It's softened by "I've found note taking to be fruitful." Perhaps that's true for the author. I have found it to be a distraction. If you're going to give me a

It's softened by "I've found note taking to be fruitful." Perhaps that's true for the author. I have found it to be a distraction. If you're going to give me arbitrary orders, do it. Don't try to soften it with some meaningless explanation.