Working on building my professional art career since around 2016. I mostly work in ink, digital or traditional and subject matter belongs in fantasy, horror, cyberpunk, biomechanical, environmental, abstract, etc.
You can find some of my art and links to my social media accounts on my website https://hapsam.com/art
I tried various methods and programs for several years until i found Typora for my note making, which is just a simple markdown-editor with a file-tree to the left, so i can view my different folders and switch between notes easily. I'm an introverted individual who thinks a lot about different topics almost constantly.
The reasons why it helps me:
1. Thoughts are easily forgotten. I think a lot, but i also forget a lot. Taking notes helps me to actually remember those thoughts for a later date, so that they don't go to waste and i can act upon them.
2. Thoughts clutter up my brain. When i don't write down what i think, then they pile up in my conscious and leave little space for other things i would rather focus on. This might look like i'm contradicting myself with point 1, but there is a difference between trying to not forget something and having it memorised.
3. Thoughts aren't formulated in comprehensive sentences. For a lot of these thoughts i have more of a feeling that i realised something or that i've made a break-through somewhere. Writing them down helps me make sense out of them and internalize them more.
4. I write down the things that i don't want to remember. I would rather learn about the things i really want to remember, then what function B in framework A does and how it connects to C.
The way i take notes is really lightweight. I have build up a simple system on how i write everything, because i don't wanna waste my time with reorganizing and building up smart structures for my notes. I don't bother with making them look nice, because it is meant as a second brain for me and not something i can brag about in front of other people. I don't care about grammar or doing something the "right way", the knowledge is the focus.
In terms of getting in the way of productivity. I noticed that i can be more productive with taking notes, because i can prevent solving the same problem twice and everything i've learned is easily accessible somewhere, i just gotta look for it.
Working on my art, drawing comics, going to art-conventions, teaching, producing music, creating games, traveling the world, participate in more social events (playing mtg, dnd, music-festivals, theater, etc.), learn more about psychology, watching & reading & playing a lot more games, books, movies and everything else. Shameless plug for my art and everything else (i hope the server doesnt crash, warning, there is a tiny bit of artistic nudity): https://hapsam.com/