Have you ever felt overwhelmed by the number of notes you’ve taken over the years? If so, the zettelkasten method may be your ultimate solution.
The term zettelkasten translates to “note box” in German. In essence, it is an organisational system for note-taking that uses tags and labels to make information easier to locate later.
The zettelkasten method is an excellent system for self-learners, essayists and other creators, as it aids brainstorming and discovery of related content.
The zettelkasten can be implemented in various ways, from traditional note cards to sophisticated apps. While writing physical notes is known to improve memory retention and stimulate creativity, digital notes offer easier organisation and greater convenience when searching for information later.
Whatever medium you choose, don’t focus on creating a perfect system. You can always improve it over time.
If you want to learn more about this method, you can read How to Take Smart Notes by Sonke Ahrens, Digital Zettelkasten by David Kadavy and A System for Writing by Bob Doto.
How the zettelkasten method works
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Jot down something you want to remember: Take a moment to make a note of anything relevant and interesting. This could include facts from a book, productivity tips from a YouTube video or even a reflective thought you had while walking. Your note can be in the form of a few bullet points, a short paragraph or even just a single quote.
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Categorise the note: If you’re using an app, you can take advantage of the provided tag functions. If you’re taking physical notes, write the tags at the top of the page or use colour coding to make them stand out. Examples of easy-to-identify tags include #morality, #history and #personalgrowth. A note can have as many tags as needed, but a good rule of thumb is to use one to three. If a note has multiple tags, consider filing it in the most relevant section. For digital users, this will not be as much of an issue since tags are usually automatically included in most databases.
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Store the note in a safe place: This can be as simple as organising it in a plastic box with various compartments for different tags. For digital users, this means saving it to your app or your computer’s internal storage.
Ways to store your notes
There are many ways to use the zettelkasten method. If you prefer things a little old-school, physical note-taking is always an option. However, if you’re willing to try out new apps, there are many choices available online. Here are four ways you can store your notes – but don’t feel limited to these suggestions.
Index cards
Ryan Holiday, the author of The Daily Stoic, is known for using index cards stored upright in multiple boxes for his zettelkasten system.
Some people find it easy to flip through physical cards, but writing notes by hand can be more time-consuming compared with digital note-taking. But the satisfaction that comes from creating a new card often makes the extra effort worthwhile. That said, as your collection expands, storage space may become an issue.
Notebooks
This method is quite similar to using index cards, but notebook pages often provide more space for longer notes. They also offer room for doodling and attaching photos if you value aesthetics. If your notebook does not already have page numbers, consider adding them to make it easier to locate your notes. Additionally, you can include a glossary, an index and use sticky notes to label each section.
Obsidian
Obsidian is an app that many learning experts highly recommend for the zettelkasten system. It is often regarded as one of the best tools for creating a digital database.
The software’s tagging feature and graph view, which visually connect all your notes like a mind map, make it easy to discover relationships between them. Additionally, community plug-ins – add-on features developed by other Obsidian users – allow you to customise your experience.
However, syncing between devices requires a subscription or the use of other cloud storage services. The interface and numerous functions may also be confusing for new users.
Notion
Although this app was not initially designed for the zettelkasten system, the Notion community has embraced the concept and developed various templates specifically for it. Additionally, the app’s built-in table feature makes it easy to organise notes and add extra information, such as dates.
