How to Take Smart Notes

by Sönke Ahrens

we cannot break with a certain way of thinking if we are not even aware that it is a certain way of thinking (Dean, 2013).

The ability to keep control over our work and change course if necessary is made possible by the fact that the big task of “writing a text” is broken down into small, concrete tasks, which allows us practically to do exactly what is needed at a certain time and take the next step from there. It is not just about feeling in control, it is about setting up the work in a way that we really are in control.

the more control we have to steer our work towards what we consider interesting and relevant, the less willpower we have to put into getting things done.

Organizing the work so we can steer our projects in the most promising direction not only allows us to stay focused for longer, but also to have more fun – and that is a fact (Gilbert 2006).

A key point: Structure the text and keep it flexible.

we now need to bring our thoughts into a linear order. The key is to structure the draft visibly.

Another key point: Try working on different manuscripts at the same time.

If we read something that is interesting, but not directly relevant to our current project, we can still use it for another project we are working on or might work on.

By taking smart notes, we collect en passant the material for our future writings in one place.

It is like martial arts: If you encounter resistance or an opposing force, you should not push against it, but redirect it towards another productive goal. The slip-box will always provide you with multiple possibilities.

It is much easier to get started if the next step is as feasible as “writing a note,” “collect what is interesting in this paper” or “turning this series of notes into a paragraph” than if we decide to spend the next days with a vague and ill-defined task like “keep working on that overdue paper.”

If there is one piece of advice that is worth giving, it is to keep in mind that the first draft is only the first draft.

If we manage to establish a routine in this first step, it becomes much easier to develop the urge to turn these findings into permanent notes and connect them with other notes in the slip-box. It is not so difficult to get used to thinking within an external memory of notes, as the advantages become obvious quite quickly.

Learning, thinking and writing should not be about accumulating knowledge, but about becoming a different person with a different way of thinking. This is done by questioning one’s own thinking routines in the light of new experiences and facts.

Keep doing what you would do anyway: Read, think, write. Just take smart notes along the way.