I’m far along in my PhD so I’d say I have 9 plus years of good note taking experience. My current method has three parts. I take memos of every random thought either in my notebook by hand or in the memos app selfhosted. Anything worth while I write in my notes application trilium and add enough tags that I can connect my ideas.

It might be helpful to note how I did my PhD prelims notes for reading 80 books then being tested on them. I wrote stream of consciousness notes and citations as I read them made myself 2 page standardized summaries per book. This is helpful because I first go back to the summary and if that isn’t enough the SOC notes and if that isn’t enough reread the book.

Ever since I setup a caldav server I’ve been good about doing reminders now that my phone and computer are connected on this. One for family and one for work.

I recently watched a video on using a notebook or journal in which the speaker said we often never finish a notebook because we make up rules and don’t live up to them then never finish using the notebook. Recently I’ve taken this to heart and write everything in one book. Random thoughts, to dos, diary. All there.

I’ve also started keeping documentation notes for my research, servers, and life. Good to learn something fun or important and write it down.

I am very adamant about my notes being privately hosted on my servers or handwritten.