Determine which shorthand system you will use. You can choose between the Pitman shorthand, the Gregg shorthand, the Teeline shorthand, the alphabetical shorthand system, handwrite, Bell's visible speech, the international phonetic alphabet or Blissymbolics.
Learn the symbols of the method of your choice. You can learn shorthand notations on your own by consulting online sites, or books from your local library.
Set aside regular practice time of 45 minutes to an hour each day. Although some will claim that you can learn shorthand in a few hours, mastering shorthand notations takes patience and regular practice.
Practice using shorthand by transcribing written samples. Compare your shorthand notations to the original text to determine the correctness of the signs and symbols you have used. Have someone else who knows how to read shorthand notations look over your practice examples to ensure you are understanding the system correctly, and to provide tips on the best shorthand notation practices.
Repeat the exercise using auditory materials such as talk radio shows, television episodes, and documentaries. You can once again show your shorthand notations to a friend so that he can tell you what he understands from it, and you can confirm if it matches the sample material you used. For this step, you can also ask a friend to read material that you can then transcribe. At the beginning, ask the speaker to go to a speed of only about 40 words per minute until you can write faster.
Apply the shorthand notation rules you have learned and practiced during meetings, classes or when reading study material. Try to use shorthand writing as often as you can during daily activities until it becomes easy and natural.