Stop Procrastinating With Note-Taking Apps Like Obsidian, Roam, Logseq

Sam Matla
14 Dec 202219:58

Summary

TLDRThe video script delves into the paradox of Personal Knowledge Management (PKM), where the pursuit of an ideal system can lead to sophisticated procrastination. It critiques the allure of tools like Obsidian and Notion, which, while enhancing workflow for some, can be a distraction for others. The speaker suggests that feeling smart through PKM doesn't equate to actual productivity. The script offers five principles to avoid PKM-related procrastination, emphasizing the importance of sticking to one tool, trusting one's brain, being project-based, improving work capacity, and setting actionable limits.

Takeaways

  • 🧠 Personal Knowledge Management (PKM) is a term that has gained popularity with tools like Obsidian, Roam, and Notion, which allow for interconnected note-taking beyond traditional methods.
  • 💡 PKM can be a double-edged sword, aiding in workflow efficiency for some while leading to sophisticated forms of procrastination for others.
  • 🔄 Sophisticated procrastination involves activities that make one feel smart and productive without actually leading to tangible progress, such as over-planning or endless research.
  • 🚀 The allure of PKM can lead to a false sense of accomplishment, as the act of taking notes and creating links can feel genius but may not equate to improved work output.
  • 🔍 Many individuals fall into the 'optimization trap,' endlessly tweaking their PKM systems in pursuit of an unattainable perfect setup, which detracts from actual work.
  • 🛍 The 'collector's fallacy' describes the behavior of accumulating notes, bookmarks, and resources without effectively using them to produce meaningful outcomes.
  • 📝 PKM should be viewed as an aid to work, not as work itself or a prerequisite for good work. It's crucial to focus on the actual tasks that lead to results.
  • 🔧 To avoid PKM-related procrastination, adopt the principle of 'good enough,' settling for a system that serves its purpose without constant optimization.
  • 🔗 Stick with one note-taking tool for at least six months to prevent the 'perfect tool' trap and allow for consistent work without the distraction of switching tools.
  • 🧐 Trust your brain to process and retain information without the need to document every detail. Allow for organic insights to occur outside of structured note-taking.
  • 🏗️ Approach note-taking with a project-based mindset to maintain focus on relevant information and tangible outcomes, reducing the tendency to collect notes aimlessly.
  • 💪 Prioritize improving work capacity and output over the structure of your PKM system, ensuring that note-taking aids rather than hinders productivity.
  • ⏰ Set actionable limits on the time spent on PKM system improvements to prevent it from becoming a form of procrastination and ensure it serves its purpose as an aid to work.

Q & A

  • What is Personal Knowledge Management (PKM)?

    -Personal Knowledge Management is a term that has gained popularity in recent years, referring to the process of organizing and linking one's notes and ideas in a way that goes beyond traditional note-taking methods, such as using Word documents or pen and paper. It aims to build a 'second brain' to improve workflow and effectiveness.

  • How can PKM be considered a form of sophisticated procrastination?

    -PKM can be seen as sophisticated procrastination because it involves activities that make one feel smart and productive without necessarily leading to actual work output. Examples include overly complex planning, endless research, and discussing ideas without taking action.

  • What is the 'collector's fallacy' mentioned in the script?

    -The 'collector's fallacy' refers to the tendency of some individuals to gather and store information, such as notes, bookmarks, and PDFs, under the illusion that this act of collection will make them more effective or knowledgeable. However, it does not contribute to productive outcomes unless the collected information is used to create something tangible.

  • Why does the script suggest treating PKM as 'non-work'?

    -Treating PKM as 'non-work' helps to set boundaries and prevents it from taking over one's schedule. It emphasizes that PKM is an aid to work, not a substitute for actual work, and should be intentionally limited to avoid procrastination.

  • What are the two traps that people fall into with personal knowledge management according to the script?

    -The two traps are the 'optimization procrastination trap' and the 'perfect tool trap.' The former involves constant tweaking and chasing the perfect system, while the latter is the habit of switching between different note-taking tools in search of the ideal one.

  • What is the main principle for avoiding the 'optimization procrastination trap'?

