How do I practice note granularity?

The most direct way to practice note granularity is through a focused exercise: Take one note or document you've already written. Decompose it at three different levels of granularity: (1) a single-sentence summary, (2) three to five key claims each as a separate note, and (3) a fine-grained breakdown where every distinct assertion gets its own card. Compare the three versions. Which one would you reach for when writing an essay? When making a quick decision? When teaching someone? Label each version with its purpose.

Common pitfall: Believing there is one correct grain size and spending hours trying to find it. This creates paralysis: you never finish processing your notes because you keep second-guessing whether each one is 'atomic enough.' The antidote is to name your purpose first. Granularity follows purpose — not the other way around.

This practice connects to Phase 2 (Atomicity and Decomposition) — building it as a repeatable habit compounds over time.