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Book notes:
“You have projects you’re actively working on—short-term efforts (whether in your work or personal life) that you take on with a certain goal in mind. For example: 1) Complete webpage design 2) Buy a new computer 3) Write research report 4) Renovate the bathroom 5) Finish Spanish-language course 6) Set up new living room furniture”
“You have areas of responsibility—important parts of your work and life that require ongoing attention more broadly. These might include: 1) Work responsibilities such as Marketing, Human Resources, Product Management, Research and Development, Direct Reports, or Software Development 2) Personal responsibilities such as Health, Finances, Kids, Writing, Car, or Home”
“Then you have resources on a range of topics you’re interested in and learning about, such as: 1) Graphic design 2) Organic gardening 3) Web design 4) Japanese cuisine 5) Photography 6) Marketing assets”
“Finally, you have archives, which include anything from the previous three categories that is no longer active but you might want to save for future reference: 1) Projects you’ve completed or put on hold 2) Areas that are no longer active or relevant 3) Resources that you’re no longer interested in”
“Using PARA is not just about creating a bunch of folders to put things in. It is about identifying the structure of your work and life—what you are committed to, what you want to change, and where you want to go. It is about organizing information in such a way that it supports and calls into being the future life you want to lead.”
“I suggest adding the numbers 0–4 at the beginning of the titles for each of the five folders you now have. Using “0” for the inbox reminds you that its contents have not yet been processed. This keeps them in the right order from most to least actionable when they are sorted alphabetically.”
“Don’t think of the Archive as an “idea graveyard” where information goes to die. Your archives represent the sum total of your life experience, a treasure trove of hard-won lessons and profound insights you’ve gained from both successes and failures alike. I guarantee it will contain useful material you can reuse and recycle in future endeavors.”
“My definition of a project is any endeavor that has: 1) A goal that will enable you to mark it “complete” 2) A deadline or timeframe by which you’d like it done”
“An area of responsibility has: 1) A standard to be maintained 2) An indefinite end date”
“To put it simply: projects end, while areas continue indefinitely.”
“Every project typically falls under an area of responsibility. For example: 1) Running a marathon is a project, which falls under the area of Health 2) Publishing a book is a project, which falls under the area of Writing 3) Saving three months’ worth of expenses is a project, which falls under the area of Finances 4) Planning an anniversary dinner is a project, which falls under the area of your Spouse”
“PARA is a support system for both—executing projects and maintaining areas—which is why those two categories are front and center in how I recommend you organize your digital life.”
“Resources encompass the vast number of things you might be interested in, curious about, or passionate about at any given time.”
“Resources can include new skills you’re learning, such as breakdancing, photography, or golf. They could be fields or trends you’re curious about, like parenting, cryptocurrency, or artificial intelligence. Resources can also include your hobbies and passions: woodworking, bread baking, or playing the piano.”
“The word “resources” calls to mind the utility of a piece of information. Instead of asking, “Is this interesting?” which always results in overcollecting, I ask myself, “Is this useful?” That’s a much higher bar and forces me to consider what this piece of information will allow me to do that I couldn’t do otherwise, which problem it could help me solve, or which obstacle it might help me overcome.”
“Areas Are Private Whereas Resources Are Shareable”
“There is an additional guideline that many people have found helpful in distinguishing what goes in Areas versus Resources: the boundary between private and shared information.”
“I recommend you think of your resource folders as “shareable by default.””
“PARA can be used to cultivate three of the most desirable states of mind for knowledge workers: focus, creativity, and a sense of perspective.”
“When you have a collection of interesting ideas, thoughtfully curated, all related to a single project or goal and collected in one central place, magical things begin to happen.”
“Often as people begin working with PARA they realize that they already have more than enough knowledge to pursue the goal they’ve been dreaming of.”
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