    -The main principle is to settle for 'good enough' with one's PKM system. This means accepting that no system is perfect and focusing on doing actual work rather than endlessly optimizing the system.

  • What is the advice given for sticking with a PKM tool?

    -The advice is to stick with one tool for at least six months, resisting the temptation to switch to new tools that promise to solve all problems. This helps to avoid the 'perfect tool trap' and allows for consistent work output.

  • Why is it important to trust one's brain more in the context of PKM?

    -Trusting one's brain is important because it encourages reliance on organic insights that come from consuming and thinking about information, rather than relying solely on structured note-taking systems. It acknowledges that the best ideas often come from moments away from the structured PKM environment.

  • What does being 'project-based' with note-taking mean?

    -Being project-based with note-taking means focusing on notes and ideas that are directly relevant to a specific project or goal. This approach helps filter out irrelevant information, reduces the fear of missing out on data, and decreases the likelihood of procrastination by working towards a tangible outcome.

  • What is the final principle suggested for managing PKM-related procrastination?

    -The final principle is to set actionable limits on the time and effort spent on PKM activities. This could involve dedicating specific times for improving the note-taking system or setting a maximum time limit for these activities to ensure they do not interfere with actual work.

Outlines

00:00

🧠 The Paradox of Personal Knowledge Management

This paragraph discusses the concept of Personal Knowledge Management (PKM) and its potential as a sophisticated form of procrastination. It highlights how tools like Obsidian, Roam, and Notion have popularized the idea of creating a 'second brain' through linked notes, which can lead to increased productivity for some but also to a more subtle form of procrastination for others. The author emphasizes that while PKM can make one feel smart, it doesn't necessarily equate to doing smart work or making progress. Examples of such procrastination include over-planning, endless research, and discussing ideas without taking action. The paragraph concludes by urging a reevaluation of PKM's role in one's work process.

05:01

🔄 The Elusive Perfection in Personal Knowledge Management

The second paragraph delves into the pitfalls of chasing perfection in PKM systems. It describes how individuals can become trapped in a cycle of constant optimization and tool-switching, under the false belief that the perfect system will lead to superhuman productivity. The author argues that this pursuit is futile because there is no perfect system, and good work inherently involves uncertainty and disorganization. The 'collector's fallacy' is also introduced, where the accumulation of notes and resources is mistaken for effectiveness, rather than the application of that information to produce tangible outcomes.

10:04

🛠️ Overcoming the Procrastination Trap in Personal Knowledge Management

This paragraph offers strategies to recognize and escape the sophisticated procrastination associated with PKM. It starts by establishing that PKM is not work but an aid to work, and that it should not be seen as a prerequisite for doing good work. The author provides analogies to fitness and writing to illustrate that the most important work is often the most straightforward and least glamorous. The paragraph also warns against the 'optimization procrastination trap' and the constant search for new tools, suggesting that settling for a 'good enough' system can significantly boost productivity and work output.

15:05

📝 Five Principles for Effective Personal Knowledge Management

The final paragraph presents five principles to prevent PKM from becoming a form of procrastination. These include sticking with one tool for an extended period, trusting one's own brain over excessive note-taking, adopting a project-based approach to note-taking, focusing on improving work capacity before system structuring, and setting actionable limits on the time spent on PKM. The author emphasizes that the ultimate goal of PKM should be to enhance work output, and if it detracts from this, it is not serving its purpose. The paragraph concludes with a call to action for viewers to reflect on their PKM practices and align them with their work goals.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡Personal Knowledge Management

Personal Knowledge Management (PKM) refers to the process of actively organizing and synthesizing what one knows and learns into actionable insights. In the video, PKM is highlighted as a tool that has gained popularity with software like Obsidian and Roam, but it's also critiqued for potentially leading to sophisticated forms of procrastination if not used effectively.

💡Sophisticated Procrastination

Sophisticated Procrastination is a form of delay where one engages in activities that seem productive but do not actually contribute to the completion of the intended task. The video script describes it as feeling smart without making progress, such as endlessly researching or planning without taking action, which is often associated with PKM when not utilized properly.

