Episode 11: Rethinking Note-taking to Ease Overload

Episode 11

Do you leave meetings feeling frazzled? Find yourself scribbling furiously only to end up with unreadable notes and a foggy memory?

You’re not alone.

In this episode, I share how sketchnoting became a game-changer for my neurodivergent brain. Not just a creative outlet, sketchnotes helped me learn to listen differently—focusing on meaning, calming the overwhelm, and capturing ideas I’d actually use.

We’ll explore:

• Why all-talking meetings cause cognitive overload
• What sketchnoting really is (hint: it’s not about being an artist!)
• The science of dual coding and memory
• How visual thinking can support better listening and focus
• A step-by-step guide to start sketchnoting today

🎧 Listen now and see why listening, sketching, and simplifying might just be your new secret strategy.

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📚 Resources:

Here are the research references and links mentioned in this episode, along with some additional reading if you’d like to explore further:

✍️ Sketchnoting Inspiration

• 🧠 The Sketchnote Handbook by Mike Rohde
  rohdesign.com/handbook
• ✏️ Dave Caleb's Sketchnote: View the sketchnote on Flickr

🔬 Key Research & Theory

• 📖 Dual Coding Theory (Paivio, 1986)
  Combining visuals and words improves recall.
  Dual Coding blog post by The Learning Scientists
• 📖 Cognitive Load Theory (Sweller, 1988)
  Why our brains struggle with too much information at once.
  Explainer video by John Spencer
• 🧠 Drawing and Memory – The Wammes Study
  Drawing leads to deeper processing and stronger recall compared to writing, as it engages visual, motor, and semantic encoding. Edutopia article

We all need a rethink once in a while, so why not start today?