The Vision: The Perfect Organizational System
PARA could be the the ideal organizational system that tells you exactly where to put every piece of information and where to find it when needed. This system must be:
- Incredibly easy to set up and maintain
- Flexible enough to adapt to different life seasons
- Comprehensive across all digital platforms
- Actionable - leading directly to tangible career and life benefits The ultimate goal is a system that accelerates project completion and goal achievement by pulling important actions closer and making them easier to execute.
The PARA Framework: Four Universal Categories
PARA organizes all digital information into just four categories that encompass everything in your life:
P - Projects
Short-term efforts with specific goals, such as:
- Complete webpage design
- Buy a new computer
- Write research report
- Renovate the bathroom
A - Areas of Responsibility
Important parts of work and life requiring ongoing attention:
- Work: Marketing, Human Resources, Product Management, Direct Reports
- Personal: Health, Finances, Kids, Writing, Car, Home
R - Resources
Topics you’re interested in and learning about:
- Graphic design, personal productivity, organic gardening
- Coffee, modern architecture, web design
- Photography, marketing assets, habit formation
A - Archives
Inactive items from the previous three categories that you might reference later:
- Completed or paused projects
- No longer active areas
- Resources you’re no longer interested in
The Key Principle: Organize by Actionability, Not Subject
Breaking Away from Academic Organization
Most people organize information by broad subjects (like “Marketing” or “Psychology”) learned in school. However, this approach fails in post-academic life because:
- There are no classes, tests, or grades in the workplace
- You have specific outcomes to achieve, not subjects to study
- Searching through vast categories wastes precious time
The Actionable Alternative
Instead of organizing by subject, organize by projects and goals you’re committed to right now. When working on a graphic design project, you need all related notes, documents, and assets in one place, ready to go.
Conclusion
The PARA method transforms overwhelming information chaos into an actionable system. By organizing around what you’re trying to achieve rather than abstract subjects, you create a framework that supports productivity and progress rather than hindering it. The simplicity of four categories combined with project-focused thinking provides the foundation for mastering information flow and achieving your most important goals. Personally, I don’t think that this method is for me or is suited too well for Obsidian. I think I am better off using Apurva’s Quartz Compatible Obsidian Storage Guide rather than this method.
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