💡Second Brain

The concept of a 'second brain' is a metaphor for an external system that complements one's memory and thought process. It is often associated with PKM tools that allow for linking notes and ideas. The video suggests that while a second brain can be beneficial, it should not replace actual thinking and work.

💡Good Enough

In the context of the video, 'Good Enough' refers to the idea of accepting a PKM system or tool that is functional and effective, without the need for constant optimization or chasing perfection. It's about finding a balance where the system aids productivity without becoming a source of procrastination.

💡Collector's Fallacy

The 'Collector's Fallacy' is the mistaken belief that accumulating information, such as notes, bookmarks, or digital files, equates to knowledge or productivity. The video points out that collecting information without applying it to create tangible outcomes is a form of procrastination.

💡Actionable Principles

Actionable Principles in the video are guidelines or rules that one can implement to improve their use of PKM and avoid procrastination. These include sticking with one tool, trusting one's brain, being project-based with note-taking, improving work capacity, and setting actionable limits.

💡Project-Based Note-Taking

Project-Based Note-Taking is an approach where notes are taken specifically to support work on a defined project or goal. The video suggests that this method helps filter out irrelevant information, reduces the fear of missing out, and decreases the tendency to procrastinate by focusing on tangible outcomes.

💡Work Capacity

Work Capacity in the video refers to one's ability to perform and sustain work over time. It emphasizes the importance of developing the habit of working before focusing on the structure of one's PKM system, suggesting that the ability to work effectively is more critical than the system itself.

💡Actionable Limits

Actionable Limits are self-imposed restrictions on the time or manner in which one engages with their PKM system to prevent it from becoming a form of procrastination. The video suggests setting specific times or durations for working on the PKM system to ensure it serves its intended purpose without hindering actual work.

💡Perfect Tool Procrastination Trap

The 'Perfect Tool Procrastination Trap' is a scenario where individuals constantly switch between different PKM tools in search of the ideal system, which leads to wasted time and reduced productivity. The video warns against falling into this trap and encourages settling on a 'good enough' tool.

Highlights

Personal Knowledge Management (PKM) has gained popularity with tools like Obsidian, Roam, and Notion, allowing users to link notes and build a 'second brain'.

PKM can lead to sophisticated procrastination, where activities feel productive but do not contribute to actual work.

Examples of sophisticated procrastination include overly complex planning and endless research without taking action.

PKM can make users feel smart but does not necessarily lead to smarter work or increased productivity.

Many people chase an elusive 'click' of perfect productivity with PKM, which does not exist due to the lack of a perfect system.

The 'collector's fallacy' traps people into thinking that collecting notes and information equates to effectiveness.

PKM should be an aid to work, not a prerequisite or substitute for actual work output.

Understanding that PKM is not work can help limit its scope and prevent it from taking over one's schedule.

The speaker shares personal experiences with PKM tools, illustrating the pitfalls of constantly seeking the perfect system.

The 'optimization procrastination trap' leads to constant tool-switching and system-tweaking without real work being done.

Accepting 'good enough' in PKM systems can significantly boost productivity and work output.

Successful individuals have accomplished great work without relying on complex PKM systems.

Five actionable principles are introduced to prevent PKM from becoming a form of procrastination.

Principle one: Stick with one PKM tool for at least six months to avoid the 'perfect tool' trap.

Principle two: Trust your brain more and rely less on the 'second brain' for insights and ideas.

Principle three: Take project-based notes to filter out irrelevant information and focus on tangible outcomes.

Principle four: Improve work capacity and output before optimizing the PKM system structure.

Principle five: Set actionable limits on PKM system improvements to prevent it from becoming a distraction.

The ultimate test of a PKM system's value is its impact on work output quantity and quality over time.

