Ask Lemmy

the good old notepad,

That's my preference.

Is it like complicated things or simple ones?

It is both. I take very detailed and heavily linked notes (through my own PKMS based on index cards) and I also use notebooks for quick notes on the go notes. Have been doing so for years. BTW, there is a community related to Note-taking/Personal Knowledge Management: !pkms@lemmy.blahaj.zone

I don't use it to remember things (well, yes it helps with that too, but it's not the main purpose) I use it to help me think and create new ideas/associations between existing ideas, infos, whatever.

More info on 'my' note-taking system (it's not mine by any mean): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zettelkasten

Edit: published too early an unfinished post, sorry ;)

I’m far along in my PhD so I’d say I have 9 plus years of good note taking experience. My current method has three parts. I take memos of every random thought either in my notebook by hand or in the memos app selfhosted. Anything worth while I write in my notes application trilium and add enough tags that I can connect my ideas.

It might be helpful to note how I did my PhD prelims notes for reading 80 books then being tested on them. I wrote stream of consciousness notes and citations as I read them made myself 2 page standardized summaries per book. This is helpful because I first go back to the summary and if that isn’t enough the SOC notes and if that isn’t enough reread the book.

Ever since I setup a caldav server I’ve been good about doing reminders now that my phone and computer are connected on this. One for family and one for work.

I recently watched a video on using a notebook or journal in which the speaker said we often never finish a notebook because we make up rules and don’t live up to them then never finish using the notebook. Recently I’ve taken this to heart and write everything in one book. Random thoughts, to dos, diary. All there.

I’ve also started keeping documentation notes for my research, servers, and life. Good to learn something fun or important and write it down.

I am very adamant about my notes being privately hosted on my servers or handwritten.

More important. Than taking notes is what are you gonna do with them. This conditions how, where, and with what you take notes.

If you're never gonna look at them again and just generally use it to think, brainstorm, or remember things better. Then it doesn't matter where, just use whatever is immediately available to you.

If it needs to be later referenced, shared, archived or processed into finished products for personal projects or work, there are several options. Note taking apps, text editing software, plugins for different editors. Each will do things different and will link differently to different work pipelines.

My current pipeline is notes either on the phone or on a notepad. Then I clean and process said notes on OneNote (don't judge, work pays for it and it is the only one available). Where they are more structured, tagged, detailed, hyperlinked or whatever else it takes. That's where I also take notes for meetings or training and study sessions.

Finally, I use those notes for writing reports, minutes, and presentations. Which are then sent to the actual institutional archive.

Me and all my colleagues erase old notes once they're no longer relevant for data protection, so we don't use the archive features of ONote. But the encrypted sharing and sync is very useful for collaboration and to save your work in case of hardware failure.

On my personal life I have permanent places of data storage, and take notes with whatever I happen to have at hand. Samsung notes, paper, notepads, whatever. Data always end up either being deleted or sent to a more permanent place. Just like with cameras, the best tool is the one you have at hand when you need it.

OneNote for work. Usually for meeting notes to help me transfer to Action items in to the task management software. I also use it to keep a record of my conversations with team members.

I also use it as a temporary location for information while performing work. I later transfer those into the details section of the task management software.

Apple Notes for personal. App is also installed on my personal laptop. It’s simple to share Notes with my partner.

emacs orgmode (+ mobile app) is incredibly powerful if you want something local and extensible.

The capabilities are insane, it can do TODO’s, scheduling, time-tracking, filtered agendas y lots more.

I have it synced with my iphone (the app i use is “beorg”, but on android a popular one is “orgzly”) and it kinda blows my mind

Barrier of entry for emacs is a bit high sadly

It's been years since I was in school... but yes, on a notepad with different emphasis for different things.

1. In general, summarize what the prof. is saying.

2. If they're talking about something from the book, note it with a ⭐

3. If they say "this is important" mark it with an ❕

4. If they write it on the board or project it, undeine that.

Couple different kinds of notes, but I think this covers most of my use cases

I use google keep for small reminders, things I want to look up later, grocery lists to share with my wife, etc.

I keep a couple field notes notebooks around in my car and bag for things I want to make a physical note of, especially things I need to sketch out (I am no artist by any stretch of the imagination but I'm a capable DIYer and I sometimes need to sketch out the thing I'm building/fixing) while I'm out and about before I forget about them. I like the size of them, and the dot grid lends itself well to the kind of notes and sketches I use them for.

I also have some sketches of the rooms in my house in those books, list of some furniture dimensions, so when I'm out shopping with my wife and she asks "do you think this will fit in our dining room?" I can tell her definitively yes or no.

It also has a list of the bulbs, tires, wiper blades, air filters, etc. that our cars use, so I can reference them quickly while out shopping, it's quicker to just flip to the back page of my little notebook than to try to look it up on my phone from the aisle at AutoZone or Walmart.

