Sharpening Your Memory: 7 Tips for Visual Note-Taking

Sharpening Your Memory: 7 Tips for Visual Note-Taking

Sharpening Your Memory: 7 Tips for Visual Note-Taking 1200 900 ORTUS DRAWS

Attending conferences, virtual events, and meetings can often result in a large amount of information being presented, making memory retention often a challenge. However, there are many ways to boost memory retention, and one of the most effective ways is through the use of visuals and visual notes.

Visual notes, also known as sketchnotes, are a great way to supplement traditional note-taking and help you retain information better. By incorporating images, symbols, and colours into your notes, you can make the information more memorable and easier to recall later on. By using visual notes, you can give your memory a boost and ensure that you retain the information for the long term.

7 visual note-taking tips to help you get started

1. start with an outline

An outline can be a useful first step when it comes to making visual notes. By creating a rough outline of the information you want to remember, you can organise your thoughts and plan your visual notes effectively. This helps you to focus on the key points and ensure that you get all the important details. An outline also helps to give structure to your visual notes, making them easier to understand and review later.

2. Use images and symbols

Symbols can help to represent complex ideas in a simple, easy-to-understand way, while images can help to add context and make the information more meaningful. By replacing words with images and symbols where possible, you can add a visual element to your notes that makes the information more engaging and easier to understand. 

3. COLOUR CODE

By using different colours to highlight important information and make connections between related concepts, you can make the information more memorable and easier to recall. This can be especially helpful when you’re trying to remember a large amount of information or when you’re trying to make connections between different pieces of information. The use of colours helps to create visual cues that can be easily recognised and remembered.

4. Make it personal

Personalising your visual notes can help reinforce the connections you make between different pieces of information, making it easier to recall. By incorporating your own experiences, thoughts, and feelings, you make the information more meaningful and memorable. This is because personalising your notes ties the information to your own experiences and emotions, making it more meaningful and memorable.

5. KEEP IT SIMPLE

Overloading your visual notes with too much information or too many details can be overwhelming and hinder your ability to retain the information. Instead, focus on the key points and aim to keep your notes simple and easy to understand. Straightforward visual notes can also be easier to review later on, as they highlight the most important information.

6. review regularly

Regular review is key to retaining information, and this applies to visual notes as well. By making time to review your visual notes regularly, either shortly after you take them or at set intervals, you can reinforce the connections you’ve made between different pieces of information and keep the information fresh in your mind. This can greatly enhance your ability to recall the information later on.

7. experiment

Everyone’s learning style is different, so feel free to experiment with different types of visual notes and find what works best for you. Try different symbols, images, and layouts until you find a method that helps you remember the information.

Whether you’re an employee, businessman, or student, incorporating visual notes into your note-taking routine can make a big difference in your ability to retain information. With the rise of virtual events, the use of visual notes has become increasingly important, allowing you to effectively capture and retain information from presentations, meetings, and conferences. So, try incorporating these visual note-taking tips into your routine and see the difference it makes in your ability to retain information.

contact us now!

Let’s bring some memory retention and colour to your next virtual event! Why not have Ortus Draws listen in? With a live illustrator present, you’ll have a concise, coherent, and colourful visual representation of the discussion ready to catch the eyes and engage viewers.


Ortus Draws is a live sketchnoting company that specialises in bringing ideas to life with creative and informative mind maps. Our sketchnotes capture the key points of virtual events, roundtables, webinars, discussions, conferences, presentations, pitches, interviews, and internal meetings. Are you looking for an illustrator for your event? Contact us now!