Transcripts

play00:00

there are people out there who don't

play00:01

even know what personal Knowledge

play00:03

Management means and they're doing work

play00:05

that you want to do better than you

play00:07

because they're not procrastinating and

play00:09

they're not trying to get things perfect

play00:11

and all optimized first

play00:13

so personal Knowledge Management is a

play00:16

term that's kind of blown up over the

play00:18

last few years with tools like obsidian

play00:21

Rome log sick notion and a bunch of

play00:24

others this idea that you can link for

play00:27

together that you can take notes in a

play00:29

way that's not just standard Word

play00:31

documents or you know pen and paper but

play00:35

actually build a second brain so to

play00:38

speak for some it's been an incredible

play00:40

opportunity to speed up their workflow

play00:42

and to get more work done and be more

play00:45

effective at what they do but for many

play00:48

it's just resulted in another way to

play00:51

procrastinate but it's a sophisticated

play00:53

form of procrastination it's not obvious

play00:56

see obvious procrastination is things

play01:00

that we know we shouldn't be doing

play01:02

watching Netflix when we should be

play01:04

working on that essay that there's a

play01:06

close deadline for or playing video

play01:09

games when we should be emailing the

play01:12

client that we need to follow up with

play01:13

this type of procrastination doesn't

play01:16

feel good we usually feel guilty when

play01:18

we're engaging in it

play01:19

but sophisticated procrastination is

play01:22

different it's activity that makes us

play01:24

feel smart it makes us feel like we're

play01:28

making progress but we're not some

play01:30

examples of sophisticated

play01:32

procrastination include things like

play01:34

overly complex planning Beyond what's

play01:37

necessary instead of actually just

play01:38

starting what you need to do endlessly

play01:42

researching reading books Beyond what's

play01:45

necessary or talking to people about

play01:47

your ideas about your plans without ever

play01:50

really taking action these are all

play01:52

things that make us feel like we're

play01:54

making progress but we're not and in

play01:56

that category for a lot of people is

play01:59

personal Knowledge Management two here's

play02:01

why first of all personal Knowledge

play02:03

Management makes you feel smart the

play02:06

first time I use drone research and

play02:08

played around with bi-directional

play02:10

linking I thought I'd found the meaning

play02:12

to life I thought this will change

play02:15

everything and as I added notes and

play02:18

added these bi-directional links between

play02:20

turns and Concepts and words I felt like

play02:23

a genius I even looked down upon people

play02:25

who are still using peasant tools like

play02:27

Evernote and Apple notes that didn't

play02:30

have this functionality but it didn't

play02:31

take me long to realize that I actually

play02:34

wasn't doing better work and that just

play02:37

because I felt smart it didn't mean I

play02:39

was being smart or becoming smarter the

play02:42

takeaway here before we move on is that

play02:45

creating complex systems for note-taking

play02:47

makes you feel smart feeling smart is a

play02:50

good feeling

play02:51

but just because it's a good feeling it

play02:53

doesn't mean that we're doing good work

play02:55

or even doing work at all now the other

play02:57

reason why personal Knowledge Management

play02:59

again for many people not everyone I'm

play03:01

not saying personal Knowledge Management

play03:02

is bad I'm just saying for most people

play03:05

they don't use it properly another

play03:07

reason why it's a sophisticated form of

play03:10

procrastination is because it's chasing

play03:12

the elusive what do I mean by this so

play03:15

many personal Knowledge Management

play03:16

addicts are on a hamster wheel they're

play03:18

chasing something that they'll never

play03:20

reach they think that if they just

play03:22

optimize a little more make a few tweaks

play03:25

to their system or download that new

play03:27

note taken app that has these fancy new

play03:30

features that everything will finally

play03:31

click and they'll experience superhuman

play03:34

productivity

play03:36

but this never happens the click that

play03:39

they're chasing and it might be what

play03:41

you're chasing doesn't exist it's

play03:44

Elusive and it doesn't exist because

play03:46

there's no perfect system and also doing

play03:48

good work almost always involves

play03:51

uncertainty frustration confusion and

play03:55

disorganization trying to eliminate

play03:57

these elements is futile and it's a

play03:59

robust exercise and procrastination you

play04:01

need to learn and you need to know how

play04:03

to make progress despite the mess now

play04:06

