Use This 7-Step Roadmap For Accurate Note-Taking

Take notes with intention

We’re all too familiar with the endless cycle of meetings and Zoom calls.

The quick chats and circlebacks are clogging our Google Calendars.

In that all-out quest to stay “productive,” we’ve become ardent note-takers, jotting down every snippet of supposed wisdom we’ve come across.

There are so many tools now — it’s out of control.

Are we really making the most of those notes?

Most likely not. In my experience, many people take down notes and then have no plan, purpose, or idea of what to do with them.

To be more strategic about this, I’ve put together a quick roadmap that you can use for better note-taking.

Want more from your notes? Get my quick note-taking template and cheat sheet for free.

Step 1: Set the Stage

• Select your tools. Choose between digital note-taking apps or the traditional pen and paper based on your personal preference and situation. I’m a big proponent of pen and paper first, and then moving to a digital app after that.
• Create a specific space for your notes: Use that one notebook or digital folder for your notes. This ensures all your information is organized and easy to find.

Step 2: Note-taking shortcuts

• Abbreviations and Symbols as shortcuts: Develop a set of abbreviations and symbols to speed up your note-taking without sacrificing clarity. Using shortcuts is one of the key irrefutable laws of notetaking.
• Capture the action: Focus on the main ideas, key takeaways, and action items. Not useless info.
• Add your own reflection: Add your own notes and ideas next to the quote or fact that you jotted down or copied. This makes it more specific.

Step 3: Make your notes purposeful

1. Ask ‘Why?’: Before jotting down information, question why it’s important. Your notes will serve a specific purpose.
2. Set clear objectives: Write down the intended use of your notes, such as “These notes will help me [insert goal]” or “these notes will help me learn [XYZ].”
3. Prioritize and summarize: After a meeting or reading session, prioritize the most critical information and create a summary for quick reference.

Step 4: Organization and Review

1. Categorize notes: Label or tag your notes based on their nature, e.g., “Meetings,” “Projects,” “Personal.” It’s very easy to set up categories in personal knowledge management tools like Notion or use something like Tettra for work.
2. Regular review: Set aside time for periodic reviews of your notes to ensure that you’re staying on track with your goals.
3. Mind Mapping: Utilize mind maps to connect ideas, making it easier to understand complex concepts and see relationships. To be honest, I don’t do this a lot, but visualization is often very helpful for people. Tools like Roam and Obsidian have very intricate links and connection points that create a mindmap for you.

Step 5: Digital Enhancements

1. Leverage Technology: If using digital tools like Obsidian, Notion, or Tettra, explore features like tagging, search, and integration with task management apps to enhance organization and productivity. Some of these tools like ClickUp and Notion have combination of task lists and notetaking capabilities, but I like to use pen and paper for my initial notes and then transfer those over to Notion for my personal writing or Tettra for all the processes and notes for work.
2. Backup and Sync: Regularly back up your digital notes and ensure they sync across devices for accessibility. Most tools do this auto-magically, but double-check every so often to make sure your notes and info is actually there.

Step 6: Next Action Steps

1. Create To-Do Lists: Convert action items from your notes into to-do lists with deadlines and priorities. My preference is for a to-do list on a legal pad, with a fresh sheet each day.

2. Time Blocking: This is helpful if can do it. Allocate specific time slots in your schedule to address the tasks derived from your notes. Literally block out time on your calendar so no other meetings or events get scheduled over it. It’s important to preserve that space.

Step 7: Reflect and Adapt

1. Periodic reflection: Assess the effectiveness of your note-taking and productivity system. Make adjustments based on what’s working and what’s not. You have to be adaptable to what’s working and develop your own system.
2. Continuous learning: Stay open to new note-taking techniques and tools, adapting them to your needs as they evolve. YouTube and Medium have become the go-to resources for this, and both are growing each day.

By following this roadmap, you’ll turn your notes into a more effective weapon for productivity.

They will not only capture valuable information but also serve as a guide to help you stay organized, focused, and on a solid road to capturing better ideas.

You won’t just be blindly writing things down, you’ll have intention and purpose.

Looking for better notes? Get my quick note-taking template and cheat sheet for free and get my newsletter every Saturday.