Writing out notes commands focus on individual points rather than overarching themes. In both cases, taking notes gets in the way of that level of cognitive engagement with the materials at hand. In school, that might mean thinking critically about information presented and answering questions in class, participating in discussions or experiments, and discussing the materials with peers.Īt work, that often means actively participating in meetings, sharing ideas and asking for clarifications, and also taking in colleague’s complete presentations, so as to be able to critique the overall proposal. Study after study has shown that the best way to help the brain remember is to actively engage with the information. It turns out, taking notes instead may simply be signaling to our brain instead to forget everything as quickly as we can write it down. While it’s true that one of the benefits of taking notes is creating a reference for later, these findings should give us all reason to pause and reconsider the rationale most of us offer for taking notes in the first place - to help us remember. The brain assumes that since the information is written down, there’s no need to remember it. The human brain, it appears, is wired to recognize when information is being documented, and to “intentionally forget” that info so as to be able to free up room for other things. In fact, new research has begun to suggest that instant-forgetfulness is actually common for almost everyone - and that it might be the act of taking notes itself that’s to blame.īloomberg Business summarizes the findings in a recent article, Taking Notes Kills Your Memory. Related Reading: How to Record ANY Online Meeting You’ve fought through the hand cramps (if you’re a traditionalist), or the temptation to check Facebook (if you’re the modern type).īut when the session ended and you stepped out the door, you’ve been struck with a funny realization - you can’t remember a single thing that was just said. You’ve sat attentively through a meeting or a class.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |