How I Use Obsidian for Everything: One App to Rule Them All

How Has Obsidian Transformed My Workflow?

For nearly two years, Obsidian has revolutionized my productivity. This powerful application serves as my central hub for everything from coding notes to project management. Initially, I aimed to consolidate my resources on tech topics like Kubernetes, Docker, and various programming languages. However, as I explored its features, I uncovered the multifaceted capabilities of Obsidian.

How Did I Start My Journey to Consolidation?

I began by migrating about 50 notes into Obsidian. These notes covered essential concepts such as Event Driven Design, Test-Driven Development (TDD), and programming languages like Go, TypeScript, Lua, and Rust. As I adapted to this new system, I faced a challenge: my love for Neovim clashed with my need for an organized vault.

While Neovim excels at coding, it lacks comprehensive note-taking capabilities. This realization was pivotal, prompting me to embrace Obsidian's unique features.

What Makes Obsidian a Great Organizational Tool?

Organizing notes in Obsidian became crucial to my workflow. Initially, I experimented with various productivity frameworks—GTD, PARA, and the Johnny Decimal system. Ultimately, I developed a hybrid approach tailored to my needs. Here’s how I organized my vault:

• PARA: Projects, Areas, Resources, Archives
• GTD: Tasks organized by context
• Johnny Decimal: Numbered categories for quick reference

Utilizing community plugins and the base editor provided a visual dashboard, making navigation seamless. This setup prevented me from getting lost in the complexities of organization, which often leads to procrastination.

How Did I Enhance Task Management in Obsidian?

One significant aspect of my transition to Obsidian was task management. While the base features were helpful, I quickly realized that task management in Obsidian needed improvement. Here are essential features for any effective task management system:

1. Notifications: Timely reminders for tasks.
2. Repetitive Tasks: Easy handling of recurring responsibilities.
3. Subtasks: Breaking down larger tasks into manageable pieces.
4. Calendar Synchronization: Integrating tasks with my calendar.

After years of using Todoist, I found their recent focus on AI features and price hikes disappointing. Currently, I’m exploring a combination of Apple Reminders and Obsidian to enhance my task management.

How Is AI Influencing My Use of Obsidian?

The growing influence of AI in note management is undeniable. Numerous plugins are available, and many users leverage tools like OpenAI and Claude AI to streamline their processes. I have also incorporated AI to enhance my vault by:

• Reducing tag redundancy from 70 to 43.
• Identifying missing properties in documents.
• Implementing aliases for easier topic references.

Additionally, my vault functions as a Git repository, allowing me to use Cron jobs with GitHub Actions and AI for weekly task reviews. This setup keeps my notes organized while minimizing the risk of external AI providers accessing my entire vault.

What Challenges Am I Facing and What Are My Future Directions?

While I’ve established a system that works for me, I recognize that my Obsidian vault's evolution is ongoing. Here are my commitments moving forward:

• Direct use of Obsidian: Focusing on using Obsidian instead of relying on Neovim.
• Refining task management: Striving for a balance that reduces app dependency.

How Has Obsidian Changed My Information Management?

Obsidian has fundamentally transformed how I organize and manage information. From coding notes to project management, it has become an indispensable tool in my workflow. As I continue to explore its capabilities and integrate AI, my goal remains to maintain a clean, efficient, and evolving vault. Whether you’re a developer or someone looking to boost productivity, I highly recommend giving Obsidian a try.

Adios 👋