Geniuses do it,
star students do it and the most effective business executives can be almost
obsessive about it. Even in the age of computers, old-fashioned note-taking is
just as useful as ever.
Jotting things
down in a notepad may seem counter- productive if you are trying to boost your
memory, but it’s actually complementary to it. The chances are that you already
take notes, just not in any organised or systematic way. For this reason, many
of us find writing a useful technique in itself. Equally, there are many types
of information which you might need to retrieve in the future, but are not so
vital to everyday life that you would want to spend the time and effort
memorising them.
Here’s an idea
for you…
Keep a notepad
with you at all times; you never know when you might need to jot down important
information. A small pad that fits easily into a pocket is best. Most of the
time, for most people, paper is still better than electronic organisers, as
it’s quicker to use, and you don’t need to be so worried about it being stolen.
Important long-term notes can then be transferred to a digital storage medium later.
Writing up your
notes a day or week later will give you a vital review of the information,
helping to consolidate it into your long-term memory. At this point you can
choose whether to physically write them up using pen and paper, or whether to
transfer them onto a computer.
“The palest ink
is better than the best memory”
Chinese proverb
By making notes
of things to follow up in future, we free up a lot of mental space, allowing us
to concentrate better. Similarly, taking notes can be essential in writing
to-do lists. Students, in particular, need to take notes in lectures and
classes. Even if they have well-trained memories, most will not want or be able
to memorise things fast. After your classes, use the left margin to jot down
the information in quick form, using key words. Then use the bottom margin to
summarise the whole page in a couple of sentences.
By taking notes
you don’t lose information, or end up working on things only to realise you’ve
repeated something you’ve already worked on. It makes you smarter, and more
efficient.
