I find 1. Audiobooks help most. I personally digest information better that way. Some folks will listen to an audiobook with the physical copy in hand as well. 2. I’ll write down only what I want to remember if feel is important. Little aha moments. Or a line that reminds me of something. Or a book suggestion in the book that the author has read or is referencing. I’m certainly not filling pages and pages on one book (though you could do so).

I have a nice, but boring job, state reports and all. I listen to audiobooks while I work. Since I’m working I don’t, and probs shouldn’t be writing all that I find important while reading. So I’ll rewind where I need to and screenshot my screen, so that later I can go back and re listen to or write down what I liked about that section. But this could possibly take the stress of writing it down immediately while reading/listening. Put one of those little reading sticky tabs on the edge of the paragraph you’d like to return to. You can write it down at a time in your day when you want to!

3 I think information starts being retained when we listen to/read more sources of the same topic. To the point that we can talk about a new subject without needing to reference a book or google a subject. If you truly want to retain information, repetition is always key. Weather that’s thru writing, listening, or both.

4 It’s ok to not retain it all. I used to worry about this so much. I wanted to be smarter, to be “smart enough”, etc. but it became a source of stress. Not a huge one, but enough that learning kind of became unenjoyable.

So, without minimizing your problem, I’d say just read what you’d like to and don’t over stress about what you’re retaining! Hobbies should always be fun!