The 5 Types of Notes

Each Has a Purpose.

Take Smarter Notes That Help You Think, Remember, and Create.

Not all notes serve the same purpose. Some are for remembering. Some are for thinking. Some are for building something new.

The five types of notes help organize your ideas.

Capture Notes

These are the quick notes you take to grab something before it disappears. A thought, a quote, a reminder, a question.

“Check out that book on habits someone mentioned.”

“Idea: write about how routines affect creativity.”

“Reminder: call the plumber Thursday.”

Capture notes live in your phone, on sticky notes, in your inbox. The goal is to catch the idea before it’s gone. Review these once a week. Move the useful ones into a better spot. Delete the rest.

Reference Notes

These hold facts, instructions, or resources. You want to find them later.

A list of podcast episodes you liked

A recipe for banana bread

Login instructions for your bank

A quote from a book with the page number

Reference notes should be easy to scan. Use clear titles. Keep them in one place. If you’re using paper, use a binder or folder. If you’re digital, use a notes app or cloud folder.

Don’t mix reference notes with ideas. Keep them separate so you don’t waste time searching.

Thinking Notes

These are where you work through something. You try to understand it or figure it out.

A note comparing two ways to organize your week

A list of pros and cons for a decision

A breakdown of why a project failed

A sketch of how to improve your writing process

Thinking notes are personal. Use bullet points, diagrams, or whatever helps.

Review these when you’re stuck. They often hold the answer you already worked out.

Connection Notes

These link ideas together. You build something new by combining them.

“This quote on habits connects to my note about motivation.”

“My note on morning routines links to my writing schedule.”

“The idea from that podcast fits with my article draft.”

Connection notes help to see patterns. They turn scattered ideas into something useful.

When you write a new note, ask “Does this connect to anything I’ve already written?” If yes, link it.

Output Notes

Notes you write to share. Drafts, outlines, scripts, or final versions.

A blog post draft

A checklist for a workshop

A script for a video

A summary of your research

Output notes are built from the other types. You capture, think, connect, and then you write.

Keep your drafts in one folder. Label them. “Blog — Ideal Week — Draft 1” is better than “Untitled.”

Know what kind of note you’re writing to know where to put it, how to use it, and when to come back to it.

Start small. Label your notes. Review them often. Think better, write faster, and waste less time.