30 Days with Two Brains
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“Your brain is for having ideas, not holding them.”
Have you ever wished for a second brain to manage the relentless stream of information and tasks in your life? The quote above was the trigger that drove me into the rabbit hole of exploring methodologies that would liberate my mind from holding ideas and instead allocate all of my brain power to create ideas. I found the perfect inspiration in this game-changing book. I embarked on a personal 30-day challenge to build a second brain. In this blog post, I’m sharing a concept; I’m inviting you into my world of transformation and discovery while exposing my learnings. I leave you a gift for your own second brain journey at the end of the post.
💻 CHOOSING A PLATFORM: EVERNOTE, ONENOTE, OR NOTION
When embarking on my 30-day second brain challenge, selecting the right platform was a critical first step. I explored three leading contenders: Evernote, OneNote, and Notion. The were other candidates, like Obsidian, but I wanted to avoid learning a complete new tool and used that as a criteria to funnel out options. Each one of the three candidates has its unique strengths and potential drawbacks, and I'll share insights from my experience with them.
EVERNOTE
✅ Advantages:
User-Friendly Interface: Evernote's straightforward design makes it incredibly user-friendly, especially for those new to digital organization, like me.
Powerful Search Functionality: Its search capabilities are robust, allowing you to easily find even the smallest details in your notes.
Cross-Platform Syncing: The seamless syncing across devices ensures that your notes are always accessible, whether you’re on your phone, tablet, or laptop.
Web Clipper: The Evernote Web Clipper is a standout feature, enabling you to quickly save web pages and articles directly into your notes.
❌ Disadvantages:
Limited Free Version: The free version of Evernote has notable limitations in terms of upload capacity and features, nudging users towards a paid subscription.
Less Flexibility in Formatting: While Evernote is great for note-taking, it lacks the flexibility in page formatting and database manipulation found in other tools.
No Inbuilt Calendar: Unlike some competitors, Evernote does not offer an integrated calendar, which can be a downside for those looking for an all-in-one organization tool.
ONENOTE
✅ Advantages:
Flexible and Freeform: OneNote’s canvas is highly flexible, allowing for a freeform style of note-taking. It's like a digital notebook where you can jot down notes anywhere on the page.
Integration with Microsoft Suite: For users heavily reliant on Microsoft products, OneNote integrates seamlessly with tools like Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.
Audio & Video Notes: OneNote supports audio and video notes, a useful feature for different types of content capture.
Handwriting Recognition: For those who prefer writing by hand, particularly on tablets, OneNote's handwriting recognition is a big plus.
❌ Disadvantages:
Can Be Overwhelming: The very flexibility of OneNote can be overwhelming for users who prefer more structure in their note-taking.
Limited Tagging and Searching: Compared to Evernote, OneNote's tagging and searching capabilities are less advanced.
Less Intuitive Organization: The organization of notebooks, sections, and pages can be less intuitive, especially for beginners.
NOTION
✅ Advantages:
All-in-One Workspace: Notion combines notes, tasks, wikis, and databases, making it incredibly versatile for various uses.
Highly Customizable: It offers vast customization options, from simple note pages to complex databases.
Template Options: There is a wealth of templates available, both from Notion and its user community, which can be a great starting point for new users.
Collaboration Features: Notion excels in team collaboration, allowing multiple users to work on the same page simultaneously.
❌ Disadvantages:
(Very) Steep Learning Curve: Due to its wide array of features, Notion can be overwhelming for new users, requiring time to fully unlock its potential.
Performance Issues with Large Databases: Users have reported slowdowns when dealing with very large databases or heavily populated workspaces.
Offline Access is Limited: Unlike Evernote and OneNote, Notion's offline access capabilities are more restricted, which can be a drawback for those often without internet access.
In my journey, I found that each platform had its unique flavor. Evernote shined in note-taking simplicity, OneNote in its freeform approach and Microsoft integration, and Notion as an all-in-one customizable workspace. The choice largely depends on individual needs and work styles. For me, Notion's blend of versatility and structure suited my second brain project, but your mileage may vary. Experimentation is key to finding the tool that best aligns with your personal and professional workflow. In retrospect, despite the steep learning curve, Notion was the right choice.
🏗️ BUILDING A SECOND BRAIN WITH NOTION
I went back to basics. I began not with a digital tool, but with the simplicity of pencil and paper. This initial, analog step was pivotal in understanding how information would flow through the PARA (Projects, Areas, Resources, and Archives) framework in a digital space.
