I started using this lightweight daily note-taking framework in 2015, and it's been a helpful way to keep track of things.
Each day's notes starts with a timestamp in this format:
==========
9/15/23
==========
Meetings are noted in this convention:
-- meeting name
- list of internal attendees
- [if applicable] list of external attendees
- meeting notes
--
Todos that come up are indicated with *:
-- meeting name
- list of internal attendees
- [if applicable] list of external attendees
- meeting notes
- another general meeting note
* todo item for me to follow up on
--
Throughout the day, I try to move any todo items to the proper bucket if it'll take more than 5 minutes to do, or do it immediately if it will take less time, then indicate the resolution with ->:
-- meeting name
- list of internal attendees
- [if applicable] list of external attendees
- meeting notes
- another general meeting note
- person: a sentence or specific thought attributed to someone in the call
- me: something I said to them
- me thinking: something I though of along this line of thought, but didn't say
* todo item for me to follow up on
-> opened jira ticket for this
* todo item for me to do right now
-> done
--
If I have a list of items that need to be done, I'll organize them in a do list:
do now
- do the first thing
- do the second thing
- do the third thing
As I cross them off, I use the same -> done notation:
do now
- do the first thing
-> done
- do the second thing
-> done
- do the third thing
When something happens that is tied to a specific time, like a noticeable site issue or a deployment I kicked off and completed, I make sure to log both the start and end times (or any other time so of note) so I have my own paper trail of timestamps:
shipping to prod at 2:16
- done at 2:25
- update to add support for martian sales tax
That's it! This lightweight note-taking structure has been a big help to me over the years. I hope it's useful for you too.