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How do you organize information?

Anything related to matters of the mind

Daemonyos

Eudaimonia.
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Knowledge is key - but organizing it is a pain in the a$$.
When learning, reading or even just for keeping a list of impactful quotes, you'll write them down, be it in your journal or in an app like OneNote.
It's to expand on the limited capabilities of our brain, like a external harddrive.

But for real now, I'm just about to give up.
I got pages over pages of important or helpful information lying around - never to be read again and most of the time I'm not even able to find anything in the chaos of subcategories that have subcategories.

How the hell do you guys do this?
How do you organize what you write down so it's readily accessible?
 
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rpeck90

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You want to look up a "commonplace", which is an old idea where you store many different types of information in a central repository (used to be a book).

I worked with a Swedish guy called Ludvig who has built his own version and sells the recipe here: The Ultimate Commonplace System By: Ludvig Sunstrom

You'd do well to look at the likes of Notion, Coda or AirTable. I keep my "commonplace" in Pinterest, but there are tons of ways to do it. You're welcome to DM me if you need any help.

34425
 
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Jiersk

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This matter reminds me of some interviews with MJ that I have seen online. When the interviewers would ask him: "What books do you recommend?", the answer tended to be (in the interviews that I watched): The book that gets you to the next step (solves the problem in front of you).

I would argue that a goal based approach to information storage/organizing is worth a try aswell. I'm currently not at the predicament that I have too much information at hand, but I'd use a 'how to'/goalbased approach.

I'll use the example of fitness, since it's a process based endeavour with multiple facets which I have decent knowledge about.

What is the end goal?
- Let's say losing 10kg of fat.
How to lose 10kg of fat? \
- A proper workout programm and diet.
How to properly work out?
- Follow workout programm A
How to properly diet?
- Correct amount of macros and calories etc.

You can use these questions as headers to write down the related information underneath. You basically tailor down from abstract goal to concrete steps.

I hope this makes some sense.

Also, perhaps you are already using an approach like this since you mentioned categories and sub categories.

In that case I'd recommend trying to avoid 'information overload' by removing the information that you do not need for your goals. Don't necessarily delete it, but just store it away somewhere in another file/notebook. Take a bit of a pragmatic approach to information, use it as a tool. If you currently can not use the tool, put it away for a while. Otherwise it takes up space in your head
 

Photool

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Just like a business you want to build a systematic process that streamlines the way you capture your information and organize it. This will allow you to be more productive and find things way easier.

Simple steps:
  1. Choose a central hub for your notes / data - pick a note taking software that is digital and that you prefer (Evernote is my go to)
  2. Inside your chosen hub create a folder system to organize your data - think of it like main buckets or folders and in it you have your notes depending on how it relates to that folder.
  3. Experiment through action - As you begin organizing your data you will learn the different folders and structure depending on your goals and need
 
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