Use Two Notebooks, Change Your Life

Summary

This video explores the transformative power of using notebooks, a tool embraced by history's most influential minds. It delves into the neuroscience behind handwriting's impact on memory retention and processing information. The speaker advocates for two notebooks: one for daily tasks and organization, and another for capturing ideas and inspirations, emphasizing the unique benefits of pen and paper over digital alternatives in fostering creativity and building meaningful connections.

Takeaways

• 📓 Using a notebook can enhance memory retention compared to digital note-taking due to the higher brain activity involved in handwriting.
• 🤔 Handwritten notes encourage selective processing of information, as opposed to transcribing everything, which aids in understanding and memory.
• 🧠 Writing things down by hand can 'clear out' the brain, reducing the cognitive load of remembering multiple tasks or ideas throughout the day.
• 📈 The act of writing helps in focusing on important tasks by forcing a distillation of ideas to their core, which can prevent digital distractions.
• 💡 Notebooks serve as an 'ideas park', a place to jot down thoughts and inspirations that don't fit into immediate priorities but shouldn't be forgotten.
• 🔗 Physical notebooks can foster serendipity by allowing for unexpected connections between ideas when flipping through past notes.
• 📚 A dedicated notebook can act as a 'watch/read/hear' list for media recommendations, ensuring they are not forgotten and can be referred to later.
• 🤝 Writing down recommendations by hand can strengthen social connections, as it signals attentiveness and the intention to follow through on the suggestion.
• 🗒️ Having two notebooks—one for daily tasks and one for everything else—can help organize life more effectively, with the former being task-oriented and the latter idea-oriented.
• 📝 The larger notebook serves as a workspace for immediate tasks and notes, while the smaller one is portable and versatile for capturing a wider range of thoughts and ideas.
• 👉 The speaker recommends a system of notebooks for productivity and creativity, emphasizing the tangible benefits of pen and paper over digital alternatives.

Q & A

What is the main argument of the video regarding the use of notebooks?

The video argues that using notebooks can change your life by making information more memorable, clearing out your brain, improving focus, and fostering creativity and serendipity.

According to the Tokyo University study, why is handwriting notes more beneficial for memory than dictating or typing?

The study suggests that brain activity is higher when recalling information written by hand, and the complex spatial information in handwritten notes aids memory.

What does the video suggest about the process of note-taking by hand during lectures?

The video suggests that hand note-taking during lectures helps students process information better because it forces them to make conscious choices about what to note, rather than just transcribing everything.

What is the psychological term for the brain's mechanism of repeatedly going over important information to remember it?

The psychological term for this mechanism is the 'rehearsal loop'.

Who is Dave Allen, and what does he suggest for managing the rehearsal loop?

Dave Allen is the author of 'Getting Things Done'. He suggests having a system for writing down all the things you need to remember, which gives the rehearsal loop permission to let your brain focus on other things.

Why does the video recommend using a notebook to capture ideas rather than a digital medium?

The video recommends using a notebook because it allows you to physically see and relate to your ideas better, helps you distill ideas to their core, and reduces the risk of unintentional digital distractions.

What is the concept of an 'ideas park' mentioned in the video, and how does it relate to using a notebook?

The 'ideas park' is a concept where you write down any notes or thoughts that don't fit into your current priorities. A physical notebook is particularly beneficial for this because it encourages serendipity by allowing you to see connections between notes as you thumb through them.

What is the significance of using a notebook to make friends, as illustrated in the video with a reference to 'Captain America: The Winter Soldier'?

The video suggests that writing down a recommendation in a notebook reassures the person making the recommendation that it will be taken seriously and likely acted upon, which can help build relationships and friendships.

What are the two types of notebooks the video suggests using, and for what purposes should they be used?

The video suggests using a large spiral-bound notebook for day-to-day tasks and a pocket-sized one for everything else, including meaningful quotes, ideas, and recommendations.

How does the video recommend organizing the large notebook for daily tasks?

The video recommends using the large notebook to write down daily tasks in a list that can be checked off, noting the first thing that needs to be done on every project, and using it for jotting down notes from work calls or new ideas.

What is the advantage of the spiral-bound notebook mentioned in the video?

The advantage of a spiral-bound notebook is that it can lie flat on a desk without being crushed open, which is useful for keeping it open to the current page while working.

