and USB-connectable harddiscs; these don't take that much space away, compared to pen and paper written stuff or other hardcopy books. I don't think I will go back to the only-pen and only-paper, ever. I am not saying digital-only has only benefits, but if I compare all advantages and disadvantages then the digital lifestyle has more benefits. For instance, I don't need to store hardcopy books anymore (I still have them, I still use them, I still like them, but whenever I am about to purchase anything anew, I ask myself whether I want to have physical space be occupied by a book. Often the answer is no, if I can just use a .pdf instead.)

by kstenerud

0 subcomment

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.

by cortesoft

1 subcomments

I am 43, and for my entire life I have hated writing by hand. I am sure a lot of it has to do with how I hold my pen/pencil but I have never been able to change my grip. My hand hurts and my writing is barely legible. I just hate it.
I have tried over the years to get into hand writing and note taking. It never works. I am so grateful for typing, it has saved my life for decades. I can type ridiculously fast, and it doesn't wear me out.
I have finally stopped apologizing for this, or thinking something is wrong with me. It just isn't for me

by railgunmerlin

10 subcomments

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...

by JLO64

2 subcomments

I hated writing by hand, but I got into fountain pens and that really helped change my note taking habits. I mostly write letters, but recently I’ve taken up writing notes during meetings. I loathe doing so, but my FP addiction really helps.

by h4kunamata

0 subcomment

Taking notes by hand makes you better thinker and more organized.
I use my notebook like everybody else, but list of topics I wanna check late and don't wanna forget, I do like Japanese Mangas, from the last page towards the first page.
So I check which topic I wanna check at the end of the notebook, then I go back to the first pages to cover it, be it a task at work, a hobby project, etc.
And of course, work has its own notebook, hobbies has its own notebook, DIY has its own notebook.
That way I keep things organized, and allows me to draft thoughts before spending time actually looking into them.

by juanpabloaj

0 subcomment

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.

by malklera

0 subcomment

I wonder if this is age dependent. Do young (15-25) people take notes by hand?
If I do anything to do with math, I need paper; anything else is in markdown.
Recommendation: There are folders that you can add pages to; that way you do not worry about space.

by keithnz

0 subcomment

I haven't used pen and paper for note taking for years and years now. I used to keep a lot of notes in markdown organized into folders (used obsidian for a bit but was just easier to do in Vim). These days I don't take that many notes, usually only to capture key points/decisions in discussions but usually are pretty short lived. I find things get captured in other forms such that notes aren't really needed that much anymore.

by wduquette

0 subcomment

I keep notes in Obsidian...but when I'm genuinely studying a text I write out a precis as an outline in my bullet journal, and later transcribe it. That means that I engage with the material at least twice: once when I first read it, and once when I transcribe it. And yes, writing it by hand genuinely does help. And then, when I want to look at it later, my original notes are in my journal, and my transcription is available digitally.

by rasengan0

2 subcomments

Loose leaf, works great [1]
[1] Lion Kimbro. How to Make a Complete Map of Every Thought You Think. 2003 https://users.speakeasy.net/~lion/nb/book.pdf

by eviks

0 subcomment

> it can be done basically anywhere there's ambient light,
With a digital tool you don't even need light!
Curious whether the "OCR as soon as possible"workflow would maintain the engaging benefits of paper while eliminating all the issues in the rest of the article

0 subcomment

by amai

0 subcomment

See also https://riddle.press/a-marriage-between-handwritten-notes-an...

by Artgor

1 subcomments

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.