I also have a rite in the rain notebook I keep with my tools, it's fairly rugged and waterproof, mostly ends up getting used for scribbling down a list of stuff I need to get from the hardware store in the middle of a project. Went with that one because I'm pretty likely to be using it when I'm wet or dirty, outside in the mud, under a leaking sink, etc. while I'm halfway through a project.

I keep another one of those with my camping supplies.

I have a pad of graph paper at my workbench, I like it for sketching things out, same as I like the dot grid in the field notes books, but this one doesn't have to travel around with me or pull double duty for written notes, so I could go bigger and cheaper

We also did our kitchen cabinets in blackboard paint, so my wife and I can leave notes to each other on there, mostly reminders to empty the dishwasher and such.

Orgzly is my favourite note app. I use that and sync to a folder which I can then sync with Syncthing to my desktop and have versioning there.

Which application or software one uses is far less important than which note system to use. Mainly, the best note system is the one you actually use. Bear in mind, the system used depends on context.

Academically I rely heavily on Cornell Note Taking System, and recently I’ve dabbled with atomic style notes using Obsidian. There are plenty of trade offs on those two systems, but I found tremendous value in being able to back reference the same note over and over again.

For one-off reminders, I just message myself. Long term reminders end up either on my calendar, or more recently on Trello.

Keep experimenting. Keep what works, dump the rest; avoid being dogmatic to a note system, application, or software.

I recently got a tablet with pen support and have this same question. I'm specifically looking for something that's on Android and Windows/web. So far, I've been using OneNote but I wish it had standard folders instead of notebooks and pages.

Depend on what I'm doing and where I am. At work, I'm usually using my iPad more than anything and note taking is usually work related. For that I use an app called GoodNotes (basically a PDF annotator. Think pen and paper, but digital.). If I'm at home, I usually type the notes into a markdown file using a text editor. Todo lists and shopping lists are usually done in Reminders on my iPhone.

Notepad++

I keep one long "logfile" and sometimes a few extra files per special topic.

Google Keep, because it works on my Pixel Watch, which is the only way (so far) I can use it at the exact moment when I actually need it and not have my ADHD brain forget it halfway through.

Obsidian

I have a work phone and a personal phone. If I’m in the field I will text work related things to my work phone. Sometimes I’ll take a picture of things I need to remember to do instead of taking a note, these can end up in either phone. I have a notepad at my desk that I’ll take notes on if I’m at my desk. If I’m walking into a meeting I’ll take blank sheets of printer paper and write on those, sometimes I’ll take a picture of these notes after the meeting. I have a work account with one note that I use sometimes and a personal account on obsidian that I use mostly for taking notes on whatever I’m reading or ideas for projects. At the end of every week I’ll look through all my pictures, notes, pictures of notes, etc. and make a list of stuff I need to do next week.

It’s a mess.

I use https://silverbullet.md/ have been loving it so far

I hand write them first and then organize important stuff in Obsidian for future reference. Writing stuff down helps me remember it. I carry a pocket notebook and use one page for a weekly todo list and the other for general notes.

I use Standard Notes and Logseq

Standard Notes mostly for personal use, build a knowledge base where I can set categories to each not without rushing.

Logseq for professional use. I often join meetings with lots of people discussing topics for different projects. With Logseq, I can easily write down notes and add tags to easily correlate people, project, topic, status. I don't need to think which category to save that note, just write on the Journal page and add the tags. Easy! The advanced queries is an amazing featured, I can easily create queries to summarise status of each project and who is working on it. With that in mind, I can easily send status reports to the stakeholder with just one click.

Both are private and don't belong to any of the big tech. Standard notes was acquired by Proton (from ProtonMail), and it is E2EE. Logseq uses local storage, but its possible to sync (can be quite tricky).

• shopping list: Nextcloud Notes
• small things which just came to mind and need processing later: Nextcloud Notes
• lesson notes; planning for projects: Orgmode documents with (deep) multilevel bullet lists
• planning for longterm projects: Nextcloud Deck

i'm you, OP. i use quillpad on my android device

• | [Subject]

• | [important parts about the subject] | • [elaborate on important parts] | ex [example text of the subject

With the | being the boarder of the notebook paper and the bulk of the text being some form of shorthand that reminds me of the information. Example:

• Lemmy

• social network
• user name anonymous
• has mods • users complain about mods • flying squid? •probably humans
• lots of memes • *beans" • don't use 🙂
• hates reddit

If you don't feel like you need to take notes, then I wouldn't worry about it. Once you leave school, there's not necessarily a need for it. For me they are generally just reminders, like you stated.

The majority of my notes are placed in Google Keep. I know that Lemmy hates Google, but it's really convenient for me...since they are online I can access them from any device. And the app version sometimes comes pre-installed on my devices anyway.

If I only need to remember one simple, time sensitive item...then yes I often use a reminder app to notify me like you do too.