Outlines

00:00

📓 The Power of Notebooks for Memory and Creativity

This paragraph introduces the video's theme about the transformative potential of using notebooks. It discusses how historical figures and modern influencers have leveraged notebooks for planning and organization. The script emphasizes the benefits of handwriting over digital note-taking, citing studies from Tokyo University that suggest higher brain activity and better memory retention when recalling handwritten notes. It also touches on the idea that writing by hand helps in processing information during lectures by making conscious choices about what to note. The paragraph concludes with a quote from Raymond Chandler, highlighting the importance of the effort involved in writing to make ideas more memorable.

05:01

🗒️ Clearing the Mind: The Notebook as a Cognitive Tool

The second paragraph delves into the psychological benefits of using notebooks to 'clear the mind.' It explains how our brains are constantly occupied with tasks and thoughts that need to be remembered, which can be distracting. The author references Dave Allen's 'getting things done' approach, which suggests writing down tasks to free the mind from the burden of memory. The paragraph also discusses the advantages of thinking on paper, as noted by G. Reynold in 'Presentation Zen,' and how physical note-taking can lead to better idea generation and prioritization. It concludes with a mention of the 'ideas park' concept by Ryan Holiday and the productivity benefits of having a dedicated space for capturing thoughts and ideas that don't fit immediate priorities.

Keywords

💡Notebook

A notebook is a collection of pages bound together, typically used for writing and drawing. In the context of the video, it is portrayed as a tool for enhancing memory, organizing thoughts, and capturing ideas. The script emphasizes the benefits of using a notebook over digital alternatives by highlighting how handwriting can improve memorability and the psychological benefits of clearing the mind by writing things down.

💡Handwriting

Handwriting refers to the act of writing by hand, as opposed to typing or using other digital input methods. The video script cites a study from Tokyo University that suggests higher brain activity and better memory recall when information is handwritten. Handwriting is presented as a way to make information more memorable and to engage more deeply with the material being studied or reviewed.

💡Memory

Memory is the faculty by which the mind stores and retrieves information. The video discusses how the act of handwriting in a notebook can aid memory retention. It suggests that the spatial information contained in handwritten notes can help with memory, as well as the conscious choices made while taking notes, which can lead to better processing of information.

💡Cognitive psychologists

Cognitive psychologists study mental processes such as perception, memory, and problem-solving. In the script, they are mentioned in relation to the 'rehearsal loop,' a concept describing how the brain repeatedly goes over information it deems important to remember. The video uses this concept to explain why writing things down can help clear the mind and improve focus.

💡Clearing the mind

Clearing the mind is a concept introduced by Dave Allen, author of 'Getting Things Done.' It refers to the practice of writing down all thoughts and tasks to free up mental space and reduce anxiety about forgetting. The script uses this concept to explain how a notebook can serve as a trusted system for capturing ideas and tasks, allowing the brain to focus on the present task without being preoccupied with other thoughts.

💡Idea generation

Idea generation is the process of creating new ideas or concepts. The video script discusses how using a notebook can facilitate idea generation by allowing individuals to physically see and organize their thoughts. It contrasts this with digital methods, suggesting that the tactile nature of pen and paper can enhance the creative process and lead to more meaningful connections between ideas.

💡Distraction

Distraction refers to a lack of focus or attention, often caused by external stimuli. The video argues that writing in a notebook can reduce the likelihood of unintentional distractions compared to digital tasks, such as filling in a spreadsheet, which might lead to checking social media or other online distractions.

💡Commonplace book

A commonplace book is a notebook used for collecting ideas, quotes, and observations. It is mentioned in the script as a method for preserving meaningful content from various sources. The video suggests that writing out such content by hand can be valuable for reinforcing memory and providing a personal archive of significant thoughts and ideas.

💡Serendipity

Serendipity is the occurrence of events by chance in a happy or beneficial way. The script mentions serendipity in the context of flipping through a physical journal, where unexpected connections between notes can lead to new insights or ideas. This is presented as a unique advantage of physical notebooks over digital note-taking.

💡Recommendations

Recommendations are suggestions made by one person to another regarding books, music, films, or other content. The video script uses the example of Captain America writing down a music recommendation to illustrate the social value of physically noting down suggestions. It suggests that this act can foster relationships and demonstrate genuine interest in others' recommendations.

