← /writing
// writing/simplifying-second-brain.md

Simplifying My Second Brain

  • productivity
  • knowledge

While working on this blog, I noticed something:

Over time, my system had become unnecessarily complex.

What started as a clean setup slowly turned into a mix of folders, utilities, plugins, and routines. It all looked structured, but it did not really help me think or get things done.

Instead, I was organizing more than I was using the system.

So I decided to reset it and reduce everything to the essentials.

That alone already made things feel much lighter.

The Problem

Complexity does not come all at once. It builds up gradually:

  • more folders
  • more layers
  • more plugins
  • more “useful” additions

At some point, the system becomes the focus.

You collect, but you do not use.
You organize, but you do not move forward.

The Setup

I went back to a minimal structure based on PARA:

00 inbox
01 journal
  └── daily
10 projects
20 areas
30 resources
40 archive

No additional layers, no utilities section.

Plugins

I removed almost everything.

What remains:

  • Core plugins: Search, Backlinks, File Explorer
  • Templates (optional)

That is enough.

Anything else can easily lead back to overengineering.

How I Use It

The structure is simple, but the usage is what matters.

1. Capture

Everything goes into 00 inbox — no sorting, no structure.

2. Process (once per day, 5–10 minutes)

For each item, I decide:

→ Project (10 projects)

  • has a clear goal
  • requires multiple steps
  • will be finished

→ Area (20 areas)

  • ongoing responsibility
  • no clear end
  • needs continuous attention

→ Resource (30 resources)

  • useful knowledge
  • not actionable now
  • worth reusing later

→ Trash

  • no clear use, no action, or duplicate
  • when in doubt, delete

→ Journal (01 journal)

  • thoughts, reflections, ideas that need thinking

3. Think

I use a simple daily note:

## Thoughts
## Decisions
## Next

No complex journaling, just clarity.

What Changed

The main difference is not the structure itself.

It is the reduction.

  • fewer decisions
  • less friction
  • clearer focus

The system becomes easier to use and less present in the background.

Closing

A Second Brain should support thinking, not replace it.

If the system feels heavy, it is probably too complex.

Keeping it simple is not a limitation. It is what makes it usable.