(2019-11-26) Bernstorff Implementing An Ideamanagement System

Martin Bernstorff: Implementing an Idea-Management System. This post is for you if:

• Projects that excite you are growing to be a burden on your to-do list
• You have a nagging sense that you’re not making the most of the ideas you have every day
• Your note- and idea-system has grown to be an unwieldy beast

The ideal idea-management system

1. Separates ideas from commitments

2. Shows you the right ideas at the right time

Most of us live dynamic lives where priorities change often

Your idea-management system should reflect this. It shouldn’t just show you your most recent idea, it should make it easy to find ideas associated with whatever you find most important right now.

3. Doesn’t distract you with ideas that you can’t execute

Sometimes you’re missing resources, or you’re waiting for some dependency.

4. Allows you to break down ideas into smaller parts, and re-combine them as needed

5. Has low overhead

Time for action

*But folders, task-managers, outliners like Workflowy and Dynalist — they’re all hierarchical!

You’re right, and until last week, I didn’t know what other solution there could be. But now there is. Roam.*

Commitments belong on lists, ideas in dynamic networks.

6 months later, you’re assigned a grind of a task. You decide to read up on on Motivation, and voilá, in the footnotes is a link to that idea you had that might help you now.

you’re less distracted. You don’t have to take action on an idea in fear of forgetting it. Nor are you presented with ideas only because they’re recent. You have a need, Motivation, and you’re presented with ideas on that topic alone. No distraction.