How do I effectively organize my thoughts?

[dompie85]

Weather its a new concept, new topic, something I want to research some more, or something that might potentially improve an existing concept, I can't seem to effectively organize my notes on the fly. They seem to be all over the place. I mean, I write something down on my computer or in a notepad, go back to it later when I am not busy to make sense of the thought, attempt to put that thought together, and finally categorize this information so I can refer to it again as needed. Problem is, I'll have a ton of, what seems like, useful information and these notes will get so congested that they tend to drift into a different direction and essentially cannot find the information I am looking for sometimes. Sometimes it gets so bad that I will literally write a duplicate in different formatting (Word vs. Excel) without deleting the old, just because I think the new format will be more effective in organization. At the end of the day, everything becomes this whole big clusterf**k of information that leaves me scratching my head not knowing where everything really is. Its like my girlfriend taking all these selfies and having 10 copies of the same picture on her phone, which she claims are different.

I want to start consolidating all this information so I can make better use of it. And prevent this from happening with an effective solution.

How do you guys effectively organize, categorize, and work on your notes??
Do you have a certain strategy you abide by?
How do you know when to effectively eliminate or catalog certain content after its been applied?
Time frames??
Updates to content??
Templates??

 

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[sija1]

Had same problem but found a solution which works perfectly for me. I bought 10 sheets of 22x28 paper and putt them on the wall of my living room. So every time I find a new concept, idea or anything else I write it there. It's divided by categories, like for example, after rereading TMF I wrote all the important stuff there so it's organized and in the same place. Same can be done with plans, calendars and everything else.

 

[Zl1996]

You could try mind mapping software. The Brain has a free pc version that allows for searching (if the map gets too big). I don't personally use it, but you may like it.

 

[dompie85]

@sija1 Yes, I do something similar to that. I keep a small notepad with me. My issue is with inputting and applying this information on my computer without losing this content in a bunch of clutter. I like to go back and do more research with these topics, but once I start adding more information that is related to that topic or idea, It starts to drift into other, related, subtopics. Then more detailed information of these subs, which quickly becomes an unorganized mess.

 

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[sija1]

That is the main reason why I don't input everything in my computer. I feel it's more organized when I have a visual with all the information at once.

Have you tried rewriting the information once again and grouping it by titles and sub-titles? Like if you wrote a book. And you add a table of contents so you can jump wherever you want. That is the only thing I can think of right now.

 

[dompie85]

Yes, I have learned that most of my information works quite well with Excel. But then there are certain things I wont really work with Excel or i'll create too many categories in excel that it might get a little overwhelming and redundant. I'll go back to the drawing board, take note of my flaws, and do my best to reorganize and consolidate everything. I am open to all organization tips. Anything is better than this mess I have to clean right now.

 

[Kingmaker]

Evernote on laptop and phone.

My whole life is on there: to do list, workout log, copious amount of notes and my own thoughts, list of business ideas. I use the Free Version

 

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[ZCP]

+1 for mind map

 

[Matthew Jones]

A commonplace book might help you.

http://thoughtcatalog.com/ryan-holiday/2013/08/how-and-why-to-keep-a-commonplace-book/

This is the method Robert Greene uses when he organizes his thoughts when writing books.

 

[mws87]

I started by buying a whiteboard and doing a mind map that way. I was really sleepy when I did it and didn't even realize there were mind map apps. For some reason, using the white board had a better effect on me. Try by writing down your small goals first and organizing by which would be the easiest to knock out first OR do the easier ones last, this way works best for me, it's like a "cool down" from an intense workout.

I have a scatterbrain and an over-active mind, I love it yet hate it. Writing things down has worked wonders.

 

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[Mattie]

If you have windows 8 in the app store they have journals and diaries. lol It's not for the same purpose, but I do like the dream journal app, because you can title, date, and write notes, and has a slider. So it's right there, easy access in order, and just slide where I want to be. I suppose it's similar to a cork board. I tend to have a pile of notebooks and decided it is just more helpful for me to have it in Write way pro with cork board pin ups, or like the journal apps. I suppose it's up to you.

 

[BigBrianC]

I was also going to recommend a whiteboard. I need to get one myself!

 

[Deleted21961]

XMind mind mapping software is pretty good.

 

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[Leo Hendrix]

Check out www.workflowy.com

 

[Leo Hendrix]

Although workflowy obviously works best for people who like using lists to organize their thoughts,

I haven't been able to number the bullet points yet,

will try and configure it when I have time, or maybe that feature is only available on the Pro version.

 

[Mass]

I tend to find that Microsoft One Note is great for keeping ideas and mapping your plans out, its fairly freeform. Imagine a Project Book but on your computer, you can click anywhere and post a note or picture and you can 'snip' parts of web pages to import.

 

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[Andy Black]

I have a nice moleskin and a nice pen. They don't cost much but you treasure them so never lose them. Scribble in it and don't try to be neat. Your brain remembers it better when it's messy (hence mindmaps). Each moleskin seems to last for ages somehow.

Also, don't try so hard to learn new stuff and to remember things. Small things said in different ways will resonate with you and dots will start joining. Mostly I find I learn when I keep doing things and THEN read. I then find ways to understand what I have done.

Maybe don't try so hard to learn so much, and focus on simplifying and reducing?


EDIT: Tell you what really works for me to understand a subject and remember it: Talk to people about it at every opportunity, and try to teach other people about it. Teaching/coaching others is the best way to ensure you organise stuff in your own head!

 

[John Clancy]

This is a little different to the thread topic, but recently I've started keeping a "Learning Journal".
This is just a big hardback notebook where I record the date along with anything I've felt I've learned that day. Its helped to clarify my thought process. I tend to get carried away with myself in my eagerness to learn EVERYTHING RIGHT NOW, jumping around to 15 different tabs and absorbing very little from any of it. The learning journal is by my side while I'm doing research and it forces me to internalize the stuff I'm reading and write it down.
Its helped me anyway, hope it helps someone else!

 

[townhaus]

Although workflowy obviously works best for people who like using lists to organize their thoughts,

I haven't been able to number the bullet points yet,

will try and configure it when I have time, or maybe that feature is only available on the Pro version.

Check out dynalist.io

It's basically a workflowy clone, but it lets you create documents and folders, to organise separate ideas (rather than all branching from a single node).

It's just as simple, but i think it's a big improvement. It also features numbered lists.

It doesn't have the 250 items a month limit, also (you'll have to pay $5/mo upgrade with workflowy, this is free)

Demo: https://dynalist.io/demo

 

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[AlexCph]

Personally I think you are being too focused on organising and not taking enough action. I only have like 4-5 things on my mental todo over a day and I just start doing them one by one. I have an easy time going into daydreaming or research mode, but if I catch myself drifting off to much then I try and think of what I need to get done.

IMO Make an ACTION TODO list for the day. Not things that involve research. If its research type stuff like inquiring information from vendors, manufacturers, then thats fine. Do those and maybe it will help you trim off all the fat of these disorganised thoughts.

If I totally missed your point and am spewing stuff thats not relevant to you, then I apologize. I just see this kind of procrastinating behaviour a lot. I was guilty of this so much in the past.

Good luck!