Content

• Steps
• Tips
• Warnings
• What do you need

Anyone who uses the notebook will attest that this is a great invention. Even those with a laptop and tablet can still use a notebook. It was used by Albert Einstein, Leonardo da Vinci and many other great people. You can use it too!

Steps

1. 1 Decide for what purpose you will use the notebook. Will you write down your inventions there? Or ideas for a play, novel, or poem you'll write one day? Will you be capturing ideas for any project? Or do you just need a place to write down your to-do or shopping list? Some write down their thoughts or family information in a notebook, while others take notes from work or events. Someone uses a notebook as a repository for all sorts of ideas that pop into their heads.
2. 2 Choose the notebook that's right for you. There are many different types of notebooks, so take the time to choose the one that suits you best and don't be afraid to spend a little more money.After all, your immortal work may appear in this book! Here are some selection criteria:
   • Size and portability. Notepads are most useful when they are always at hand. Choose one that is large enough to take your notes and small enough to take everywhere with you at all times. Where do you want to store your notebook: in your pocket, purse, bag, backpack?
   • Conditions for keeping records. Will you need to take notes while standing? Or on the way? Then you need to choose a hardcover notebook so that it is comfortable to hold in one hand while taking notes with the other. Should it be used in specific conditions: in a clean room, in a kitchen, in a factory, on the street, in a boat?
   • Target. A notebook with blank slates and a flowered colored cover might inspire you to keep a diary, but it is unlikely to be appropriate for a business event. The spiral notebook can be fully expanded, and the cover will not interfere with you while writing. Do you need lined paper or a blank sheet, or maybe margins? Some notebooks even pre-print musical pieces.
   • Separators and markers. Do you need to divide the zones of the notebook into different categories, for example, "Household chores", "Ideas", "Reflections", "To-do list"? Or is it better to use a free-form notebook, such as for journaling? You can buy notebooks with ready-made dividers or separate them yourself with stickers, flags, bookmarks, and so on.
   • Eligibility. If your notebook contains information that you would like to patent in the future, find a padded notebook with numbered pages. Study the rules for using a notebook for such purposes.
3. 3 Take notes in a notebook. Develop your own method of making use of your notebook. Use it in the most convenient way for you. There are many situations in which it is useful to take notes in a notebook:
   • when you receive a task;
   • when you are thinking about an invention or new idea;
   • when you are given a compliment, recommendation, or good advice;
   • when you hear something funny or unusual;
   • when you want to remember something.
4. 4 Organize your notes, at least minimally. Even if you don't think it matters, the time spent categorizing your records will save you much more time and effort in the future than you would otherwise spend finding the information you need.
   • Date each entry.
   • Number the pages.
   • If possible, make headings for your posts.
   • Record contextual information, such as who attended the meeting.
5. 5 Keep it readable. Write legibly enough that you can read it yourself. You should be able to make out your handwriting. If you are making notes for the public to read, make sure others can parse it too.
6. 6 Take notes regularly.
   • Write consistently and consistently. Write at about the same time every day, if possible. If you're a morning person, early morning can be the most productive time to take notes, as your brain is fresh and flexible, and this activity helps shape the day ahead. "Owls" are more suitable for keeping records in the evening; It’s helpful to take a little time before leaving work or school to mark the important points of the day and plan for the next. Either way, taking notes on a daily basis can help you make note-taking a habit.
   • Take notes during short breaks while queuing or waiting for the next event, for example.
   • Write as soon as you have any thoughts. Ideas come and go, and if you don't write them down, they can be forgotten. Remember the historian's approach: What is not written, that was not.
   • Sometimes it's helpful to just let the words flow onto the paper — write whatever comes into your head until you get to a “useful” thought. Your "splash" can turn into something important!

Tips

• Keep different notebooks for different purposes. Notepads are inexpensive, so you can have one for work purposes, another for personal thoughts, project notes, or just collecting ideas.
• As far as possible, keep a notebook with you to make the necessary notes as soon as the need arises. Write as soon as you feel like it, as this is the best time to write.
• Always date the next entry, and if the inner cover does not contain pictures, write down your phone number and other contacts so that in case of loss you can return the notebook. Also, try not to write down too much personal information in case someone is curious to look at your notes. Keep a notebook with you at all times to make a note or at least a sketch as soon as you hear useful or interesting information. Alternatively, you can choose a notebook with a blank cover and decorate it as you wish.
• Use bookmarks or stickers to quickly find the page you want. In weeklies, for example, a corner of the page comes off after using it.
• Write your name and phone number on a notepad in case you lose it. Do not write the address, as the notebook may get lost along with the keys.
• If at the moment of inspiration you find yourself without a notebook, you can write on a simple sheet of paper, and then paste it or attach it to the notebook. If this happens too often, take steps to ensure that the notebook is always with you.
• Remember, your notebook can be a keeper of great ideas.
• If you can't think of what to write in your notebook, seek advice from someone who is already practicing it.
• To keep your records safe, develop a secret code or legend.
• If you don't want someone else to be able to read your notes, come up with your own language.

Warnings

• Be careful that someone else does not read your notes. If your notebook contains personal information, keep it especially careful.
• Don't lose your notebook.

What do you need

• Notebook
• Pen or pencil
• Eraser