Thread by @rroudt

New blog post on how I take smart digital notes.

This is the first post in a series. Many people have asked me what resources and tools I use, so I start out with a map of the note-taker's journey.

A thread with key takeaways.

Full post here:
ramses.blog/how-take-notes…

Choose your learning inputs carefully.

Focus on a few formats and streamline your note-taking. Get used to an input channel and master your process around it.

These are my favorite content formats:
- Books
- Articles
- Videos
- Courses
- Online conversations

Choose learning tools that make your life easier.

My learning tools fall in the following categories:
- Web highlighters & Read-it-later apps
- E-readers/tablets
- Note-taking apps
- Integration services (often neglected, but absolutely crucial if you're serious about learning).

Choose a web highlighter or read-it-later app.

Why? Because there's coming too much information at us to make sense of.

Distill the nuggets from the web.

My favorite apps in this category:
- @instapaper: Pleasant on the eyes, easy to use.
- @hypothes_is: Powerful sharing.

Get an e-reader or tablet.

I'm all for paper books and nostalgia, but they make learning a pain in the ass. Get a digital device and do all your reading on it.

My favorites:
- Kindle: I abandoned Kobo for uncle Jeff's product.
- iPad Pro: The perfect device for reading PDFs.

Choose a note-taking app that minimizes friction.

How often do you forget idea? How often is that because your apps are slow?

I limit all my writing to these two powertools:
- @draftsapp: Open a fresh note in the blink of an eye.
- @RoamResearch: Do I need to explain this?

Automate the exports of your highlights and notes.

Not revisiting your notes is just as bad as not taking notes at all. Reduce friction; look for ways to easily export notes.

My favorite integration tools are:
- @zotero: A PDF powertool.
- @readwiseio: To remember what I read.

Think in public about your (work) challenges.

It's likely someone else has faced the same issues as you. Gather feedback, and share your solution when you've solved your problem.

How I like to think in public:
- Tweets
- Emails and memos
- Articles
- Guides
- Courses

Did you like what you read?

Read the full post here and consider signing up for the Sunday School newsletter at the bottom 🙏

ramses.blog/how-take-notes…