My Note Taking APPROACH

I find that taking hand written notes enables me to capture the most information, but my writing is abysmal. The method that yields the best results for me is a “Scribble + Transcribe” approach, described below.

Over the years, I’ve slowly lost the ability to write well with a pen.

I was once chosen for a sought-after apartment rental primarily because the landlord was impressed by the neatness of my handwriting, which led them to believe I was responsible and tidy (an accurate assessment!)

Now that most tasks involving “writing” are done on a phone or computer, it is as if my right hand forgot how to grip a writing instrument. Nevertheless, I no longer write in an impressive, professional + interpretable manner.

Alternatively, I struggle with note-taking on a computer because I'm not a fast typist and am not able to make links, arrows, circle, etc. as quickly as I can on paper.

You know the people who can take clean, tidy notes in a notebook without removable pages that live there for months and years until the notebook is exhausted? I am not one of those people. Oh no, my notes are a haphazard mess that are hard to read and don’t allow for active management as everything is smushed together with little free space surrounding. Therefore, I transcribe all of my physical notes into digital strategic plans.

The Creative & Chaotic (Scribble) Phase

When I need to capture notes for various situations (talking with a Doctor, taking a marketing strategy call, working with a financial advisor, etc.) I grab a piece of paper (whatever I have nearby) and a pen (never a pencil — the horror!) and write down anything of importance wherever my pen lands.

I separate thoughts with lines, draw check-boxes for actions, circle items of importance and draw symbols or shapes to accentuate various points.

Writing by hand allows my thoughts to flow more naturally onto the paper, capturing what I hear or think effortlessly. In contrast, typing demands more focus and can be distracting; I often find myself lagging in taking notes as the conversation progresses.

A visual flow of my initial notes to the final product

The sort & organize (Transcribe) Phase

Once I’m done taking notes, I document them in a clean and usable manner.

As usual, my preferred landing spot is Milanote, but other options are Apple Notes/Reminders, Excel, or any notes app (like Bear or Evernote).

The key to efficiently + successfully transcribing notes is a highlighter or marker — something that stands out from the pen you used for the base notes. This allows you to cross off what you’ve already documented so you don’t miss critical information or duplicate efforts.

STEP 1

I start in one corner of my paper (since my notes typically aren’t linear) and read the first item.

In Milanote, I will create a space for that item depending on the type of information

If it is an action, I’ll create a new to-do list element
If it is a general note, I’ll create a new note element
If it is question, I’ll start a new question list element
So on and so forth…

I then close out that item with a line through the entire text and move on to the next item.

When I come across a piece of information that falls into a prior category (e.g., a 2nd question or a 3rd action), I add it to the existing element. By the end of this process, all items should be organized in similar buckets.

STEP 2

Next, I add pertinent information to or adjust items in my digital notes as needed.

Expand on an idea that was briefly annotated in the physical notes
Break tasks into subtasks
Add due dates, task owners, etc.
Organize, categorize + sort lists
Create the framework for ideas you documented (e.g., create a blank table or start a list of brainstorming headers)

By the end of this step, each item should be fully vetted and have an associated action (e.g., scheduled for x date) or be housed in a place you can access / reference later.

STEP 3

Execute the items as needed.

Manage actions and due dates directly in your notes platform, or combine with a calendar, planner, etc. to ensure all activities get accomplished.

Check back in on your notes regularly until all actions have been completed or the effort is obsolete.

TIPS

Transcribe your notes ASAP — the longer you wait, the trickier it is to interpret (what did that say? what did you mean?, etc.)
Utilize short hand when taking notes to save time (or use shorthand digitally for a more succinct look & feel)
Log details about when + how the notes occurred (date, time, location, company, POC, role, etc.)
Maximize available space on your paper (i.e., leverage nooks + crannies) to limit paper waste
Arrange elements in a way that ensures a smooth and strategic flow (e.g., if one task needs to be completed before another, sequence them accordingly, or connect notes to relevant questions for quick reference)
Create a notes archive — one benefit of transcribing notes digitally is that they are always accessible
Save the physical copy for some time, as well — in case you want to refer back to it for lost context. I recycle mine ~1 x / month
Create a planning dashboard of the tools that will be useful for you as you scribble + transcribe notes (see example below!)