💡Two notebooks system

The two notebooks system is a personal organization method proposed in the video. One notebook is used for day-to-day tasks and immediate priorities, while the other is for capturing ideas, observations, and non-urgent tasks. This system is presented as a way to maintain focus, manage tasks efficiently, and ensure that no idea or task is forgotten.

Highlights

Using a notebook can change your life by benefiting from systems used by the world's most influential and creative people.

Handwriting notes enhances memorability compared to dictation or typing, as shown by a study from Tokyo University.

Handwritten notes aid in processing information during lectures by forcing conscious choices about what to note.

Writing notes helps clear the mind by capturing thoughts that would otherwise occupy cognitive resources.

Dave Allen suggests a system for writing down tasks to alleviate the brain's fear of forgetting important information.

Writing on paper allows for better idea visualization and prioritization compared to digital methods.

Writing by hand forces distillation of ideas to their core, preventing unintentional digital distractions.

An 'ideas park' or commonplace book is a valuable place to write down meaningful quotes and thoughts.

An 'ideas part' is a space for notes and thoughts that don't fit into current priorities but shouldn't be forgotten.

Physical journals encourage serendipity by allowing for unexpected connections between notes.

A good notebook serves as a single repository for all ideas, preventing loss and ensuring reference.

Notebooks can be used for a 'watch read hear' list, compiling recommendations for media to consume.

Writing down recommendations by hand can foster new friendships and show seriousness in taking advice.

Having two notebooks—one for daily tasks and one for everything else—helps in organizing thoughts and priorities.

The larger notebook serves as a 'first thing' list for daily tasks and work-related notes.

The smaller notebook is for capturing meaningful quotes, ideas, and recommendations from friends.

The speaker offers a newsletter with weekly recommendations, inviting viewers to sign up for it.

