Keeping a logbook is a simple way to make progress in a regular practice. Weightlifters log their workouts so they can plan their next efforts in the gym. People use fitness trackers log their steps and activity levels in order to reinforce healthy habits. I’ve found success in applying the same principle to my learning.
Just like a gym logbooks, a learning log captures what you did for quick review. A typical entry might include the title and author of a book you read, along with one of two key takeaways. For a workshop, you could write down the presenter’s name and a brief summary of an exercise that you practiced in the session.
There are two major purposes to a learning log. First, the act of writing down what you learned forces you to review what you experienced and put it into your own words. Even if you are capturing a small piece of the experience, the process of putting words to paper helps make that part of the experience stick.
Second, the learning log gives you the ability to quickly review what you’ve learned. I love to go through my learning log every quarter. Almost always, I’ll remember something that is applicable to my current work. Just recently I was working on some leadership models for a client, and my learning log reminded me that I attended a webinar on competency models. That reminder helped me find some citations for this client’s research that I would have forgotten about otherwise.
Try keeping a learning log. For one month, commit to writing a brief note about each of the learning experiences you have. At the end of the month, review your log and see if it jogs your memory. I find that my learning log has grown more valuable over time, and I think you will too!