Note to Self

​Do you take notes during class? After class? Do you journal? I try to. I've gotten better at it. Or at least more consistent. I was not a great note taker in school, for some reason the concept eluded me. Where I learned note taking was at work. The endless meetings or training classes. Any time I moved into a new role I would take copious notes and refer to them as I did my job until I knew my job. I guess that's the whole point yes?

But it can be hard to take notes while your stepping, lunging, wielding your weapon of choice. So at first I tried just sitting down immediately after class and tried to write down everything we did that night in class and try to remember some sayings or tips etc. That worked ok but it took away reflection time with the group as you packed up so then in became a choice of write or review with group. Going home and writing it then didn't seem to work either. After the drive home and settling in i may put it off. Or I was not always consistent in remembering everything due to tangents on subjects or just plain forgetting. Maybe this style works for you? If so great, because it also takes care of the journaling portion at the same time. Very Kung Fu. 

What I found worked for me was the meeting style of note taking. Just jotting down thoughts, sayings, whatever, throughout the class. Sometimes there's time to flesh it out a bit or sometimes just enough for a word. Leaving spaces in between these jots for fleshing out later. I always try to be respectful and not interrupt the lesson or miss out because I'm taking notes. Just like in a meeting but here I keep my pad and pen in easy reach but out of the way. Then, at home that night I can go through and reflect on each piece fleshing them out in the spaces I left or just using them as a reference to journal out the night. A conversation on the nights events so to speak. Reliving it so soon and having to write out what we did is almost like teaching and we learn so much more when we teach. Having to explain it puts it into a different perspective and uses a different part of the mind aiding in memory retention. But remember to forget or you'll forget to remember. 

So if you do notate your lessons how do you do it? What works for you? If you don't currently, give it a try and see if it doesn't help a little. Pen and sword in accord. 

Off to train....

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