
How To Take Exceptional Notes and Be Productive with Paper - ttunguz
http://tomtunguz.com/how-to-take-exceptional-notes-and-be-productive-with-paper
======
ryanobjc
I love paper writing, I think it represents one of the very best things of
humanity - tool use, abstract thought.

But I really cant disagree with the use of moleskine more. It's paper quality
has really gone downhill lately.

So I recommend
[http://www.leuchtturm1917.com/en](http://www.leuchtturm1917.com/en) \- the
features are the ones you want (similar to moleskine) and the paper quality is
top notch.

Once you have switched to a quality paper, consider using a fountain pen.
Aside from the style issues, the pen and writing quality is so awesome. The
feel is out of this world, and sends a major signal to other people.

~~~
runjake
Conversely, I can recommend those generic lab books __* with gridded pages.
You can find them at any grocery store. They 're $3 max, and more durable that
recent Moleskines. I also recommend Pilot pens that are <$3 a pop, because
they just work, and you'll end up losing it anyway. And they won't leak on
you.

I'm not sure what kind of _signal_ it sends to other people, though. I can't
find myself to care about that when it comes to what pens and paper I use.

__*[http://www.phy.ohiou.edu/~rieth/lab_book/cover.jpg](http://www.phy.ohiou.edu/~rieth/lab_book/cover.jpg)

~~~
ryanobjc
Modern fountain pens don't leak anymore. Plus it adds a bit of fun and drama
to writing.

Personally I found that it encouraged me to write more.

~~~
tjr
Could you recommend a particular fountain pen?

~~~
ryanobjc
I would actively discourage you from even looking at Mont Blanc. They are the
designer pens of the ... uh pen world.

Personally I have enjoyed my Pelikan... german made, huge ink reservoir and as
far as these things go not excessively expensive.

Also as many others have pointed out, disposable pens let you get used to the
fountain pen world first.

~~~
Spearchucker
I have a carbon fibre and silver Caran D'Arche. It cost me GB£ 500 seven years
ago, and I use it daily. It, and my watch (a Breitling Navitimer) are the only
things I've ever bought where I was able to perfectly balance utility, quality
and aesthetics, and hence didn't care less about the cost.

The point is that what works for one person doesn't necessarily work for
another.

------
plg
This is awesome. Whenever I don't feel like getting things done (i.e. I feel
like procrastinating) one of the best ways is to go do research on methods of
getting things done ;)

~~~
bostonpete
I prefer to read comment threads about articles discussing how to get things
done. That's where the real insight is.

~~~
chris_mahan
I like to take notes of things that people mention in articles that will help
me, such as websites for pens, and what kind of notebooks to buy.

------
MarlonPro
I've been trying to "go backwards" with my note taking and writing in general.
I've been using OneNote on my workstation and/or Evernote on my smart phone
(HTC One at the moment).

Recently I upgraded my note-taking tools from Moleskine + Sharpie Pen to
Midori Traveler's Notebook + Fountain Pen / Blackwing 602 Pencil. I also carry
a couple of Field Notes on the go; you just don't know when that next-big-
thing-idea will strike you. I make sure to capture it in ink when I catch it!

I found out that I am more inspired to write/take notes when I have better
writing tools. Here's my current "system":
[https://twitter.com/ProductivityBit/status/38016214069634662...](https://twitter.com/ProductivityBit/status/380162140696346625/photo/1)

~~~
sliverstorm
Do many people's minds really work like that? You are struck by a great idea
out of the blue, and then you lose it minutes later?

If I think of something important, I will generally remember it for a long
time. It's only things like errands ("What did I need again...? Oh yes,
butter") that I tend to forget.

~~~
prawks
I would say not great ideas, but small ones. One's I'd like to revisit in 6
months' time and mull over, connect the dots, etc.

I've been keeping a "sparks" log (can't remember where I read this, somewhere
on HN) where I just jot down small ideas for side projects, etc. when I have
them.

Then when I have some free time, I pick an idea off the list and try working
on it.

~~~
MarlonPro
You might be talking about the "Spark File" [https://medium.com/better-
humans/8d6e7df7ae58](https://medium.com/better-humans/8d6e7df7ae58)

~~~
prawks
Yup, that's it!

------
sashthebash
This is not at all about taking notes? It is about managing todos and events
on paper?

Does anybody have a good system for taking notes during a meeting on paper? I
prefer digital tools, but recently I've been doing many presentations with
screen-sharing, where I cannot type at my computer.

