Obsidian for Learning Part II

Atomic Notes: The Core Unit #

• Definition: Atomic notes (also known as permanent or smart notes) are the "compiler artifacts" of learning—information digested and rebuilt in your own words.
• Key Characteristics:
  • High Cohesion: Notes are self-contained and work well with others.
  • Low Coupling: They are flexible enough to be reused in multiple contexts/projects.
• The "Up" Property: Instead of a complex graph, use an "up" link to slot a note behind a parent note, creating a browsable tree structure.
• File Naming: Use human-readable summaries as file names to jog memory without needing to open the note.

The FLAP System Structure #

• Capture: Recording fleeting thoughts and literature highlights.
• Process: Distilling raw captures into an interlinked network of atomic notes.
• Write: Composing clusters of atomic notes into final outputs (essays, scripts, exams).
• Organization: The system uses no folders and only four tags: #fleeting, #literature, #atomic, and #project.

The Single Trusted System #

• Principles: Borrowed from David Allen’s Getting Things Done, all notes must live in a single place to ensure nothing is missed.
• The Problem with Multi-App Systems: Checking multiple sources (Apple Notes, messages, etc.) creates mental friction and reduces trust in the system.

Daily Processing Strategy #

• The Temporal Contract: Processing is the act of the "current you" fulfilling the obligation created by the "past you" who captured the note.
• Task Handling: If a fleeting note contains a task taking less than 2 minutes, do it immediately. If it belongs elsewhere, move it to the specific project/shopping list and delete the original.
• Verbatim Storage: Facts (addresses, code snippets) should be saved as simple notes with sensible tags rather than being turned into atomic notes.

Managing Backlogs with Spaced Repetition #

• Spaced Repetition Plugin: Used to prevent the fleeting note list from becoming overwhelming.
• Snoozing: If a note isn't ready to be processed or its importance is unclear, use the "Good/Easy/Hard" buttons to schedule it for the future.
• Scalability: This method ensures that on any given day, you only see the most urgent or relevant notes rather than a daunting, static list.

Transforming Literature into Knowledge #

• Active Digestion: literature notes (highlights from books, videos, podcasts) are raw materials.
• Action: When a highlight resonates, create a new atomic note with a unique title, link it to the source, cross-reference related atomic notes, and place it in the organizational tree using the "up" property.
• Completion: Mark processed highlights (e.g., checking a markdown checkbox) to indicate they have been integrated.

Summary #

Tris explains the second stage of his "FLAP" note-taking system: Process. The focus shifts from merely collecting information to refining it into "atomic notes"—small, self-contained units of knowledge written in one's own words. These notes are organized using a hierarchical "up" link rather than folders or complex graphs, making them highly composable for future writing. To manage the influx of daily thoughts, the system utilizes a "Single Trusted System" and leverages a Spaced Repetition plugin to "snooze" less urgent notes, ensuring the backlog remains manageable and scalable over time.