Notes on Notes
Today, A Quick Rundown
POSITIVE AFFIRMATION
“I recall learning how we consume more in a year than people a few decades ago consumed in their entire life. (Don’t quote me.)
Today I am not getting overwhelmed, instead, I’ll let it wash over me and see what remains.”
- Johnny T. Nguyen, using AffirmStreak™
Today, a quick tour of note-taking methods old and new — and the one thing they all have in common. It’s not meant to be complete or comprehensive, just a compilation of a few out there for your consideration.
In my opinion, note-taking evolves with the person, changes per the situation, and updates as new tools are developed. And still, maybe there’s a subtle throughline that we can all take comfort in…
The Commonplace Book (the 500-year-old original) Perhaps the most ancient and universal method of all, this is simply a physical book where you jot down anything and everything. Random quotes, the spontaneous idea, an inspiring picture, anything. You write it down here and then refer back to your commonplace book when ready to work on a project. Famous people like Da Vinci, Marcus Aurelius, and Taylor Swift use this method. The scariest part is how haphazard it can all get and how to find something later. Embrace the messiness of a second brain.
The Cornell Method (the one your professor told you about) This method was invented in the 1950s and works great for learning new topics. Divide a page into three sections — two columns on top and then a bottom section. The right column is for your raw notes and is therefore the largest section. The left column is to label major topics from your raw notes, so that you can reference sections more easily later, and also quiz yourself by covering up the right column and testing your memory. The bottom section is to summarize the takeaways. Here’s the bonus: a 2026 Frontiers in Psychology study found this method outperformed others in long-term retention.
Mind Mapping (the visual one) This method works best when you’re exploring a complex idea without time pressure — less for capturing information in the moment and more for brainstorming around something complicated. For example, organizing a book’s content, troubleshooting possible root cause problems, and looking for hidden connections. It works by literally connecting one idea to another, and seeing how it all “maps out.”
Sketchnoting (the one that sounds fun and is) Sketchnoting is essentially note-taking with the guardrails removed. A less-inhibited version of note-taking, where you’re encouraged to use gigantic text size to denote very important ideas, boxes and circles, arrows and dashed lines, and of course doodling like stick figures. Sounds silly, but a 2024 study found it reduces negative emotions and helps with retention. https://education.apple.com/resource/250010767
AI-Powered Note-Taking (the one that does it for you) If you haven’t experienced AI-powered note-taking, then you’re already behind the curve. At my workplace, just a few months ago, we were all clamoring for the Microsoft Copilot feature that automatically transcribes meetings and gives summaries. We did finally get the feature and now the next ask is to have the summaries automatically be fed into databases and workflows, to instantaneously be assigned to someone’s to-do and tracked. In a matter of months, we went from intentional note-taking and assigning of actions to full automation. I don’t think we can fight the wave of AI features already here, with more on the way. Best to understand the good and the bad.
Going Analog on Purpose (the counter-trend) Lastly, we return to the top of our list with a physical notebook. There seems to be a growing cultural move to deliberately carry physical notebooks and planners as a way to protest, to limit screen time, or to capture info quicker than any current digital app. I think all 3 of those reasons are why I went back to a physical notebook myself.
TAKEAWAY & TRY THIS
A common thread is that engagement matters.
Whatever the form of engagement — drawing, mapping, digital — the note-taking method that makes you want to engage with it produces the best results. Take a quick stock of how you’re taking notes and see if it still inspires you to engage with what you write down. If it doesn’t, it might be time to spice it up and try a new technique!
The best note-taking system is the one that keeps you in conversation with your own thinking, which is really what Neutral Productivity is about — working with yourself rather than forcing a system onto yourself.
I write everything down I do not trust technology it seems to me something always happens