How to Use OneNote Effectively (Stay organized with little effort!)

Summary

This video script offers a comprehensive guide on enhancing productivity with Microsoft OneNote. It emphasizes the importance of organization through the use of hierarchies, tags, and sticky notes, as well as the integration of features like Optical Character Recognition (OCR) and Immersive Reader. The speaker shares personal experiences and tips, highlighting OneNote's versatility in note-taking, idea capturing, and task management across devices. The video also promotes Skillshare as a platform for further learning and development.

Takeaways

• 📂 Organize tasks and ideas using OneNote's hierarchy structure: Notebooks, Sections, and Pages.
• 🏷️ Use tags to categorize and group notes across different notebooks and sections for easy retrieval.
• 📝 Capture quick ideas on the go with Sticky Notes, integrated in the OneNote mobile app.
• 🖼️ Extract text from images using OneNote's Optical Character Recognition (OCR) feature.
• 👓 Enhance focus and readability with the Immersive Reader feature in OneNote.
• 🎨 Hand-draw shapes and convert them into clean, professional shapes with OneNote's automatic conversion.
• 📝 Convert handwritten text to typed text using OneNote's Ink to Text feature.
• 🧮 Solve math problems by hand-writing equations and converting them with the Ink to Math feature.
• 💻 OneNote is available as a free app for Windows and Mac, syncing across all devices.
• 🌟 Explore productivity classes on Skillshare to further improve organization and time management skills.
• 👍 Share your favorite OneNote features and tips with the community for mutual learning and improvement.

Q & A

Why was the speaker using OneNote?

The speaker was using OneNote to become more organized and to manage their constant flow of ideas, tasks, and information effectively.

What problem did the speaker encounter before using OneNote?

Before using OneNote, the speaker's ideas and tasks were scattered in different places without syncing, leading to many being lost or falling into a 'black hole'.

What is the first productivity tip the speaker shares for using OneNote?

The first productivity tip is to use hierarchies to get organized, which includes notebooks, sections, and pages to structure notes effectively.

How does the speaker suggest organizing notebooks in OneNote?

The speaker suggests creating a notebook for each main category, such as recipes, video ideas, or private matters, with sections for subcategories and pages for specific items or tasks.

What is the purpose of using tags in OneNote according to the speaker?

Tags are used to categorize and group notes together that aren't in the same notebook or section, making it easier to find related notes across different hierarchies.

How does the speaker use Sticky Notes in OneNote?

The speaker uses Sticky Notes in the OneNote app on mobile to quickly jot down ideas when away from their desk, which are then synced and accessible on all devices.

What is Optical Character Recognition (OCR) in OneNote?

OCR in OneNote allows users to copy text from images and search for text inside images, making it easier to extract and find information.

What is the Immersive Reader feature in OneNote?

The Immersive Reader is a feature that simplifies the reading experience by removing visual distractions, allowing users to focus on the text, and it can read the text out loud with adjustable voice settings.

How does OneNote help with handwriting conversion?

OneNote can convert handwritten notes into typed text using the 'Ink to Text' feature, and it can also solve math problems by converting handwritten equations into typed text and providing solutions.

What version of OneNote is officially recommended by the speaker?

The speaker recommends the version of OneNote that is simply called 'OneNote', which is available for Windows and Mac and offers free syncing across devices.

How does the speaker suggest utilizing Skillshare for productivity?

The speaker suggests using Skillshare, a learning platform with a variety of classes on productivity, freelancing, and technical skills, to further enhance organization and efficiency.

Outlines

00:00

📓 Organizing Life with OneNote

The speaker discusses their use of OneNote as a tool for organization, particularly for managing tasks and ideas. They mention the problem of losing track of thoughts and information in various places without syncing. The speaker introduces their video with a thanks to Skillshare for sponsoring and teases more information about Skillshare later. They reference David Allen's 'Getting Things Done' and his philosophy that the mind should be for having ideas, not holding them, highlighting OneNote as their solution for external storage of ideas.

