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How to Take Smart Notes

How to Take Smart Notes

Jun 19, 20252 min read

  • Books
  • note_taking
  • note_organization
  • Index

It all begins with a single note

This is an Obsidian Index for How to Take Smart Notes by Sonke Ahrens

Attention

  • Context Switching does such damage to your ability to focus on a task and get it done.
  • The Right Kind of Attention

Discipline and Structure

  • Brains work better with External Structure
  • Discipline is based off our environment- NOT willpower
  • Embracing New Systems
  • Resist placing structure on your notes
  • Tagging notes

Note-Taking

  • How can you tell if you are taking bad notes
  • Issues with Traditional Note-Taking
  • Length of a Note
  • Note-taking and Copying
  • Notes and Memory
  • Note Stagnation
  • Notes are Thoughts

Writing from Notes

  • Internal to External Thoughts
  • What to write in a Note
  • Writing a Draft from your Notes
  • Writing from Notes

Learning

  • Learning in Discomfort
  • Learning from your own notes
  • Leaning Stagnation

Slip-Box

Slip-Box

Writing

  • The Writing Mindset
  • Writing and Control
  • Writing from Scratch
  • Writing is not a linear process

Toolbox

Make sure ALL your notes go to a singular place.

Tools are only good as your ability to work with them. If you use a tool without putting thought into how to use it, it cannot possibly help your workflow.

Misc.

  • Decisions Drain Energy
  • Multitasking is a Curse
  • Phrasing of a question
  • Positive Domino Effect
  • Rules make you Competent
  • Topic Paralysis is a system problem

Graph View

  • Attention
  • Discipline and Structure
  • Note-Taking
  • Writing from Notes
  • Learning
  • Slip-Box
  • Writing
  • Toolbox
  • Misc.

Backlinks

  • Obsidian Index
  • Multitasking is a Curse
  • The Right Kind of Attention
  • Decisions Drain Energy
  • Notes and Memory
  • Unsaid assumptions
  • Hemingway Bridge
  • Rough Draft Mindset

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