take notes

Today is Rule #3 of the JustJobs Academy’s Work Smart list.

1. Don’t suck at your job.
2. Don’t suck at email.
3. Take notes.
4. Ask for feedback.

Do you remember those agendas they would hand out on the first day of school in elementary and high school (I think I may have even gotten them in university too)?  I used to look through them at the end of the school year and feel bad about how much paper was wasted because I had MAYBE written on two or three of the pages.  I’ve just never been a planner that way, and because my (pre-baby) memory has always been pretty good, a lot of the time I didn’t need one.

Once I started working though, it started to become obvious that writing down not only my own programs, events and appointments was important, but everyone else’s as well.  Not only could I then make sure I didn’t schedule something when someone else needed the meeting area, or the drill hall, but I could also see at a glance what was happening that month and shape my programs around it.

Staff meetings are rife with note taking possibilities.  Ours were always a chance to brainstorm together and there was a good possibility other coworkers would have a contact for me or an idea for an event.  Every month our boss would report to us any feedback she’d been getting from our clients and from the head honcho’s on the base, and I THRIVED on hearing what I could do better.   I’m sure the boss also appreciated that I wasn’t coming up afterwards asking for clarification or about something she’d already answered in the meeting!

Writing something down when someone is speaking (and looking up at them occasionally to indicate that its what they’re saying that you’re documenting!) can be beneficial in more ways than one.  Your boss (or clients, etc.) will feel more listened to and respected if they see that you’re wanting to remember what they say!

Do you take a lot of notes at work?

 

This week I’ve been looking at some work smart rules in an effort to better prepare myself for going back to work part time this fall.  I hope you’ve enjoyed them!