Managing a growing note library — especially when approaching or have surpassed 10,000 notes — can feel overwhelming. Yet the goal is clear: spend minimal time and effort on organization while maximizing efficiency when retrieving important ideas. The system itself should serve your projects, tasks, and life goals, not become an end in itself.
Previously, I emphasized retrieval methods — folders, tags, and links — to locate specific notes. Now, I want to share strategies on using folders, tags, and links to build a robust, flexible note-taking system that enhances your creative workflow without draining your energy. This foundation will subsequently facilitate efficient note retrieval in the future.
Keeping the Ultimate Goal in Mind
Before diving into the methods, it’s crucial to remember one principle: note management techniques are merely tools. The ultimate goal is achieving your tasks and objectives in work and life. Your system should facilitate, not dominate, your workflow. Spending excessive time creating overly complex structures defeats the purpose, leaving you less energy to achieve actual goals.
Therefore, the strategies shared here are designed to be simple and sustainable, enhancing your note-taking system without unnecessary complexity.
This is an excellent introduction to the challenges and the guiding principles of managing a large note library. You’ve clearly articulated the core problem and the desired outcome: a system that supports, not hinders, productivity.
Here are some thoughts and potential expansions based on your introduction, focusing on the strategies for using folders, tags, and links:
Expanding on Folders:
Broad Categories: Folders are best used for broad, stable categories. Think of them as the major departments in a library. Examples could include:
Projects (with subfolders for individual projects)
Areas of Interest (e.g., “Writing,” “Personal Development,” “Software Development”)
Resources (e.g., “Articles,” “Book Notes,” “Meeting Minutes”)
Someday/Maybe
Avoid Over-Nesting: Deeply nested folder structures can become cumbersome to navigate. Aim for a relatively flat hierarchy (ideally no more than 2-3 levels deep for most use cases).
Folder as a Starting Point: Folders can act as a good initial filter when you have a general idea of where a note might reside.
Totally agree, one can define different types of folders according to work and life interests. Additionally, overly complicated nested folder structures can increase the workload. That’s actually why I developed this plugin called Folder Navigator, which helps users easily navigate to the desired folder.