When it comes to effective note-taking, the kind that leads to breakthroughs, to new ideas, being able to remember where you stored a specific thought, connecting new ideas to existing ideas and more, understanding your note-taking archetype, or style, is a key first step.

I first learned about note-taking archetypes from Anne-Laure Le Cunff over at NESS Labs.

In their simplest form, they are:

• Architect
• Gardener
• Librarian
• Student

An Architect likes structure, and the ability to—I would assert—majorly customize their note-taking environment. They may even want something they can build from the ground up. For them, the app Notion is a great choice.

Gardeners (like myself), enjoy allowing their notes to breathe a bit more, giving them the opportunity to go wherever they may; to take on a life of their own, perhaps. We Gardeners thrive on serendipity when it comes to our note-taking. Our app(s) of choice tend to be either Roam Research or Obsidian (my personal favorite).

Then there are the Librarians, arguably the largest consortium of note-takers. Librarians tend to thrive on order and hierarchies. They often relish the typical folder structures we see as a part of most digital organizational systems. Many in this group tend to prefer the popular Evernote app.

All of us play the role of Student on occasion, maybe because we are one, maybe out of necessity, we don’t favor a particular style, we just want easy, the info we’re capturing will only be used temporarily, etc. Depending on the computer ecosystem you’re in the most, you might leverage Apple Notes (iOS), Google Keep (Android), or an app like Drafts.

I hope you’ll click the play button below to learn more about note-taking styles and the best apps suited for each. I’d love to hear from you and learn about which note-taking style you most identify with.

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In today’s episode, I share about:

• The different note-taking archetypes and determining which one are you
• Why it’s important to understand your note-taking style
• How your note-taking archetype impacts the tools you use
• And lots more!

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