by So if you have suddenly discovered Obsidian, Roam, Tana or any other app of that kind or you are switching from one to another, below are my thoughts on choosing and getting started with a new app.
1. Use the app for at least 6 months
- It minimizes distraction and FOMO: “Oh, there’s another cool app!” and procrastination search “What if there is a better app?”
- It eliminates waste of time: with a new app, you will have to go through the learning curve all over again
2. Limit the time for structuring your workflow
For example, no more than 30 minutes a day or only on Fridays. This eliminates the procrastination of “I’m setting up my own system” instead of an actual work. Such approach minimises the risk of a burnout, when you spend 2-5 days pouring yourself into the setup, and then on the 6th day you’re about to puke from another educational video
3. Work first, structure later
Firstly, set up your own workflow inside an app and tweak it in the allotted time. It is much easier to structure your workflow when you have some volume of bulk tasks and notes. So come on: create a task, take a note, etc. and don’t try to think of a workflow, just do the most relevant tasks. You can understand that the app fits you only during actual work, but not by trying to setup an ideal workflow with a few dummy tasks like “read a book” and “walk the dog”.