another reason why personal Knowledge

play04:07

Management is a form of procrastination

play04:10

is What's called the collector's Galaxy

play04:12

so collecting notes bookmarks PDFs

play04:16

highlights and impulse buying Kindle

play04:18

books doesn't make us more effective it

play04:22

doesn't make you more effective it

play04:23

doesn't help you do better work and it

play04:25

doesn't move you towards productive

play04:27

outcomes it's only when you use that

play04:30

information in a way to tangibly produce

play04:33

something whether it's a book an article

play04:36

a YouTube video or something else

play04:39

entirely and there's a good quote from

play04:40

Sasha at

play04:42

zitocarston.de and he writes about this

play04:45

there's a tendency in all of us to

play04:47

gather useful stuff and feel good about

play04:49

it

play04:50

to collect is a reward in itself as

play04:54

knowledge workers we're inclined to look

play04:56

for the next groundbreaking thought for

play04:58

intellectual stimulation we pile up

play05:00

promising books and articles and we

play05:02

store half the internet as bookmarks

play05:04

just so we get the feeling of being on

play05:07

The Cutting Edge

play05:10

that feeling of being on The Cutting

play05:12

Edge means nothing

play05:14

it means nothing if you're not actually

play05:16

producing Cutting Edge work as a result

play05:19

of your note-taking efforts so we've

play05:22

established that personal Knowledge

play05:24

Management as a form of procrastination

play05:25

it's a very sophisticated one so how do

play05:27

we both recognize that a we're in this

play05:31

form of procrastination because a lot of

play05:33

people don't realize what they're doing

play05:35

and secondly how do we get ourselves out

play05:38

of it well we need to start by

play05:39

understanding that personal Knowledge

play05:40

Management is not work

play05:43

it is not work and it's also not a

play05:45

prerequisite to work and if you believe

play05:47

that it is then you're going to run into

play05:50

issues you can argue that personal

play05:52

Knowledge Management or note-taking is

play05:54

work right but it will be more

play05:57

beneficial to you if you don't and that

play05:59

if you categorize it as non-work even if

play06:02

technically it is when you treat

play06:03

personal Knowledge Management as work

play06:05

you give it free running to take up as

play06:07

much of your schedule as possible you

play06:10

can procrastinate and absolve yourself

play06:12

of all guilt because at the end of the

play06:13

day you're doing work but when you treat

play06:16

it as non-work you intentionally limit

play06:18

it you realize that at age your work but

play06:21

at the end of the day it is not the work

play06:23

that matters most for example the person

play06:25

who wants to build muscle knows that the

play06:28

work that matters most is getting to the

play06:31

gym lifting weights and eating well

play06:33

finding an optimal workout routine May

play06:36

Aid the progress but it is not the work

play06:38

that matters alone it's not going to do

play06:41

anything likewise the aspiring an author

play06:44

who wants to write a book knows that the

play06:46

work that matters most is right in every

play06:49

day putting in that work putting words

play06:52

on paper

play06:53

note taking research you know planning

play06:57

is going to Aid in that process but it's

play06:59

not the work that matters ultimately

play07:02

it's not the work that matters most it's

play07:04

just an aid and so you shouldn't avoid

play07:06

personal Knowledge Management but you

play07:07

need to understand that it is an aid to

play07:10

the work that you're ultimately trying

play07:12

to do instead of something in and of

play07:14

itself the writer who has an established

play07:17

note-taking and research process will be

play07:20

far more effective than the writer who

play07:22

doesn't but the consistent writer who

play07:25

doesn't have any complicated form of

play07:28

personal Knowledge Management System

play07:30

will absolutely crush the writer who

play07:34

can't sit down and do the work because

play07:36

they keep procrastinating taking notes

play07:39

to bolster this you have to understand

play07:41

that personal Knowledge Management is

play07:43

not a prerequisite to doing good work

play07:45

it's only an aid Knowledge Management is

play07:47

beneficial putting this video together

play07:49

without existing notes that I've put in

play07:51

obsidian and structured it all or it

play07:54

would take twice as long and it wouldn't

play07:55

be as good

play07:57

but there are some things that you can

play07:59

only learn by doing the person who's

play08:02

writing an article or an essay uncovers

play08:05

insights while they're writing it things

play08:07

that come into their head that wouldn't

play08:09

have come into the head if they were

play08:10