05:03

📂 Hierarchical Organization in OneNote

The speaker explains the hierarchical structure in OneNote, which includes notebooks, sections, and pages. They provide an example of creating a notebook for recipes with different sections for types of dishes and individual pages for specific recipes. The speaker also discusses the use of section groups and sub-pages for additional organization. They emphasize the flexibility of the structure, suggesting viewers start with a system that makes sense to them and adjust as needed.

10:04

🏷️ Using Tags for Efficient Note Categorization

The speaker talks about using tags in OneNote to categorize and group notes that aren't in the same notebook or section. They demonstrate how to add default tags or create custom tags for notes and how these tags can be used to find related notes easily. The speaker suggests using tags for various purposes, such as tracking team tasks or highlighting important parts in learning notes.

📝 Capturing Ideas with Sticky Notes

The speaker introduces the Sticky Notes feature in the OneNote app on mobile, which allows for quick note-taking on the go. They explain how Sticky Notes are integrated into the OneNote app and can be accessed from the Sticky Notes app on Windows 10. The speaker emphasizes the convenience of having notes synced across devices, ensuring that important ideas are never lost.

🖼️ Extracting Text from Images with OCR

The speaker discusses the Optical Character Recognition (OCR) feature in OneNote, which enables users to extract text from images and search for text within images. They provide examples of how this can be useful for copying text from screenshots and searching for specific information from images and web clippings. The speaker highlights the time-saving benefits of OCR in organizing and accessing visual information.

🎨 Immersive Reader for Focused Reading

The speaker talks about the Immersive Reader feature in OneNote, which simplifies the reading experience by removing visual distractions. They explain how to access Immersive Reader and customize it with text size, color themes, and fonts, including a playful Comic Sans for children's learning. The speaker also mentions the text-to-speech functionality, allowing for adjustments in voice speed and selection between male and female voices.

📊 Advanced Features and OneNote Versions

The speaker explores additional features of OneNote, such as drawing shapes, converting handwriting to text, and solving math problems. They mention the ability to convert handwritten equations into typed text and solve them within the app. The speaker notes the different versions of OneNote available and highlights the current version as a free, cross-platform app with syncing capabilities. They encourage viewers to share their favorite features and invite them to explore productivity classes on Skillshare for further improvement.

Keywords

💡OneNote

OneNote is a digital notebook application developed by Microsoft that allows users to create, organize, and store notes, tasks, and ideas in a structured format. In the video, the speaker uses OneNote to enhance their productivity by organizing their thoughts and tasks in a hierarchical structure of notebooks, sections, and pages.

💡Productivity

Productivity refers to the efficiency and effectiveness with which tasks are completed. The video focuses on improving productivity through the use of OneNote, by organizing ideas, tasks, and information in a way that makes them easily accessible and manageable.

💡Hierarchy

Hierarchy in the context of OneNote refers to the organizational structure consisting of notebooks, sections, and pages. This structure helps users categorize and manage their notes efficiently.

💡Tags

Tags are labels that can be added to notes in OneNote to categorize and easily locate them later, even if they are not in the same notebook or section. They help in grouping related notes and simplify the search process.

💡Sticky Notes

Sticky Notes is a feature in the OneNote mobile app that allows users to quickly jot down thoughts and ideas on virtual sticky notes. These notes are automatically synced across devices, ensuring that the user can access them from anywhere.

💡Optical Character Recognition (OCR)

OCR is a technology that enables the conversion of different types of documents, such as scanned paper documents, PDF files or images captured by a camera into editable and searchable data. In OneNote, this feature allows users to copy text from images and search for text within images.

💡Immersive Reader

Immersive Reader is a feature in OneNote that simplifies the reading experience by displaying text without visual distractions. It allows users to adjust text size, color themes, and even listen to the text being read out loud, enhancing focus and comprehension.

