But the problem is that my knowledge vault has grown to over 6,400 notes. I have tasks scattered across projects, meeting notes, and random ideas. I used to waste time every morning deciding what to work on, missing deadlines, and feeling overwhelmed by the sheer volume of information. The #1 pain point I faced was: how do I surface only the relevant tasks and priorities from thousands of notes without manually copying them each day?

If you’ve ever felt lost in your own notes, not knowing what to focus on today, you’re not alone. This is the exact struggle that led me to build a system that automatically curates my daily dashboard.

What You’ll Get From This

By following this tutorial, you’ll learn how to:

• Set up Obsidian’s Daily Notes plugin to create a new daily note every morning
• Configure a template that automatically pulls in tasks from across your vault
• Use the Task plugin to filter overdue tasks, weekly goals, and daily priorities
• Build a dashboard that updates itself—no manual copying required
• Customize the system to match your workflow and preferences

The Solution: Building Your Automated Daily Dashboard

Step 1: Install the Obsidian Starter Kit (Optional but Recommended)

The easiest way to follow along is to download my free Obsidian Starter Kit. It comes pre‑configured with the folder structure, templates, and plugin settings you’ll need. You can find the link in the description below.

After downloading and unzipping, open the vault. You’ll see a folder structure like this:

• Home/ – your personal notes
• Work/ – professional documents
• Projects/ – ongoing work
• Journal/ – where daily notes will live

Step 2: Enable the Daily Notes Plugin

Go to Settings → Community Plugins and enable the Daily Notes plugin. This plugin is built into Obsidian and is the foundation of our system.

Once enabled, configure the daily note location:

• Set the Daily note folder to Journal/Daily Notes/ (or any folder you prefer)
• Set the Template file location to Templates/Daily Note Template.md (we’ll create this next)
• Enable Open daily note on startup so Obsidian shows your dashboard every morning

Step 3: Create the Daily Note Template

Create a new note in your template folder called Daily Note Template.md. Inside, add the following YAML front matter and structure:

---
date: 
---

## Today's Tasks

## Daily Journal

## Notes

The `` placeholder will be replaced with today’s date when the template is used.

Step 4: Configure the Task Plugin

Install the Task community plugin. This plugin allows you to query tasks from across your vault based on due dates, tags, and other criteria.

In your daily note template, add a task query that pulls all tasks due today:

## Today's Tasks

You can also add queries for overdue tasks, weekly tasks, and upcoming deadlines.

Step 5: Curate Tasks from Multiple Projects

The real power comes when you start tagging tasks in your project notes. For example, in a project note for “DustPlotter” you might add:

- [ ] #task Integrate new feature into Python version :: due 2026-02-11

When you open your daily note, the Task plugin will automatically pull that task into the “Today’s Tasks” section. No manual copying needed.

Step 6: Customize and Beautify

The Task plugin offers advanced filtering options. You can sort tasks by priority, group them by project, or hide completed tasks. Explore the plugin’s documentation to tailor the system to your needs.

Remember: the goal isn’t to have a perfect system on day one. Start simple, then iterate as you discover what works for you.

Watch the Full Video

For the complete step-by-step walkthrough, watch the full video below:

Real stories. Practical lessons. Right in your inbox.
No spam—just once a week.

👋 About Me

Hi, I’m Shuvangkar Das — a power systems researcher with a Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering, currently working as a Research Scientist. I work at the intersection of power electronics, inverter-based DERs (IBRs), and AI to help build smarter, greener, and more stable electric grids.

My work spans large-scale EMT simulations, firmware development, reinforcement learning, and hardware prototyping. Beyond engineering, I’m also a YouTuber and content creator — sharing hands-on insights on productivity, research, and knowledge management. My goal is simple: to make complex ideas more accessible and actionable for everyone.

Connect with me:

📚 Obsidian Notes I Used for This Blog

What if you could bring everything together into one place? One note where you can watch videos, listen to audio, read PDFs, and view images without ever leaving your note-taking app. That’s the promise of creating multimedia notes in Obsidian. It’s about reducing distraction by consolidating all your learning materials into a single, centralized note. By the end of this post, you’ll understand exactly how to do this and why it’s such a powerful productivity hack.

