Use these 10 Obsidian tips to level up your note taking productivity

In this video, I distill my overall productivity philosophy into ten tips for Obsidian usage.
Before you watch this video, ask yourself: ARE YOU PROCRASTINATION BY WATCHING THIS VIDEO? If so, go do your work! Come back to this video later. :)
This video is a slight departure from my other videos. Usually, my content is very hands-on and in-the-weeds, because that's how my brain works. I don't watch videos just to hear a bunch of words-just show me how to do something and tell me why I'm doing it that way.
However, this video is less how and more *why*, so it's the opposite of how my content usually is. But hopefully you find it useful and interesting anyway. I sure wish I had this knowledge when I was first getting started with Obsidian.
If you like this, and want to see more content, please let me know by liking, commenting, subscribing, or otherwise making yourself heard.
Chapters:
0:00 Intro
0:52 Don't just work ON your system
1:34 Think in systems
2:31 Build system around how you're working
3:10 Make sure to use your notes
3:45 Productivity ebbs and flows
4:48 Treat it like a living knowledge base
5:25 New information comes from intersections
5:56 Writing is thinking
6:27 Publish!
7:05 Mimicry is a shortcut
8:12 Outro
Links from this video:
- Blog post version of this video - dannb.org/blog/2024/obsidian-...
Additional Obsidian Videos:
- My Obsidian Daily Note Template video - • 📆 Obsidian Daily Note ...
- My Obsidian Meeting Note Template video - • 🗣 Obsidian Meeting Not...
- My Obsidian People Note Template video - • 👥 Obsidian People Note...
- My Obsidian Physical Object Template video - • 🛍️ Obsidian Physical O...
My Gear:
- Sony a6300 Mirrorless camera - amzn.to/3wkTfSn
- Sennheiser MKE 600 Shotgun Microphone - amzn.to/3wqlQFT
- Neewer Professional Microphone Pop Filter - amzn.to/3T0nmr0
- H4n Digital Multitrack Recorder - amzn.to/3us7157
- Neewer Portable Desktop Mini Tripod - amzn.to/3T0nqXM
- Full gear list - dannb.org/my-gear/
More links:
- (blog) Obsidian Daily Note system - dannb.org/blog/2022/obsidian-...
- (blog) Obsidian People Note system - dannb.org/blog/2022/obsidian-...
- (blog) Obsidian Book Note system - dannb.org/blog/2022/recalling...
- (blog) Daily Driver Task Management System - dannb.org/blog/2020/daily-dri...
Where to find me:
- Homepage - dannb.org
- The Dann Chronicles monthly newsletter - dannberg.substack.com
Thanks for watching!

[@DannBerg]

Are there any note taking tips you wish you could give your younger self?

[@duffpaddy3996]

Just... Do it.

[@swalkner]

It's rare that someone delivers 10 tips of something and for 7 of those I think that that tip alone was worth watching this video. Very, very useful stuff.

[@DannBerg]

Right? I totally feel the same way about many "10 tips" list, and I"m really glad that you don't feel like this video was repetitive or basic. Thank you

[@samueltremblay275]

Had exactly the same feeling while watching the video.

[@lucastamoios]

The part of not working too much on the system was simple but powerful. I had already spent some time on it.

[@keithbell6003]

You just made me realize I've been working on my system for 50 years.

[@johnfromberkeley]

I like how you get to the point. I’m always skipping over fluff, and I like your efficient communication style.

[@DannBerg]

Thank you! I really appreciate this comment. That’s what I try to do, so it’s great to hear that it’s succeeding

[@dongentelman7858]

It's rarely that I comment on youtube, but I would love to say that I have watched a lot of videos about obsidian and note taking systems, and by far this is one of the best ones in term of explaining the basics in a very simple way, thank you

[@DannBerg]

Super happy that it helped you. I really appriciate the kind comment.

[@hussam9433]

wow, this type of videos must be paid ! unbelievable benefits without repeating same things over and over again from others with minor switching and adding . Absolute gem

[@DannBerg]

Thank you so much for the kind words! That's exactly what I was trying to do, so your compliment makes me happy.

[@francoisdp]

Thanks Dann. I am an expert user and Obsidian is my go-to tool for thinking. Your video is excellent. You presented YOUR gems that you discovered and it has a lot of value to me. You were compact, to the point and supported every idea with a concise example. Very good video. Please keep them coming.

