Simplify your system, download my template - A personal knowledge system
When the tools become useful
You have the PARA structure. You have MOC notes that gather knowledge by topic.
But new problems arise:
Problem 1: Forgetting You’ve created 200 notes. You haven’t opened half of them for 3 months already. They lie there as dead weight.
Problem 2: Blind spots You don’t see notes without connections. You don’t notice isolated topics. You don’t understand where the gaps in your knowledge are.
Problem 3: A flat structure The graph shows connections, but doesn’t show hierarchy. Everything is on one level. It’s hard to understand what’s important and what’s secondary.
To solve these problems there are three tools:
- Random note — fighting forgetting
- The graph — diagnosing weak spots
- Canvas — visualising hierarchy
It’s important to understand: these tools work only if you already have a structure and MOCs. Without a foundation, the tools are useless.
Part 1: Random note — fighting forgetting
The problem of forgotten notes
You create a note. You link it with a MOC. Everything’s right.
But a month later you forget about it. It lies in the Resources folder. It’s not applied in projects. It’s not updated.
This is called “wrote it and forgot it.”
The problem isn’t laziness. The problem is that our brain can’t hold 200 notes in active memory.
You need a reminder mechanism.
How memory works with repetition
Research shows: information is memorised through spaced repetition.
You read a note:
- After a day — you remember 70%
- After a week — you remember 50%
- After a month — you remember 20%
- After 3 months — you’ve forgotten it completely
But if you periodically return to the note:
- Each return strengthens the memory
- The connections become stronger
- New ideas appear (because you’ve changed in that time)
The “Random note” function is a spaced-repetition mechanism for your entire knowledge base.
The built-in “Random note” function
Obsidian has a built-in command: “Open random note.”
How to enable it:
- Open the Command Palette (Ctrl+P / Cmd+P)
- Find “Random note”
- Press Enter
A random note from your vault will open.
Assign a hotkey:
- Settings → Hotkeys
- Find “Open random note”
- Assign a key (I use Alt+Q)
Now you can quickly flip through random notes.
How I use random notes
I open 10 random notes. I just flip through them.
For each I ask the question: “Can I apply this today?”
Examples:
- The note “The Pareto principle” opened → I remembered that I need to focus on the project’s main task
- The note “Dopamine detox” opened → I decided to turn off notifications before recording a video
- The note “Procrastination as a defence” opened → I understood why I was putting off an important conversation
3 of 10 notes gave useful insights. That’s a 30% hit rate.
Searching for ideas for a project:
When I write a script for a video, I open random notes on the topic.
For example, a video about productivity:
- I open a random note
- If it doesn’t fit → next
- If it fits → I add it to the project note
Usually out of 20 random ones, 3-5 useful ones turn up. That’s faster than scrolling the whole folder.
Refactoring notes:
Once a week I open 20 random notes and check:
- Is the title relevant?
- Are there connections?
- Does the content need updating?
- Is it applied in projects?
If a note doesn’t pass the check — I either improve it or archive it.
The problem with the built-in function
The built-in function shows all notes. Including:
- Templates
- Settings
- Plugin files
- Images
- Notes from the archive
This creates noise. You want to see useful notes, but a template or a setting opens.
The Improved Random Note plugin
The solution is the Improved Random Note plugin.
It lets you:
- Filter by folders (show only Resources)
- Exclude folders (hide Archive and Files)
- Configure several commands (one for Resources, another for Projects)
Installation:
- Settings → Community plugins → Browse
- Find “Improved Random Note”
- Install → Enable
Configuration:
- Settings → Improved Random Note
- “Included folders”: specify the folders you want to include (e.g. Resources)
- “Excluded folders”: specify the folders you want to exclude (e.g. Archive, Files, Templates)
- “Open in new pane”: enable it if you want to open in a new panel
Practical usage scenarios
Scenario 1: A mental warm-up
Goal: Refresh your memory, find insights for the day.