💡Ink to Text

Ink to Text is a feature in OneNote that converts handwritten notes into typed text. This functionality is particularly useful for users who prefer writing notes by hand and later need to digitalize or share them.

💡Ink to Math

Ink to Math is a feature in OneNote that allows users to hand-write mathematical equations and then convert them into typed text. It also enables users to solve the equations directly within the application.

💡Skillshare

Skillshare is an online learning platform that offers a wide variety of classes on topics such as productivity, freelancing, and technical skills. The speaker mentions Skillshare as a resource for learning new skills and improving productivity.

💡Digital Organization

Digital Organization refers to the process of managing and structuring digital information and resources in a way that promotes efficiency and ease of access. The video emphasizes the importance of digital organization through the use of OneNote to manage tasks, ideas, and notes.

Highlights

The main reason for using OneNote is to become more organized.

OneNote is used to record and store design ideas externally for better focus on tasks.

OneNote is a digital notebook with hierarchy levels: Notebook, Section, Page, and Sub-page.

Creating a notebook for recipes with sections for different dish types is an example of using hierarchy in OneNote.

Tags in OneNote help categorize and group notes that aren't in the same notebook or section.

Sticky Notes in the OneNote app on mobile allow quick note-taking and are automatically synced.

Optical Character Recognition (OCR) in OneNote enables text copying from images and searching within images.

Immersive Reader in OneNote helps focus on text and can read text out loud with adjustable voice settings.

OneNote can convert hand-drawn shapes into clean, professional shapes and handwriting into typed text.

Hand-written equations can be converted into typed text and solved within OneNote.

OneNote is available for free across Windows and Mac devices with sync capabilities.

Skillshare is a learning platform with classes on productivity, freelancing, and technical skills.

The video recommends a Skillshare class on simple productivity for managing daily tasks effectively.

A special link is provided for two months of free premium access to Skillshare.

The video encourages viewers to share their favorite OneNote features and tips in the comments.

OneNote's features are adaptable for various needs, such as note-taking, organizing recipes, and managing tasks.

Transcripts

I've been using OneNote for a few years now.

The main reason was to become more organized.

You see, I'm constantly thinking of tasks I need to do.

I have ideas for new videos,

I need to write down the name of a new app

someone just told me about.

I ended up collecting these in different places,

and none of them were being synced.

A lot of these disappeared into a black hole.

In this video, I'm going to share with you

some OneNote tips and tricks and how I like to use it.

(upbeat music)

Before we get started a brief thanks to Skillshare

for sponsoring today's video.

Skillshare is a learning platform

with lots of great classes.

And I have a special link for you

that gives you two months free premium access.

You're going to find it in the description of this video.

But I'm going to chat more about them towards the end,

so stay tuned for that.

Now let's continue with our tips.

David Allen, the author of "Getting Things Done."

By the way, it's a great book, and I highly recommend it

if you're interested in increasing your productivity.

He says, your mind is for having ideas, not holding them.

So we need to find a way to record

and store design ideas externally,

so we can concentrate on actually getting these things done.

That's where OneNote comes in for me.

OneNote is a digital notebook, but it's much more than that.

I'm sure you're going to agree with me,

by the time you get to the end of this video.

Let's get to my OneNote productivity tips.

Number one, use hierarchies to get organized.

A great feature in OneNote is that,

you can create your own hierarchy structure.

There are three main levels,

the highest level Is the notebook,

just like the physical notebook,

they can hold many pages.

Next level down are sections.

Think of this like chapters in a book.

And finally there are pages.

These holds your actual notes.

Let's say we create a notebook to hold all your recipes.

We can either right click and select New Notebook,

or we click on the Add notebook down here.

The sections in this notebook

could be the different types of dishes.

So we can create a section for appetizers,

one for main dishes, one for vegetarian dishes,

one for desserts, and so on.

You get the idea.

