I can't pretend to have it all figured out, but taking notes and making lists is a huge part of learning and productivity for me. The notes don't have to be high quality, but just making them helps with committing things to memory. I used to scribble on anything nearby in essentially a doctor's handwriting, but the digital age has me pursuing something more stable (and legible).

The Perfect App (doesn't exist)

I've sought after tools that can meet these requirements:

• Markdown-based or easily convertible to/from Markdown
• Keyboard shortcuts for most things
• Mobile apps available
• A sync feature on each platform, preferably to Google Drive or similar without requesting insane permissions
• Themeable, or has good defaults
• Secure, at least in a way I can control

Many apps offer these features—or most of them—thanks to third party tools.

I've tried popular apps like Google Keep, Microsoft OneNote, and Evernote, some of which carried me through college.

I found Notion, which is lovely, and has actually been my go-to for its template ecosystem and features.

I did consider using something I could self-host, so I tried org mode and Joplin. I also went on a Markdown kick and tried Typora. Then I came across graph views in note-taking apps and tried Roam Research, Foam, and Obsidian, which all execute the concept really well.

It turns out I always liked something in one app more than in another. I've been especially impressed with Notion and Obsidian, but what I'm looking for is a little bit of both.

This is the part where I tell you about how I made my own note-taking app, quit my job, and I'm looking for seed funding... except I didn't do any of that, I just realized I needed a better system.

Organizing Chaos

There are dozens of frameworks, but I've found Tiago Forte's PARA method clicked with me early on. It's been the most helpful because you can use it as a foundation for your own system, and then tweak it to your needs.

P.A.R.A. breaks things down into four categories:

• Projects - tasks with a goal and deadline
• Areas - areas you are committing to, e.g. hobbies
• Resources - whole topics and subjects
• Archive - old or completed items from the other 3

Each event gets assigned a category. The lists of events stack up from there, except with a clear progression. To be consistent here, you have to think a lot about how your current and future life can fit in these categories. That's an exercise on its own.

Lessons

The key principle was that systems based on PARA and PKM bring the same categories and projects into every app you use. Previously, every app I would exist on would have its own chaotic configuration. Inspired by PARA, you can maintain the same categories you choose on each platform. Continuity. ✨

You might be using a to-do list app, kabana project board, and 2 note-taking apps, but things might make more sense if you carry the same categories and project lists to each tool.

Notion is special in that it can support so many of these workflows in one service, with complex interfaces and a templating system that can support any combination of hybrid styles. Nonetheless, I've found myself reaching for alternatives, often for simple bullet journaling or project issue management.

Repetition 📈

It's great to have a process and stick to it, iteratively improving as needed.

I found Kat Fukui's post on journaling 5 minutes a day inspiring. All it takes is 5 minutes out of your day to keep up the habit and reap the benefits. A little reflection goes a long way towards validation, documentation, and creating actionable items.

Daily journaling is an Area in PARA, but I often find myself pulling information out of the dailies back into other areas, projects, and resources when I have the time to reflect or update a project list.