just taking notes

play08:12

the entrepreneur who's building a

play08:13

business comes across Solutions and

play08:16

ideas that he couldn't come across

play08:18

during the planning phase but it can

play08:20

only come through action and so if you

play08:23

view personal Knowledge Management as a

play08:25

prerequisite to doing good work even on

play08:27

a subconscious level then you'll spend

play08:29

all your time theorizing thinking and

play08:33

planning without ever doing it now I

play08:36

know what you're thinking well No One

play08:38

Believes that it's a prerequisites are

play08:40

doing good work and you're right no

play08:42

one's going to say that no one's going

play08:43

to admit to that but the thing is people

play08:45

act like it is a prerequisite now before

play08:48

we get to the five actionable principles

play08:50

I want to share two traps that people

play08:51

fall into when it comes to personal

play08:53

Knowledge Management the first is what I

play08:56

call the optimization procrastination

play08:58

trap

play08:59

many people fall in to this track

play09:04

they have a misguided desire to create

play09:06

the perfect system

play09:08

and this manifests itself in two ways

play09:11

first of all they constantly switch to

play09:13

new tools they download the new app they

play09:17

chase shiny objects and they think that

play09:19

some new software that's just come out

play09:21

or some features that have been released

play09:23

are going to fundamentally fix

play09:24

everything and change everything for

play09:27

them which is a fallacy and it's not

play09:29

going to happen and the second way it

play09:31

manifests itself is in constant

play09:33

optimization beyond the point of

play09:35

necessity right beyond the point of

play09:37

diminishing returns so they might use

play09:40

something like motion or obsidian and

play09:42

they find themselves constantly making

play09:44

tweaks to their system watching YouTube

play09:46

tutorials on how to do things a certain

play09:48

way or do things in a more complex way

play09:50

that feels better to them and makes them

play09:53

feel smart but doesn't help them do

play09:55

better work the truth is you will never

play09:57

have the perfect system every software

play10:00

every note taking app has good features

play10:03

and flaws and there'll always be another

play10:05

app that does something better than your

play10:07

app but also has other drawbacks the

play10:10

mental switch you need to make here is

play10:12

that if you suffer from this

play10:14

optimization procrastination trap then

play10:17

settle in for good enough is one of the

play10:19

best things you can do for your

play10:21

productivity and your work output

play10:23

because the person who gets their system

play10:25

to good enough ends up doing real work

play10:28

and improves their craft much sooner and

play10:32

faster than the person who's endlessly

play10:34

optimizing this system trying to get it

play10:37

perfect an example of this is a good

play10:39

friend of mine who's an entrepreneur he

play10:41

scaled his business extremely quickly he

play10:43

uses this messy combination of Evernote

play10:46

and Microsoft Word docs that when I see

play10:48

it it makes me cringe because it looks

play10:50

so messy and disorganized

play10:52

but he crushes it and he does the work

play10:55

and I have another friend who just uses

play10:57

pen and paper like they don't have any

play10:58

digital note-taking system at all really

play11:01

and they also crush it so there are

play11:04

people out there who don't even know

play11:06

what personal Knowledge Management means

play11:07

and they're doing work that you want to

play11:10

do better than you because they're not

play11:12

procrastinating and they're not trying

play11:14

to get things perfect and all optimized

play11:16

first so get your system to good enough

play11:19

and then use your system don't try to

play11:22

optimize it further when you do this

play11:24

it's just another form of

play11:25

procrastination another trap that's

play11:27

similar to this is the perfect tool

play11:30

procrastination trap so personal

play11:33

Knowledge Management addicts switch to

play11:35

us all the time I've mentioned this if

play11:37

you browse any subreddit like obsidian

play11:40

or Rome or log set you'll see an array

play11:43

of posts from people talking about why

play11:45

they switched from motion or obsidian to

play11:48

this new tool and the pros and cons and

play11:50

so on and so on and so on and this is a

play11:52

trap that I find all into time and time

play11:53

again I started off with Evernote I

play11:56

moved to Rome and then to obsidian and

play11:58

Bachelor I'm an intercraft and I played

play12:00

with heptabase before finally landed on

play12:04

obsidian after a brief stint with mem

play12:06

dot AI if I'd avoided jumping around

play12:09

