I've tried a bunch of computer based solutions, software designed to help with doing GTD, to-do lists, Remember The Milk, a fancy, small leather bound notebook, all sorts of things.
These days I carry around a small, cheap 50c notebook that fits easily in my pocket and a small pen, and use it to jot down thoughts. I write down everything, from to-do lists, to business/application ideas, to what to have for dinner tonight. Whenever I feel like I've forgotten anything, I just flick through the notebook. It's low-tech and always available.
I have recently gotten an iPhone and started using Evernote for things like voice notes and photos that would take too many pages to write down in my notebook, and sync them to my laptops, but that's more of a secondary solution.
When it comes to more in depth and organised research and note taking, I carry around an A4 size spiral bound sketch book with a low tooth, and I write with a Micron or something similar. This lets me take notes and not feel constrained by lines. I'm free to write as big or small as I want, put diagrams and tables and formulae wherever it makes sense. I've started to do one notebook per subject, and now have 2 notebooks - one that I'm filling with math research and working, and one that I'm getting ready to start filling with research and notes for the Starcraft AI competition.
All up, through out the week, I carry the small notebook, one A4 notebook and my small pencil case and Sony ebook reader. If I'm going out to dinner or a movie or something, I'll just take the small notebook, and my iPhone and transfer notes when I get home.
These days I carry around a small, cheap 50c notebook that fits easily in my pocket and a small pen, and use it to jot down thoughts. I write down everything, from to-do lists, to business/application ideas, to what to have for dinner tonight. Whenever I feel like I've forgotten anything, I just flick through the notebook. It's low-tech and always available.
I have recently gotten an iPhone and started using Evernote for things like voice notes and photos that would take too many pages to write down in my notebook, and sync them to my laptops, but that's more of a secondary solution.
When it comes to more in depth and organised research and note taking, I carry around an A4 size spiral bound sketch book with a low tooth, and I write with a Micron or something similar. This lets me take notes and not feel constrained by lines. I'm free to write as big or small as I want, put diagrams and tables and formulae wherever it makes sense. I've started to do one notebook per subject, and now have 2 notebooks - one that I'm filling with math research and working, and one that I'm getting ready to start filling with research and notes for the Starcraft AI competition.
All up, through out the week, I carry the small notebook, one A4 notebook and my small pencil case and Sony ebook reader. If I'm going out to dinner or a movie or something, I'll just take the small notebook, and my iPhone and transfer notes when I get home.