I started by sketching a flow diagram on paper, mapping out how Projects, Areas, Resources, and Archives (PARA) would interact and connect. This process involved:
Visualizing Projects: I listed my current and upcoming projects, thinking about major tasks associated with each.
Defining Areas: I identified the key areas of responsibility in my life, such as work, personal development, and administrative.
Categorizing Resources: Resources were grouped by theme or subject, imagining how I might want to access them in the future.
Planning Archives: Finally, I outlined what a repository for my completed projects and outdated resources would look like.
This visual and tangible method helped me clarify my thought process, making the subsequent digital organization more intuitive.
With a clear blueprint in hand, I then moved to Notion to digitalize this framework. Here’s how I brought each component of PARA to life:
Projects in Notion: Each project got its own page. I used a combination of task lists, and embedded notes to keep everything organized. Notion’s database feature allowed me to link related tasks, resources, and areas, creating a dynamic workspace.
Areas of Focus: For each area of my life, I created a dedicated page. These pages included long-term goals, ongoing tasks, and links to relevant projects and resources. This provided a high-level view of my responsibilities, interests, and progress in each area.
Resource Hub: In Notion, I built a centralized database for all my resources. This included articles, research papers, book summaries, and more.
Archives: My archive was a space for completed projects and outdated resources. It was important to keep these for reference and reflection but clearly separate from active items. In Notion, I set up a simple archiving system where I could check a box and automatically move pages to this section once they were no longer active.
Through Notion’s flexible architecture, I was able to create interlinkages between these components.
🧠 MY FIRST 30 DAYS WITH TWO BRAIN
Living with my second brain for 30 days has been an enlightening experience that has gone beyond organizational skills. It has fundamentally changed how I manage information, execute projects, and pursue my goals.
In the first week, my focus was on meticulously setting up my second brain in Notion, transferring all elements of my PARA framework from the paper sketches. This stage involved inputting data for projects, areas, resources, and archives. I also dedicated time to developing and customizing templates for different note types and projects, ensuring a standardized and user-friendly system. Adapting to this new way of storing and accessing information wasn’t easy initially, but with persistence, it slowly started to feel more natural yet far from pretty.
The second week saw me streamlining the process. I refined how I categorized resources and honed the process of archiving completed tasks. This week was crucial for integrating my second brain into my daily life, linking everyday activities to the relevant sections in Notion.
However, week three presented challenges. The most significant was dealing with information overload. Initially, I tried to capture everything, which led to unnecessary clutter. Learning to be discerning about what to include was a crucial turning point. Maintaining consistency in updating the system also demanded discipline.
As the fourth week of my journey with a second brain unfolded, I encountered a blend of advancements and challenges. The efficiency in managing my tasks and information in Notion was certainly improving, but there were areas that clearly needed further development. My productivity showed signs of improvement due to the organization and easy access to information. Yet, I recognized that I was still far from leveraging the full potential of the system. One significant area that needed attention was the integration of daily reviews into my routine. This crucial aspect had not yet found its place in my daily life, leading to occasional lapses in keeping tasks and projects up to date. Additionally, while I had become more selective in curating content for my second brain, finding the perfect balance between thoroughness and avoiding information overload continued to be a challenging and evolving process. This week was a reminder that fully adopting and optimizing a second brain is a continuous journey, with ample room for growth and learning.
👣 THE WAY FORWARD
Reflecting on the entire 30-day experience, it is clear that while I have made significant strides in organizing my digital life, there is still room for growth and improvement. My journey with the second brain is far from complete; it is an evolving process that continues to adapt with my personal and professional needs. This experience highlighted the importance of patience and persistence in optimizing any new system, particularly one as intricate as a second brain. Looking ahead, I am motivated to refine my approach further, especially in mastering the daily review process, and I am excited about the potential improvements this could bring to my productivity and mental clarity.
This 30-day experiment taught me a vital lesson: your tools should work for you, not the other way around. Use this experience and as a starting point, and embrace the process of tweaking and refining. Remember, finding the perfect system rarely happens on the first try.
🎁 A GIFT FOR YOU
I'm sharing my Notion template with you. You can duplicate into your Notion environment, play with it and make it yours. It's a springboard for your journey, a customizable framework that can evolve with your needs.
