This is my third set of notes from Tiago. The first two were on photo storage and a weekly digital reset. This one dives into the PARA Method – his four-folder framework for organising all information, but the demo is squarely inside Evernote, so we’re talking mostly notes, not raw files. Still, a little productivity-procrastination never hurts.
Tools mentioned
- Evernote – Tiago’s “neural hub” for ~7k notes
- Google Drive / local disk / Dropbox – he mirrors the same four folders in each place
- Number prefixes (
1_Projects,2_Areas…) to keep the order consistent
The PARA buckets (slide highlights)
PROJECTS
- Have goals
- Have an end
AREAS
- Roles or responsibilities
- Ongoing maintenance
- Never completed
RESOURCES
- Any topic of ongoing interest
- Inspiration for future projects
ARCHIVES
- Inactive items from Projects, Areas, and Resources
Steps to follow (my shorthand)
- List every active project (15–25 is normal) and give each its own sub-folder/notebook.
- Map your ongoing areas (roles like Health, Finances, Marketing) – one folder each.
- Throw everything else into Resources; it’s the “someday/maybe” stash.
- Archive any bucket the moment it goes cold – never delete, just move.
- Mirror PARA everywhere so you never have to remember two systems.
Advice & takeaways
- Put a digit in front of each top-level folder (
1 Projects…4 Archive) so they sort from most to least actionable. - When a Resource suddenly becomes active (say, “Habits & Routines”), just rename the notebook and drag it into Projects—zero re-filing.
- Most daily friction is deciding where things go; PARA reduces that to four clicks.
- Yes, we’ve drifted from my core “photo-folder” quest, but seeing a universal framework is useful context.
Worth the full watch if you’re tempted to rebuild your note app from scratch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T6Mfl1OywM8 - Organize Your ENTIRE Digital Life in Seconds (The PARA Method), Tiago Forte, YouTube.