Source of article 2's Company - Magnus Insights.

Having been a student from the time I was 4 years old until I earned my Ph.D. at the age of 26, I learned how to take notes to document the important things in my life. My note taking abilities have served me well in my career. I have calendars dating back almost 40 years; if I need to know what I was doing on a particular day, it takes me mere minutes to look it up. I also write verbatim notes of conversations I have on the telephone, including with clients. My notes are dated and include a list of everyone who participated in the phone call. I also write verbatim note when I am assisting my clients in selecting a jury. My notes reflect exactly what was said by each prospective juror, such that they can be relied upon to know which jurors to excuse and which jurors to keep. In court, my notes can easily be verified by the court reporter’s transcription, in the instances when the opposing counsel chooses to challenge me on the accuracy of what I wrote. There are many times in most people’s lives when writing things down is preferable to merely listening to what is being said or observed, then trying to remember it later. There is a lot of research in cognitive psychology that has revealed note taking makes the perceiver an active participant in his/her environment and active perceivers learn, then remember, more than other people. Think of how much we can remember about a doctor’s diagnosis when we write down exactly what the doctor told us, instead of saying, “Oh my. The doctor was talking so fast and using such big words that I have no idea what she meant.” The act of merely listening to what one is being told is passive and as such, does not lead to the same degree of learning or remembering as listening, watching, etc. while taking notes. One’s note taking habits, like other personality traits, are formed in early life and as such, are not easily learned later in life. This is not to say, however, that learning to take notes is impossible. With a little effort, note taking as a memory enhancement tool can be learned. So, instead of acting like the poor student who is always asking me to copy my notes, try taking them for yourself and see if you learn something!