How to Remember What You Read
Now that we’ve started reading these craft & business books, what do we do after we’re done? How do we remember what they taught us?
Start by realizing that, just by reading this book with an attitude of learning, we’ve already started to absorb the lessons and ideas of the author, integrating them into our lives and work almost by accident.
Then, take a couple of days and devote that reserved reading time to study the book.
A great place to begin is copying the quotes and any notes made in the book to a journal, commonplace book, or the appropriate computer file.
I usually transcribe my notes into Scrivener, which is the program I use for my writing. Each project has a file, and the book that I’m reading frequently pertains to one of those projects. For example, reading You Don’t Need a Budget is part of my coaching project, so I popped these notes and quotes into a document in the Coaching Blog Scrivener file.
Another option is to process your thoughts in a notebook or journal. In fact, while listening to a podcast the other day, a professional book reviewer talked about copying all of their favorite quotes from the books they read into a commonplace book (which is a notebook you keep near to jot down any good quotes, inspirations and ideas that float through the horizon of your attention).
FYI - A commonplace book is so handy! I keep one in my purse and one by my chair in the den for noting quotes from movies, fun signs on the road, and any other stuff that might inspire me later.
Once all of the notes and quotes have been transcribed, I read them to see what themes and resonances showed up for me. Why did that quote draw my attention? What are the themes of the book that pulled me in or put me off?
Any exercises or journal prompts that attracted me now get my attention. Are they still worth doing? Did what I learned from the book deepen my understanding and experience of the exercise or prompt?
And this is the point where I can really delve in, to review and assess the book, to integrate the teachings into my work.
So, how do I remember the book that I just read? By focusing on the parts that spoke to me and giving them a little more attention.
Next week, I’ll share my review of You Don’t Need a Budget: Stop Worrying About Debt, Spend Without Shame, and Manage Money With Ease by
.Our next read will be The Elements of Humor by Scott Dikkers. More on that next week!
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I’m LA (as in tra-la-la) Bourgeois, a writer and KMCC-certified transformation coach dedicated to kindly walking with you through any transition! Whether you’re looking to deepen your relationship with your art or patrons, explore a new possibility, or ignite the passion for creativity again, I’ve got your back. Contact me at la@labourgeois.biz to ask questions and schedule an exploratory call.
Thanks, I'll remember that