• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Beth Kanter

Beth Kanter is a consultant, author, influencer. virtual trainer & nonprofit innovator in digital transformation & workplace wellbeing.

  • About Beth
    • Awards
    • Profiles
    • Press
    • Books & Projects
  • How Can I Help You?
    • Keynotes & Workshops
    • Training & Facilitation
    • Resources
  • Books & Projects
  • Beth’s Blog
  • TwitterTwitter
  • LinkedIn
  • Instagram
  • CONTACT ME

Why I Use Pen and Paper Notebooks AND Digital Tools To Take Notes

January 30, 2013 Filed Under: Personal Productivity Tagged With: Creativity


My colleague, Alexandra Samuel, wrote a provocative post on the HBR blog titled, “Dear Colleague, Put Down Your Notebook” where she makes an argument for switching to digital note taking tools like Evernote is more efficient than taking notes on paper. (She recently authored an excellent  e-book on how to use Evernote).
I agree with Alexandra’s point about efficiency, but I don’t always think that digital note taking is always effective for certain situations.    I tend to use both.       For example,  I like digital note taking tools when I’m capturing the “to dos” from meetings to make decisions and when I’m doing research online for a blog post or prepare curriculum.   I will sometimes take notes on my laptop during a conference session or webinar if I am planning to do a write up.  Since I can type 120 words per minutes, I can capture complete quotes and summarize key points very quickly.
However, there are times when I do prefer my pens, markers, and paper notebooks.   I prefer these tools when I’m capturing a discussion from a meeting that focused on a designing a program or a reflective conversation.   If the notes need to be in a digital format,   the process of transcribing them gives me added reflection and thought time to digest the ideas.  Many times I take notes in a visual format like mind mapping that helps me better understand the conversation as it unfolds.     I have practiced using my iPad with drawing apps, but I’m not quite fluent enough in it.
I have noticed that analog and digital methods of note taking or knowledge capture seem to make me think in different ways.    I suspect that depending on whether your type or write – it some how gets encoded into your brain differently.   I also wonder if there is an impact on being creative?   It also comes down to what you’re used to.     I like being “bilingual” and using both ways to take notes.  So, Alexandra, I’ll keep my pen and paper notebooks.
How do you take notes?  All digital?  Only paper and pencil?  A combination?   What are your favorite note taking tools?

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. glennette says

    January 30, 2013 at 8:54 am

    I am with you. I absolutely love Evernote! It is a great tool for capturing digital content, quick notes and other information. But, nothing beats my Moleskine and a fine point pen for capturing conversations and ideas.

    Reply
  2. Denise Osso says

    January 30, 2013 at 9:24 am

    Like you, I use all the modalities – including a fountain pen – depending on the creative context. I’ve considered cuneiform but the dust is an issue in meetings.

    Reply
  3. Mark Rollins says

    January 30, 2013 at 9:26 am

    Great post. Your blog is great. I am a huge fan of Evernote. I use it for everything. For client meeting notes I use this then email back to me and save in client electronic file. I sometimes share with client to make sure we are on same page.
    I also us it to store all my new ideas, track projects,information I need all the time. I now have one place to go for all of it. I have been thinking about using Moleskine. Glennette seems to like it

    Reply
  4. Mike Haley says

    January 30, 2013 at 9:44 am

    I totally agree with you. I take my iPad with me to most meetings and I can type faster than I can print, however like you say when I print notes it somehow gets encoded in my brain differently andI remember it better.
    I believe that when I am typing notes the words go in my ears and out my hands without thinking of the context as much. However if the meetings are exercise driven I am forced to think about the context in more detail and I can retain the information better no matter what kind of note taking apparatus I use. In any means, if it was a good presentation I normally go back and look at the notes later to help me retain what I learned.

    Reply
  5. Traci P says

    January 30, 2013 at 10:43 am

    First, thanks for your awesome blog. While this is my first time commenting, I read it often and recommend it to my nonprofit friends.
    Like you, I use it all. As an iPad newbie, I use it more the longer I have it (got it in December 2012). However, I am not as fast capturing thoughts with an iPad as I am paper and pencil in most cases. I also have pretty decent handwriting which enables Evernote’s OCR to be extremely accurate in searching my handwritten notes that I scan into Evernote to have a backup copy.

    Reply
  6. Raye Shilen says

    January 30, 2013 at 10:59 am

    I find myself using different methods for different tasks. When brainstorming, I want paper and markers (with lots of colors!). During a meeting, I like using a laptop because my fingers type faster than my hands write. To-Do lists are split between Evernote and a paper notebook. Combining the two mediums seems to keep things fresh for me, and it helps me remember ideas better by providing that mental jog to WHAT I was doing when I first learned/thought about the subject.

    Reply
  7. Graeme says

    January 30, 2013 at 1:25 pm

    My preference is to use my eye-pad aka, pen and notepad when in meetings, however use Evernote at seminars etc.
    I feel its good for people to see youre paying attention in meetings, tablets, laptops may not always show this.