[@DannBerg]

Thank you! It's always nice to hear from other experienced Obsidian users, because everyone develops their own style and way to make things work. I'm glad to hear that you found some of my tips useful. This is exactly what I was going for. And thanks for the encouragement, more videos to come!

[@patrick_pkp]

The encouragement to not be too precious about your notes - to instead treat it all as a Living Knowledge Base (point 6) - is so spot on to my mind. You have to train the muscle, but there is such value in revisiting and reworking your thinking in different areas. Personally I make it easier by thinking of it as 'polishing', as refining. 'Everything in life is a work in progress' I say to myself. The greatest dividend is that actually getting your hands dirty and reworking stuff also definitely improves not only your understanding of your past thinking, but also your recall of it. Great video Dann - thanks for sharing such solid ideas.

[@DannBerg]

Thanks for your insights. I think both polishing and refining are perfect words for what I do, too. Some of my best and freshest ideas have come from re-visiting old notes that I haven't thought about in a while...and bringing all the new things I've learned since then and applying them to the old ideas.

[@patrick_pkp]

100%. And the unsung hero of Obsidian for me is truly the random note function. The perfect alternative to doom-scrolling - the same sense of not knowing what's coming up next, and yet after a short session something creative and fulfilling almost always emerges as a result! @@DannBerg

[@DannBerg]

@@patrick_pkp RIGHT?? I had no idea that the Random Note button would be quite as powerful as it turned out to be. Like, we all know what a Random Note button does. But then you find a way to work it into your workflow and it's an AH-HA! moment

[@tietscho]

I have a big document (around 50 pages) with notes from the last years. I’m planning putting it into obsidian. This will take me forever.

[@DannBerg]

Just work on it a little bit at a time. Also, maybe there’s a way for you to write scripts to help automate some of it? ChatGPT is great for helping with scripts…

[@markanderson8066]

Remember that behind the scenes it's all just markdown files. So automation can help convert from your doc format to MD.

[@DannBerg]

@@markanderson8066 exactly, good clarification. Writing scripts to help automate the markdown files is how I'd approach this

[@ahmedabdallah-2024]

As a non native English learner, I do resonate with "writing is thinking", I can't agree enough. Keep creating meaningful content.

[@DannBerg]

Thank you! Are you writing-as-thinking in your native language, English, or both?

[@ahmed-eslam]

the beginning of this lecture explains: kzbin.info/www/bejne/rKWsq4CXgdB2l68si=mY8aUhJyBSjkEg9W

[@DannBerg]

@@ahmed-eslam ooo this is a great resource, thanks for sharing

[@textdriven]

Excellent video! Really well done and I know it's good advice as it is all sorts of things I've learnt or thought about over the course of trying to work with such systems. Setting things up in advance and trying to squeeze into someone else's system is a huge trap in the productivity sphere. It needs to be called out often. Inspiration is fine but nothing beats getting on with it, feeling the pain and then adapting your system to resolve that pain

[@ShakeAndBakeGuy]

I’ve been using Obsidian for 4 years and am trying to help others benefit as I’m getting back into the PKM as well. This was very incisive and I’ve added a lot of your others videos to the watch later playlist. Thanks for sharing!

[@ShakeAndBakeGuy]

4:50 I also relate a lot to being disinclined to revise older notes, but I’m trying to keep in mind that revising the 80% or so of average notes will be more beneficial than relying in the recency bias with newer notes.

[@DannBerg]

Thank you! There have been a few times where I've been less productive in my note taking system, and then jumped back into it. Obsidian is great in that it doesn't punish you for taking breaks.

[@patiakreles]

My man, number 8 is like my life motto. I have spent so much time writing in the past 3 years and that has made me grow exponentially. I am constantly reflecting about things, even if they are not connected directly. I started using obsidian about a month ago and it has been a game changer. I already do a bunch of stuff, but it was so hard to rely on my memory, on my own organization and on my own ADHD brain. Obsidian has made me a fricking super human 😂. I was already a pro in a lot of aspects, but now I am at my peak productivity with kind of 0 effort. I will share my bit of knowledge too: WORK= FORCE*DISPLACEMENT. You can do a lot of force and 0 displacement and there you will have done 0 work. If you do a lot of displacement with low force (or effort) you actually do work. Obsidian for me has been like cutting my effort into a third of what it used to be and has made me move the needle so much more, so I am doing even more work with the lowest effort it has ever been. I cannot be happier

[@DannBerg]

It sounds like you were in an absolutely perfect place to find Obsidian and be able to take full advantage. "Writing is thinking" was definitely an ah-hah moment for me, and inspired me to write more, even if I don't plan to publish it. A strong Obsidian vault really does feel like a super power. I say that all the time. Congrats on building your own, and welcome to the community!

