NEW POST: How I take smart digital notes—Part 2: Highlights and reading notes
My reading system revolves around my highlights and reading notes. Without them, I would waste a lot of time and effort.
A thread with key takeaways.
Read the full post here:
ramses.blog/how-take-notes…
My reading system revolves around my highlights and reading notes. Without them, I would waste a lot of time and effort.
A thread with key takeaways.
Read the full post here:
ramses.blog/how-take-notes…
You need a reading system to learn from what you read.
Having a system takes away cognitive load and creates mental space to focus on the content.
- Use the same gear to read.
- Know what to include and leave out from highlights.
- Have a consistent approach to writing notes.
Having a system takes away cognitive load and creates mental space to focus on the content.
- Use the same gear to read.
- Know what to include and leave out from highlights.
- Have a consistent approach to writing notes.
Know why you read; set reading goal.
If you have no reading goal, everything will seem interesting.
If you keep a few challenges in mind you'd like to solve, you approach a text much more methodically; you'll want to extract possible solutions from the text.
If you have no reading goal, everything will seem interesting.
If you keep a few challenges in mind you'd like to solve, you approach a text much more methodically; you'll want to extract possible solutions from the text.
Only highlight what catches your attention. Never save something because you "should know this."
I learned a lot from @fortelabs about what to save:
Highlights should be:
- Inspiring
- Useful
- Rare knowledge
- Personal
I learned a lot from @fortelabs about what to save:
Highlights should be:
- Inspiring
- Useful
- Rare knowledge
- Personal
Adapt your highlighting approach to the text format.
Paper books need fewer highlights; there's always context. Instead, think of questions and answer them with markings. Distill key ideas.
Ebooks need longer highlights; often, you'll extract snippets, so you need more context.
Paper books need fewer highlights; there's always context. Instead, think of questions and answer them with markings. Distill key ideas.
Ebooks need longer highlights; often, you'll extract snippets, so you need more context.
Keep the principle of atomicity in mind when highlighting or taking reading notes.
Each highlight/note should contain one idea. You should also be able to understand them on their own, without additional context.
zettelkasten.de/posts/create-z…
Each highlight/note should contain one idea. You should also be able to understand them on their own, without additional context.
zettelkasten.de/posts/create-z…
Take reading notes to engage with the material more deeply.
When you translate an idea into your own words, you will make it your own. Highlighting gives you the illusion of knowing, explaining something to yourself is the ultimate bullshit test.
When you translate an idea into your own words, you will make it your own. Highlighting gives you the illusion of knowing, explaining something to yourself is the ultimate bullshit test.
