Writing, taking notes and thinking about how ideas connect is exactly the kind of elaboration that is needed to learn. Not

Zeigarnik successfully reproduced what is now known as the Zeigarnik effect: Open tasks tend to occupy our short-term memory – until they are done. That is why we get so easily distracted by thoughts of unfinished tasks, regardless of their importance.

The slip-box is designed to present you with ideas you have already forgotten, allowing your brain to focus on thinking instead of remembering.

The key to creativity is being able to switch between a wide-open, playful mind and a narrow analytical frame.” (Dean, 2013, 152)

In the old system, the question is: Under which topic do I store this note? In the new system, the question is: In which context will I want to stumble upon it again?

Most people follow different lines of thought at the same time. They might focus for a while on one idea, but then leave it alone for another while until they see how to proceed further. It is helpful then to be able to pick up on another idea and go back to the earlier thought later. It is much more realistic to keep this flexibility and you don’t

Spending the little extra time to add them to your system will make all the difference, because the accidental encounters make up the majority of what we learn.

We cannot help but think about more than one question at a time and the chances are that you will think and write about those questions in the future as well.

Don’t wait until you have everything together. Rather, try ideas out and give yourself enough time to go back to reading and note-taking to improve your ideas, arguments and their structure.