Learning something every day has been a beloved habit of mine for the past two years. And although not every single day is worth a revisit, there are many things I’d like to upgrade from “learned once” to “long-term memory”.
Here, I’ll show you a couple things I’ve done to do this with my Today I Learned (TIL) Journal in Notion.
If you’re new to this blog:
The Today I Learned Journal is a project I started to learn something new every day, and record it.
It’s a way to keep my memories safe and easily-accessible. This way, if I’m struck with forgetfulness, I have at least one memory from every day stored safely and organized by category in the journal.
I created a free template of the Today I Learned Journal in Notion. Feel free to use it and make it your own!
How I Remember What I’ve Learned
Active Recall
Write Entries Using the Toggle Tool
This is how I set up most my entries. It’s like using flashcards.
You use the toggle to ask the question, and hide your answer within the toggle. This makes your entries look cleaner and more organized. It also makes it easier to find exactly what you’re looking for if you have a lot of information packed into one page.
Review your Entry by Thinking of the Answer Before Revealing It
This is active recall. Putting in the mental effort to find that answer in your brain, rather than passively reading it. It’s the only way I set up and review my entries, because I’ve found it to be the most effective in improving my memory!
Review Regularly
When you review your entries regularly, you’re giving yourself a better chance to refresh what you’ve learned and actually remember it. This is a vital step (in my experience) to ensure that what you’ve learned makes it to long-term memory. Otherwise, this would be a “write and forget” journal.
Use the “Study View” in Your Today I Learned Journal
If you want to review an entry for later, click on its “Need to Review?” checkbox on the top of the page.
All the entries with this checked box will end up in the “Study View”.
Here, your entries are organized by the date you last reviewed them. So when you revisit an entry, be update the “Last Reviewed” box so it can be sorted to the back of the pile.
Decide on When to Regularly Review Your Entries.
This could be:
• right when you wake up
• before you go to sleep
• while waiting in line or on the bus
• or any moment that you would ordinarily check social media, if you’re looking for a healthier substitute
Gradually, you’ll feel confident in your memory of an entry, and can uncheck the “Need to Review” checkbox, giving you more space in the “Study View” for new entries.
If you have any ideas or questions on how to make the most of the TIL Journal, feel free to share in the comments!
What do you want to learn today, and remember tomorrow?
Brittany Bulut 