~~~
infinityetc
I use a system similar to the Bullet Journal for notes during meetings. I
label the top of the page with the meeting name and the date. Then, I take
notes with check boxes next to every line that requires me to do something
(even if that means reminding someone else to do something). If you want to
incorporate it into your digital note taking, just check off each line as you
transfer it (or use arrows or something similar).

------
tarr11
My hand is cramping just watching this video.

I think the sped-up version of this video masks how much time this takes to
get this thing up and running, and how error prone it is.

Also, if you have terribly messy, atrophied handwriting skills like me, you
are going to have a bad time.

~~~
sliverstorm
Or if you are left-handed. I like the looks I get, but writing left-handed
just isn't fun. Everything, from the way English is written to how notebooks
are constructed, is designed around writing right-handed.

~~~
gknoy
I'm not left handed, and have never tried this, but you might take notes in
mirrored writing, like Da Vinci did, and then flip the image when you scan it.
Learning shorthand might also help.

~~~
Luc
I'm left handed. I've tried mirror writing and I was amazed at how easily and
quickly I picked it up. The problem is that _reading_ mirrored writing is a
lot harder, especially cursive writing. It's difficult to stop interpreting
the shapes from left to right, it's hard to see where a letter starts and
ends. You have to completely relearn whole-word reading, from the level of a 5
year old, it feels like.

One benefit of the mirror writing is that my regular writing looks better. I'm
paying more attention to the shapes I make while writing (as a sort of low-
priority, automatic background task).

------
normloman
Notebooks rarely need to be this organized. If I switched to the Bullet
Journal system, I'd spend more time setting up pages and copying notes than I
did getting actual work done.

~~~
gshubert17
For time-related tasks and events, I have used Day-Planners, Franklin-Covey
planners, and PlannerPads. I pick one with enough space for the notes I
usually make each day. This saves me the trouble of creating the month index
pages.

For general notes, I have used regular blank notebooks, with an index page in
the front. When I refer to some notes I took more than once or twice, I add a
line to the index page, with some title and the page number. That makes it
easy to find it again.

~~~
normloman
I use a similar system. Very simple.

------
marban
For paper to digital, I'm recommending
[http://whitelines.se/link/](http://whitelines.se/link/)

------
paulrademacher
I solve the "people think I'm doing email" problem by telling people: "I'm
taking notes, not checking email" :-) Especially at interviews, so they know
I'm really paying attention.

------
adamio
I could duplicate this system in Microsoft Word and save tremendous time
typing. If I'm emailing in your meeting, then most likely the meeting or my
full attention is not needed.

------
platz
see also "The Cornell Note-taking System"
[http://lsc.cornell.edu/LSC_Resources/cornellsystem.pdf](http://lsc.cornell.edu/LSC_Resources/cornellsystem.pdf)

------
ajcarpy2005
I have found that for me, Workflowy provides an excellent platform for taking
notes and is great for organization. Its simplicity is actually a key feature.
I find I miss having certain features sometimes such as being able to link
between different lists but really, it starts to get complicated once you
include these features.

Workflowy just works.

~~~
raheemm
That looks so great! I'm going to give it a try!

------
linker3000
[http://coe.jmu.edu/learningtoolbox/cornellnotes.html](http://coe.jmu.edu/learningtoolbox/cornellnotes.html)

A4 laser printed Cornell note taking paper in a binder works for me. It's also
quick to mark up the pages in a bound notepad (2 lines).

~~~
reeses
Reviewing, revising, and summarizing are the keys. The problem with taking
notes on the computer is that it's "in there" so it rarely gets edited.

That act of touching the notes again reinforces the information in our brains
which is why it's part of an educational notetaking system.

I think she would've been just as successful had she transferred her paper
notes into the computer and edited and summarized from there.

ob. org-mode

------
clarkm
If you're looking for a notebook that's made specifically for this kind of
thing, I'd check out the Action Method series from Creative's Outfitter. They
all use high-quality materials, and many of them have task lists built in:

[http://www.creativesoutfitter.com/products/100/action-
method](http://www.creativesoutfitter.com/products/100/action-method)

But if you just want a blank notebook, I've never found anything I like better
than the Dot Grid Book. It's amazing:

[http://www.creativesoutfitter.com/product/34/dot-grid-
book](http://www.creativesoutfitter.com/product/34/dot-grid-book)

~~~
ckeck
Was checking to see if someone had put this out there. Avid user of the Action
Books, highly recommended.

