In the early morning, the light was on, and the aroma of coffee filled my home office. I was ready to write.
I opened my note box—my supposed creative treasure chest.
It wasn’t.
Instead of a wellspring of ideas, I found a chaotic pile of scattered notes and unorganized information. Instead of brainstorming and writing, I spent my energy sifting through a sea of disconnected thoughts. No words on the page—just an exhausted mind.
Sound familiar?
That was me a year ago.
Notes left unused are just words on a page. They don’t serve you. I needed a system to make my notes work for me. That’s when I discovered the Smart Notes system in How to Take Smart Notes by Sönke Ahrens. It’s based on the Zettelkasten method, originally developed by Niklas Luhmann—a system designed to turn scattered notes into a thinking tool.
The Key Principles of the Smart Notes System:
- Capture Ideas in Your Own Words – Avoid passive highlighting. Instead, write down insights in full sentences to ensure deep understanding.
- Use Three Types of Notes:
- Fleeting Notes – Quick, temporary notes to capture spontaneous thoughts.
- Literature Notes – Summarized insights from books, articles, or lectures.
- Permanent Notes – Processed ideas that connect to existing knowledge, forming a network of insights.
- Focus on Connections – The power of the system lies in linking notes together, creating a web of knowledge that naturally generates new insights.
- Write as You Learn – Regularly review and refine your notes. Don’t stockpile—make them useful.
The process is simple: Write a note → Link it to existing ideas → Review regularly → Gain insights.
With this system, my notes finally started working for me. Unexpected ideas often emerged from connections between notes I had forgotten I even wrote.
Try this:
Write one note today and link it to something you already know. Spend 20 minutes each morning or evening reviewing your note box. Do this for a week—you’ll be surprised at what unfolds.
