From chaos to clarity: My journey with the PARA method

Discover how I built a second brain

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As a Software Engineer, I am constantly faced by distractions in the form of meetings, colleagues asking for help, high priority tasks coming in while I am in the middle of another task, PR reviews and so much more. This constant movement from one thing to another often results in me forgetting something. Sometimes, I struggle to even recall what I was working on the previous day.

As a formerly avid Notion user, I was looking for templates for a weekly planner when I stumbled on this Second Brain template by Rosidssoy which led to me discovering the P.A.R.A method and the concept of a Second Brain.Simply put, it is a digital extension of your mind. This method of knowledge management was popularized by Tiago Forte, a big name in the productivity space. It is a place where you can store all your thoughts and organize information that is relevant to you.

The fun part about this system is that it is platform agnostic and can be adapted for use with a note-taking app of your choice. In my case, I use Apple Notes (previously Notion) as I enjoy writing with my Apple Pencil. My notes are structured in the following manner:

├── Projects
    ├── Wardrobe update
    ├── Interior design
    ├── Week 48 meal plan
    └── DMA refactor
├── Areas
    ├── Finance
    ├── Personal
    └── Work
├── Resources
    ├── Writing
    ├── Health
    ├── History
    ├── Productivity
    └── Recipes
└── Archive
    ├── Tax returns 21/22
    └── Week 47 meal plan

Projects:

These are active tasks you are working on. Projects are defined as a set of tasks that are connected to a goal and a timeline. For me, this can range from small projects/features at my workplace, household projects or chores. Organizing my projects puts things in perspective and helps me stay focused.

Areas

Areas represent ongoing activities with no deadline which require regular engagement. For me, this includes topics like finance, my work journal, writing.

Each of these areas like finances have a standard that needs to be maintained. Other areas like Health or personal life may not have clear standards and change during the course of time.

Resources

Resources are references or materials that support your projects and areas or in general, hold information related to interests you have. For me, this includes writing resources, book lists, recipes for meal planning, etc.

Archive

The Archive folder acts as a storage for information that is no longer relevant to you. This folder can hold old projects, areas you are no longer interested in, old resources. Archiving helps declutter your “brain” while retaining information that may be required in the future.

Benefits of the PARA method

Reduced information overload

By categorizing information by purpose one can streamline how they organize and access information. As someone This helps me reduce mental clutter and prioritize what is important.

Better decision making

Every week, I sit down to review what I did in the past week and plan my next week. This helps me plan out my schedule in an organized manner and reduce an otherwise chaotic work day and evenings. One positive outcome of adopting this method is that I now do meal preps for lunch which results in planned grocery visits and in-turn, less spending and wastage of food.

Enhanced productivity

The weekly planning and mental clarity naturally translates into enhanced productivity, am I right? Well that depends…

While I have definitely achieved a lot of tasks in the last 2 months that I have been pushing ahead over the past year such as filing tax returns, restarting two investment portfolios, reading, etc. it depends a lot on discipling and personal accountability. The PARA method provides me with the tools to reach this goal.

Conclusion

By creating a Second Brain, enable yourself to think more strategically, act more decisively, and achieve your goals with greater purpose. Whether it’s managing work tasks, personal projects, or lifelong interests, the P.A.R.A method offers a flexible framework to keep your life aligned with your priorities.

Ultimately, it’s not about the tools you use but how you adapt this approach to fit your unique needs. With discipline and regular reflection, you’ll find that a little structure can go a long way in transforming not just how you work, but how you live.