Discover how to combine digital tools and physical journals to maximize learning retention and creativity through the Medium Method—perfect for organizing multiple resources and making knowledge stick.

Digital search is incredibly efficient, but sometimes efficiency isn't what we want for learning. The 'inefficiency' of browsing through your handwritten notes creates 'desirable difficulties'—challenges that slow you down but improve long-term retention.
샌프란시스코에서 컬럼비아 대학교 동문들이 만들었습니다
"Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."
"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."
"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."
"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."
"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."
"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."
"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."
"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."
"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"
"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."
"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."
"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"
샌프란시스코에서 컬럼비아 대학교 동문들이 만들었습니다

Lena: Hey there, welcome to another episode of Learning Curve! I'm Lena, and I've got a confession to make—I have about seven beautiful journals sitting on my shelf that are completely empty. I keep buying them with the best intentions, but then I never know where to start!
Miles: Oh, I feel your pain! I'm Miles, and I've definitely been in that notebook-buying-but-not-using cycle. It's actually super common. There's this great quote from Emily Hokett I read recently where she says, "I sort of feel like my life will be easier if I mostly stick to ONE NOTEBOOK." Turns out, most of us are drowning in options when it comes to note-taking.
Lena: Exactly! And with everything going digital these days, I'm torn between using apps and sticking with paper. Is one actually better than the other for learning and retaining information?
Miles: That's such a good question. You know, research shows our brains actually process information differently when we write by hand versus typing. One EEG study found that people who wrote by hand showed more widespread brain activation—in motor, visual, and sensory regions—compared to those typing on keyboards.
Lena: Wait, seriously? So there's actually a neurological difference happening?
Miles: Absolutely! But here's where it gets interesting—it doesn't have to be an either/or situation. Today we're going to explore something called "The Medium Method," which brilliantly combines both digital and paper tools to maximize how we learn and organize information.
Lena: I'm all ears! Let's dive into how we can create a system that gives us the best of both worlds.