P.A.R.A Folder Structure

Quick start video for this section will be available soon.

At the heart of Obsibrain’s organizational system lies the renowned P.A.R.A. (Projects, Areas, Resources, Archives) method developed by Tiago Forte.

The 'main folder' serves as a central organization tool for storing various types of notes, including ideas, drafts, and plans, with subfolders for better categorization.

This structured approach helps you maintain a clean, efficient, and highly customizable workflow within your Obsidian environment.

What is P.A.R.A?

P.A.R.A (Projects, Areas, Resources, and Archives) is a popular approach to organizing notes and knowledge management. Developed by productivity expert Tiago Forte, this method is designed to help individuals manage their notes and ideas in a flexible and scalable way. The core idea behind P.A.R.A is to categorize notes into four broad categories, each serving a specific purpose. This structured approach ensures that your notes are not only organized but also easily accessible, allowing you to focus on what truly matters.

Benefits of P.A.R.A

The P.A.R.A system offers several compelling benefits that can transform the way you manage your notes and tasks:

• Improved Organization: By categorizing notes into Projects, Areas, Resources, and Archives, P.A.R.A helps keep your notes organized and structured. This makes it easier to find and access relevant information when you need it.

• Increased Productivity: With notes neatly categorized, you can quickly identify what needs to be done and prioritize your tasks effectively. This streamlined approach can significantly boost your productivity.

• Enhanced Creativity: P.A.R.A encourages you to think creatively and make connections between seemingly unrelated ideas. This can lead to new insights and innovative solutions.

• Better Knowledge Management: The system helps you store and retrieve knowledge in a way that is easy to understand and build upon. This ensures that your valuable information is always at your fingertips.

Customizing the Folder Structure

The P.A.R.A. folder structure may not be suitable for everyone.

With that in mind, Obsibrain provides the flexibility for you to tailor the folder structure to your specific needs. Different folder structures can be used to enhance the overall functionality of a user's vault. Unlike traditional file management systems where folders can be limiting, Obsibrain allows for a more flexible use of folders as tools for navigation and organization.

To access the folder structure settings, navigate to Obsibrain settings > Plugins > Obsibrain > Folder structure settings.

Folder structure settings.

For every default folders 1-projects, 2-areas, 3-resources, 4-archives, you can either choose to keep them, to change their location by typing the full path to a new folder, or choose to regroup them under the same folder.

Example:

• I can change the path to the notes folder to notes and change the path to the archives to notes/archives.

• I don't plan to use the PARA folders so I can change all paths to my-notes.

However, organizing notes using separate folders imposes a strict hierarchical structure that can hinder cross-referencing and discovering related information. This method can lead to a siloed approach, restricting valuable connections and insights, and ultimately limiting the flexibility and effectiveness of the note-taking system.

Understanding the P.A.R.A. Hierarchy

1 - PARA folder structure

As shown in Screen 1, the Obsibrain vault is divided into the following core folders:

1. Projects: This is where you manage your active, goal-oriented projects.

2. Areas: Represent the ongoing responsibilities and aspects of your life that require continuous attention (such as Relations, Finances, Health)

3. Resources: Static reference materials that support your work and interests/hobbies (such as Drawing, Games, Cooking)

4. Archives: Here, you can neatly move your completed/canceled projects and old notes. (A command is available to archive a particular page of your vault, more info below)

A great way to remember the differences between Areas and Resources:

• Areas: ONGOING responsibilities that shape your life.

• Resources: ONGOING/ON HOLD interests and hobbies that do not require constant attention.

The relationship between these folders, as illustrated in Screen 2 and Screen 3, demonstrates the hierarchical nature of the P.A.R.A. system. Your goals and projects are connected to the relevant areas of your life, which are in turn supported by the resources you’ve gathered.

In note-taking tools like Obsidian, the concept of 'connected notes' can be useful for organizing information. However, maintaining clarity by keeping relevant information contained within individual notes and using links only for external references can be beneficial.

2 - Hierarchical diagram of the PARA methodology

3 - Example of the hierarchical diagram of the PARA methodology

Example of Areas and Resources

Understanding the difference between those 2 might be challenging and could lead to misunderstandings. One of the Obsibrain team members shared their personal preferences and system with us (Screen 4). At first glance, you can understand the main area of focus and their other hobbies that don’t require constant attention.

4 - Example of Areas and Resources

Note: a Resource can become an Area and vice versa. Let’s say you start to really want to improve at cooking and it has become an important area of your life since you now have kids, you cook for them, you cook on the weekends for the whole family, and you have a cooking YouTube channel. In this case, the Cooking resource can be moved under Areas.

