Goofy noticing: if I watch a lecture video at the speed that feels most comfortable (usually 2-3x) and pause intermittently to write notes + SRS prompts, the total time consumed is roughly equal to the 1x lecture running time (but I’m much more engaged).
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I notice that watching a lecture end-to-end and *then* writing notes/prompts often makes the latter feel more like a chore. Similar observation with books and even live conversations.
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Like after a really rich conversation I’ll feel like “oh my gosh this was so good so much to unpack and internalize!” but I’ll end up writing about it for longer than the original conversation lasted! This often “feels bad”… but probably shouldn’t.
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Which is why taking short notes during a lecture spares you from a lot of head scratching later. Also serves as good check points to skip some parts and focus on others when rewatching
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I get the same “chore” feeling.
I’ve also noticed that sometimes when I’m reading I really don’t want to interrupt the reading flow to take notes.
Reading for learning and reading for edutainment are not the same thing.
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I think it just feels like time is being wasted; you’re just reiterating over the things you learned so it doesnt feel like you’re learning anything new. But Ive noticed I definitely do learn more just by writing
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Yeah, that resonates.
Mixed. Sometimes it’s easier to synthesize once the material has been fully presented. Sometimes notes are worse because there’s too much to remember/juggle. Sometimes notes are worse because it feels too chore-like.
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Okay so I used to make notes while reading/listening, before seeing your youtube video. 😅 I used to capture a lot of author's original phases and thoughts... but then watching you I noticed you tried to add your own flavor to it (cont'd...)
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(cont'd...) So I have been trying to see if I should synthesize later... do you sometimes do it one way and sometimes other, or prefer one way more than others?
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I have this exact experience! My hypothesis is that when I’m writing a card in the moment, I have more context on why the card matters - so I care more. Whereas at the end, I’ve forgotten a bit why I should care. It’s amazing how much caring matters.
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This theory really resonates with me.
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