[@patiakreles]

@@DannBerg thank you dann for your response! It was hard for me to pick up a note taking app, I had a mild "crisis" of "I can't bear my own disorganization anymore" and felt that I had to go digital. Your videos and the community in general helped me to take the step. I sent my bf this video and he started using Obsidian yesterday 🥰

[@DannBerg]

@@patiakreles I actually have a few IRL friends who were originally just watching my videos to help support my channel, and are now Obsidian users. I absolutely love that! :D Thanks!

[@moussaidabdelwahab6893]

This is definitely the best video for taking notes. Every piece of advice is important and very profound if you think about it. Thank you very much and I hope you continue.

[@DannBerg]

Thank you for such kind words! I really appreciate the encouragement.

[@toliibondar]

The list is pure gold. I am not a big fan of Obsidian, while adapting all tips as system thinking and applying them to both my Notion and design systems workflow are more than useful

[@DannBerg]

Exactly! I tried to be a tool-agnostic as I could here. Whether you use Obsidian or Notion or something else, this was mostly about taking a step back and thinking about note taking in general.

[@optimalmktg]

Your video touched on every single pain point of my Obsidian struggles. Thank you!

[@DannBerg]

Glad to know I’m not alone! These are what I’ve picked up over the last several years, and it’s been very validating to hear from others that think the same way

[@Silent1Majority]

Absolutely MUCH appreciated! Thank you!!

[@DannBerg]

Glad it helped! Thank you

[@scottr99]

Excellent, thank you!

[@Mr.Monta77]

Excellent, thanks.

[@artistessa]

Thank you so much, this was very well put together and insightful! :)

[@gaidin]

What you said about productivity coming in waves really resonated with me. I'm glad I'm not the only one....and I'll be glad once I have a good "second brain" ready for me to pick up where I left off and get back up to speed again fast.

[@DannBerg]

This was an "ah hah" moment for me. So much productivity advice online is just about how to get the most done at all times. That's great...if that works for me. But for me 1) it doesn't and 2) i don't want it to. Work/life balance is important! Also, listening to your body, and knowing when to push and when to relax.

[@keslauche1779]

I love this video thank you so much I think when you described systems thinking you reshaped my brain in a particular way 🙌🏽

[@DannBerg]

Heck yeah! That's what I like to hear. It was sort of a revelation for me that happened only recently, so I'm happy to share with you

[@persianyoga]

Good stuff. Thank you for making this.

[@almirfda]

These were the best tips I've seen so far on the best and most efficient use of Obsidian. Thank you for that.

[@DannBerg]

Thanks for the kind words! I'm happy to help.

[@markcoren2842]

What a great video and channel discovery! Your points are spot on. Most of all, I fall back on #3 constantly. Any time I find myself getting stuck (even on non-Obsidian related tasks), I'll whip out some quick notes just to brain dump and get some perspective. Quite often, I'll find structural details and nuances that help me clean up my thinking. From that point, I can toss the unneeded fleeting notes and tag the worthwhile ones for additional consideration later.

[@DannBerg]

That's a super smart way to do it. And you bring up another good point: don't be too precious with all your notes. Make a judgement call about which notes are needed and which are not needed, and don't spend more time than necessary.

[@laciemiller9441]

Dan, thank you for being a creator and for sharing. Your share in this video is truly visionary. Remember the comments section will always show you two things. Those with fixed mindsets and those with growth mindsets. Stay rad 🙌🏽 and keep being a master in this space.

[@DannBerg]

You rock. Thanks for such a nice comment. Gonna keep on going.

[@MasterTicTac1]

This is great Dann! Thanks for the extra motivation to get working towards my goals! I'm going to put these tips in my Obsidian notes and will... definitely uses them again later... fr great content and advice. Good on you to just keep creating and being you.

