# YouTube Research Insights

> Compiled from video transcripts on PARA, Second Brain, and Obsidian workflows

## Table of Contents
- [John Mavrick: PARA Beginner to Pro](#john-mavrick-para-beginner-to-pro)
- [John Mavrick: Second Brain in Obsidian](#john-mavrick-second-brain-in-obsidian)
- [Paul: YAML Properties Mastery in Obsidian](#paul-yaml-properties-mastery-in-obsidian)
- [Benjamin Ashton: PARA Game-Changer](#benjamin-ashton-para-game-changer)
- [File Organizer 2000: AI Automation](#file-organizer-2000-ai-automation)
- [Common Themes Across All Videos](#common-themes-across-all-videos)
- [Practical Takeaways](#practical-takeaways)

---

## John Mavrick: PARA Beginner to Pro

### Key Insights

**The Paradox of Organization**
- People think more folders = more organization
- Reality: Complexity slows you down
- PARA's power is in its simplicity

**Project Definition Clarity**
- A project MUST have:
  1. A clear outcome
  2. A deadline (even self-imposed)
- "Get healthy" = Area
- "Lose 10 lbs by March" = Project

**The 3-Project Rule**
- Most people can only actively manage 3-5 projects
- If you have 15 "active" projects, most are actually on hold
- Be honest about what's really active

**Resource Organization**
- Don't pre-create resource folders
- Let categories emerge from what you actually save
- "Topic appears 3+ times? Then make a folder"

---

## John Mavrick: Second Brain in Obsidian

### Key Insights

**Linking Over Filing**
- Obsidian's power is in connections
- Every note should link to something
- Let backlinks reveal relationships

**The MOC Approach**
- Maps of Content for major topics
- MOC = Index page for a subject
- Link MOCs to each other for navigation

**Daily Notes as Inbox**
- Use daily notes for quick capture
- Process daily notes weekly
- Move permanent content to proper PARA location

**Template Automation**
- Create templates for each note type
- Reduces friction in capture
- Ensures consistent frontmatter

---

## Paul: YAML Properties Mastery in Obsidian

### Key Insights

**Essential Properties**
```yaml
---
title: Note Title
created: 2025-01-15
type: project|area|resource|capture
status: active|completed|archived
tags: []
---
```

**Property Naming Conventions**
- Use snake_case for multi-word properties
- Keep names short but descriptive
- Be consistent across all notes

**Dataview Integration**
- Properties enable powerful queries
- Plan your properties with queries in mind
- Example: `status: active` enables "show all active projects"

**Property Types**
- Text: `title: "My Note"`
- Date: `created: 2025-01-15`
- List: `tags: [one, two, three]`
- Link: `area: "[[Work]]"`

**Inline Fields**
- Use `key:: value` for inline properties
- Useful for dynamic content
- Example: `due:: 2025-02-01` in body text

---

## Benjamin Ashton: PARA Game-Changer

### Key Insights

**The Actionability Spectrum**
```
Most Actionable → Least Actionable
Projects → Areas → Resources → Archives
```

**Weekly Review is Non-Negotiable**
- Without review, any system fails
- 30-60 minutes per week
- Review all active projects
- Process inbox to zero

**Archive Without Guilt**
- Archiving isn't deleting
- Completed projects are WINS
- Archive liberally, retrieve easily

**The "Hot" Project Folder**
- Keep most active project materials close
- Don't bury current work in deep folders
- Quick access = less friction

---

## File Organizer 2000: AI Automation

### Key Insights

**AI-Assisted Classification**
- AI can suggest PARA category
- Human makes final decision
- Reduces decision fatigue

**Automatic Tagging**
- AI can extract topics from content
- Consistent tagging across notes
- Enables better search

**Smart Capture**
- AI formats raw captures
- Extracts key points automatically
- Maintains original source

**Limitations**
- AI suggestions need review
- Don't automate everything
- Human judgment for important decisions

---

## Common Themes Across All Videos

### 1. Simplicity Wins
Every creator emphasized keeping the system simple. More folders ≠ better organization.

### 2. Projects Have Deadlines
The clearest differentiator between Projects and Areas is the presence of a deadline.

### 3. Weekly Review is Essential
Without regular review, any productivity system degrades.

### 4. Capture First, Organize Later
Don't let organization prevent capture. Get it down, process later.

### 5. Let Structure Emerge
Don't pre-create elaborate folder structures. Let your actual content dictate organization.

### 6. Link Everything
In tools like Obsidian, connections between notes are more valuable than folder location.

### 7. Archive Liberally
Completed work and outdated content should move to archive. It's still accessible but out of the way.

---

## Practical Takeaways

### For Daily Use
- Capture to inbox immediately
- Don't organize during capture
- Process inbox every 1-2 days

### For Weekly Review
- Review all active projects
- Check areas for neglected responsibilities
- Move completed items to archive

### For Note Creation
- Use templates consistently
- Include essential frontmatter
- Link to related notes

### For Search & Retrieval
- Use consistent tagging
- Leverage Dataview queries
- Trust the search function

---

*Insights compiled from YouTube research on PARA and Second Brain methodologies.*