Transcripts

this is a notebook you've probably owned

a few of them before but how can using

one change your life well in this video

I'm going to explain how some of the

most influential and creative people in

the whole world have benefited from

something that you can buy at any Corner

shop I'm going to talk about the systems

that they use and the Neuroscience that

underpins them and by the end hopefully

I'll have convinced you to use not just

one notebook but two first of all though

why use a notebook at all so it's easy

to point to all the people throughout

history who have used the notebook to

plan their schedule or organize their

thoughts but most of them had no choice

these days there are hundreds of ways to

store your ideas digitally and most of

them are more convenient than a little

book that you carry everywhere so what's

the benefit well firstly there's some

evidence that simply writing things down

by hand makes them more memorable than

dictating or typing them one recent

study from Tokyo University shows that

brain activity is higher when you recall

information that you've written out by

hand with the study authors suggesting

that the more complex spatial

information that handwritten notes

contain can Aid memory in another study

the authors suggest that taking notes by

hand helps students process the

information in lectures bear because it

forces them to make conscious choices

about what notes to take rather than

just writing down everything verbatim

and this is something that I found when

I'm taking notes from books if I

highlight paragraphs on my Kindle it's

easy to forget them but if I go back and

write them down in actual notes then

I'll remember them as Raymond Chandler

one said when you have to use your

energy to put those words down you're

more apt to make them count and this

leads us to point two which is that it

lets you clear out your brain so if

you're anything like me you probably go

through your whole day remembering

things you need to fix or jobs you need

to do or people you need to stay in

contact with and if you don't have

anywhere to put these thoughts then you

have to carry on throughout your day

kind of juggling them around in your

brain with everything else you're doing

in psychological terms What's Happening

Here is that when you've got something

important to remember your brain is

afraid to forget it and so it keeps

going over it and what cognitive

psychologists called the rehearsal Loop

obviously the rehearsal Loop evolved in

an era when we didn't have any pens or

paper and so it's almost too good at

remembering things and it'll keep

bringing them up while you're trying to

concentrate on what's actually important

and so what Dave Allen the author of

getting things done suggests is having a

system for writing all of these things

down which gives the rehearsal Loop

permission to let your brain go and

focus on something else Allan calls it

clearing the mind and the idea is that

it sort of reassures your brain that

it's okay to forget all of those other

things it's trying to juggle as long as

you have a trusted system for capturing

them all but it's also important to

remember that you think better on paper

so in his book presentation Zen G

Reynold talks about visiting a senior

director at Apple to get his input on a

project the director said he'd sketched

out a lot of ideas and Reynold was

surprised when he got out a notebook to

show them off the way he explains this

now though pen and paper lets you get

your ideas out of your head and into a

space where you can physically see them

and that lets you relate to them better

than if you're looking at them on a

screen once you start scribbling it's

easy to make a kind of visual map of all

the things you need to focus on and

prioritize on what you need to do it

also Al helps you to focus on what's

important because writing things down

takes more effort than typing or cutting

and pasting it forces you to distill

your ideas down to their core rather

than like just transcribing stuff it's

also harder to get unintentionally

distracted if I'm filling in tasks on a

spread sheet it's easy to tell myself

that I need to go and like check

something online which 10 minutes later

turns into me looking things up on

social media but if I'm writing in a

notebook I have to like physically put

it down and go back to my computer to

find something that's distracting and

this relates to the the next point which

is that you need an ideas Park so Ryan

holiday talks about the idea of a

commonplace book which is a place where

you write out by hand all the most

meaningful quotes from whatever articles

or books you're reading and I think that

can be really valuable but gram allot's

productivity Niner introduces another

concept I found really valuable which is

having an ideas part which is where you

just scribble down any notes or thoughts

that don't really fit into your current

list of priorities these might be

headlines for articles concepts for

things that you'd like to try out or

even even threads that you're going to

write on Twitter this is a kind of place

for stuff that you don't want to do

immediately but also that you don't want

to forget about and you can do that

online and it definitely works but

there's something that I found about a

physical Journal that really encourages

Serendipity like thumbing backwards and

forwards through a load of notes can

encourage you to see connections that

you otherwise wouldn't when you're

looking at a document maybe you'll be

flicking through to find one thing and

something else will catch your eye and

it'll encourage you to put two thoughts

together and you'll come up with

something amazing and the value of a

good notebook is everything goes in that

one place so it's not like you're going

to jot it down in an email draft or some

random Untitled document and then forget

about it and never see it again and it's

also a good place for what all cot calls

a watch read hear list when you come

across good films to watch books to read

or music and podcasts to listen to and

that brings us to a notebook will help

you make friends so there's actually a

scene in Captain America the Winter

Soldier that gets this idea across

perfectly after they've both been doing

laps around the Washington Monument

Steve Rogers tells Sam Wilson that he's

been catching up on the decades that

he's missed and Sam responds by telling

him to listen to Marvin Gay's seminal

1973 album troubl man and then comes the

important bit cap immediately pulls out

a notebook and writes down the

suggestion along with a load of other

suggestions that show he's done this a

bunch of times before and I actually

still remember the first time somebody I

was talking to did this I recommended

something and he immediately pulled out

his own little notebook and wrote down

the suggestion to look at later that guy

was a friend of a friend now we're

friends and I do that thing myself and

there's something really cool about

somebody writing down a recommendation

by hand cuz it kind of reassures you

that they're taking you seriously and

that they're actually probably going to

do it rather than like forget about it

at the end of the night and doing it in

a notebook is even more special because

you're devoting physical space in

something that you don't have unlimited

space in to like put that information

down in a place where you will

definitely reference it incidentally if

you want to check out some of the

recommendations I get then I have a

newsletter where I put all of the best

things that I find in every week it's

totally free there's a link in the

description of this video and I would

love it if you signed up up so how do

you put all this together well this

leads me to my final point which is that

you need two notebooks so I do actually

have two notebooks I have one big spiral

bound one that stays on my desk all the

time and then I have one pocket sized

one that I carry everywhere with me the

big one is for day-to-day tasks it's

where I write down all of my jobs for

the day in a list that I can check off

as I run through I call it my first

thing list because I take the first 5

minutes on my workday to write down the

first thing that I need to do on every

project and then tackle them throughout

the day that's also where I can scribble

down notes from like work calls or fresh

things that come up and keep them open

constantly no matter how many tabs I

open on my computer so everything that I

need to focus on is there at a glance

and my mind says pretty clear because it

isn't constantly scrambling to remember

like 10 things by the way a benefit of

spiral bound is that it will lie flat on

your desk without you like crushing it

open which isn't something you get with

smaller notebooks and then the smaller

one is for everything else so one

example is that I've been using Ryan Hol

day's advice to go back through digital

Kindle notes and write out just the most

meaningful ones in a notebook but it's

also for notes ideas movies I might want

to watch music I want to listen to

recommendations from friends and

everything else and if you're watching

this and Going H this guy seems like the

sort of person whose recommendations I

might be into then you can find a whole

bunch of them here thanks for

watching