How to buy insurance on your time (without spending a dollar)

Read time: 3 minutes

Why you should read this post:

We often forget that good fundamentals lead to great results.

This post is for experienced professionals who’ve forgotten the simple and boring things are what set you apart from the rest. I’m going to share how a great notetaking system is an insurance policy for your time — and how to strengthen the process in 4 simple steps.

Read the post below if you want to protect your time.

How to buy insurance on your time (without spending a dollar)

I know what you’re thinking.

I am writing a topic about notetaking and expect you to read it.

There are 2 truths I want you to consider:

1. We often need to be reminded more than we need to be taught

2. Shiny new objects get in the way of the boring and simple things we need to do

So when you're conscious or subconscious, wants to tell me:

• “It’s boring”

• “I don’t have the time”

• “Most of them go unused”

I say to you…all fair points, except for one problem…

When you misremember, forget, or spend time searching for the answer, you get even more pissed at wasting the time. And underneath it all, you are upset with yourself for not being more careful or organized.

You cost yourself time, if not others impacted by your actions.

Consider this:

Notetaking as an insurance policy on your time — a safeguard against memory lapses and hours already invested.

Insurance is this necessary evil.

We are rarely eager to pay the high premiums, yet we wouldn’t dare to face life’s uncertainties without coverage. At the same time, hoping to never actually use it. And you get the peace of mind, allowing us to rest more easily at night.

When you need it, it’s there.

In much the same way, notetaking your insurance policy on your own time.

Much of your waking hours are dedicated to work. And if you’re reading this, work is more than a necessity; it’s the vehicle of your ambition and purpose. The price you’re willing to pay is your energy and attention.

Even though you love doing it (with the snarky remark here and there), one thing is certain: wasting that energy and attention is unacceptable.

Yet you and I do it all the time, especially with meetings.

We scatter them throughout our calendars. And naively assume we’d retain all the vital details on memory alone. But our memory never lives up to the potential we give it — that important info fades, gets misremembered, or worse, forgotten.

And then the worst thing happens – you repeat the same meeting you aimed to streamline.

If writing solidifies future thinking, then notetaking solidifies past discussion — ensuring valuable insights are preserved.

I don’t think I need to convince you of this.

The truth is we need to get better at doing it and execute consistently in a streamlined manner. If it sounds preachy, it’s coming from a good place. I realized if I wanted to have the time to write, think, and create, then I needed to establish a system.

Here are 4 simple rules I’ve adopted to take better notes, protect your time, and streamline the flow of information.

#1 – Write to your future self

My present self thinks too highly of my future self.

It believes my future self will know what I’m talking about. But my future self is way too preoccupied with new challenges that it will never make sense of a half-baked note. So, it means investing the extra minutes to craft complete sentences and as much context as needed.

There is no need to waste energy deciphering cryptic scribbles.

#2 – Capture takeaways, not conversations

I’m guilty of wanting to capture everything “just in case” it ever becomes important.

Excess often leads to waste. Resist the urge to transcribe. Instead, distill the takeaways – the “so what’s” of the conversation. Record the decision points, creative ideas, unique insights, and actionable items.

Not every word holds the same value.

If you need more, there is an alternative.

Record the conversation. While most people are reluctant to do so, it serves as more comprehensive insurance. And it's so easy now. You can even pair it with free transcription software, so it's done for you (with high accuracy).

Even with the alternative, it’s still important to capture takeaways.

#3 – Impose constraints

Notes should support your work, not overwhelm it.

• Develop a template

• Limit notes to a single page

• Allocate no more than 1/3 of the meeting’s duration to post-meeting notes

Consistency makes this easier for you.

#4 – Kickoff the next meeting with the notes

Consider the notes as a launching pad for the next meeting.

Ensure everyone is on the same page. it fosters progress rather than stagnation. While some meetings are one-off, no meeting is purely unique. Some takeaways and patterns offer broader applications.

And no one ever turns down good notes.

Embrace the simple and boring; it’s where wisdom emerges. Invest in notes – you’ll feel better insured.

Simple is smart – don’t forget it. If you did, read this.

And if you’re interested in a how to optimize and streamline the flow of information, read this.

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Hi, I’m Peter. I quit my highly-regarded, 6-figure job at Harvard to build a strategy consulting company in 2019.

Hard work is a respectable characteristic, but it’s limiting.

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