like this I would have got so much more

play12:10

work done when I look back there were

play12:13

hours and hours of time just spent my

play12:15

grading and setting things up and

play12:17

feeling smart about it it was a waste of

play12:20

time if you're jumping around from toe

play12:22

to tall you're really chasing that

play12:25

elusive click that we talked about

play12:27

earlier that doesn't exist so this is

play12:29

just another form of procrastination you

play12:31

need to understand that there's no tool

play12:33

out there that's going to enable you to

play12:34

do amazing work if you can't sit down

play12:38

and just do the work regardless so now

play12:40

that we've established all that how do

play12:44

we move forward how do we stop ourselves

play12:46

from being these personal Knowledge

play12:47

Management procrastinators well there

play12:50

are five principles that I think you

play12:51

should adopt the first one is to stick

play12:54

with one tool for the next six months

play12:57

minimum you need to escape this perfect

play13:00

tool trick that I just talked about and

play13:02

unless you can make an extremely robust

play13:04

argument for why you need to switch to

play13:06

another tool and I bet you can't then

play13:08

all you're doing is procrastinating

play13:10

you're looking for a shiny object you're

play13:12

looking for that thing to give you a

play13:13

dopamine hit and to make you feel like

play13:15

you're smart

play13:16

to combat this you need to stick with

play13:19

one tool

play13:21

ideally the one that you're already

play13:22

using so you don't need to migrate and

play13:25

spend time doing that stick with it for

play13:27

the next six months minimum and be

play13:30

warned during this time there is a high

play13:32

chance that you will see some new

play13:35

note-taking app pop up on the internet

play13:37

and you'll think I need that that looks

play13:40

good that will solve all my problems

play13:41

that's got a feature that I need don't

play13:44

do it stick with your current tool and

play13:47

do the work because if you don't you'll

play13:49

fall back into this cycle again and

play13:52

you'll just procrastinate one thing that

play13:54

helped me break out of this cycle of

play13:55

just switch in from app to app was to

play13:58

remember that people have done great

play14:00

things and great work without these

play14:02

complex systems right like there's

play14:04

authors in the past that wrote books in

play14:07

prison without access to obsidian or bro

play14:10

more the next new thing you don't need

play14:12

these complex systems to do good work

play14:14

they can help but you have more than you

play14:17

need to do great work these features and

play14:20

apps are announcements they're not

play14:22

Necessities the second principle is to

play14:24

trust your brain more so I'm all about

play14:26

this idea of building a second brain

play14:28

which has become a little bit of a buzz

play14:30

phrase but I think it's good but a

play14:32

second brain is not a replacement for

play14:34

your actual brain many personal

play14:38

knowledgement addicts take notes on

play14:39

everything they consume but don't leave

play14:42

any room for actual thinking work

play14:45

you need to trust that as you consume

play14:46

information and as you think through

play14:49

things that insights will come to you

play14:51

organically

play14:53

and not necessarily when you're inside

play14:56

your note-taking system for me the best

play14:58

ideas always come when I'm out doing

play15:00

something when I'm walking when I'm

play15:02

sitting down having a coffee and you

play15:04

know looking at the Sunrise when I'm

play15:07

away from my computer away from my phone

play15:10

there hardly is a result of structured

play15:13

note-taking so you need to trust your

play15:14

first brain that you will have insights

play15:17

come to you as you do work and as you

play15:19

consume information as long as it's good

play15:21

information another way to interpret

play15:22

this principle is to just relax

play15:25

I know that you think you have to take

play15:27

notes and everything there's obviously

play15:29

this fear of missing out on information

play15:31

uh but that's an irrational fear good

play15:35

ideas will come to you if you're

play15:36

consuming the right information the

play15:38

third principle is to be Project based

play15:41

with your note-taking what do I mean by

play15:44

this well taking notes for the sake of

play15:46

taking notices textbook procrastination

play15:48

a better strategy is to be Project based

play15:52

so choose a project that you want to

play15:54

work on maybe it's a book maybe it's a a

play15:57

product a digital product maybe it's a

play15:59

YouTube video

play16:00

take notes around it link Concepts and

play16:04

ideas and thoughts

play16:06

but you can use bi-directional links if

