Have you ever struggled with taking notes? I guess the answer is “Yes.” That’s okay—most of us have! Whether in a lecture or a meeting, listening to a lot of information at once can make you wonder, “How to take notes faster?” The flow of information can be overwhelming.
The note-taking experience can be daunting if you haven’t mastered the right techniques. In this article, you’ll learn how to take notes faster with 10 practical tips to boost your note-taking skills. You’ll also discover innovative technologies like Krisp, which simplifies the process with its AI Meeting Notes and Summary tool. This tool generates meeting notes, allowing you to focus on the key moments of your meetings.
How To Read and Take Notes Faster
Students can surely relate to the situation where they have large volumes of information to learn in just two days or even overnight. How to take notes faster from a textbook: The challenge is real. You need to read more and take notes faster to gather all the necessary information in one notebook. Taking notes faster is a skill that develops with experience, which may take a year or more, but you can also master some techniques to speed up the process.
Here are some techniques that may help you:
Look through the material: Before taking notes, skim through the material. Pay attention to headings and subheadings. Write them down so you can later organize corresponding information under each heading. Focus on highlighted information (such as bold or italic text). This quick overview will help you identify key points before diving deeper into the content.
Active Reading: Use active reading techniques. Instead of passively reading every word, try to connect different concepts and ideas. Ask yourself questions and critically evaluate your reading—don’t accept everything blindly. This practice will transform note-taking from a task you have to do into something you want to engage in.
Summarize Key Points: Taking notes doesn’t mean writing down long paragraphs. It involves reading through the material, identifying the key points, and noting only those. This practice is important not only for saving time but also for training your brain to summarize the text it reads.
Use Abbreviations and Symbols: Taking notes can take longer than expected, so it’s important to speed up the process. Using abbreviations, symbols, or even shortening words can make note-taking faster. Common symbols like “w/” for “with” or “→” for “leads to” can save time and make your notes more efficient.
Leverage Technology: Nowadays, taking notes with pen and paper is no longer a necessity, thanks to a variety of digital tools. For instance, Krisp’s AI Meeting Notes tool, designed for meetings, offering features that not only generate summaries but also help organize key points discussed. This lets you focus on engaging in the conversation and understanding the content, rather than worrying about writing everything down.
How To Take Notes Faster in Meetings: 10 Tips
Meetings are one of the most important aspects of our work process. They can vary—whether with clients, team members, brainstorming sessions, or with your employer. However, they all share one thing in common: the need to write down key points. In short, you need to take notes.
Notes help you remember what was discussed, what solutions were agreed upon, and what points to focus on when completing tasks later. Since nobody has perfect memory, we rely on notes to refer back to when we forget certain details.
Many meetings now take place virtually. You often find yourself trying to catch every word the speaker says, but technical issues can sometimes disrupt the audio, making it hard to listen clearly. In these cases, trying to listen and take notes simultaneously can be a real struggle.
It’s much more efficient to rely on technology for the note-taking process. Fortunately, there are tools available today that make this easier than ever. Krisp offers an AI Meeting Notes and Summary tool, which takes notes for you, allowing you to focus on the speaker. If needed, the tool can also generate a summary, so you don’t have to sift through all the notes—making it easier to understand the key points.
With or without technology, you need to learn tips and techniques for note-taking. You never know when it will be necessary.
- Prepare in Advance: Before the meeting starts, gather all the information you can, such as the agenda and relevant materials. If possible, ask the organizer what the meeting will be about. Research the topic—this will not only help you take better notes, but it will also ensure you’re well-prepared for the meeting.
- Use a Note-Taking Format: Organizing is a great way to start any task. You can use a structured system like the Cornell method, or create your own. Try to be as organized as possible and always follow the same format; this will make the note-taking process easier each time. A structured format also ensures your notes are useful later. Sometimes, in the rush of taking notes, we forget that we’ll need to use them afterward, and writing them down chaotically can make them difficult to use later.
- Focus on Key Points: Sometimes, it’s hard to distinguish between important and unimportant information, leading us to write down everything. However, this is a mistake. It can leave little room for truly significant points and exhaust you more quickly. The trick to capturing key points is to listen critically. Be an active listener to ensure you grasp every important detail.
- Be Concise: Don’t write out key points in lengthy sentences. Use symbols or abbreviations whenever possible. You can shorten words, and if there are names of people you already know, just use their initials. Keep your notes as concise as possible.
- Don’t Overthink: Overanalyzing every word you hear can be counterproductive. Be critical, but don’t dwell on everything for too long. Focus on the main points and move on.
- Highlight Action Items: Important tasks or action items are worth marking with symbols or shorthand. Get creative to make it fun. This process will make it easier to track follow-ups after the meeting.
- Summarize Discussions: Trying to take down everything word-for-word will leave you overwhelmed. Instead, summarize important points as you hear them and write them in your own words. This will make your notes easier to understand and digest later.
- Type Instead of Write: Many people find typing faster than handwriting. If that’s true for you, use a laptop or tablet during the meeting. Just make sure only to open necessary documents and avoid distractions from other tabs.
- Record the Meeting: Tools like Krisp can handle your worries if it’s a virtual meeting. Krisp can record the meeting, take notes, and summarize everything, allowing you to focus on the discussion. For in-person meetings, ask participants if it’s okay to record. Recording the meeting will ensure that you don’t miss any important details.
- Organize Your Notes: After the meeting, review and organize your notes while the information is still fresh in your mind. You can also add any details you may have missed. This is also the time to assign tasks to yourself, keeping you organized and helping you avoid procrastination.
Conclusion
Taking notes faster is a valuable skill for your educational and professional life. It simplifies tasks, whether you’re attending meetings, studying, or reading a textbook. In lectures or meetings, where there’s a lot of spoken information to capture, the ability to take notes quickly becomes essential. At first, it can be challenging to listen and simultaneously write down key points, but with time and practice, it will become easier.
Mastering the skill of note-taking involves preparation, focusing on the key points, using abbreviations, and leveraging innovative tools. Modern technologies have made the process less overwhelming. For example, Krisp’s AI Meeting Notes tool handles note-taking, allowing you to focus on enjoying your meetings or lectures.
Having a structured approach is crucial in both virtual and in-person meetings. Consistently following a note-taking format makes the process smoother. Summarizing discussions and highlighting action items ensures that your notes are organized and helpful for future reference. The ability to take concise, clear notes will not only save time but also boost productivity, keeping you on top of your tasks.
Learning to take notes faster is a gradual process that requires experience. So, take your time and enjoy the journey. Don’t be too tense—try to relax, listen actively, and stay present.