Why Multimedia Notes Reduce Distraction

The core idea is simple: keep everything in one note. Obsidian has the capability to open many types of files directly within your vault. This means you can embed videos, play audio, view images, and even read PDFs without opening separate applications. This approach minimizes context switching, which is a major productivity killer. When you’re learning from a single note, you maintain your flow state. You don’t have to remember which app has which material; everything is right there.

This method works especially well for building what’s called a “Map of Content” (MOC)—a single index note that organizes all your notes on a particular topic. In the video, the creator demonstrates how they’ve organized all their investment-related notes inside a “Mock Investment Index” note. Similarly, you can create a multimedia MOC for any topic you’re learning about.

How to Embed and Play Videos in Obsidian

Embedding videos directly in Obsidian is straightforward. Here’s how:

Step 1: Get the Video Embed Code

Go to YouTube, click “Share” on the video you want to embed, and copy the embed code. This will give you an HTML iframe snippet.

Step 2: Paste the Embed Code in Your Note

Paste the embed code directly into your Obsidian note. Obsidian will render the video inline. You can actually watch the video without leaving your note. This is a huge distraction-free win because you don’t have to open a browser tab or switch applications.

Step 3: Enable Web Viewer for Links (Optional)

If you don’t want to embed every video (sometimes embedding can be heavy), you can still open video links within Obsidian using the Web Viewer plugin. Here’s how:

1. Go to Settings → Community Plugins
2. Install and enable the “Web Viewer” plugin
3. Now when you click on a video link in your note, it will open directly in Obsidian instead of your external browser

This keeps you in your learning flow. You can watch videos and follow links without ever leaving your vault.

Adding and Playing Audio Notes in Obsidian

Audio is another powerful medium for learning. You can either:

1. Drag and drop existing audio files directly into your note. Obsidian will link them automatically.
2. Record audio notes directly in Obsidian using the Audio Recorder core plugin.

To record audio:

1. Go to Settings → Core Plugins
2. Enable “Audio Recorder”
3. A recording button will appear in your note editor
4. Click it to record meetings, thoughts, or any audio content
5. The recording will be embedded directly in your note and saved in your vault

All your audio materials will appear in the left sidebar of your vault, giving you a clear overview of all your multimedia content. This centralized approach gives you peace of mind—everything is in one place, in its original format.

Embedding Images and PDFs into Your Notes

Images and PDFs are essential for comprehensive learning notes.

Images

Simply drag and drop an image file into your note, or use the standard Markdown image syntax: ![alt text](image-path). Obsidian will display the image inline.

PDFs

PDFs are particularly powerful in Obsidian. Here’s how to add them:

1. Drag the PDF file directly into your note
2. Obsidian will render the PDF inline, allowing you to read it without opening an external PDF viewer
3. If you prefer to open the PDF in a separate tab, hold Control (or Command on Mac) and click the PDF. It will open in a new tab within Obsidian, acting as a native PDF viewer

This means you can read entire research papers, manuals, or ebooks directly within your note-taking app. No more switching between your note-taking app and a PDF reader.

Building a Centralized Learning System

The ultimate goal is to create a distraction-free learning environment where all your materials live in one place. Here’s how to structure it:

1. Create a topic-specific MOC: Make an index note for your learning topic (e.g., “Obsidian Start Here Series” or “Investment Basics”).
2. Add multimedia content: Embed videos, add audio notes, include images, and link PDFs—all within this single note.
3. Use the Web Viewer: Enable the Web Viewer plugin to open external links within Obsidian.
4. Maintain a single source of truth: Keep all materials for a topic in one note to avoid fragmentation.

This approach works because it:

• Reduces context switching
• Keeps your focus on learning, not app management
• Provides a clear overview of all your materials
• Makes review and reference much easier

Watch the Full Video

For the complete step-by-step walkthrough, watch the full video below:

Real stories. Practical lessons. Right in your inbox.
No spam—just once a week.