play16:09

you want

play16:10

link it around your project leverage the

play16:13

tools available to you

play16:15

as you take this approach you'll notice

play16:17

a few things first you'll notice that

play16:19

you naturally filter out irrelevant

play16:21

information that would otherwise clutter

play16:23

your note-taking system second this fear

play16:27

of missing out on information it

play16:29

subsides right you more or less know

play16:32

what you need to take notes on and what

play16:34

you're looking for and you can safely

play16:36

ignore the rest because it's not

play16:37

relevant to your project and the other

play16:39

thing you'll notice is that you will

play16:40

likely procrastinate less because you're

play16:42

working towards a tangible outcome

play16:45

instead of just taking notes for the

play16:47

sake of taking notes which is an endless

play16:49

sort of task principle number four is to

play16:52

improve your work capacity and output

play16:53

before you start thinking about how to

play16:56

structure your note-taking system if you

play16:58

spend more time structuring your

play17:00

note-taking system your personal

play17:01

Knowledge Management System then doing

play17:04

actual work then you're procrastinating

play17:07

most note-taking systems have amazing

play17:10

search functionality you can find what

play17:12

you're looking for when you need it

play17:13

because of this you don't need as much

play17:15

structure as you think

play17:17

develop the habit of doing the work

play17:19

first even with the perfect structure

play17:22

once you have this momentum and once you

play17:24

can sit down for three to four hours

play17:27

straight and do the work then start

play17:31

making some optimizations but only then

play17:33

and the fifth and final principle is to

play17:36

set yourself some actionable limits so

play17:39

if you are a chronic procrastinator in

play17:42

this space then it's worth seeing some

play17:44

boundaries it might be something like

play17:46

I'll only work on my note-taking system

play17:48

on not in I'll only work on my note

play17:51

taking system and try and improve it for

play17:53

30 minutes per day maximum or two hours

play17:56

on a Saturday morning Max and I won't

play17:59

touch it other than using it for work

play18:02

outside of those hours right another

play18:04

helpful thing is to set up a process for

play18:07

note taking and capturing information so

play18:09

that you don't get sidetracked and start

play18:10

procrastinating so for me I personally

play18:12

don't like to capture information and

play18:15

sort of process it at the same time they

play18:18

are two distinct things to me I capture

play18:20

a bunch of information and then at a

play18:22

later time a secret time I'll process it

play18:26

I'll look into it I'll structure it a

play18:27

bit more but those two things are

play18:29

distinct because when I'm capturing

play18:31

information I want to be looking for the

play18:33

right information not having to worry

play18:34

about how to structure it over here

play18:36

right so I would split those two up set

play18:39

some boundaries there and anything else

play18:41

that you think might be useful so to

play18:43

wrap this up we have looked at why for

play18:45

many people personal Knowledge

play18:47

Management is just a sophisticated form

play18:50

of procrastination we looked at how it

play18:53

manifest itself in the form of the

play18:55

optimization procrastination trap and

play18:57

the perfect tool trap and the

play18:59

collector's fallacy and then we looked

play19:01

at five principles for basically being

play19:03

better and not procrastinating as much

play19:05

now if there's one thing you take away

play19:07

from this video I want it to be this

play19:09

your personal Knowledge Management

play19:11

System or your note-taking system is

play19:13

there to help you do better work

play19:16

if you find when you look back over the

play19:20

last three to six months that your work

play19:23

output is lower as a result of your

play19:26

system then that system is not a good

play19:29

system

play19:30

if you find that your work output is

play19:32

higher both in quantity and quality then

play19:36

you have a good system that is the sort

play19:38

of metric or the litmus test that you

play19:41

want to adopt and with that I wish you

play19:42

the best hope you enjoyed this video

play19:44

make sure to like And subscribe if you

play19:46

didn't let me know your thoughts down in

play19:48

the comments I'd love to hear what you

play19:50

think and if you disagree then let me

play19:52

know as well I'm always open to counter

play19:55

arguments and feedback thanks for

play19:57

watching

Rate This

5.0 / 5 (0 votes)

相关标签
Knowledge ManagementProductivity TipsProcrastinationNote-TakingEfficiencyWorkflowTime ManagementDigital ToolsCognitive OverloadActionable Advice
您是否需要英文摘要?