Ideas are chaotic, so the way we record them should reflect that. I’m a highly visual thinker, and I’ve found writing linear while I’m on the phone or in a meeting just doesn’t cut it. By nature, linear notes get in the way of each other. If you start a new topic, going back to the old one requires writing in the margins or finding empty spaces between lines. It’s sloppy, ugly, and difficult to parse later, and I can hardly remember how any of it relates to each other.

If this sounds like a description of your notes and you suspect you might be more of a visual thinker, I’d recommend giving mind-mapping a try. It’s free form, easy to jump around, and engages multiple parts of your brain simultaneously for far better retention. That’s the productivity argument. The fun argument: you get to doodle in a meeting, with an excuse! Check out Brad Isaac’s cool Lifehacker article on some tips on how to get started mind mapping along with some options for organizing — or not organizing — your ideas. But keep in mind, there’s really no “right way” to mind map. You just do whatever will make your own quirky little brain recall some idea or relationship later.

If you’re into iPad apps, iThoughts HD is an awesome mind mapping tool that I use all the time for brainstorming. It also imports and exports OPML — the outline lingua Franca — so you can pull in outlines from linear outliners for free-form editing or push your mind map into a more traditional outlining program.