[@DannBerg]

Ha, you BETTER use them later! I’ll be watching… 🔭

[@azawahk]

Thanx Dann, you are spot on!

[@DannBerg]

Thank you!

[@concertautist4474]

First of three obsidian videos that I watched that actually provided some value. Thanks.

[@DannBerg]

Glad to hear it!

[@indya-na-jones5638]

Thanks for your tips and insight ! I loved the video 😊

[@DannBerg]

Thank you!

[@Plush07]

Excellent quality content, subscribed! 👏

[@DannBerg]

Thanks for the subscribe. Welcome to the channel!

[@nguyenthangtien]

I didnt expect things in this video but somehow everything are helpful. Great works.

[@raphafein9054]

Very valuable and relatable tips - thanks a lot for that peace of condensed wisdom!

[@DannBerg]

You’re welcome! Thanks for the nice comment

[@GabeAmely]

It’s crazy that you only have 3k followers here. Awesome videos man can’t wait to see your growth.

[@DannBerg]

Ha, sure hoping you’re right. :) I plan to keep making videos. Let’s see if that number goes up.

[@user-hm6hz9ut1r]

Very useful! I`ve been using obsidian for 2 years and your advice really resonates with me. Thanks!

[@DannBerg]

Great to hear! Always nice to hear that others thinking similarly to ourselves.

[@mollytt]

Not at all what I expected but exactly what I needed. Loved all of this. Thank you

[@DannBerg]

Thank you! I was trying to approach the topic from a slightly different angle and I’m glad it helped you

[@sylviedc889]

Merci beaucoup, After watching your videos, I immediately adopted your templates and MOCs. I plan to create others that apply to both my professional and personal life. It seems to me that you don't offer MOCs for daily notes! I've used and abused daily notes and it's difficult to reuse them in a MOC without properties. During the course of a day, I write a multitude of actions in these daily notes that have little to do with each other. Sometimes I write an additional note with a link. But links are difficult to exploit with a database like dataview. So I need to go back to my old daily notes and add properties to them in order to make MOCs?

[@DannBerg]

You're right that I don't have an MOC for my daily notes. I'm not really browsing old Daily Notes in that way, so I haven't built it. But, from your description of how you use your notes, here's probably what I'd do: 1) add a new Property to your Daily Note Template titled "Summary" 2) At the end of each day, write a 1-2 sentence summary of important points that day, a reminder for your future self 3) Create a Daily Note MOC and use Dataview to create a table that shows the daily note name (including date) and then the Summary property Then, you can browse your Daily Note MOC to see all your daily notes as well as the reminder you wrote to yourself.

[@user-ro2vo4lq1g]

That was really good, man keep it up

[@Vlad_labs]

Relatable content mate, especially wrt "Ebbs and flows". I tend to stress about those periods where my productivity is low and try to make up for it later on. I kind of know you wont be "on" 100% of the time and it is ok... but your video helped drive that home. Thanks

[@DannBerg]

That’s a huge point for me, too. I used to get discouraged, especially when it seems like so many people can just maintain high levels of output. I’m DEFINITELY not like that. But those periods always return, so I’ve just learned to trust the ride.

[@socialahmadnawaz]

great video dann!! the information and presentation were on point. Would've love it more if you'd visually show your personal note taking system... because the thumbnail promised something like that

[@DannBerg]

Sorry, I didn't mean to mislead with the thumbnail! I've created a few videos about individual systems I use (Daily notes, meeting notes, etc) and plan to create a full vault tour at some point soon. Keep an eye out!

[@siegeperilous9371]

Thanks for the content!

[@leocampetti]

Really helpful. I loved because it was a fast video full of insights for starting in the right direction.

[@DannBerg]

thank you!

[@closerlookbooks]

Thanks. I found this very useful. I plan to watch more of your videos. Best regards.

[@DannBerg]

Thank you! I'm glad you found it useful. As you watch more videos, definitely let me know if there's anything missing you'd like me to make a new video about

[@jimalix6270]

This video provided useful knowledge but was very inspiring! A sincere thanks!

[@DannBerg]

You're welcome. Glad you found it inspiring!

[@redlynt7324]

this has helped me so much thank you!