    Reply
  8. Jen Lee Reeves says

    January 30, 2013 at 1:38 pm

    I have found myself very focused on Evernote because it’s so easy to capture notes along with multimedia content at the same time. But in a small conversation, paper and pen in a super nice notebook that I won’t lose is important for me. Often I find myself taking those notes and moving them into Evernote later at night. I love Traci P’s idea of just scanning in the notes. That would be even easier!
    One thing I have noticed? I used to use Twitter as a live location to tweet out information and use it as a live note taking space based on the event’s hashtag. I’ve found I don’t do that as often as I used to… I’m better at taking full notes when I’m not struggling to fit it into 140 characters. I leave my iPhone open to tweet a thought or two and take photos for my Evernote thoughts but my iPad is where I use Evernote. It’s crazy multitasking… but I like it that way.

    Reply
  9. alina says

    January 30, 2013 at 2:15 pm

    I recently saw a Moleskine that can sync to Evernote. Excited to try it out – seems like the best of both worlds!

    Reply
  10. Stephen Hryncewicz says

    January 31, 2013 at 2:28 am

    I do recommend using a combination of CamiApp and Evernote for bridging the gap between analogue and digital note taking. CamiApp is a lot cheaper than Moleskine/Evernote and, I believe, a lot more useful. It is possible to set up shortcuts to send notes to any combination of Evernote, Dropbox or email.

    Reply
  11. Nancy Schwartz says

    January 31, 2013 at 9:18 am

    Totally agree on the value of a dual-approach.
    Beyond that, shows that handwriting notes (vs. typing notes) boosts understanding for those who are kinesthetic learners (learn well by doing, vs. reading or listening.
    I’m 50-50 I’d say, but handwriting notes definitely ups my processing of the info. More here:
    http://www.examiner.com/article/handwriting-practice-can-be-a-kinesthetic-learning-experience
    Thanks, Beth, for articulating the value of each tool so clearly. I think it’s a highly-personalized choice but mine mirrors yours closely.

    Reply
  12. Nancy Schwartz says

    January 31, 2013 at 9:19 am

    Clarification, more precisely kinesthetic learners’ understanding is boosted with body movement (i.e. more in handwriting, than in typing)

    Reply
  13. Ben Ziegler says

    January 31, 2013 at 11:48 am

    I generally agree with the hybrid approach you propose, Beth. I thought your point re: transcribing and reflection important. Can we obtain the same reflection while sitting at our e-device? Or, is a transitional step, transcription, key? You’re making me self-reflect. And, that’s good. 🙂

    Reply
  14. Beth says

    January 31, 2013 at 3:53 pm

    Nancy: We are a lot of alike in many ways. I can’t help but wonder how much is generational too?
    Ben: Self-reflection is important .. and maybe I’m just old or old school, but hard for me to when typing … unless I verbalize my response and type what I’m talking – sort of what I’m doing now ….

    Reply
  15. Renee Zau says

    February 4, 2013 at 8:00 pm

    I’ve recently become a fan of Evernote, not so much for the note-taking process but for what I can do with the information later. It is much easier for me to copy/paste bits into calendar events and reminders, share notes with other people, and “always have it with me” either on my iPhone, iPad, or laptop.
    As much as I love pen and paper, I don’t always have the right notebook with me. The freedom that comes with having information “in the cloud” and available anytime won me over.

    Reply
  16. Carl Cohen says

    February 5, 2013 at 7:52 am

    Thank you for defending Pen and Paper!
    Creativity and brainstorming is hampered by digital media. Everyone is so quick to keystroke (digitize) meeting content, that no one is thinking, challenging or processing what is being said or presented. The ACLU-NJ whiteboard is what more people’s meeting notes should be looking, but I can’t seem to do this in Evernote.
    Evernote is great for to-do lists, but I contribution to my non-profits is in creatively re-thinking their problems.

    Reply
  17. Beth says

    February 5, 2013 at 12:51 pm

    Renee and Carl – I actually agree with both of you and that’s why I take notes both on pen and paper and in the cloud. There’s benefits to both – and to having fluency in both.

    Reply
  18. hoong yee lee krakauer says

    February 10, 2013 at 7:01 pm

    hi beth
    are you using sketchbook pro? there are so many drawing programs out there and i have a boxful of them on every device i own since i am always sketching.
    i am a rockaway girl and ever since superstorm sandy, i have put away all molecular, material, perishable tools and turned my eyes to the cloud. there is nothing like losing what you value to a wall of seawater to make you rethink what loss is, what is truly important and what is worth keeping.
    i am a stylus to ipad convert and while i miss the feel and the flow of pen to paper, i am now focused on the energizing challenge of mastering a new genre of text and image.
    for example, here’s my piece on the power of the seven word sketch:
    http://hoongyee.com/wp-admin/post.php?post=2484&action=edit
    hope you and yours are doing well,
    hoong yee

    Reply
  19. Brett R says

    February 10, 2013 at 10:10 pm

    I use a mixture of keyboard and paper. At conferences or meetings, I prefer pen and paper. I like the intimacy. I use a compact binder/notebook that is great for pen and paper note taking (http://www.bitesizebschool.com/blog/how-to-save-all-those-great-product-ideas-no-matter-where-you-go/).
    I don’t like traditional notebooks since you can’t organize your thoughts. The right kind of notebook is extremely important when using paper.