How:
- In the morning, 5 minutes
- Alt+Q — I open a random note from Resources
- I read quickly (30 seconds)
- I ask the question: “Can I apply this today?”
- If yes — I add a reminder to my diary or a project
- If no — next note
- I repeat 10 times
Result: The brain wakes up. Ideas from theory move into practice.
Scenario 2: Searching for project material
Goal: Find theory for a video script.
How:
- I open the project note “A video about productivity”
- I create a section “Ideas from random notes”
- Alt+Q — I open random notes from the folder Resources/Productivity
- For each note: is it suitable for the video?
- If yes — I copy the link into the project note
- I repeat until I find 5-7 ideas
Result: The material for the script is gathered in 10 minutes instead of 30.
Scenario 3: Refactoring the system
Goal: Check the quality of notes, find outdated ones.
How:
- Once a week, 20 minutes
- Alt+Q — I open a random note
- I check against a checklist:
- Is the title clear? (a sentence, not a word)
- Are there connections? (a minimum of 2-3)
- Is the content relevant?
- Is it applied in projects/areas?
- If something’s off — I fix it or archive it
- I repeat for 20 notes
Result: The system stays clean. Dead notes are deleted.
An advanced technique: a chain of random notes
Sometimes one random note leads to a chain of discoveries.
How it works:
- I open the random note “Dopamine detox”
- I see a connection with the note “Digital minimalism”
- I follow the connection
- I see a connection with “Deep Work”
- I follow the connection
- I see a connection with “Project - A video about productivity”
- I add all three notes to the project
Result: From one random note I got material for a whole block of the video.
This is called “a walk through connections.” You follow your interest, not a plan. Often this leads to unexpected discoveries.
Part 2: The graph — diagnosing weak spots
What is NOT the goal of the graph
Many open the graph in Obsidian and think: “Wow, beautiful! I’ll set up the colours, take a screenshot, show my friends.”
This is a trap.
The graph isn’t decoration. The graph is a diagnostic tool.
Like a blood test. You don’t do the test to admire the numbers. You do the test to understand where the problems are.
What IS the goal of the graph
The graph shows:
- Notes without connections (orphans) — information isn’t integrated
- Isolated clusters — topics don’t intersect
- Overloaded nodes — notes with too many connections (blurred focus)
- One-way connections — A links to B, but not the other way around
- The system’s structure — which topics are central, which are peripheral
If you see a problem in the graph — you fix it in the notes.
Opening the graph
The global graph:
View → Graph view (Ctrl+G / Cmd+G)
Shows all the notes and all the connections.
The local graph:
Open a note → More options (three dots) → Open local graph
Shows the connections of a specific note.
Configuring the graph: the basic level
Open the graph panel. On the right you’ll see the settings.
Colour coding: grouping by folders
The most useful setting is colour coding.
You assign a colour to each folder. Now in the graph you can see which folder a note belongs to.
How to set it up:
- In the graph settings find the “Groups” section
- Click “New group”
- Choose a colour
- In the “Query” field enter:
path:Projects - Click “Add”
Repeat for other folders.
My colour scheme:
- Red: Projects (
path:Projects) - Yellow: Areas (
path:Areas) - Green: Resources (
path:Resources) - Grey: Archive (
path:Archive) - Black: Inbox (
path:Inbox)
Result:
Now in the graph I see:
- Red nodes — active projects
- Green nodes — theory
- Connections between red and green — theory is applied in projects
This gives context. Not just “notes are connected,” but “a project is connected with theory.”
What to look for in the graph: a diagnostic checklist
You open the graph. What do you check?
1. Orphan notes
What it is:
Notes without connections. They’re scattered around the edges of the graph, separate from the main cluster.
Why they appear:
- The note was just created (still in Inbox)
- The note is forgotten (not processed)
- The note is irrelevant (needs archiving)
How to find them:
Visually: look for lone dots around the edges.
Or use a filter:
In the “Search files” field enter:
-path:Archive
This will hide the archive. Now the orphans are more visible.