[@DannBerg]

Great! I’m glad to hear it helped. Thanks for the comment :)

[@thedebapriyakar]

Excellent points and very well presented. This certainly feels fresh compared to other Obsidian advice on the platform. Keep up the good work!

[@DannBerg]

Thank you! This is probably my favorite comment so far. Personally, I felt like some of my ideas were fresh compared to some of the other content here, but I'm a little biased. :) Nice to have external validation. Thank you again!

[@francoisdp]

I absolutely agree! No hype. Just honest value.

[@DannBerg]

@@francoisdp Thank you, that means a lot. That's what I was going for.

[@abdulrabbani4520]

Great stuff

[@Radik-lf6hq]

🎯 Key Takeaways for quick navigation: 00:00 *📝 Setting the foundation for effective note-taking in Obsidian* - Importance of distinguishing between working on the note-taking system and using it for actual work, - Explanation of an Obsidian system consisting of an index page, template file, and data view table, - Emphasis on building note-taking systems based on actual usage rather than predetermined structures. 01:34 *🔄 Balancing productivity and system flexibility* - Acknowledgment of productivity fluctuations and the need for adaptable note-taking systems, - Recommendation to build systems that support re-entry after periods of reduced productivity, - Encouragement to view notes as dynamic resources for continuous improvement rather than static archives. 03:09 *📚 Maximizing the utility of note-taking systems* - Highlighting the challenge of utilizing notes effectively after creation, - Importance of implementing a structured review process to ensure active engagement with notes, - Emphasizing the necessity of integrating note-taking into regular workflows for optimal results. 04:31 *📝 Strategies for generating new insights through note-taking* - Promotion of synthesizing existing ideas to create new knowledge, - Assertion that writing is a form of thinking, encouraging early and frequent engagement with writing, - Advocacy for sharing written work publicly as a means of refining ideas and building a personal brand. 06:24 *🔍 Leveraging expert models for accelerated progress* - Recommendation to study and emulate successful practitioners in a given field, - Explanation of how mimicking established practices can expedite skill development, - Encouragement to seek inspiration from experts while maintaining individual creativity and integrity. Made with HARPA AI

[@DannBerg]

Thanks! There’s also a totally text-based version that goes into even more detail in some places, too dannb.org/blog/2024/obsidian-tips-smart-usage/

[@cedargrace]

“Brand new to KZbin”?! Amazing. Very helpful and high quality video - especially for a newbie.

[@DannBerg]

Yup, still new and very much figuring things out. But having a ton of fun. Thanks for the nice comment!

[@airbob32]

Great thoughts! Thank you for sharing this. I'm always trying to find ways to download my brain into a data tracking system.

[@DannBerg]

It's so useful. At this point, I'm really not sure what I did before I had this system.

[@ojoaopedrosouza]

Wow, excelent man. Thx!

[@hoboesque_]

Appreciated . A lot of this applies to capacities and Anytype .

[@DannBerg]

Exactly! Most of this can apply to any note taking system. Obsidian is just the one that I know best.

[@ABrionesAutor]

Excellent insight

[@user-ef4df8xp8p]

Thank you......Helpful video.

[@DannBerg]

You’re welcome!

[@JR-ly6bx]

awesome advice!

[@DannBerg]

thank you! I'm glad you found it helpful

[@austonvarner9142]

never heard of Obsidian before this video popped into my recommendations, seems useful though. I'll have to give it a try

[@DannBerg]

I started my Obsidian journey about four years ago. Once you start, you’ll be amazed at how quickly it becomes super valuable. Good luck on your journey!

[@rach_eh]

Appreciated this immensely. p.s - thank you for the kick in the ass to publish…

[@DannBerg]

Do it! Publishing has been the single most beneficial thing for my career. At every stage. Even when no one was looking. Definitely do it!

[@friklik25]

good video, thanks

[@DannBerg]

you're welcome, glad you liked it

[@rrsp7148]

wauw thanks!

[@DannBerg]

you're welcome!

[@richardlees5303]

Thorough overview

[@DannBerg]

Thanks!

[@DaveRider719]

really good content

[@DannBerg]

Thanks! Appreciate the kind words :)

[@zacke6]

gr8 vid bruv

[@DannBerg]

Thank you!

