the_information_nexus/personal/obsidian_getting_started.md

Comprehensive Guide to Using a Modular Tag System in Obsidian

Step 1: Identify Main Categories

Define the primary themes or categories that broadly encapsulate your notes. These categories will help you quickly find and organize notes. Examples include:

• #personal
• #work
• #research
• #ideas
• #projects
• #learning
• #hobbies
• #reference (for capturing general reference information)

Step 2: Create Sub-tags

Break down each main category into more specific sub-tags to further organize your notes. Sub-tags should help you pinpoint the exact type of note or context. Examples include:

• #personal
  • #personal/journal
  • #personal/goals
  • #personal/health
• #work
  • #work/meetings
  • #work/tasks
  • #work/projects
• #research
  • #research/articles
  • #research/books
  • #research/experiments
• #ideas
  • #ideas/blog
  • #ideas/business
  • #ideas/creative
• #projects
  • #projects/project1
  • #projects/project2
  • #projects/projectX
• #learning
  • #learning/courses
  • #learning/books
  • #learning/notes
• #hobbies
  • #hobbies/travel
  • #hobbies/photography
  • #hobbies/cooking
• #reference
  • #reference/tools
  • #reference/resources
  • #reference/templates

Step 3: Use Descriptive Tags

Apply specific descriptive tags to capture the content or key concepts of each note. These tags should be general enough to be used across different categories but specific enough to add meaningful context. Examples include:

• #productivity
• #finance
• #marketing
• #technology
• #creativity
• #psychology
• #wellness
• #education
• #innovation

Step 4: Special Tags for Note Types or Status

Add tags to identify the type of note or its status. These can help you track the purpose or progress of a note. Examples include:

• #type
  • #type/meeting-notes
  • #type/book-summary
  • #type/article-review
  • #type/brainstorm
• #status
  • #status/to-do
  • #status/in-progress
  • #status/completed
  • #status/archived

Step 5: Use Nested Tags

Create a hierarchical structure with nested tags to establish relationships and context. Nested tags should logically connect broader categories to more specific details. Examples include:

• #projects
  • #projects/project1
    • #projects/project1/task1
    • #projects/project1/task2
  • #projects/project2
    • #projects/project2/phase1
    • #projects/project2/phase2
• #research
  • #research/articles
    • #research/articles/psychology
    • #research/articles/technology
  • #research/books
    • #research/books/business
    • #research/books/science

Step 6: Consistent Naming Conventions

Maintain consistency in naming tags. Use all lowercase letters, hyphens, or underscores to separate words in a tag. Numbers can also be used in tag names to denote sequences or dates. Examples include:

• Use #work/tasks instead of #Work/Tasks
• Use #personal_goals instead of #Personal Goals
• Use #project/001 or #idea/2023/05/22

Step 7: Combine with Other Obsidian Features

Tags can be used in combination with other powerful Obsidian features to enable even more effective organization and navigation. For example:

• Use links and backlinks to connect related notes.
• Create queries to dynamically collect notes based on tag patterns.
• Set up saved searches for frequently used tag combinations.
• Use the tag pane to quickly access and manage your tags.

Step 8: Regular Review and Refinement

Regularly review and refine your tag system to ensure it remains effective as your knowledge base grows. Merge similar tags, remove unused ones, and adjust your hierarchy as needed.

Example of a Tagged Note

Here's a practical example of how you might tag a note:

# Meeting with John - Project Update

- Discussed progress on #projects/001
- Identified bottlenecks in #projects/001/task2
- Brainstormed ideas for improving #productivity
- Scheduled follow-up meeting for next week #2023/05/28

#type/meeting-notes #work/meetings #status/completed

Summary of Starting Point Tags

Here's a summary list of starting point tags for easy reference:

Main Categories

• #personal
• #work
• #research
• #ideas
• #projects
• #learning
• #hobbies
• #reference

Sub-tags

• #personal
  • #personal/journal
  • #personal/goals
  • #personal/health
• #work
  • #work/meetings
  • #work/tasks
  • #work/projects
• #research
  • #research/articles
  • #research/books
  • #research/experiments
• #ideas
  • #ideas/blog
  • #ideas/business
  • #ideas/creative
• #projects
  • #projects/001
  • #projects/002
  • #projects/003
• #learning
  • #learning/courses
  • #learning/books
  • #learning/notes
• #hobbies
  • #hobbies/travel
  • #hobbies/photography
  • #hobbies/cooking
• #reference
  • #reference/tools
  • #reference/resources
  • #reference/templates

Descriptive Tags

• #productivity
• #finance
• #marketing
• #technology
• #creativity
• #psychology
• #wellness
• #education
• #innovation

Special Tags

• #type
  • #type/meeting-notes
  • #type/book-summary
  • #type/article-review
  • #type/brainstorm
• #status
  • #status/to-do
  • #status/in-progress
  • #status/completed
  • #status/archived

This guide provides a comprehensive, organized approach to using a modular tag system in Obsidian, allowing you to efficiently manage and navigate your notes.