But here are some scenarios where I take notes in my notes app:

1. Grocery lists. I can't tell you how many times I've gone to the store for only like 1 or 2 items and completely forgot to buy what I came in for lol

2. Requests at work. Often, a task that is requested of me will be done over a landline phone. So I pull out my cell phone and take a quick note of the task to help me remember and make sure it is done correctly

3. Semi-ordered lists of multiple tasks I intend to do. For example, suppose I am expecting family to come over one weekend. I'll have various notes that help remind me what I need to do and when. Things like different types of cleaning tasks, getting snacks, etc.

In my home, I also have a handwritten notepad of passwords to my accounts written in a cryptic partially pictogram cypher lol. If someone manages to find and figure them out, have fun with those accounts lol.

At work, I also often write notes directly onto my workbench itself in pencil! My workbench is a contaminated space, so I don't necessarily have my phone out. I use my phone to take notes while talking on the nom-conatimated landline. But at my workbench itself I write directly onto my workspace lmao. It probably looks a bit unprofessional, but I don't think it stands out too much and is easy to erase when done! The first time someone showed me that you could easily do this, my mind was blown lol. At work, I write workbench notes all the time lmao.

I'm afraid of getting locked into anything so I do all my notes in raw markdown and organize it with vscode. I tried all sorts of things before I settled on this way but I've never looked back. Simplicity is king.

Obsidian is what I use. I used Joplin and Simplenote in the past.

I'm using Obsidian on Android and on Linux and sync my notes with Nextcloud. Nextcloud also has its on note taking app but I prefer Obsidian. I also love the canvas feature. I also love the fact that the files in Obsidian are Markdown files. You can still edit them with any text editor if needed.

depends:

research projects: there's one folder on disk, dump everything there (including notes.txt file) and make regular backups (via git).

for regular, mundane tasks: either write it on a text file on my android device's file explorer, or write myself a message in telegram.

I have a few methods.

1. Post-it notes on the desk/wallet/steering wheel etc.
2. Simple Note Multiplatform; android, windows, iphone, and everyone's favorite ~~mac~~ linux. Like the name says, its simple and syncs. Operated or owned by same people behind WordPress.com and source is on github...although cloud synced I assume 0 privacy or backup.
3. Notes I actually want long term end up on paper or a text document.
4. Calendar events with email reminders.
5. Email to self (has low success rate)
6. Set alarm or timmer. The random alarm jogs my memory.

At work I use OneNote and digital sticky notes. Outside of work I use Samsung Notes, or pen and paper

Amplenote, never looking back. Organizing notes with tags, combined with proper rich text formatting and attachments is what makes it perfect system for me. I'm using free plan, considering subscribing in future just to support the app, but I don't need any of the paid features atm.

Back when I had a lot more meetings, I would make a bulleted list so I can keep up but afterwards I add in more details while it's still fresh in my mind. I also liked to draw diagrams to help explain concepts, this is why I really liked One Note because I could seamlessly switch from typing to drawing freehand with my stylus. I was surprised a lot of other note apps I tried weren't as seamless for such a seemingly basic feature.

I use a remarkable 2 to take notes during meetings and brainstorm, and until now I've been using it for todo lists as well. But I'm going to start using obsidian for the lists (and documentation, etc.) as of tomorrow. I already use it to organize TTRPG campaigns, and it's high time I started organizing my work life as well as my fantasy hobby. (>n<)

I mostly take notes in markdown on Obsidian. There's a bunch of nice plugins too that can add to your workflow. I don't really use the linking functionality much cause I don't find myself using it a lot even when I do it (and my notes aren't that complicated). I always try to do only point form notes since any longer and I find that it becomes hard to read.

For personal notes I mostly make use of the Kanban plugin. You can make each card an individual note file and then jot stuff down in those to keep track of relevant information.

I mostly use the quick switcher plugin to navigate by he name of the .md file. So everything is only "roughly" organized in folders with minimal nesting.

QOwnNotes

I use a word counter as a more useful makeshift.

PocketPlan is my favorite. It's got offline backup and features for to do lists, grocery lists, and remembering birthdays!

I keep a set of notes for each day. I have 2 journals. One for work and one for the rest of life. I use the same system in both. I took the Bullet Journal system of notation and added a few more to handle some edge cases that I encounter occasionally. The system works with any size of journal or pad of paper. I often drop sketches and diagrams in the middle of meeting notes. Actions get carried from day to day. Walk up requests get written down. I know when something was handed off to someone else. I like it! Totally not for everyone though. I skip the monthly and future planning parts. I would probably use that part if I was doing schedule management. Rapid logging is the part that I use all the freaking time.

https://www.tinyrayofsunshine.com/blog/bullet-journal-guide

Notes for small code projects/my network set up get tossed into .txt files. Eh. It gets the job done and there is only one place that file can be and it is the most up to date. Assuming I updated after the last changes. Which is a coin toss when things are busy. Comments in the code are a far more common way for me to keep track of what is happening.

On my phone: Miminote. Just been using it for years now. It's pretty basic but I just put, like, grocery lists and reminders in there.

Other: I have a cheap dollar store notebook that I just use for random craft ideas that I'll likely never get around to. I also try to keep W.I.P notes in there, like "You were using # size needle, ### yarn, on ### row."