I have three broad workflows, depending on the type of material. (1) Insights and Ideas. The reason these are valuable to me is the thoughts they provoke in my

I have three broad workflows, depending on the type of material. (1) Insights and Ideas. The reason these are valuable to me is the thoughts they provoke in my head. I try to make most insights I come across "mine" by writing them and the ideas they prompt in a memo to myself or even simply on an index card. Of course, I always record the source, even if I don't record an exact quote, to avoid plagiarism if I use these notes in something published. I also have a computer file of quotes on various subjects. These are usually either humorous or wise rather than topical. This process is much more time consuming than slurping them into an electronic storage system, but for me, the cost associated with this technique is a feature. The "friction" involved in pondering and writing about ideas forces me to be discriminating and not waste my time thinking about or storing ideas that aren't valuable to me. Perhaps other people don't need this discipline, but it has made me more productive than when I have used tools optimized for rapid storage. (2) Code. Functions or programs that demonstrate techniques or features go into a well-named file in a directory reserved for each language or product I work with. (3) Facts and formulas. I don't record many of these, preferring instead to have (or have access to) good references material, but when I do, I either print the source, or write them myself on an index card and store them in a paper file per subject.