For the past few months, I’ve noticed a significant increase in the number of notes I take during meetings. My usual “idea capture” and “research” notes haven’t changed much, so what’s happening? While the increase in meetings is undoubtedly a factor, there’s more to it. I’ve always been a note-taker. I diligently record the date, time, subject, project, and attendees using my preferred tool, Obsidian. This simple metadata is incredibly useful for searching and backlinking. When I think, “I know I met with Sandra recently, but what about?” I can navigate her contact notes and see all related documents through backlinks. # Improved recall The curious thing is that I rarely refer back to my meeting notes. I usually recall the important details without them. So, why do I bother? I’ve realized that the act of taking notes is a powerful memory reinforcement technique. I may not retain every detail, but the key points — agreements, problems identified, and action items — stick with me long after the meeting ends. # Peace of Mind My notes also give me peace of mind and reassure me that I have a record to consult if necessary. With those details safely captured, I have the mental space to focus on the present. Here’s my simple template, containing a few standard fields plus a tagged #ToProcess task: This task ensures I promptly follow up on any action items. ![[BenefitsMeetingNotes.jpg]] My meeting note template in Obsidian Every few days, I review my recently made meeting notes to ensure they’re complete before archiving. This serves as a quick refresher and a final check that “future me” will have the necessary context. Want to learn more about the “future self” concept? Check out this article: [[Dear Future Self, I Wrote this Note for You]].