Do Not Mix Meeting Notes and Action Items on the Same Line
When you look back at your notes after a meeting, they may be packed with text, yet you still cannot see “So what am I supposed to do?” The reason is simple. You wrote what you heard, what was decided, and what you need to handle all on the same line. An hour later, you can no longer tell whether that line is information or homework.
| Section | Key summary |
|---|---|
| Introduction | You wrote what you heard, what was decided, and what you need to handle all on the same line |
| Start by dividing one page into two columns | During the meeting, you usually write in only one of the two columns |
| Always add three things to the action column | Practical method in brief |
| The 90-second routine right after the meeting | When the meeting ends, set a 90-second timer on the spot before leaving your seat |
Start by dividing one page into two columns
Whether you use paper or a notes app, split the page vertically into two columns before the meeting begins. The left side is for “notes” (what you heard, context, numbers), and the right side is for “my action items” (things that require you to act directly). During the meeting, you usually write in only one of the two columns. If you are unsure, ask yourself, “If I do not do this, will nothing happen?” If yes, it belongs on the right.
| Notes (left) | My action items (right) |
|---|---|
| Decision to cut next quarter’s budget by 12% | [ ] Reorganize our team’s cost items by 6/13 |
| Plan A put on hold; agreement to proceed with Plan B | [ ] Draft the Plan B schedule (share on Wednesday) |
| Mention that outsourcing is being reviewed for design | [ ] Get quotes from 2 vendors and reply by Friday |
Always add three things to the action column
- Start with a verb: instead of “budget cleanup,” make the first word an action, as in “rewrite budget items as a table.”
- Deadline: not “soon,” but “by the morning of 6/13.” If there is no date, it will never get done.
- Checkbox: put [ ] at the start of the line so you can see at a glance what is finished and what remains.
The 90-second routine right after the meeting
- When the meeting ends, set a 90-second timer on the spot before leaving your seat.
- Read only the right-side “action items” column and check whether every line has a deadline. Add dates to any lines that are missing them.
- Move anything you need to handle tomorrow directly into your calendar or to-do app, and add one line beside it noting where the meeting notes are. Example: “6/13 budget reorganization → 6/9 planning meeting notes.”
- Leave the left-side “notes” column untouched and keep it as is. You can look it up later when you need the basis for something.
- Once you have moved an item from the right column, draw an arrow (→) at the end of that line to mark it as “transferred.”
This removes the task of “prettily rewriting” your meeting notes. Notes are finished the moment you write them down, and action items move into execution within 90 seconds after the meeting. Try it for just one week, and you will noticeably reduce situations where “we definitely decided that in the meeting, but nobody did it.”