updated two posts

Author: rubygeek

_posts/2024-04-29-second-brain-organizing.md

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+---
+layout: post
+title: Building A Second Brain - Organizing 
+date: 2024-04-29
+categories: [productivity]
+tags: [basb]
+---
+
+## Organizing Your Second Brain
+
+In my pursuit of creating an efficient digital second brain, I have experimented with two different methods of organization. Initially, I utilized Microsoft OneNote, which was already a repository for my work-related notes and various personal items. I rebranded my OneNote as "SecondBrain" and established several distinct sections to streamline the organization:
+
+1. Inbox
+2. Projects
+3. Areas
+4. Resources
+5. Archive
+
+I prefer to number the sections to maintain a sense of order. After reorganizing my notes within this structure, I found the system to be satisfactory. OneNote allows you to create pages with collapsible sections, which is useful for managing content. For example, I had a "Mentorship" section with approximately 50 nested pages that required frequent collapsing and expanding, eventually leading to some inefficiency. I could however break that into Mentoring-Q1 and Mentoring-Q2 but that I think will also have problems.
+
+My search for an alternative led me to consider both Obsidian and Logseq, but I ultimately chose to create a private GitHub repository with Markdown (MD) files. Some of my older notes were in org mode, so I kept those as is. I categorized my content into folders, again using numbers for a clean appearance. Although OneNote offers the convenience of easily adding tables, images, and diverse content types, my GitHub repository with MD files is primarily text-based. However, when I need to include visual elements, I resort to OneNote, while Markdown files suffice for text-based notes. Searching through the repository is a breeze using Grep, whereas OneNote's search functionality can feel cumbersome. As a terminal enthusiast, I find this method of search more intuitive.
+
+For items that I'm unsure where to place, I simply drop them into the Inbox section, which, to my surprise, remains empty so far.
+
+Another benefit of using a git repository is its portability. I can clone the repository on any computer or VM I'm using at the time. This flexibility is especially handy since I enjoy working with various operating systems. Additionally, if I need to access my notes on the go, I can easily do so via GitHub on my phone.
+
+I still use OneNotese for some work notes, but I am moving all personal stuff to github as markdown files. 
+
+I am sure this will continue to evolve as I implement the Second Brain, but this is where I stand for now!
+

_posts/2024-04-30-book-review-organize-tomorrow-today.mdf

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+---
+layout: post
+title: Book review - Organize Tomorrow Today  
+date: 2024-04-30
+categories: [book-review]
+tags: [productivity]
+---
+
+## Book review - Organize Tomorrow Today
+
+Written by Dr. Jason Selk and Rom Bartow (with Mathew Rudy)
+
+I got this book after reading Relentless Solution Focus written by Dr. Jason Selk and this seemed more focused on work. The chapters are short and they give several examples of different occupations and how they implemented the principles in each chapter.
+
+After being captivated by Dr. Selk's "Relentless Solution Focus," (I read it 4 times) I picked up "Organize Tomorrow Today," anticipating a read that leans more towards enhancing work productivity. The book delivers its wisdom in bite-sized chapters, replete with anecdotes from various professions, demonstrating the application of its key principles.
+
+
+Basic Concepts of the book:
+
+1. Organize Tomorrow Today
+1. Choose Wisely
+1. Maximize your time
+1. Win your fight-thrus
+1. Evaluate Correctly
+1. Learn how to talk to yourself
+1. Learn how to talk to others
+1. Become abnormal
+
+I'll probably talk about some of the other chapters later, but I want to start with the first one.
+
+*Organize Tomorrow Today*
+
+A quote from the first chapter captures the essence of the chapter:
+
+```
+Highly successful people never get it all done in any one given day -- but they always get the most important things done each day.
+```
+
+The authors proposes a simple yet powerful strategy: identify three pivotal tasks for the day, with one designated as the non-negotiable "MUST DO." While to-do lists are commonplace, the book introduces the concept of assigning a specific completion time to each of the top three tasks. This approach has propelled me to tackle tasks I was reluctant to start, often realizing that they took less time than expected.
+
+Moreover, the strategy of planning tomorrow's top three tasks at the end of the day proves to be a motivational tool. By doing so, I can hit the ground running the next morning, eliminating the time usually lost in planning and remembering what was I doing the previous day! How many times have you typed `history` at the termine to remember what you last did.
+
+The recommendation to accomplish these three tasks before 10 a.m., or at least by lunchtime, is a challenge for me since I seem to get distracted easily. However, I believe that by breaking down my tasks into smaller, more manageable pieces, this goal can become attainable.
+
+In conclusion, "Organize Tomorrow Today" offers actionable advice for those seeking to improve their daily productivity and achieve significant results by focusing on what truly matters -- first!
+
+Now go write your 3 tasks for tomorrow! 
+