[roland35]

I used to worry that pen/paper wasn't the perfect note taking system because it lacks the searchability of digital notes - but over time I have realized that the primary purpose of notes for me isn't long term but short term. Writing something down, like the author states, helps me focus and accomplish the task at hand, and the more I worry about the long term value of the notes the less I take notes because I am worried about making the notes perfect!

What I do now is use a stack of nice small notebooks from Field Notes (no relation, just a customer), one for each project. I just scribble things in when I need and it helps me push forward!

[ButWhatFor]

I also find that handwriting notes forces a kind of “hear or read, digest quickly, rephrase in a short hand way the keep points so I can pay attention to the next thing I am hearing or reading”

That forced summarization I think does a lot for the brain. I find handwritten notes are almost not needed after the notes are written... your brain already put the summarized information in your head because you had to work with it to pick what was important.

[CarVac]

I use loose-leaf paper and throw it away as soon as I'm done with whatever feature I was planning.

The ephemeral nature makes me work more quickly, I find.