Getting Things Done with Obsidian

![[PROJECTS/Blog/_resources/Getting things done with Obsidian/1.png]] Back in 2020, I wrote a post about [[My hi-techlo-tech hybrid Information Management System in 2020]] utilizing Evernote. In late 2024, I made the decision to switch from [Evernote](https://evernote.com) to [Obsidian](https://obsidian.md). Obsidian is a powerful, customizable, and scalable note-taking and information management software. It is perfect as your “second brain” and can be setup with GTD methodology. In this post I will discuss the reasons for my move to Obsidian, as well as walk through how I set up and use my system in 2025. I’m hoping by sharing my setup, it may help someone to become more productive, organized, and free of clutter. ### Switching from Evernote to Obsidian Over the years, as I grew and changed my thinking in some ways, I was getting frustrated with limited customization options in Evernote. At least the level of customization that I needed for my system. Evernote is a good app and works for a lot of people; but I needed more flexibility to set up my system the way I work, not to mold my ways to fit the system. I am not the one to chase the latest and greatest tech; for context, I have used the Evernote for 15 years as part of my information management system. It worked well for my needs at the time. But in 2024, I felt it was time to ditch Evernote. I switched to Obsidian for the following reasons: 1. Evernote’s lack of local data in universal format. In Obsidian, the data is local and belongs to me, in [markdown format.](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Markdown) 2. Limited customization options in Evernote. Great customization options in Obsidian. 3. Lack of trust in the new company owner of Evernote. Great confidence in the philosophy of Obsidian’s developers. In late 2024, I started learning how to use Obsidian and transferred my 5000 notes to Obsidian. Couple of years ago, Evernote got bought out by Bending Spoons, and while the company started making great improvements to the app, it no longer served my needs. Part of the issue for me was the fact that I really didn't own my data. It was in the cloud, managed by the company I didn't trust, in some proprietary format. While I could export my data and convert it, I realized that I'd rather have my data locally. Evernote did not offer that option. It took me five months to transfer everything over from Evernote to Obsidian. The transfer wasn’t perfect or easy, but I took my time to clean everything up and setup a perfect system for me. I was not in a rush. Plus I was learning Obsidian as I went, and beware: it does have a steep learning curve, if you want to take full advantage of customization. ### The hybrid approach to information management If you read my 2020 post, you know that I utilize a hybrid analog/digital system for productivity, information management, and getting things done. I did not depart from this architecture in 2025, however I realized that I relied on the analog part of the system (my physical notebook) less than I did before. Perhaps because I really enjoy using Obsidian or maybe because Obsidian is new and exciting for me for now... time will tell. I still carry my physical notebook with me everywhere. It’s always with me. > ### [“Use your mind to think about things, rather than think of them. You want to be adding value as you think about projects and people, not simply reminding yourself they exist.”](https://www.goodreads.com/work/quotes/5759) ### My new system engine: Obsidian I am still using David Allen’s "Mind Like Water" GTD methodology of capturing, clarifying, organizing, reflecting, and engaging. I have been using it since 2010 and really like that system. Read about GTD [here](https://gettingthingsdone.com/what-is-gtd/). In Obsidian, same as I did in Evernote, I set up for GTD with a sprinkle of The Secret Weapon (TSW) offering, for context tags. The notebooks I have are Inbox, Journal, Projects, Assets, and Filing Cabinet. And speaking of Journal, Obsidian’s **Daily Note** feature helped me journal consistently, which I was not able to achieve before. ![[PROJECTS/Blog/_resources/My_hi-techlo-tech_hybrid_Information_Management_System_in_2020.resources/unknown_filename.jpeg]] For organization and ability to recall information quickly I utilize **DataView** (community plugin) queries, and **Bookmarks** feature. Bookmarks reside in the left sidebar. I also created a homepage I call CORKBOARD, where I put both static and dynamically-generated content (more on that later). As far as my GTD inboxes, I still have three primary inboxes: one in Obsidian, one in my physical notebook, and one for my physical mail, receipts, and other physical pieces of paper (needed items there get digitized into Obsidian). Since I like to have everything in one place, I run my task management in Obsidian as well. And tasks are an integral part of GTD, of course. I use a community plugin called **Tasks**, which allows me to keep track of everything I need to get done. I recall tasks via queries to show up in my daily tasks, upcoming tasks, ongoing tasks, and anytime tasks in my CORKBOARD and in a dedicated Tasks space as well. Part of GTD process is to review and organize incoming information. I do this via the **Weekly Note** feature where I do weekly review and organization every Sunday. By using DataView community plugin for Obsidian, pull all the notes I created in a given week, so that I could review them. ### The Daily Note Another great feature in Obsidian is **Daily Note**. Every morning, part of my routine, I create a daily note where I log the events of the day, journal, recall past journal entries, and track my habits. Speaking of habits, by using Habits Tracker community plugin, I’m able to track and visualize my daily habits. There I track my daily mood, wake-up times, reading, and workouts. I also have a section there called **On this Day One Year Ago**, using a query to show me any notes I created one year ago. It’s a nice way to recall events. The Daily Note feature helped me with my journaling as well. It forced me to journal consistently - something I struggled with over the years. In the Journal section of my daily note I have 4 questions: 1. Who or what am I thankful for? 2. What went well today? 3. What did I learn? 4. What could I improve tomorrow? These daily notes live in my Journal folder and I can use queries to aggregate the necessary information from that folder, like my wake-up times or my dreams that I log (when I remember them). The **Graph feature** in Obsidian provides a visual view of links and connections between all my notes. While I don’t utilize the global graph view, I do use the local graph, as it allows me to view local connections. > ### [“Writing in your journal gives you a chance to go back over your day and extract meaning from a hurried meeting with a friend or retrieve the significance of some fleeting event.”](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2057804.You_re_in_Charge) ### Home Page In order to have quick access to the information I need, I created a home page note in Obsidian. It serves as a hub for my most useful and quick access content. I can access this note quickly from Bookmarks in the sidebar. So far, I added the following sections to the CORKBOARD: - Today’s Tasks - Current (ongoing) Tasks - Frequent - Recently Modified - Motivational - Hobbies - Lifestyle - Read/Watch Later - Misc. Info - Scratch Pad I check this note multiple times per day to see my tasks and to reference information within my system. I built this note using the callouts feature, keeping everything neat and organized. ### Other Features The other two features I love using in Obsidian are **Sync** and **Publish.** **Sync** is a core plugin that allows me to synchronize my system across devices. It works seamlessly in the background ensuring my notes are updated on my Mac laptop and on my iPhone. **Publish** is a hassle-free method to publish selected content in my system to the web. This blog has been published via Publish. I love having all this functionality in one place. ### Community Plugins Community Plugins extend the functionality of Obsidian. What I love about it is the community of wonderful developers behind it. However, I recommend not using a lot of plugins, but rather using them to solve a problem when native functionality doesn't offer a solution. Here is a list of the community plugins that I use: - Tasks - DataView - Calendar - Editing Toolbar - Heatmap Tracker - Vault Statistics - Clear Unused Images (& Attachments) - Book Search - Checkbox Sounds ### Closing I hope you found this post useful. If you have any questions - [Email Me](mailto:[email protected]) My Obsidian-based system allows me to get the information out of my brain and into a trusted system, allowing me to be creative in my thinking, to never forget anything, and to manage my life in a organized and effective way. I hope it can do the same for you! ![[Screenshot 2025-06-01 at 17.46.56.png]] ![[Screenshot 2025-06-01 at 17.47.44.png]] ![[Screenshot 2025-06-01 at 17.45.29.png]] #obsidian #gtd