Compose to Remember - VII Keys to Better Note action
Posted by Essay Help on April 12, 2009People appear to be as divided on note action as on any hot-button political issue. One group will give you all the reasons why they don’t accept notes:
I’d rather focus on listening.
I don’t know what to compose.
Note action never worked for me in school.
Piece the note action enthusiasts will counter with:
Action notes keeps me focused.
I can always refer to my notes &ndash I don’t have to rely on my memory.
Action notes works for me.
Piece this article may not make the die-hard non-note takers convert, it will give them any tools to attempt. And even the most avid note takers will get any new ideas to add to their approach.
Most of us consume note action techniques we learned or developed piece in school. At that time our goal was the acquisition of knowledge with the purpose of reciting it back on a attempt or examination. As adults our purpose for note action is typically quite different. We are action notes on:
A group meeting
A phone call
An interview or other face-to-face meeting
A workshop or seminar
A book, article, newsletter or podcast
In all of these cases, piece we deprivation to acquire knowledge or information, the end goal of our note action isn’t a attempt, but application of what we’ve learned. As with most anything in life, when we change the goal we may deprivation to re-examine and change the techniques we consume to get thither.
Here are VII distance to make your note action more functional and important to you:
Start with the end in mind. Start by apprehension why you are action the notes. Don’t accept them because you are “supposed to,” accept them because you know what or how you might consume them. Having this picture in your mind will help you accept the right notes without being lulled into writing down everything.
Lose the linearity. Most people accept notes that are real linear in nature. Not all lectures, conversation or meetings follow a exact 1, 2, 3 or outline pattern. Allow yourself to accept notes without a exact linear format. Thither will be times to compose a list, but thither will also be occasion for more free more comments and thoughts.
Capture ideas. Piece you are in the workshop or conversation new ideas will arise. They may be connected to the situation, or they may not - either artifact you deprivation to capture the idea piece you have it! Give yourself permission to expense your ideas with your notes.
Capture actions. The abstraction you are discussing or learning about (and hence action notes on) may advise circumstantial action stairs you need to accept. If you are action notes in a meeting or face-to-face conversation this might appear obvious. But again, as you are engaged in action notes you may remember a new action block or chore. Make careful you compose these down and don’t lose them.
Develop shortcuts. You will find that if you consume abbreviations, or develop other handwriting that works for you, it will make your note action easier and faster. Since you won’t likely be distribution your notes with anyone, the nature of your handwriting can be real personal. This model will help you accelerate your note action.
Have a format. Perhaps you will find that developing a common format will make your note action easier, or even more enjoyable. I divide a note action page in to cardinal columns. In the right column I accept my normal notes. In the left column I draw a light bulb at the apical &ndash thereunder I place the ideas I have during the note action situation. About half artifact down the left column I place a check mark inside of a bantam box. This is my icon for actions. I compose the actions I remember or are generated piece I am action notes in this area of each page. I apportion my format as a example, you are greet to consume it or come up with your own!
Review and resume. Perhaps the most important abstraction you can do comes after you are done. Accept a few minutes to review your notes &ndash adding any words or phrases that will make them clearer. The review process will help you remember and make the notes more functional. Once you have reviewed them, accept a couple of minutes to note the most important points again. This report will assist as a great artifact to “lock in” the learning you gained from the situation.
Each of these VII things can help you improve the duration of your notes. If you accept notes regularly, attempt one or more of these approaches. And if you aren’t a note taker, consider these ideas as a artifact to attempt a new approach to note action &ndash one that might provide you duration without the barriers you have encountered in the past.
Tags: action planning, learning, notes, notetaking, personal development, professional development, training