Hand reading question

[SeanC]

I've been decent at hand reading but not great. My mediocrity is due, mainly, to laziness at the table. I play either online or at home games with friends, and when I'm online I multitable and when I'm at a home game I'm not focused on hands (I'm joking around with friends, whatever). I have a good understanding of the game and am a winning player (yes, I keep a session log), but I want to go to the next level, and I think that the quickest fix to a higher EV in my game is going to be better hand reading.

So, last night at my home game, I really started paying attention to all hands. Every time there was a showdown, I'd run back through the hand and see how each player played it. I'd take note how the person bet when he had top pair, a draw, a bluff, etc., and I'd pay attention to body language. I found it a bit hard, however, to cleanly organize the data in my head. I did make good reads that lead to good laydowns, but these were standard plays for me; with the exception of two or three hands, I didn't feel I was getting a considerably better read than before by really "paying attention."

Now, this was partly to me feeling a little "spread thin." I was trying to store PF tendencies (does what with what range in what position), flop play (what does he bet, check-call or check-raise, how big will he call draws, how often will he call with mid-pairs or junk, etc.), turn and river play (same considerations as flop play).

Processing the data wasn't too overwhelming, but it was tough to then remember what I had noted 2 hours earlier. I wasn't completely incapable, though: there were a few hands where I'd go, "Hmm, I've seen this sequence before," and correctly fold or bluff-raise/bet (I know they were correct plays because my buddies always show when asked [img]/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img].

Any tips as to the most important "mental note" criteria or how to somehow simplify this process? Mnemonics even? Haha.

Thanks.