Use Emojis to enhance your notes, improve retention & make them prettier🤔

Newsletter housekeeping: Version 10.60.5 is out for Macs & PCs. Its a bug fix update and if you haven’t already got it download it from here or wait for the in-app update. Version 10.53 is on its way for iOS and Android. And… this weeks podcast is all about better decision-making. Great chat with Ellice Whyte.

Everyone loves an emoji😬

They help us show emotion and intent with our text-based communications so we don’t upset anyone.

Can you send me the report on Friday😡

Can you send me the report on Friday🙏

They can help in other ways as well.

If you have a few minutes, check out this article about Dual Coding Theory that suggests combining verbal and visual information can improve memory and learning.

When you use emojis or other visual cues alongside text, you engage both the verbal and visual processing systems in the brain, leading to better retention.

Use emojis to help you engage better with your notes. I’ve been doing this for a while now, especially when I write reports or instructions for clients or create long notes for myself.

In Evernote you can add an emoji to your notebook. I don’t do this for every notebook but the ones I use the most I have a little visual cue to make them stand out.

The emoji shows up wherever the name of the notebook shows so its really easy to spot.

I also use emojis in the title of some of my notes.

Again, this helps me spot the notes I frequently use in my ever expanding list of shortcuts.

Another place I use emojis quite a lot is in my custom templates.

I tend to place an emoji at the beginning of table headers. I find it makes then look a little smarter and gives me that visual cue.

But, the main place I use emojis is in the note itself and as there’s like a million emojis I use quite a few to help me and others understand my notes a little more.

So here’s a list:

🗓️ Highlight dates in a note.

⏰ I use this for anything to do with time or deadlines.

✅ Something that needs to be done although I prefer Evernote checkboxes & tasks.

📌or🚩 To highlight key points. I tend to use these at the top of a note.

❓ When I’m asking a question in a note and need an answer from someone.

🚀or🎯 Objectives or goals can be highlighted with a rocket ship or target!

💡 Ideas and thoughts.

📊or📈 For any statistics or when I mention trends.

✏️ Something need editing!

📢 For any announcements or big statements.

🗺️ To highlight an address or place.

🎉 To highlight any successes.

💬 To make a comment

📚 For a book that I want to read or a reading list.

🖋️ For a journal entry.

🎶 For any music you want to listen to or a playlist.

Hopefully this list gets your 🧠 working and generate a few 💡’s.

Do you use emojis in your notes? How do you use them?

Have a great weekend

All the best

Jon