The Slip Box

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no hurry, no pause.

2023-November-14

When you’re reading, you’re curating information and connecting information that was previously recorded. If what you read doesn’t help that and isn’t interesting, drop the book and find something else to read. It’s not about finishing every book but it’s about reading all the time and making meaningful notes to build your slip box or your zettelkasten.

The Toolbox

  1. Pen and paper, absolutely essential, never read without a pen and if you cannot write in the book then post-it notes are a bare minimum requirement.
  2. Reference management system such as Zotero or Citavi,
  3. Slip box, to hold your paper notes, if digital Zettlr is pretty good,
  4. A text editor, again Zettlr or Notepad++.

More is unnecessary, less is impossible. Writing is a non-linear process, your slip box will enable you to start with your existing notes, never with a blank page. Ahrens (2022).

Reference

Ahrens, S. (2022). How to Take Smart Notes: One Simple Technique to Boost Writing, Learning and Thinking (2nd ed. edition). Sönke Ahrens.