Building a second brain with PARA method in Notion and Obsidian
Learn how to optimize your note-taking system with the PARA method using Notion and Obsidian to build your Second Brain.
Jun 02, 2024
Normally, I take a lot of notes.
At work, I use it to organize and record meetings and projects I'm working on; I use it to run errands, work on personal projects, or record calls; I also use it to write posts for my blog, journal, or log my workouts.
Lately, I've also been writing down prompts from places like ChatGPT and Midjourney. I also clip how to's and what to do with the apps I use to get things done.
Whereas in the past, I used to organize my thoughts by handwriting them in a journal or notebook, I now write them in a notes app on my iPhone, iPad, or MAC, or even record them using a recording app.
As the means and methods of recording have changed from handwriting on a mobile device or PC to typing or recording, I've found it more challenging to organize and find my notes, and I've struggled to build a way to do so.
I used to be a digital nomad, using a lot of apps like Notion and many RSS apps, Read it rater apps like Pocket or Reader, Todo apps like Omni Focus, things or Reminder, the default notes app on iOS or Goodnote and Notability on iPad, and so many others.
I felt like I was lacking something, so I couldn't settle down and was using many apps of different types.
Then Notion launched. It was very popular in Korea from the beginning, and I used it right away. At my previous company, I even used Notion in my department at my own expense. (The only thing we used as a team was Google Calendar, so we didn't have a scheduling or project management tool...)
We used to be able to buy Notion credits cheaply through Taobao or Chinese shopping malls, so we used that to run our team account. I don't know if we still use it now, as I left the company shortly after that policy was eliminated...
Obsidian, which I recently started using, is a similar tool to Notion. You can use different types of notes in one app, and you can also use it as a calendar, to-do list, or clipping tool. You can even build a database.
The biggest difference between Notion / Obsidian is scalability and online/offline.
And there are a lot of tools that are similar to the two, each with their own strengths...
Anyway, I got a good tool, so I had another problem when I started keeping multiple records in one tool.
It was a big problem to categorize and manage them because there were so many different things, and it was very complicated to know how to categorize them. It was very difficult to know how to categorize my personal life, my personal work, my company, my growth, and my writing.
So I was really curious about how other people organize their posts and how they use their tools, especially people who use Notion or Obsidan.
Second Brain
That's how I discovered Second Brain.
Second brain refers to a system for collecting, organizing, and storing information to increase personal productivity and efficiency, and making it easily accessible when needed. This can be implemented using digital note apps, cloud storage, project management tools, and more. The concept of a second brain includes the following elements:- Gathering information: Gathering useful information from emails, websites, articles, books, etc.
- organize and categorize: organize the information you collect into categories and tag them for easy retrieval.
- Store: Save information to a cloud-based note app (e.g., Evernote, Notion, OneNote) or file storage.
- Search and access: Utilize search features to easily find information when you need it.
- be productive: Use organized information to develop ideas, manage projects, and achieve personal goals.
The goal of Second brain is to maximize personal productivity and creativity by reducing information overload and efficiently managing important information and ideas.
And I realized that there are a number of note management methods that are related to this, and I'm going to talk about the PARA technique.
It was the first note taking method I found, and when I tried it out, I realized it was perfect for me.
PARA?
The PARA method is an efficient way to organize and manage your notes. PARA stands for the four items below.
Components of the PARA method technique
- Project (Project)
- A set of tasks to be performed to achieve a specific goal. For example, writing a report, developing a website, etc.
- Area
- An area of responsibility that needs to be maintained on an ongoing basis. For example, health care, job management, etc.
- Resource
- A useful reference or information. For example, reading lists, training materials, etc.
- Archive
- This is where I store completed projects or resources that I no longer need.
This structure keeps my notes organized and categorized. By categorizing them into Projects, Areas, Resources, and Archive, it helps me quickly find the information I need at any given time.
Advantages of the PARA method
- Clear structure: Each piece of information is placed in the appropriate category, making it easy to find and manage.
- Flexibility: It can be applied in a variety of tools and environments.
- Efficient: You can quickly access the information you need, saving you time.
Each area is also interconnected, so you can easily find related notes while browsing one note.
Easy categorization and quick search. I think this is the biggest advantage.
How to apply.
- categorize information: divide all information into projects, areas, resources, and archives.
- Regularly update: Periodically review and update each category.
- Maintain consistency: Apply the PARA technique consistently across all information management systems.
I'm currently using the PARA technique to manage everything in my life.
Every day, I go through my open projects and check off the things I need to do that day. When you're working on multiple projects at the same time, there are a lot of things you miss, but by using the PARA method to manage projects and checking off my daily to-dos, I'm able to work on each project without missing anything.
I set up an inbox in Resources for web pages that I want to clip, and I check it every day or two.
After work, I check Area to review what I need to do after work.
Conclusion
Organizing my notes in this way helps me to reduce the clutter of information and increase my productivity. This allows me to focus more on achieving my goals.
Next time, I'll show you how I use this PARA technique with actual Notion templates and the apps I use with them.
Share article