---
product_id: 419456055
title: "How to Take Smart Notes: One Simple Technique to Boost Writing, Learning and Thinking"
price: "₪88"
currency: ILS
in_stock: true
reviews_count: 8
url: https://www.desertcart.co.il/products/419456055-how-to-take-smart-notes-one-simple-technique-to-boost
store_origin: IL
region: Israel
---

# How to Take Smart Notes: One Simple Technique to Boost Writing, Learning and Thinking

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desertcart.com: How to Take Smart Notes: One Simple Technique to Boost Writing, Learning and Thinking: 9783982438801: Ahrens, Sönke: Books

Review: A great motivations to start Zettelkasten methods - How to Take Smart Note presents the Zettelkasten (slip-box) method as a note-taking system, which encourages an universal simple note format and an interconnected note storage and retrieval system. This method was pioneered by Niklas Luhmann. This book consists of three parts: - What is Zettelkasten method? This part explains the basic concepts and the practical skills (know-how) of note-taking using Zettelkasten method including how to separate different types of notes (fleeting notes, literature notes and permanent notes), how to use slip-box in writing and research etc. The focus is on what to do and how to do. - The Four Underlying Principles: This part focus on the principles underlying the Zettelkasten method. Zettelkasten method is not simply a skill for note-taking but also a set of principles and mindsets underlying reading, writing, critical thinking and research. To better use of Zettelkasten note-taking system, one should understand why it works. The principles introduced in this part helps the reader to understand what it really matters in note-taking, reading, writing and research. The reader can then adopt the Zettelkasten method with flexibility, allowing the benefits of using this method more obvious. For many, adopting Zettelkasten method would be a paradigm shift in their habits and perspective towards learning and thinking itself. - The Six Steps to Successful Writing: This part moves beyond Zettelkasten method itself and discusses the suggestions and steps of academia writing and research. These steps also follow the similar principles underlying the self-centered research principles. and the five elements of effective thinking. These suggestions are embedded in the design of Zettelkasten system which helps us to separate different tasks, to focus on understanding while reading, to develop ideas with connections, and to share insights with others. The author advocated that Zettelkasten method would lead to successful in non-fiction writing, learning, and academia research.
Review: Insight is the Purpose of Consuming Content - Ahrens extols the Zettelkasten method of notetaking that Niklas Luhmann used to produce a huge catalog of original writing (books and articles) over his lifetime. Luhmann kept atomic notes where each note captured a single idea, often in response to what he was reading. He then connected the idea to other existing ideas that were related. Finally he used a set of connected notes on a given topic to create a book or article. I found the Ahrens support for the Zettelkasten method convincing. Enough so that I am incorporating it in my own life. The book gave me a new perspective of why I capture notes on content I consume. It is not so much to memorize the content but to incorporate the ideas in my own life somehow. The notes are meant to help with my own insights on the material. It is important to recognize that the atomic notes represents your interests, rather than a regurgitation of something you read, heard or saw elsewhere. So you are inherently invested (i.e., passionate) in your notes. The Zettelkasten method is actually a tool for thinking and organizing your original ideas, so that when the time comes for you to write any sort of content (thesis, book, documentary, YouTube video, and such), much of the writing is done. You spend your time filling in gaps in your arguments, organizing your ideas for coherency, editing and proofreading. In other words, your Zettelkasten system already contains your future output! Zettelkasten is a useful tool for writers, academics, lawyers, students, and content creators (anyone who wants to deliver their original ideas on a given topic for others to consume). Whatever I am consuming from other creators does not go wasted because of poor memory. I now record my thoughts and ideas in a single database (along with another database to record info about the resources that sparked my ideas). I use a digital database tool for this. I am eager to see how the connections will grow and the content I will create professionally. That content springs forth when I start to see the breadth of the connections I make! My big gain from using this system is the ability to focus on what I am ready to focus on. I don’t need to focus narrowly on 1 project at a time. I can have ideas percolating and writing many different stages of development all at the same time. If I am stuck on one project, I can work on something else. Lastly, I can trust the system as a container for ideas and inspiration and future work. It reminds me of Getting Things Done (GTD), where you build a system without any open loops where information, work, to dos, and so on can escape. If I use an idea from my catalog to create content, I don’t need to spend any time trying to recall which resource sparked the idea, nor do I need to spend a ton of time finding supporting evidence to back up my idea because I have already built those relationships in the system.