👋 About Me

Hi, I’m Shuvangkar Das — a power systems researcher with a Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering, currently working as a Research Scientist. I work at the intersection of power electronics, inverter-based DERs (IBRs), and AI to help build smarter, greener, and more stable electric grids.

My work spans large-scale EMT simulations, firmware development, reinforcement learning, and hardware prototyping. Beyond engineering, I’m also a YouTuber and content creator — sharing hands-on insights on productivity, research, and knowledge management. My goal is simple: to make complex ideas more accessible and actionable for everyone.

Connect with me:

📚 Obsidian Notes I Used for This Blog

That’s exactly what the Johnny Decimal method does for your Obsidian vault. In this video, my friend walks you through how to build a complete organization system that eliminates guesswork forever. By the end of this post, you’ll understand exactly how to set up this system and why it might be the last organization method you’ll ever need.

Why Johnny Decimal Beats PARA for Permanent Organization

Before diving into the system, let’s understand the comparison. Most people know about PARA (Projects, Areas, Resources, Archive), which is great for temporary focus. But PARA doesn’t provide permanent addresses—it’s more about grouping based on current needs. Johnny Decimal is different: it gives every note a permanent, unchanging address that works for years.

The key difference is permanence. PARA answers “Where does this belong right now?” while Johnny Decimal answers “Where will this live forever?” This makes Johnny Decimal ideal for building a long-term knowledge base that won’t need reorganization every few months.

How Johnny Decimal Works: The 100-Subcategory System

Johnny Decimal works by dividing your whole life into 10 big buckets (0-9), then creating 10 small categories inside each bucket (00-09, 10-19, etc.). That gives you exactly 100 permanent addresses.

The Top Level: 10 Main Categories

Here’s how I organize my digital life using this method:

00 - Home This is where everything personal lives: about me, health, legal, finance, family and social, digital life, assets and liabilities, buy and sell, travel and journal.

01 - Learning & Teaching All your learning goes here: courses, books, skills you’re developing, and everything you’re teaching others.

02 - Work & Career Professional documents, CVs, LinkedIn information, job hunting folders, and career-related materials.

03 - Project & Hobby Fun projects, hobby work, side projects like building plugins or learning new skills.

04 - Content & Creativity The “internet folder” where everything you plan to publish lives: social media posts, blogs, videos. This separates personal from public content.

05 - Knowledge Library Your reading and learning library: book notes, paper and article annotations, podcast insights, notes on people and thinkers.

06 - Archive Everything not useful for the current moment. Just like a backup—you can retrieve anything here if needed later.

07-09 - Future Categories The beauty of Johnny Decimal is that you have room to expand. You can add up to 3 more main categories as your life evolves.

The Subcategories: 10 Permanent Addresses

Inside each main category, you create 10 subcategories. For example, inside “00 Home,” you might have:

• 00: About Me
• 01: Health
• 02: Legal
• 03: Finance
• 04: Family & Social
• 05: Digital Life
• 06: Assets & Liabilities
• 07: Buy & Sell
• 08: Travel
• 09: Journal

Every note or file gets a permanent address like “00-01-Health-Note” or “05-03-Podcast-Insight.” No guessing, no clutter, no reorganization needed.

Practical Examples of Johnny Decimal in Action

Let me show you how this works in real life:

Going on a Trip? It goes under travel subdirectory “08 Travel.” Every trip note, itinerary, and memory lives there permanently.

Making a New YouTube Video? It lives under “04 Content and Creativity” → “40 Blog and Videos.” Every video idea, script, and note has its place.

Reading a New Book? Your note goes straight to “05 Knowledge Library” → “51 Book Notes.” No wondering where to put it.

Inside Your Home Directory

Let’s look at some practical examples:

About Me (00-00) I maintain a bio note here to keep my biography consistent across different platforms—academic, LinkedIn, YouTube. I also have quick-access information for filling out online forms faster.

Legal & Finance (02-03) One comprehensive note for credit cards, investments, and legal documents.

Buy & Sell (07) I track all my purchases and Facebook Marketplace sales here. Everything is systematically organized.

