What Is Your Method/approach To Remembering Thoughts?

[hedge]

I'm not good at remembering everything so I take notes. And I've always taken notes but I don't really have a "method". It's often what I see is available at the time: 

• post-its
• iphone voice recorder
• evernote on iphone and/or laptop

One thing i want to improve is regularly reviewing my notes/thoughts. 

My question is - what way (method/workflow) do you all handle this problem? I want to improve how I do "homework" on my mind. This question might sound lame, but it's an offshoot of watching Leo's latest video on taking mushrooms. There was a part where he talks about how ideas just pop into his mind. I get ideas too, then throw them onto post-its, although sometimes it's illegible or cryptic.

... I'd like some sort of system... we all need a system. That's what the guy in Memento says!

Edited August 1, 2016 by hedge

[Pelin]

I recommend setting a time for yourself everyday to review your notes and move them to your notebook. Looking back at a notebook is easier than going through voice notes or digital docs in the future. This way you can also prevent illegible writing because it is likely that you remember what you wrote on the same day.

This is what I did when I listened to lectures at school. I would take notes on paper at class and then sit down and make a fair copy in a nice notebook when I got to dorm. Those final notes would always be motivating to review and study. 

[Christian]

I think getting a journal that you can physically write in helps if you have the journal and a pen near you at all times -maybe in your pocket or something.

That way, when an insight does occur, you can immediately write it down and not forget. 

Insights are like dreams. If you do not write them down right after they have occurred, you will almost always forget  

 

[Truth]

Google docs on my phone and my memos (galaxy s7) on my phone for both Journaling and strategizing. I absolutely love google docs, cause I can access it on my regular computer and my phone anytime I need to add, look over, write insights, start a new plan or structure at anytime. 

Edited August 2, 2016 by Truth

[electroBeam]

There's heaps of research that shows you how to improve your memory. Here are some tips:

- use the Cornell method for writing. Draw as many pictures as you can, but if you are using technology, then use the outline method. Do this on google docs, or my favourite, onenote or evernote.

- Look at your notes, and then look away from your notes and try to remember it, keep repeating that.

- interweave your notes for reviewing. What I mean is, if you have several topics, try and do the above step, but scatter the content you look at. For e,g. try and remember topic 1, then try and remember something from topic 5, etc.

- interleave your notes, so within a topic, dont just try and remeber the exact same phrase, try and scatter different parts of your topic.

- reflect on your remembering skills, reflect on what you learnt, how well you went, etc.

- make a memory palace for information that isn't that intuitive, but is physical

- make memory cues where possible. 

 

Ultimately what you are trying to do is use System 2, instead of System 1. Because System 2 is used for consolidating your memory. 

 

[Beam]

 

Glad to come across this thread today
Recently started organizing my life as it was as messy as  my notes currently are , scattered.

Using a Journal as mentioned by Christian  has grabbed my attention , I'm going pick one up as I hand write my notes 95% of the time generally have a mess of loose leaf notes  to deal with.
 

The one online note stash is in my outlook express Hotmail account where info is kept that can be needed online.