annotating books will end your doomscrolling 📜

Summary

This video explores the transformative power of annotating and note-taking as a form of self-care and mindful reading. It guides viewers through resetting the brain to overcome digital overload, developing a personal note-taking philosophy, and practical strategies for annotating both physical and digital books. Techniques include using sticky tabs, margin notes, reading journals, and digital platforms like Notion and Obsidian to track ideas, link concepts, and process information. Beyond books, annotation can extend to essays, articles, and other media. Ultimately, the video emphasizes that note-taking is about slowing down, engaging with content thoughtfully, and reconnecting with your own thoughts.

Takeaways

• 😀 Obsidian is an effective tool for taking interconnected notes, allowing users to create a web of linked ideas and concepts from their readings.
• 😀 Annotation is not just about having notes; it's about actively engaging with the material to process and form original thoughts.
• 😀 Note-taking forces you to slow down and truly absorb what you're reading, making the process of learning more intentional.
• 😀 Creating a digital garden by linking notes together can help you better organize and connect thoughts, making it easier to develop new insights over time.
• 😀 Writing down your thoughts and reactions to the material helps move beyond passive reading and transforms information into personal knowledge.
• 😀 Obsidian allows for creating tags and categories to help easily navigate and reference related notes, enhancing the depth of your understanding.
• 😀 Taking time to write and reflect on what you've read can improve critical thinking and allows for the creation of unique perspectives.
• 😀 The process of note-taking can help you realize when you're consuming too much information, prompting you to be more mindful of your intake.
• 😀 While it may seem like you're not creating many thoughts initially, writing them down consistently can uncover deeper insights and connections.
• 😀 The ultimate goal of annotating is not just to summarize information but to return to yourself and engage more meaningfully with the material you consume.
• 😀 Although tools like AI can summarize material, true understanding comes from actively processing the content yourself through annotation and note-taking.

Q & A

What is the main purpose of annotating and making notes when reading?

The main purpose of annotating and making notes is to actively process what you are reading, rather than just passively taking in information. This helps you connect ideas, form personal thoughts, and improve recall and understanding.

How does using Obsidian help with note-taking and idea development?

Obsidian helps by linking notes through tags, allowing you to create connections between different ideas and build a web of related thoughts. This facilitates deeper exploration of topics and helps you develop your own ideas by linking concepts from various sources.

What is 'digital gardening' and how does it relate to note-taking?

'Digital gardening' refers to the practice of cultivating and organizing your notes over time, much like tending a garden. In this context, it means creating and nurturing a network of ideas in Obsidian or similar tools to better understand and process what you read.

What is the significance of creating tags in Obsidian?

Tags in Obsidian allow you to categorize and link related notes, making it easier to find and connect ideas. They help organize the content and establish relationships between concepts, enhancing the process of forming new insights.

How does the speaker differentiate between 'notetaking' and 'having notes'?

The speaker emphasizes that notetaking is an active process of engaging with and reflecting on the material you read. It's about the journey of processing ideas, not just collecting summaries or notes as an end goal.

Why does the speaker believe annotating helps with slowing down the intake of information?

Annotating forces you to slow down and engage more deeply with the material, making you more mindful of what you're consuming. It helps counteract information overload and allows you to focus on quality rather than quantity of information.

What advice does the speaker give to those who feel they don’t have thoughts to write down after reading?

The speaker encourages people to start writing down their thoughts even if they feel unsure, suggesting that the act of writing helps uncover insights. Often, people realize they do have thoughts once they begin the process of reflection and writing.

How does note-taking impact the speaker’s motivation and productivity?

Note-taking gives the speaker a sense of accomplishment and motivation, especially with tools like Obsidian, where they can see their notes form a visual graph. This tangible representation of their progress encourages them to continue the practice.

What does the speaker mean by 'performative reading' and how is it connected to the concept of 'camp'?

'Performative reading' refers to reading in a way that is more about showing off or presenting an image rather than engaging with the material deeply. The speaker connects this to the concept of 'camp' (a lens for interpreting art that embraces inauthenticity and excess), suggesting that performative reading might be seen as a form of 'camp'.

Why does the speaker believe that slowing down and annotating is essential in the age of constant information intake?

In a world overwhelmed by constant streams of information, the speaker believes slowing down and annotating helps to process and internalize information more effectively. It prevents the feeling of simply consuming data without truly understanding it, ensuring that you engage with content meaningfully.