Notes — Capture, Tag, and Turn Ideas into Work
Notes are the bridge between fleeting ideas and finished work. This guide shows a practical, measurement-friendly approach: capture concise notes, tag for context, convert actionable items into timed work (Pomodoro/Task Timer), and review weekly so your notes drive outcomes rather than collect dust.
Why good notes matter
Most ideas vanish because they are recorded poorly or never linked to action. A good note is short, contextual, and actionable. It should answer three quick questions: What is it? Why does it matter? What’s the next step? When your notes are structured this way they become a reliable source of tasks, research, or reference.
Capture — fast, focused, minimal
- Title: One-line outcome (not process) — e.g., "Draft: Proposal intro".
- Bullets: 2–4 concise bullets describing key points, resources, or constraints.
- Tag: Add a single primary tag (#task, #idea, #research) and optional context (#projectX, #meeting).
- Action flag: Mark as actionable if it requires work soon; otherwise mark as reference.
Structure & tags — keeping notes searchable
A consistent naming and tagging convention transforms notes from noise into a searchable knowledge base. Use short, predictable tags and avoid free-form long tags that vary in punctuation or spelling.
Suggested tag taxonomy
- #task Actionable items you will do.
- #idea Concepts worth keeping but not yet actionable.
- #research Links, data, or summaries for later work.
- #quick Actionable items estimated under 5 minutes.
Workflows: tie notes to timed work
Quick single-Pomodoro workflow
- Pick one #task note as your Pomodoro goal.
- Start a 25-minute Pomodoro in TimerHaven; work only on items in that note.
- During the 5-minute break, add a one-line progress update in the note.
- After a block, convert completed bullets into Task Timer entries and review durations.
Templates — quick starter
Use these templates for consistent capture. Click to download a ready-to-use text template.
Triage: daily and weekly review
Daily triage (5–10 minutes)
- Quick-scan new notes and mark urgent items #task or #quick.
- Convert any actionable bullet into a Task Timer entry or calendar slot if it needs scheduled time.
- Archive pure references or move them to a project folder.
Weekly deep review (15–30 minutes)
- Open all notes tagged #idea and decide: action, research, or archive.
- Group related notes into a project note and plan next steps (Pomodoro recipes or Task Timer estimates).
- Export a short weekly summary if you keep personal metrics.
Search and retrieval — make notes findable
Keep tags short and use title prefixes to filter quickly (e.g., "Idea:", "Task:", "Ref:"). Use the Notes tool filters to show tags, dates, or keywords. For larger archives, export notes and keep a backup copy in cloud storage.
| Field | Example |
|---|---|
| Title | Draft: Landing page headline |
| Tags | #task #marketing |
| Bullets | Target audience, key benefit, CTA idea |
Short case studies
Imani uses notes during stakeholder calls to capture decisions and action points. She converts any action into a Task Timer entry within the same session and schedules a Pomodoro for follow-up work the next morning.
Alex tags notes with #research and saves source links. Weekly reviews let them assemble literature summaries quickly by combining related note bullets into a single document.
Frequently asked questions
Q: Can I export notes to other tools?
A: Yes — export as plain text or CSV and import into other apps. Use consistent titles and tags to keep mapping simple.
Q: How often should I review notes?
A: Quick daily triage (5–10 minutes) keeps the list actionable; full review weekly.
Q: Is there a recommended retention policy?
A: Keep actionable notes until completed; archive references older than 1–2 years unless they are essential.
Related tools: Pomodoro · Task Timer · Calendar