Learn More With ChapterMarks

Have you ever gone to a seminar or other training and walked out of the event with little recall of the material presented? I do it all the time. I've tried jotting down notes and make mental pictures but there are usually big erasers at the door that seem to erase my memory. It's frustrating to spend lots of money to go to a seminar only to leave most of the knowledge behind.

I went to a marriage seminar a few years back that took a different twist. The seminar organizers provided a workbook for couples to work through and had a simple technique that worked wonders. At the end of each chapter the speaker would have you take 5 minutes and write down three action points. Three things you would take away that you could reference later and act upon. At the back of the book was a worksheet where you listed all of your action points in one place.

This simple technique worked wonders. When my wife and I got home it was simple to pull out the one page worksheet and have a complete action plan to work on. As we would read each point, the speakers words would come flooding back. Since the action points were personalized, it was easy to get started on each one.

I am an avid reader and I love to listen to audio books while driving or exercising. With the seminar technique in mind I decided to come up with a system to help me remember what I read or listen to. I needed to find something that would work well with a book or my Ipod. I tried carrying around a large sheet of paper to keep notes on, but it was a little too bulky. I tried an audio recorder, but it was hard to reference. What I found that worked for me was making custom chaptermark cards.

These are little business cards that you print out on your printer on blank business card stock. One side has a place for ideas and the other has a place for three action points and a take away quotation. I set them up with chapter headings at the top, so they are easy to reference when I'm done. I just write down three action points and any notes I have at the end of each chapter. Once the cards are filled out I keep them in a small envelope or clip them together and carry them in my pocket.

When I'm done with the book I can arrange the cards on my desk and create an action outline. The nice thing about these small cards is they work well with a book or an iPod. With the iPod I just keep them in my iPod case and fill them out after each audio chapter. With the book, they are just handy bookmarks.

I've captured this simple and effective system in a free Microsoft Word Template you can download and print out on your laser or inkjet printer. Modify the template to meet your needs, print it out on Avery business card stock and break the cards apart. In just a few minutes you'll be on your way to better retention with your next book or audio program.

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John Richardson is the author of Success Begins Today, a blog about personal development and time management. He has lots of innovative downloadable tools to make your life easier. From the pocket sized Walleteer Organizer, Suddenmind Idea Mapper, and even a complete Desktop Football Game, you're sure to find something that you can download and enjoy.

Comments

[Ruth]

Great article! Great idea! I present workshops for teens, and this is such a simple and effective tool, that I know many of the teens will begin using it immediately. So will I. Thanks for sharing!

John, your blog contains a wealth of unique and useful tools. You've got a new subscriber.

[Rosa Say]

I must try your system John! I annotate like crazy and take tons of notes, and in the process I create more clutter, for I end up with way too much to realistically deal with. Your tool will help me create a new habit of better brevity, and more quickly direct my immediate actions. Love it!

[Rebecca]

This sounds like a simple and effective system. I have also struggled with the best way to record, review and remember what you have learned from a book - particularly audio books when you can't make notes in the margin.

The idea of actions seems very applicable to self-development books (or seminars) when you are (hopefully) applying the lessons in your own life. What about other types of books where you might be learning something (say about history) but not necessarily applying it in an action? Do you keep similar notes of just 'ideas' or is the process of creating actual action steps intrinsic to this process?

Thanks.