The PARA Method: Simplify, Organize, and Master Your Digital Life

by Tiago Forte

Organize According to Outcomes One of the biggest pitfalls in organizing is to treat it as an end in itself.

Organize Just in Time My organizing philosophy is to organize as little as possible, as late as possible, and only as much as absolutely needed.

Instead of spending a lot of effort organizing your digital information “just in case” you need it someday, wait until your needs become crystal clear and then organize your notes and files “just in time” for the project you’re working on right now.

The greatest breakthroughs often come from unexpected connections between ideas, and if your system is too rigidly formal, you’ll prevent such connections from ever forming.

The very essence of focus is to “do one thing at a time.”

When I need to focus, I turn off the Wi-Fi. I know I can’t remain dedicated to one task with an ocean of information beckoning to me from just the other side of a browser window. Each time I sit down to work, I choose a task from my to-do list, turn on “airplane mode” on all my devices, and don’t go back online until it’s finished. You might have heard this advice before, but

I recommend choosing what to save in your PARA system based on what resonates with you. What moves you? What makes the hair stand up on your arm, gives you goose bumps, makes your heart beat faster, or fills you with a sense of wonder? That is the stuff creativity is made of, and therefore worth saving.