Within the sections, we add the separate pages

for the actual recipe.

So here we have a recipe

for a wild rice and mushroom burger.

We have the ingredients, the directions,

and we can add pictures and even link to

where we got the recipe from.

Apart from these recipes,

I usually have notebooks for ideas for videos

with different sections depending on the progress,

like brainstorming, research, or scripting.

And I have a notebook for private things

like shopping lists, vacation and so on.

If you need more hierarchy levels,

you can cluster multiple sections into a section group.

After you created a group,

you can drag sections into the group.

Another level you can create are sub-pages.

To be able to use them, you need to have

at least two pages in a specific section.

So let's say here, I have a page with my meeting notes

from Excel Conferences, I can create sub-pages

with the notes for the individual sections.

So I have a piece called Session Notes

Excel Conference Bulgaria, and sub-pages for each session.

To create sub-pages, just click on the page

you want to turn into a sub-page and select Make subpage.

It's going to indent the title.

You can even have another level for sub-page

that says sub-page of a sub-page.

I don't use these as much, but if you have a lot of notes

and need a detailed structure, they can be really helpful.

So to summarize, these are

the different hierarchy levels, you can have.

Notebook, section group, section, page,

sub-page one, sub-page two.

Just start out with a structure that makes sense to you,

you can always change it or add to it later.

Number two, use tags to find what you need.

Tags are a great way to categorize and group notes together

that aren't in the same notebook or section.

So let's say I'm in my notebook for general video ideas,

in this case for Power Query

where I have a notes for Learning M Basics.

Let say this is something I want to consider doing soon.

By using the drop down tag this note up here,

I can select different default tags to add to the notes

or to parts of the notes.

So I can tag this with Remember for later,

so don't forget about it.

In another notebook for my research,

I have a page to check out this app for a barcode reader.

I can tag this note with the same, Remember for later.

So now I marked two notes that

are in totally different notebooks with the same tag,

meaning although they are in a different hierarchy,

they're still grouped together

and it's easy to find your tag notes later on.

So let's say you want to check all notes

that are tagged with Remember for later,

all you have to do is to click

the Search icon here on the left,

then either just click in the search bar

and select from the tags it will suggest down here.

Or just start typing what you're looking for,

and select the tag that you want,

and you're going to get a list

of all the notes containing this tag.

You can either use the default tags,

but I recommend you also create your own tag system

through your own custom tags.

You just need to click the Create New Tag down here,

and you can then name it and select an icon for it.

Currently, there isn't a way to rearrange the tags,

like you could in previous versions of OneNote.

New ones will always be added below,

so don't go overboard

and just keep the number of custom tags limited.

So in short, use tags to categorize notes.

There are many applications for tags,

just use them depending on your needs.

So for example, let's say you want to stay on top of tasks

you assigned to your team members,

or use these to highlight important parts

in your learning notes.

They make it really easy to find,

what you need when you need it.

Number three, capture ideas anywhere with Sticky Notes.

When I'm out and about, I used to scribble down

things I don't want to forget in a piece of paper,

then they either got lost,

or I spent a lot of time searching through my back,

not anymore.

I discovered Sticky Notes.

The Sticky Notes are integrated

in the OneNote app on mobile.

So if I just want to write something down really quickly,

I'll just open the OneNote app

and click on the buttons, Sticky Notes down here,

and start writing.

I can also find all my previously collected

Sticky Notes right here.

Now when I get back to the office,

and I want to see those notes,

I directly go to the Sticky Notes app.

It's a built in app in Windows 10.

To get to it, click on the Start button and type in sticky,

and you're going to see it pop up here.

So on your computer or laptop,

you're going to find it as a separate app,

whereas on your mobile, it's a part of the OneNote app.

These are automatically synced,

so you have your notes with you at all times,

no matter where you took them.

Number four, extract text from images.

Another great feature is Optical Character Recognition,

or OCR, which means OneNote can re-text inside an image.

