How to Take Smart Notes in Obsidian

URL: https://theknowledgeworker.substack.com/p/how-to-take-smart-notes-in-obsidian
Author: Josh Duffney

Summary

A Zettelkasten Tutorial

Highlights Added July 17, 2024 at 11:02 AM

Writing is The Only Thing that Matters: Thinking through the medium of writing will improve your reading, thinking, and other intellectual skills. And so this principle implies you must consume information with the purpose of writing about it. ([View Highlight] (https://read.readwise.io/read/01gydvanc43005bztcf6rnzy9f))

Simplicity is Paramount: To be successful, the system must reduce the number of decisions made by standardized note-taking, having a clear separation between the different types of notes, and designated storage for each type. ([View Highlight] (https://read.readwise.io/read/01gydvapyx1d6d8mws2hwak55k))

Nobody Ever Starts from Scratch: The system must build trust by surfacing insight, connecting different lines of thought, and improving one’s thinking. As it’s used, thinking and writing should become easier and more valuable. ([View Highlight] (https://read.readwise.io/read/01gydvasc8jrkk7x6w2rx1kh7v))

Let the Work Carry You Forward: It must have a workflow that generates its own momentum through positive experiences and at the same time improve the learning process. ([View Highlight] (https://read.readwise.io/read/01gydvavmwf389zkg9dgf79vkt))

Fleeting Note 🟩 - Used for capturing ideas quickly. They serve as mere reminders of information and can be written in a variety of ways. Taking them should not distract you from your work. ([View Highlight] (https://read.readwise.io/read/01gydvb2n7qpj9engy3whvznwa))

Permanent Note 🟥 - Used to capture ideas from text (literature note) or used to elaborate on and create an atomic note (permanent slip-box note). Permanent means they are kept forever. ([View Highlight] (https://read.readwise.io/read/01gydvb7jkgj7h631c36dk0r7p))

Project Note 🟨 - Used to capture information pertaining to a particular project. Kept together in a project-specific folder and are archived or discarded when the project is finished. ([View Highlight] (https://read.readwise.io/read/01gydvbba60t0y90g1q7k78myx))

Inbox 📥: - the temporary location for fleeting notes that are being processed. ([View Highlight] (https://read.readwise.io/read/01gydvbe693tnvqjc9xsyfkred))

Reference System 🗄️: - for literature notes, also called reference or source notes. ([View Highlight] (https://read.readwise.io/read/01gydvbh3fgjfbetg82rhm7k7c))

Slip-box 🗃️: - stores all permanent slip-box notes. ([View Highlight] (https://read.readwise.io/read/01gydvbkzdhb4q4gtzmqb7t9gj))

Project Folders 🗂️: - for project-specific notes such as reminders, to-do lists, outlines, drafts, etc… ([View Highlight] (https://read.readwise.io/read/01gydvbq6hvgvhtgxk3c5gpnv0))

Throughout the day capture your fleeting notes in your daily note. Fleeting notes are mere reminders of information and can be written in a variety of ways. ([View Highlight] (https://read.readwise.io/read/01gydvc98yf0s9er4sxx2zhytz))

Fleeting notes also need an inbox to be reviewed. Left unprocessed, fleeting notes will become useless as their context is lost. ([View Highlight] (https://read.readwise.io/read/01gydvc3f92a5a0h04bpqcj9mq))

Eventually, literature notes will be archived. ([View Highlight] (https://read.readwise.io/read/01gydvcyvvfdp9z9mbyk53eebd))

Aim to have it no shorter than a tweet (180 characters) and no longer than an atomic essay (300-500 words). ([View Highlight] (https://read.readwise.io/read/01gydvdx149z3p3sa9c7jaegr6))

What’s next? Read “How to Take Smart Notes” by Sönke Ahrens. I’ve done my best to condense his wisdom and to show a possible solution for using it with Obsidian, but I’ll never do it justice. ([View Highlight] (https://read.readwise.io/read/01gydvfj09xxcq1skyfqdymrw7))

Above all else, enjoy the process of building a knowledge base of your ideas! 🎉 ([View Highlight] (https://read.readwise.io/read/01gydvfebv6qmbhkvn8t6mx4x4))