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Taking Better Notes Without Taking Notes

I’ve never been great at taking notes. Same goes for journaling.
It’s not that I don’t see the value. I know there are a ton or practical and profound benefits to writing things out to remember and reflect on.
But in practice? Note-taking often feels more like a distraction. This is especially true during client calls. Scribbling down notes can take me out of the conversation. I start thinking more about what I’m writing and less about what I’m hearing from the other person, and I end up missing some of the important information I’m trying to capture. Oh the irony.
The alternative isn’t much better. Keep the notebook closed, try to be more present and focused during a meeting, and then as soon as you hang up…. you get bombarded by any number of other distractions and promptly forget key details and action items.
What’s a busy guy with a squirrel brain to do?
Enter the robots.
I started experimenting with AI meeting assistants.
These tools record the entire conversation, generate searchable transcripts, highlight key takeaways, and list out action items. Some offer different summary templates depending on the type of meeting, and most have a built in chatbot you can interact with to pull out details and insights:
"Wait, when did Bob mention his birthday was? I want to send him a note."
"What were the three main concerns Sarah raised about the project timeline?"
"How can I run these client check-ins more effectively?"
The results have been game-changing for my workflow.
I recently tested four tools: Fathom, Otter.ai, Notta, and HappyScribe. I recorded the same meeting with each one so I could compare their accuracy, features, and usability side-by-side.
TL;DR:
Fathom is my top pick. It’s fast, easy to use, and (best of all) free for most users.
Each tool has strengths depending on your workflow and budget.
Checkout my AI notetaker showdown video on the YouTube channel. I also posted individual deep-dive videos for each of the tools I tested.
In a pinch, you can just use your phone’s voice memo app. Most Apple and Android phones have one preinstalled, and it includes a transcription feature. Copy and paste the notes into ChatGPT of the AI overlord of your choice to create your own summaries or pull out specific insights.
Fight Fire with Fire
Would I prefer to just have a better brain? To be better at tuning out distractions and more disciplined at putting pen to paper? Of course. And I do want to improve and build better habits. But the reality is... it’s hard.
There are a lot of AI tools that are making it easy to generate distracting content that floods all domains of life and work. And there are tools available to help us filter through the noise, catch what we're missing, and get better results than if I was a freak-of-nature note-taker.
Since using AI note-takers, I’ve been more engaged in meetings. I ask better follow-up questions. I listen more closely. And later, I’m able to reflect on what was said, follow through, and improve how I show up.
Handwritten notes still have their place. But these tools have been incredibly helpful. It’s like having a personal robot secretary who never misses a detail and helps me think more clearly - long after the meeting is over.
If you’ve ever felt scattered trying to juggle client convos, action items, and follow-ups, this might be something worth trying.
What tools are helping you work smarter these days? I’d love to hear what’s earning a spot in your business toolkit.