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Zhongwei Li
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skills/second-brain/reference/gtd-task-management.md
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skills/second-brain/reference/gtd-task-management.md
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# GTD + PARA Task Management
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> Combining Getting Things Done with PARA for effective task management in Obsidian
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## Table of Contents
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- [The GTD + PARA Integration](#the-gtd--para-integration)
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- [Task Properties](#task-properties)
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- [The Review System](#the-review-system)
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- [Daily Workflow](#daily-workflow)
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- [Weekly Review](#weekly-review)
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- [Task File vs Inline Tasks](#task-file-vs-inline-tasks)
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- [Priority Systems](#priority-systems)
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- [Frontmatter Schema](#frontmatter-schema)
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---
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## The GTD + PARA Integration
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### Where GTD Concepts Live in PARA
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| GTD Concept | PARA Location | Implementation |
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|-------------|---------------|----------------|
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| Next Actions | Within Projects | Tasks with `status: not-started` |
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| Waiting For | Within Projects | Tasks with `status: blocked` |
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| Someday/Maybe | Resources or Areas | Tasks with `priority: low` |
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| Reference | Resources | Notes without tasks |
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| Projects | Projects | Folders in `01_Projects/` |
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| Calendar | Tasks | `due_date` and `start_date` fields |
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### The Key Insight
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> "Tasks should live in a global folder with frontmatter links to projects and areas. Dataview queries then show them in context."
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**Why?**
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- Single source of truth for all tasks
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- Queryable from anywhere (dashboards, projects, areas)
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- No duplicate task management
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- Works with Obsidian's lack of a "move file" API
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---
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## Task Properties
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### Essential Fields
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```yaml
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---
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title: "Task Name"
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created: 2025-01-15
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type: task
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status: not-started
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project: "[[Project Name]]"
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area: "[[Area Name]]"
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due_date: 2025-01-20
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priority: medium
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---
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```
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### Status Values
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| Status | Meaning | Query Filter |
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|--------|---------|--------------|
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| `not-started` | Ready to work on | `status = "not-started"` |
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| `in-progress` | Currently working | `status = "in-progress"` |
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| `blocked` | Waiting on something | `status = "blocked"` |
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| `done` | Completed | `status = "done"` |
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| `cancelled` | No longer needed | `status = "cancelled"` |
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### Priority Values
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| Priority | Use Case | Urgency |
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|----------|----------|---------|
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| `urgent` | Drop everything | Today |
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| `high` | Important, time-sensitive | This week |
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| `medium` | Normal priority | When possible |
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| `low` | Someday/maybe | No rush |
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### Optional Enhancement: Numeric Priority
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For fine-grained sorting, use numeric priority:
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- `priority: 42` = Urgent (threshold for "drop everything")
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- `priority: 30` = High
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- `priority: 20` = Medium
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- `priority: 10` = Low
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Query for urgent tasks:
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```dataview
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TASK WHERE priority >= 42 AND !completed
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```
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---
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## The Review System
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### Why Review Tracking Matters
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Without tracking, you can't answer:
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- When did I last look at this project?
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- Is this task still relevant?
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- Have I forgotten about something important?
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### Review Fields
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```yaml
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reviewed: 2025-01-15 # Last review date
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review_period: 7d # Custom review frequency
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```
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### Review Cadence
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| Item Type | Default Period | Override Example |
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|-----------|----------------|------------------|
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| Active Project | 7 days | `review_period: 3d` for urgent |
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| Area | 14 days | `review_period: 30d` for stable |
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| Task (in progress) | 3 days | - |
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| Task (not started) | 7 days | - |
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### What Happens During Review
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**Project Review:**
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1. Is this project still relevant?
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2. Has anything changed since last review?
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3. Are all tasks still accurate?
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4. What's the next action?
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5. Mark as reviewed: `reviewed: 2025-01-15`
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**Task Review:**
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1. Is this task still needed?
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2. Is the due date still accurate?
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3. Is the priority correct?
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4. Am I blocked on anything?
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5. Mark as reviewed or reschedule
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---
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## Daily Workflow
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### Morning: Plan the Day
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1. **Check urgent tasks**
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```dataview
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TASK FROM "07_Tasks"
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WHERE priority = "urgent" AND !completed
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```
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2. **Check due today**
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```dataview
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TASK FROM "07_Tasks"
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WHERE due_date = date(today) AND !completed
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```
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3. **Pick top 3** from remaining tasks
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### During Day: Capture and Execute
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1. **Quick capture** → Inbox (process later)
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2. **Work from task list** → Update status as you go
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3. **New tasks** → Create in `07_Tasks/` with project/area link
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### Evening: Close Out
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1. **Update task statuses** (in-progress → done, blocked notes)
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2. **Quick inbox scan** (anything urgent for tomorrow?)
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3. **Review tomorrow's calendar**
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---
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## Weekly Review
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### The Weekly Review Checklist
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Based on GTD's weekly review, adapted for PARA:
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**1. Get Clear (Process Inbox)**
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```dataview
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LIST FROM "00_Inbox"
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```
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- Process each item → Project, Area, Resource, or Archive
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**2. Get Current (Review Projects)**
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```dataview
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TABLE target_completion, reviewed
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FROM "01_Projects"
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WHERE status = "active"
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AND (reviewed < date(today) - dur(7d) OR !reviewed)
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```
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- Is this still active?
