My Little Experiment with Organization
So, the other day, I was looking at my computer desktop, and man, it was a mess. Files everywhere, notes scattered across different apps, you know the drill. I’ve been meaning to get a grip on this for ages. It just slows everything down when you can’t find what you need, right? Felt like wading through mud just to locate a simple document I saved last week.
First thing I did was just try dumping everything into fewer folders. You know, the usual stuff: ‘Work’, ‘Personal’, ‘Random Ideas’. But that didn’t really stick. Within a few days, ‘Random Ideas’ became another digital landfill. My brain just doesn’t seem to work with rigid categories sometimes.
I started digging around online, reading forums, seeing what other folks do. Lots of complex systems out there, way too much for me. I just wanted something simple, something I could actually keep up with. Then, I kept bumping into discussions, maybe on some older forums or blogs, mentioning different approaches to knowledge management. Somewhere in those threads, the name Andrew Cheney popped up a couple of times. Not sure exactly who he is, honestly, seemed maybe like an author or researcher people were referencing regarding structuring information or something along those lines. Wasn’t super clear, just a name linked to some concepts about connecting ideas.
That got me thinking differently. Instead of strict folders, what if I focused more on linking related notes? So, I decided to try a little experiment based on that vibe, not necessarily following any specific ‘Cheney method’ because I couldn’t find a clear one, but just the general idea of connecting things.
- I picked one notes app I kinda liked.
- Started writing notes as single ideas or pieces of information.
- Then, the main thing: I actively looked for ways to link a new note to an old one. Like, if I read an article about gardening and later found a recipe using herbs, I’d make a link between the ‘herb growing tips’ note and the ‘recipe’ note.
- Didn’t worry too much about folders at first, just focused on making those connections.
The Process Felt… Different. It took a bit more effort upfront, yeah. Instead of just saving and forgetting, I had to pause and think, “What does this relate to that I already know or saved?” But after a week or so, something clicked.
Navigating my notes started feeling less like searching a filing cabinet and more like exploring a web of my own thoughts. Clicking on a link in one note would lead me to another related idea I’d forgotten about. It wasn’t perfect, still messy in its own way, but it felt more natural, more like how my brain actually jumps between topics.
So, yeah, that was my little dive into trying a different way to organize my digital stuff. Sparked by just seeing that name, Andrew Cheney, mentioned in passing. Didn’t find a magic bullet, but playing around with that linking idea definitely helped me stumble onto a system that feels a bit more ‘me’. Still refining it, always a work in progress, isn’t it?