------
keiferski
My only big hangup with paper notes is that they aren't digitally backed up. I
always end up re-copying everything into EverNote and throwing the paper notes
away.

Any suggestions on how to easily backup handwritten notes online?

~~~
fishtoaster
If a large number of people were using a given note system (eg bullet notes),
there might be a good business idea there:

\- You mail us your full notebook

\- We digitize it

\- It's available in a searchable web interface that understands the semantics
of your note-taking system.

~~~
cben
\- We recycle the paper.

Mailing means a dark period when when you no longer have your notes with you
but still can't see them online. IMHO that would have been acceptable when you
needed a scanner but is hard to justify now compared to the immediacy of
taking photos with a phone.

Still, there may be a place for mailing old notes in bulk, ones you barely
touch but can't make yourself just throw out.

------
ourmandave
I went to www.bulletjournal.com but I can't find a link to download their app.
=)

But seriously, I'm going to try this. I've been doing paper notes forever
because I can never find an organizer app that fits me.

------
pedalpete
This isn't really note taking, it's task scheduling. I was hoping for a guide
to taking better notes so I can go back to an event quickly and remember what
was said.

------
waterlion
I find it astounding that someone went to the effort of making that video. Of
the people who do use paper, who doesn't work like this, or do something very
similar?

~~~
RokStdy
I don't. I love working with paper, but I have zero organization. So I end up
with stacks of uneven paper pieces with notes all over the place.

For me this post has been really helpful. I am going to try this system out!

p.s. I have always found funny the sort of passive disdain organized people
have for those that are not organized. As though organization is something
that should be innate in everybody.

~~~
waterlion
I am deeply disorganised myself. Without keeping track of things I'd be all
over the place. I find the tactility of paper beats computer-based
organisation solutions hands down.

But once you have a notepad in front of you I can't really see any other way
of doing it, especially for someone with a technical type of brain. You need
date headings, you need bullet points for items, you need tasks to check off,
you need a way of representing ticked-off-ness and a way to carry tasks
forward. The problem kind of defines the solution automatically.

------
arh68
I went through a couple moleskines, cahiers too. Tried the Lamy Safari, the
TWSBI, the Signo Bit, the Sliccis, etc. There's something to be admired there
but I've moved on. Bic ballpoints on 32lb printer paper on a clipboard is
simplest way for me to write. No ink reservoirs, no scratchy nibs, no bleed-
through. I never run out of room. It's simple and it works.

------
aerlinger
It's funny that I read the title and immediately thought "Paper" was some new
app or project on Github.

~~~
nicolethenerd
Well, to be fair, it is -
[http://www.fiftythree.com/paper](http://www.fiftythree.com/paper) (Not new,
but an app, and an awesome one at that)

------
bane
Out of curiosity, my company is "green" and getting them to buy non-recycled
notebooks is like getting them to give me six months of vacation. Anybody know
of high quality recycled notebooks, all the ones I've used are very "meh".

~~~
subpixel
[http://www.ecosystemlife.com/products/detail/architect/](http://www.ecosystemlife.com/products/detail/architect/)

I use the plain-page version, but this might work with the 'bullet journal'
technique. Unless the boxes are too small...

~~~
bane
Absolutely exactly what I've been looking for. Just ordered a couple of them.
Thanks!

------
antman
Shorthand also works for me.
[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p-b3rF3KSBk](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p-b3rF3KSBk)

------
desireco42
Ah I just discovered BulletedJournal :) and here it is on HackerNews, nice.

It helps a great deal that he has short video and exceptionally well made
website as well.

------
skylan_q
I don't know too much about Emacs' org-mode, but it looks like this is org-
mode on paper. :)

~~~
BMarkmann
Org-mode is great, but I think there's validity to his point that taking notes
on a laptop during meetings (especially with external people) can come across
as rude.

Running emacs on a tablet might alleviate this a bit (if you've got it flat on
the table in front of you, at least people can see you're taking notes and not
emailing / chatting). However, getting emacs / org-mode on my Android tablet
has proven a bit challenging.

~~~
aidenn0
Meh, I think taking hand-written notes and typing them up later will be as
fast as this and also be more searchable.

For meeting minutes that I need to take handwritten notes, I always put them
in org-mode.

------
diminoten
The big takeaway from this for me is the checkboxes.

Otherwise, this is basically how I work.