What to do with an orphan:
A processing checklist:
- Does it match your interests? (the 12 CODE questions)
- If not → archive or delete
- Is the title good?
- Bad: “Note 15.04”
- Good: “Procrastination arises from the fear of failure”
- Which topic does it belong to?
- Find the parent MOC
- Add a connection with the MOC
- Is there an application?
- Where do I use it? In which project? In which area?
- Add a connection with Projects or Areas
- Are there connections with other notes?
- Find 2-3 related notes
- Add connections
Example:
I found an orphan “Note 15.04”
I open it → read it → it’s about the Pomodoro technique.
Actions:
- I rename it: “The Pomodoro technique — 25 minutes of focus”
- I add a connection:
[[MOC - Productivity]] - I add a connection:
[[Deep Work]](a similar topic) - I add a connection:
[[Project - A video about productivity]] - I move it from Inbox to Resources/Productivity
Done. The orphan is integrated.
2. Isolated clusters
What it is:
A group of notes connected with each other, but not connected with the rest of the system.
Visualisation:
[The main graph] [An isolated cluster]
•—•—• •—•
| | |
•—•—• •
Why they appear:
- The topic doesn’t intersect with other topics
- The topic is no longer relevant
- You forgot to create bridge connections
What to do:
-
Check the topic’s relevance
- Is it used in projects?
- Is it applied in life areas?
- If not → archive the whole cluster
-
Find bridge ideas
- Open this topic’s MOC
- Open another topic’s MOC
- The two-windows technique: find the intersection
- Create a bridge note
Example:
I see an isolated cluster: notes about finance.
They’re connected with each other, but not connected with the rest of the system.
I open MOC “Finance” and MOC “Productivity.”
I ask the question: “How is finance connected with productivity?”
The answer: “Financial independence gives the freedom to choose projects, rather than work for money. This affects motivation and burnout.”
I create a note: “Financial independence as the basis of internal motivation”
I link it with both MOCs.
Now the cluster is integrated.
3. Overloaded nodes (stars)
What it is:
A note connected with 20+ other notes.
In the graph it looks like a star: one big node in the centre, with rays from it in different directions.
Visualisation:
•
|
•—•—•—•—•
|
•
Why this is a problem:
Too many connections = blurred focus. The note tries to cover everything and doesn’t focus on anything.
Usually this is:
- A MOC that became a dump
- A note with a general title like “Ideas”
- A Home page with excessive connections
What to do:
-
Split into several notes
- If it’s a MOC — create subgroups
- If it’s a list of ideas — create separate notes
-
Delete random connections
- Check each connection: “Why are these notes connected?”
- If there’s no clear answer → delete the connection
Example:
I see a star: the note “Ideas” is connected with 30 notes.
I open it → it’s just a list of ideas for videos.
Action: I create a separate note for each idea. I delete the old note “Ideas.”
Now each idea exists as an independent note with its own connections.
4. One-way connections
What it is:
Note A links to note B. But note B doesn’t link to A.
In Obsidian this is normal (the connection exists, even if one-way). But sometimes it indicates a problem.
When it’s normal:
- Note A (a resource) links to B (a MOC) — logical
- Note A (a project) links to B (a resource) — logical
When it’s a problem:
- Note A links to B, but you forgot to add the back-connection in context
How to check:
Open note B → look at the “Backlinks” section.
If it’s empty there — no one links to this note. Maybe it’s not needed.
Filters in the graph: focusing on what’s important
The global graph shows everything. This overloads you.
The solution is filters. You show only what’s needed right now.
A filter by path
The most useful filter.
Syntax:
path:Projects
Shows only notes from the Projects folder.
Combining folders:
path:Projects OR path:Resources
Shows Projects and Resources. Now you see how theory is connected with projects.
Excluding folders:
-path:Archive
Hides the archive.
A specific subfolder:
path:Resources/Productivity
Shows only notes from the “Productivity” subfolder.
Examples of ready-made filters
Filter 1: Theory and practice
path:1. Projects OR path:3. Resources
Goal: See which theory is applied in projects.