    Reply
  20. Marylin Warner says

    February 13, 2013 at 12:49 pm

    I love the “bilingual” note taking approach.
    Sometimes there’s nothing better than the scratch of pencil or pen on paper to capture the best notes, and simultaneously create possibilities.

    Reply
  21. Nancy White says

    March 12, 2013 at 5:05 am

    As a compulsive doodler, I relate. The question that comes to mind as I read the (wonderful) comment stream is “why do we feel the need to compulsively capture all this stuff?” It is often more than I can ever go back and use/process. Yet I do it. Is this an addiction? (Beyond the way our capture influences our ability to learn/remember… pro and con.)

    Reply
  22. Sylvia Currie says

    March 12, 2013 at 5:47 am

    I started out 2013 with the decision that I would stop my blue line field notebook habit because it didn’t seem efficient to have handwritten notes. Well I obviously can’t get out of the habit of jotting things down with a pen because now I have little pieces of paper with notes scattered everywhere. It’s a mess! I was so excited to find this collection of fabulous tips this morning! I’m heading out to buy a fresh new blank book today. 🙂
    Nancy’s question caught my attention: “why do we feel the need to compulsively capture all this stuff?” I recently attended a song writing workshop where we engaged in a freewriting exercise, then took turns sharing what we had on paper to pluck out song ideas. It was fabulous. I listened. I didn’t take notes. I spent the rest of the day remembering the lovely details of what everybody said.
    My point with this story is that I think we sometimes take notes instead of paying attention. It becomes a replacement for being completely present. The event is over, we have notes, time to move on to the next thing.

    Reply
  23. Pete Carney says

    March 19, 2013 at 4:54 am

    I recommend the Infinity Binder with the free CamNote app. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SxFCbWuDsqg

    Reply
  24. Dare says

    November 5, 2013 at 5:29 am

    Hi,
    When I am out or in a group discussion, I’d rather take a recorder with me ( basically I make use of my Blackberry phone) and record all conversations. With this method, I don’t miss a point unlike trying to write everything down.
    I learn about this during my brief spell in Journalism in Lagos, Nigeria.
    Thanks for sharing your tips.

    Reply

Trackbacks

  1. The memory is the mind process happening in your brain, it can never be the artefact that plays back footage of an experience. | My Mind Bursts says:
    January 31, 2013 at 10:33 am

    […] Why I Use Pen and Paper Notebooks AND Digital Tools To Take Notes (bethkanter.org) […]

    Reply
  2. Why I Use Pen and Paper Notebooks AND Digital Tools To Take Notes | Creative Writing Inspiration | Scoop.it says:
    January 31, 2013 at 11:26 pm

    […] My colleague, Alexandra Samuel, wrote a provocative post on the HBR blog titled, "Dear Colleague, Put Down Your Notebook" where she makes an argument for switching to digital note taking tools like Evernote is more efficient than taking notes on…  […]

    Reply
  3. My Digital Age « Live to Write – Write to Live says:
    February 13, 2013 at 5:03 am

    […] the end of January I read Beth Kanter’s blog post about how she takes notes. (She writes a great blog–highly recommended.) She pointed to an ebook about using Evernote, […]

    Reply
  4. My life in lists | LOSTGIRL wildworld says:
    March 12, 2013 at 10:19 am

    […] Why I Use Pen and Paper Notebooks AND Digital Tools To Take Notes (bethkanter.org) Share this:Like this:Like Loading… […]

    Reply
  5. Eight Unconventional Tips for Better Blog Post Ideas says:
    November 4, 2013 at 4:31 am

    […] reading: Why I Use Pen and Paper Notebooks AND Digital Tools To Take Note (Beth’s […]

    Reply
  6. Eight Unconventional Tips for Better Blog Post Ideas | Webbizbannners says:
    November 4, 2013 at 9:51 am

    […] reading: Why I Use Pen and Paper Notebooks AND Digital Tools To Take Note (Beth’s […]

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Primary Sidebar

Categories

Never miss a post!
Name: 
Your email address:*
Please wait...
Please enter all required fields Click to hide
Correct invalid entries Click to hide
Powered by FeedBlitz

Related Posts

#Fakecommute: A Ritual for Work-Life Balance When You #WFH

New Year’s Rituals for Nonprofits To Improve Resilience in 2021

#AI4Good: Artificial Intelligence & Wellbeing, Ethical Dilemmas, and More

Philgorithms: Two Examples of Data Mapping to Guide Donor Decisions

Future of Giving: Coordination, Donor Retention & Artificial Intelligence

Simple Ways To Reduce Virtual Fatigue for Nonprofit Leaders

New Report: #AI4Giving – Unlocking Generosity with Artificial Intelligence

Footer

Trainer, Speaker, Author

About Me
Books & Projects
Beth’s Blog
Keynotes & Workshops
Training & Facilitation
Resources

TwitterLinkedInInstagram

Beth Kanter

Copyright © 2021 · by Beth Kanter. All right reserved. Graphic design by Eve Simon Creative. Website development by Cindy Leonard Consulting.