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- Update tasks
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- Mark reviewed
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**3. Get Creative (Review Areas)**
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```dataview
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LIST FROM "02_Areas"
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WHERE status = "active"
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```
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- Any new projects needed?
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- Standards being maintained?
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**4. Get Ready (Plan Next Week)**
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- Review calendar
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- Set priorities for top tasks
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- Block time for important projects
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---
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## Task File vs Inline Tasks
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### When to Use Task Files (`07_Tasks/`)
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Use separate task files when:
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- Task needs due date, priority, or other metadata
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- Task should appear in Dataview queries
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- Task has subtasks or notes
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- Task should be linked to multiple projects/areas
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**Example:**
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```
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07_Tasks/Book Tasmania Flights.md
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```
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### When to Use Inline Tasks
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Use checkboxes in project/area notes when:
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- Quick capture during project work
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- Simple next actions
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- No metadata needed
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- Won't need to query separately
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**Example in project note:**
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```markdown
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## Next Actions
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- [ ] Email venue for quote
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- [ ] Review contract draft
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- [ ] Schedule team meeting
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```
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### Best Practice: Start Inline, Promote to File
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1. Capture quickly as inline checkbox
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2. If it needs metadata → create task file
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3. If it's blocked or complex → create task file
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---
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## Priority Systems
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### Simple (Recommended for Start)
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```yaml
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priority: low | medium | high | urgent
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```
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### Eisenhower Matrix
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| | Urgent | Not Urgent |
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|--|--------|------------|
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| **Important** | Do First (`urgent`) | Schedule (`high`) |
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| **Not Important** | Delegate (`medium`) | Eliminate (`low`) |
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### Numeric (Advanced)
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For fine-grained control:
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```yaml
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priority: 42 # 1-100 scale, higher = more urgent
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```
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Benefits:
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- Sort by exact priority
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- Threshold queries (`WHERE priority >= 42`)
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- Gradual priority increase
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---
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## Frontmatter Schema
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### Task Schema
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```yaml
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---
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title: "Task Title"
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created: 2025-01-15
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type: task
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task_type: task # task, reminder, habit, chore
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status: not-started # not-started, in-progress, blocked, done, cancelled
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project: "[[Project]]" # Link to project (optional)
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area: "[[Area]]" # Link to area (optional)
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due_date: 2025-01-20 # When it's due (optional)
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start_date: 2025-01-18 # When to start (optional)
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priority: medium # low, medium, high, urgent
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effort: medium # small, medium, large
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reviewed: 2025-01-15 # Last review date
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depends_on: "[[Other Task]]" # Blocking task
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tags:
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- task
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---
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```
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### Project Schema
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```yaml
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---
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title: "Project Title"
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created: 2025-01-15
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type: project
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status: active # active, on-hold, completed, archived
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start_date: 2025-01-15
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target_completion: 2025-03-01
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completion_date: # Filled when done
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area: "[[Parent Area]]"
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reviewed: 2025-01-15
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review_period: 7d # Custom review frequency
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tags:
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- project
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---
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```
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### Area Schema
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```yaml
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---
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title: "Area Title"
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created: 2025-01-15
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type: area
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status: active
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reviewed: 2025-01-15
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review_period: 14d
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tags:
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- area
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---
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```
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### Resource Schema
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```yaml
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---
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title: "Resource Title"
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created: 2025-01-15
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type: resource
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source: book # book, article, video, course, podcast, paper, web
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source_url: "" # Optional URL
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author: "" # Optional author
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areas: # Required - links to one or more areas
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- "[[Primary Area]]"
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- "[[Secondary Area]]" # Optional additional areas
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reviewed: 2025-01-15 # Last review date
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tags:
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- resource
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---
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```
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**Why `areas:` is an array:**
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- Resources are reference material that can serve multiple areas
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- A TypeScript book relates to both "Software Development" and "Learning"
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- Unlike projects/tasks which belong to ONE area, resources cross-cut
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**Querying resources by area:**
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```dataview
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TABLE source, author
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FROM "03_Resources"
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WHERE contains(areas, [[Health]])
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```
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---
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## Quick Reference
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### Daily Queries
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**What's due today?**
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```dataview
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TASK FROM "07_Tasks" WHERE due_date = date(today) AND !completed
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```
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**What's urgent?**
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```dataview
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TASK FROM "07_Tasks" WHERE priority = "urgent" AND !completed
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```
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**What am I working on?**
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```dataview
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TASK FROM "07_Tasks" WHERE status = "in-progress"
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```
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### Weekly Queries
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**Projects needing review?**
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```dataview
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TABLE reviewed FROM "01_Projects"
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WHERE status = "active" AND (reviewed < date(today) - dur(7d) OR !reviewed)
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```
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**Overdue tasks?**
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```dataview
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TASK FROM "07_Tasks" WHERE due_date < date(today) AND !completed
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```
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**Blocked tasks?**
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```dataview
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TASK FROM "07_Tasks" WHERE status = "blocked"
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```
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---
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*Reference compiled from GTD methodology, PARA system, and Obsidian community patterns.*
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