What to look for: Are there connections between the green (Resources) and red (Projects) nodes?
Filter 2: The active system
path:1. Projects OR path:2. Areas OR path:3. Inbox
Goal: See what’s happening right now. Current projects, areas, new notes.
What to look for: Is the Inbox being processed? Are the projects connected with the areas?
Filter 3: One topic
path:Resources/Productivity
Goal: See the structure of a specific topic.
What to look for: Are there orphans? Is there a MOC? How are the notes grouped?
Filter 4: New notes and their connections
path:Inbox OR path:Resources
Goal: Find connections in Resources for new notes from the Inbox.
What to look for: Which topics can the new notes be linked with?
Filter 5: All MOCs
file:MOC
Goal: See all the MOC notes.
What to look for: Are there bridge connections between MOCs? Which topics are central?
A filter by tags
If you actively use tags, you can filter by them.
Syntax:
tag:#productivity
Shows all notes with the tag productivity.
When it’s useful:
If your tags cross folders. For example, the tag bridge-idea can be in different folders.
A filter by title
file:"Deep Work"
Shows the note titled “Deep Work” and all its connections.
When it’s useful:
A quick visualisation of a specific note’s surroundings.
A note’s local graph
The local graph shows the connections of one note.
How to open it:
Open a note → More options (•••) → Open local graph
What it shows:
- The centre: the current note
- The first circle: notes directly connected
- The second circle: notes connected through one
Configuring the depth:
In the local graph settings there’s a “Depth” slider.
- Depth 1: only direct connections
- Depth 2: connections through one note
- Depth 3: connections through two notes
I use Depth 1-2. More creates noise.
Why I don’t use the local graph
The local graph shows connections, but doesn’t show hierarchy.
All notes are on one level. I don’t see:
- What is a MOC (a parent)
- What is a sub-topic
- What is a brother/sister
For this, Canvas is more suitable. More on it — further on.
When the local graph is useful:
When you need to quickly see a note’s surroundings. For example:
- Check whether there are connections
- Find similar notes
- See in which contexts it’s used
But for deep work I prefer Canvas.
Advanced techniques for working with the graph
The graph for generating ideas: “a walk through the graph”
Sometimes I use the graph not for diagnostics, but for a spontaneous search for ideas.
How it works:
- I open the graph with the filter
path:Resources - I click on a random note
- I read it (1 minute)
- I look at the connections in the graph
- I click on a connected note that seems interesting
- I read it
- I repeat 5-7 times
Result:
The brain finds unexpected paths. I start with the note about “Dopamine detox,” and end up at “Financial independence.”
Along the way I write down insights.
This is called “serendipity” — a chance discovery. The graph helps provoke it.
The graph for analysing progress
Once a month I take a screenshot of the graph and save it in the “Snapshots” folder.
Then I compare:
- The graph 3 months ago
- The graph now
What I analyse:
- Have new clusters appeared? (new topics)
- Has the density increased? (more connections)
- Has the number of orphans decreased? (a cleaner system)
- Have the central nodes changed? (priorities have changed)
This shows the evolution of thinking.
Common mistakes when working with the graph
Mistake 1: Spending too much time
The graph is captivating. You can spend an hour spinning it, adjusting colours, admiring it.
The solution: The graph isn’t an end in itself. 10 minutes once a week for diagnostics. No more.
Mistake 2: Trying to make the graph “beautiful”
The graph shouldn’t be beautiful. It should be useful.
The solution: Focus on diagnostics, not on aesthetics.
Mistake 3: Ignoring orphans
“Oh well, let them lie there.”
Orphans are dead weight. They take up space, create noise.
The solution: Once a month — a clean-up. Processing or archiving orphans.
Mistake 4: Creating random connections for the sake of the graph
“I want the graph to be denser. I’ll add connections.”
Random connections are useless. They create a false sense of order.
The solution: Every connection must have meaning. You should be able to explain: “Why are these notes connected?”
Keep going? Level 3B — Canvas