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## Customer Reviews

### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ A great motivations to start Zettelkasten methods
*by T***E on February 12, 2024*

How to Take Smart Note presents the Zettelkasten (slip-box) method as a note-taking system, which encourages an universal simple note format and an interconnected note storage and retrieval system. This method was pioneered by Niklas Luhmann. This book consists of three parts: - What is Zettelkasten method? This part explains the basic concepts and the practical skills (know-how) of note-taking using Zettelkasten method including how to separate different types of notes (fleeting notes, literature notes and permanent notes), how to use slip-box in writing and research etc. The focus is on what to do and how to do. - The Four Underlying Principles: This part focus on the principles underlying the Zettelkasten method. Zettelkasten method is not simply a skill for note-taking but also a set of principles and mindsets underlying reading, writing, critical thinking and research. To better use of Zettelkasten note-taking system, one should understand why it works. The principles introduced in this part helps the reader to understand what it really matters in note-taking, reading, writing and research. The reader can then adopt the Zettelkasten method with flexibility, allowing the benefits of using this method more obvious. For many, adopting Zettelkasten method would be a paradigm shift in their habits and perspective towards learning and thinking itself. - The Six Steps to Successful Writing: This part moves beyond Zettelkasten method itself and discusses the suggestions and steps of academia writing and research. These steps also follow the similar principles underlying the self-centered research principles. and the five elements of effective thinking. These suggestions are embedded in the design of Zettelkasten system which helps us to separate different tasks, to focus on understanding while reading, to develop ideas with connections, and to share insights with others. The author advocated that Zettelkasten method would lead to successful in non-fiction writing, learning, and academia research.

### ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Insight is the Purpose of Consuming Content
*by S***P on February 23, 2023*

Ahrens extols the Zettelkasten method of notetaking that Niklas Luhmann used to produce a huge catalog of original writing (books and articles) over his lifetime. Luhmann kept atomic notes where each note captured a single idea, often in response to what he was reading. He then connected the idea to other existing ideas that were related. Finally he used a set of connected notes on a given topic to create a book or article. I found the Ahrens support for the Zettelkasten method convincing. Enough so that I am incorporating it in my own life. The book gave me a new perspective of why I capture notes on content I consume. It is not so much to memorize the content but to incorporate the ideas in my own life somehow. The notes are meant to help with my own insights on the material. It is important to recognize that the atomic notes represents your interests, rather than a regurgitation of something you read, heard or saw elsewhere. So you are inherently invested (i.e., passionate) in your notes. The Zettelkasten method is actually a tool for thinking and organizing your original ideas, so that when the time comes for you to write any sort of content (thesis, book, documentary, YouTube video, and such), much of the writing is done. You spend your time filling in gaps in your arguments, organizing your ideas for coherency, editing and proofreading. In other words, your Zettelkasten system already contains your future output! Zettelkasten is a useful tool for writers, academics, lawyers, students, and content creators (anyone who wants to deliver their original ideas on a given topic for others to consume). Whatever I am consuming from other creators does not go wasted because of poor memory. I now record my thoughts and ideas in a single database (along with another database to record info about the resources that sparked my ideas). I use a digital database tool for this. I am eager to see how the connections will grow and the content I will create professionally. That content springs forth when I start to see the breadth of the connections I make! My big gain from using this system is the ability to focus on what I am ready to focus on. I don’t need to focus narrowly on 1 project at a time. I can have ideas percolating and writing many different stages of development all at the same time. If I am stuck on one project, I can work on something else. Lastly, I can trust the system as a container for ideas and inspiration and future work. It reminds me of Getting Things Done (GTD), where you build a system without any open loops where information, work, to dos, and so on can escape. If I use an idea from my catalog to create content, I don’t need to spend any time trying to recall which resource sparked the idea, nor do I need to spend a ton of time finding supporting evidence to back up my idea because I have already built those relationships in the system.

### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Note taking, Zettelkasten, learn the system.
*by K***S on January 7, 2026*

The guy. The book. The system. Based on Niklas Luhmann system. Learn to take notes with everything.

## Frequently Bought Together

- Sonke Ahrens How to Take Smart Notes: One Simple Technique to Boost Writing, Learning and Thinking
- Building a second brain: a proven method to organize your digital life and unlock your creative pote

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*Product available on Desertcart Israel*
*Store origin: IL*
*Last updated: 2026-03-06*