Back when I was in junior high, my world geography teacher had me outline chapters before reading them because I was like a typical undiagnosed ADHD kid and bored easily. I know now that he wasn’t just giving me busy work. Outlining provides a framework to understand context and improve learning. It provides anchor points that reading through the material attaches to so ideas and concepts stick. It also works after reading. So I like anything that provides framework and context before and/or after learning.
A few months ago I started using Deepstash. Deepstash breaks books into the key ideas, usually 10-12 per book. If I am thinking about reading a book, I check Deepstash to see if it’s there, first. If it is, I go through the key points. They provide the framework and context for my learning. Likewise, I have just started using it for after I’ve read a book, especially if it has been some time since I last read said book. For instance, I’m going through the ideas in Deepstash for Ferrazzi’s Never Eat Alone, which I read a number of years ago. Deepstash is jogging my memory. I remember the key points and I’m recalling some of Ferrazzi’s writing on them.
It’s an easy tool to use and it’s designed primarily for mobile. About 10 minutes a day and you can go through 2-3 ideas for a given book. It’s advertised as something to use to be productive instead of doomscrolling. I’ll admit, I still have a tendency to doomscroll, especially certain social media feeds regarding my hobbies like building and painting minis. Deepstash just can’t overpower a short clip on a technique by a Golden Daemon winner. But it is part of my daily personal/professional growth effort.