[@AnarchySane]

Very good mustache 🎉

[@DannBerg]

Thank you! 👨🏻

[@sylviedc889]

Would you have an idea of templates/MOCs for a researcher whose work tool is scattered in multiple programming rules, scripts and commands launched in command lines (with options and exempels), software structures (object-oriented programming), software installation methods, software tools, programming languages, intervention on multiple different computers, tips or procedures not to forget... For the time being, I store this information in obsisian directories associated with the various computers, and I store "HowTo" type notes. The hardest thing is to easily find the commands a few months after writing my notes. How would you proceed to your clouds stuff ?

[@DannBerg]

Whenever I'm taking notes, I always try to think "if I forgot all the details of what I'm currently writing, how might I try to find that information in the future?" Then, I create note names and MOCs with names that my future self can use to re-find forgotten information. For me, for something like scripts and commands, this can be either a dedicated "Commands" note that lists ALL commands, organized into sections on the same page. Or I might want to keep commands with the Note for the thing they're commanding. For example, if I'm working on my home server, I have a note called Home Server and that note can either list all related commends, OR it can have a link to another note with all the commands (including unrelated commands). Think about what makes sense to your brain, and try to go the most straight foward route for you, because in the future, when you forget the facts, you'll want to make it easy to re-mind.

[@MarcGerritLanger]

Zak McKracken is alive !

[@DannBerg]

I don't get it, but I'll take it! :)

[@MarcGerritLanger]

@@DannBerg Zak McCracken is a video game character. Sometimes he wears a fake nose with glasses and a beard. Your face reminded me of that character. This means NO offense. There is nothing wrong with your look. Btw. .. I really like your video content

[@DannBerg]

@@MarcGerritLanger No offense taken :). That's the first time I've heard that comparison. Just looked up a walkthrough and saw the mustache and know exactly what you're talking about

[@TheOfficialOriginalChad]

This is a lot of great info, but it’s really hard to understand if you haven’t actually seen it before. You’re describing folders, maps of contents, etc and I’m sitting here imagining it…why not actually show us?

[@DannBerg]

This is really good feedback. This video is a video version of a blog post I wrote. I've been blogging for years, but am brand new to KZbin (just a couple months). I'm really starting to think about things like this now, and am going to incorporate better editing and stuff like this more in upcoming videos. Thanks for watching and sharing your thoughts.

[@101RealTalker]

There is no difference between your note taking/linking/benefiting "style" and your fingerprint. ....My vault abides by the philosophy of "Design for emergence"

[@DannBerg]

Here here. I totally agree. Everyone is going to have a uniqe stlye of note taking same as their fingerprint.

[@TonyTylerDraws]

Thought I was going to get systems advice and got life advice instead.

[@DannBerg]

Hopefully that's a good thing? I wasn't trying for a bait-and-switch...lol

[@fiveshorts]

What do you do? What do you do that requires all this robotic obedience to work? Do you have a not reminding you to polish the inside of your trash bins each week. Obsidian is catnip for coders. Notion is catnip for wannabe designers. All of them are alternatives to work.

[@DannBerg]

My tech specialty is cloud cost billing. Basically, I work in senior roles that serve as the bridge between Engineering and Finance to understand and control cloud costs. Past companies have included Datadog, Fullstory, MediaMath. You may be surprised to hear that I (mostly) agree with you. Especially when I dive down the rabbit hole and see the crazy complex systems people set up. I try to keep my own vault as simple as possible. But I will say, for me personally, I really REALLY rely on systems. My brain just does not hold on to information by itself, so I need to set up and rely on systems to function. When I use up my toothpaste, I write it down IMMEDIATELY. When I make plans with someone, I add it to my calendar IMMEDAITELY. Otherwise I'll 100% no-show. For some reason, my brain just doesn't hold on to this type of information AT ALL. For me, some of these minimal obsidian systems and habits I've set up really help me function in the world at the level that I WANT to be functioning. Sure, I could survive without it, but at this point I spend maybe 1-5% of my time playing with Obsidian and all my time otherwise working IN obsidian.

[@StevenMichels]

MOCs are dumb.

[@DannBerg]

You can make them smart with Dataview tables

[@StevenMichels]

@@DannBerg yes!

[@ArielTavori]

Fantastic > [!TIP]- 😏 Looking forward to more!

[@DannBerg]

Thanks! I'm glad you found it useful