This has two great benefits.

Number one, it lets you copy text from pictures

so you don't have to manually type it out.

So for instance, I copied the screenshots in my notes.

When I right click on it, I get the option,

Copy Text from Picture.

I can open a new page

and copy the text from the image hear.

The second benefit, which I personally use a lot,

is that I can search for text inside an image.

I usually collect a lot of information

from videos where I take notes,

I also take web clippings and pictures.

Later when I look for something specific,

I use the search feature.

With the OCR functionality, it will also search for the text

in the picture, and show me

all relevant information, images included.

Number five, focus with Immersive Reader.

A great feature I love to use

when I really want to focus on a text, or for proofreading

is the Immersive Reader.

It's now built into several applications

like Word, Outlook, and also OneNote.

If you're on a page, you can click

on Immersive Reader from the View tab.

It will show you the page without visual crowding,

which makes it easier and faster to read.

You can change the settings for text size and color themes

to whatever fits your needs.

Here you can also change the font,

and interesting one is Comic Sans, which is a font that may

not be visually appealing for a professional environment,

but it works great for kids.

The way the As and Gs are shaped,

is how kids learn to write in school.

You could also use this to practice reading with your kids.

You can also use the play button down here

and have the text read out loud for you.

Learn how to analyze if a rental property

is worth buying by calculating the cash on cash return.

With the voice settings,

you can change the voice speed,

and select a female or male voice.

We'll set up an Excel template.

So these are my tips and it's based on

how I personally use OneNote.

But there are many more features

that can be very helpful depending on your needs.

For example, you can hand draw shapes

and then apply ink to shape,

and OneNote will convert them automatically into shapes

with straight lines and clean corners.

One notes can also convert your handwriting into typed text.

I was skeptic because I have a horrible handwriting,

but it does manage to convert even mine.

First select what you want converted with the Lasso Select,

and then just click on the Ink to Text right here.

I don't use this feature often because I'm faster typing,

but it can be useful if you prefer to hand-write your notes.

You can even use OneNote for math problems.

You can hand-write an equation,

select it with the Lasso Select and then click on Math.

With Ink to Math up here,

you can convert it into typed text.

But that's not all, you can ask actually click,

Select an option and solve the equation.

And if you're interested, you can even show the steps

on how to solve it.

Pretty cool, right?

Don't tell your teachers.

There are different versions of OneNote

like one or 2013 or OneNote 2016.

But the official version of the app now

is just called OneNote.

It's available in Windows, and also for Mac.

Plus, you get it for free,

and it syncs across all your devices.

So you see, there are many ways you can use OneNote

to be more organized and productive.

If you have a favorite feature, share it with us below.

And if you have something new

that you want to share with us with OneNote,

that I didn't cover in this video, also share that below.

If you're like me, and you like to accomplish

more in less time, I recommend checking out,

the productivity classes on Skillshare.

Skillshare offers thousands of inspiring classes and topics

including productivity, freelancing,

technical skills like office skills, and a lot more.

One of the latest classes I took on Skillshare

was simple productivity, how to accomplish more with less.

This course made me think twice about my daily task list.

I realized it's not about

how much I managed to do in a given time,

but about deciding what matters.

And that's not easy, because at first glance,

everything matters.

I really appreciate the tools

that were shared in this class, to help me do that.

If you're interested to join this class

or any of the other thousands of classes on Skillshare,

clicking the link in the description box below

to get two free months premium membership,

which will give you unlimited access.

After to two months, an annual subscription

is less than $10 a month,

which makes learning new skills super affordable.

Thank you for watching, and I hope from this video,

you got some ideas on how you can use OneNote

to improve your day to day processes.

If you enjoyed it, give it a thumbs up.

And consider subscribing, if you enjoy

what you see on this channel

and you want to learn new skills.

And I'm going to see you in the next video.

(upbeat music)