Understanding P.A.R.A Metadatas and Multiple Tags

While navigating through the P.A.R.A templates and when you are first creating your first page, you’ll see that each category comes with its own metadata, let’s take the example of the Project Metadata:

Project Metadata.

Status: Current status of the project, can be either (case-sensitive) ongoing, on hold, completed, or canceled.

Priority: Current priority for this particular project, can be either (case-sensitive) high, medium or low.

Goal:The goal this project is linked to. It should be an internal link, start by typing [[Project Goals]] and you can get auto-completed for your linked page.

Deadline: Deadline for this particular project. Should respect this format: YYYY-MM-DD

Completed: Completion date for this particular project. Should respect this format: YYYY-MM-DD

Created: Date on which the project has been created. (read-only)

Modified: Date on which the project was last modified. (read-only)

Leveraging Obsidian's Capabilities to Create Links

Obsibrain leverages Obsidian’s powerful features to seamlessly implement the P.A.R.A. structure. You can easily navigate between the different folders, create new notes and files, and establish connections using Obsidian’s linking capabilities. Creating a new note for various purposes, such as setting up an inbox for quick ideas or capturing daily activities, is crucial for better organization and efficiency.

Additionally, Obsibrain provides custom commands (Cmd + P to open commands palette), as shown in Screen 5. This ensures that your organizational system remains consistent and aligned with the Obsibrain template.

5 - Para commands available

The Importance of Structure

The P.A.R.A. method is a fundamental part of the Obsibrain system, as it provides a clear and scalable framework for managing your productivity, knowledge, and life. By adhering to this structure, you can maintain a sense of order and clarity, even as your projects, areas, and resources evolve over time.

Creating an organized system for note-taking, particularly through the use of designated spaces like an inbox to efficiently store ideas and tasks, is crucial. This method not only helps in capturing fleeting thoughts but also aids in maintaining an orderly structure, reducing the chance of forgetting essential information.

Maintaining and Refining P.A.R.A

To keep your P.A.R.A system effective and up-to-date, consider the following tips:

• Regularly Review and Update Notes: Set aside time each week to review and update your notes. This ensures that your information remains accurate and relevant.

• Use Tags and Links: Leverage tags and links to connect related notes and ideas. This makes it easier to navigate your notes and find relevant information quickly.

• Create a Flat Structure: Avoid nested folders and instead use a flat structure for your notes. This simplifies navigation and helps you maintain a clear overview of your information.

• Use a Separate Folder for Each Category: Create a separate folder for each P.A.R.A category. This makes it easy to find and access notes related to specific projects, areas, resources, and archives.

Best Practices for P.A.R.A

Implementing the P.A.R.A system effectively involves following some best practices:

• Use a Consistent Naming Convention: Adopt a consistent naming convention for your notes and folders. This makes it easy to identify and locate relevant information.

• Use Multiple Tags: Categorize your notes with multiple tags. This enhances searchability and ensures that you can quickly find and access relevant information.

• Create Links Between Notes: Establish links between related notes to connect ideas and facilitate easy navigation.

• Use a Separate Category for Daily Notes: Maintain a separate category for daily notes. This helps you keep track of your daily activities and ensures that important information is easily accessible.

Common Challenges and Solutions

Implementing the P.A.R.A system can come with its own set of challenges. Here are some common issues and their solutions:

• Challenge: Difficulty in Categorizing Notes: Start by creating broad categories and refine them as needed. This approach allows you to gradually develop a more precise categorization system.

• Challenge: Difficulty in Finding Relevant Information: Use tags and links to connect related notes and ideas. This makes it easier to find and access the information you need.

• Challenge: Difficulty in Maintaining the System: Set aside time each week to review and update your notes. Regular maintenance ensures that your system remains accurate and relevant.

By following these guidelines, you can effectively implement and maintain the P.A.R.A system, ensuring that your notes and knowledge management are always optimized.

Archiving pages

As shown in screen 6, Obsibrain comes with a dedicated move to archives command that will let you archive a particular page if this meets certain criteria:

• If it's a goal or a project page, the status should either be completed or canceled.

• All the linked sub-projects and goals should have the status completed or canceled.

6. Move to archive special command.

Can I customize the P.A.R.A. folder structure?

No, it's important to note that the P.A.R.A. folder structure in Obsibrain is an integral part of the template and its underlying scripts and automation. Modifying this structure could potentially break the functionality of the Obsibrain system and lead to various issues. Therefore, it is not recommended to customize the P.A.R.A. folders within the Obsibrain vault.