The Knowledge Library: Your Reading System

The Knowledge Library is where your reading system lives:

Book Notes (05-01) Whenever you read a book, annotate it and save it here.

Paper & Article Notes (05-02) Research papers and articles with annotations.

Podcast Insights (05-03) Key insights from podcasts you listen to.

People & Thinkers (05-04) Notes on authors, speakers, or thinkers you follow.

The beauty is that every piece of knowledge has a permanent address. You never waste time hunting for “that one note about that author.”

The Master Map of Content (MOC)

The master MOC is the root index note for your entire vault. From this single note, you can trace any note in your system. It’s your navigational center—like the main map in a GPS app.

When you need to find something, you don’t search through folders. You go to your MOC and follow the permanent addresses. This is how Johnny Decimal gives you a “Google Map for your knowledge.”

Why Numbers Work: The Psychology of Organization

I used to think numbering folders was unnecessary complication. After using Johnny Decimal for 4 years, I realized numbers are magic for two reasons:

1. Auto-arrangement When you number folders, the system automatically arranges them in the correct order. No manual sorting needed.

2. Muscle Memory Your brain gets used to the numbering system. After a while, you don’t even think about where things go—you just know.

Imagine walking into a grocery store where nothing is labeled. Milk is with snacks, bread is with electronics—total chaos. Now imagine a perfectly organized store: fruits in one aisle, frozen foods in another. That’s Johnny Decimal. It gives every piece of information its own shelf.

Future-Proofing Your System

The Johnny Decimal system is designed to scale. With 100 permanent addresses, you have room to grow. And the template system makes it even more powerful:

Templates Use templates for daily notes, meeting notes, and other recurring note types. Templates ensure consistency and speed.

Future Extensions You have 30 additional slots (70-99) for future categories. As your life evolves, your system can evolve too.

The Core Benefits of Johnny Decimal

1. No Guesswork Every note or file gets a clear permanent address. You never wonder “Where does this go?”

2. No Clutter Everything has its place. No messy folders or scattered files.

3. No Second Guessing You know exactly where to put something and where to find it.

4. Speed Your workflow stays fast because your system is predictable.

5. Future-Proof Even years from now, you know exactly where to find things.

Watch the Full Video

For the complete step-by-step walkthrough, watch the full video below:

Real stories. Practical lessons. Right in your inbox.
No spam—just once a week.

👋 About Me

Hi, I’m Shuvangkar Das — a power systems researcher with a Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering, currently working as a Research Scientist. I work at the intersection of power electronics, inverter-based DERs (IBRs), and AI to help build smarter, greener, and more stable electric grids.

My work spans large-scale EMT simulations, firmware development, reinforcement learning, and hardware prototyping. Beyond engineering, I’m also a YouTuber and content creator — sharing hands-on insights on productivity, research, and knowledge management. My goal is simple: to make complex ideas more accessible and actionable for everyone.

Connect with me:

📚 Obsidian Notes I Used for This Blog

You’ve been there—staring at a messy collection of notes, PDFs, and tasks, wondering where to put each piece of information. “Where should I put this note?” “Should I create a new folder?” “Which index node should I connect this note with?” That tiny decision fatigue happens to so many of us. You are not alone.

As a researcher with over 6,500 notes, I faced the same problem. Manually tracking tasks scattered across thousands of notes was impossible. I needed a system that could automatically curate tasks from all notes into a single dashboard. I needed a future‑proof knowledge system that grows with me, not the other way around.

If you’ve ever wished you could connect your notes and PDFs in a way that lets you navigate from notes directly to PDF annotations and back, you’re in the right place. This step‑by‑step guide will show you how to build exactly that system inside Obsidian.

What You’ll Get From This

After following this guide, you’ll have:

• A sustainable note‑taking system that adapts to your changing life and career
• Bite‑sized notes that eliminate decision fatigue
• An automated daily dashboard that curates tasks from all notes into one place
• Bidirectional linking between notes and PDFs for effortless navigation
• A personalized Obsidian vault (the free Obsidian Starter Kit) that you can customize

The Solution (Main Content)

Step 1: Set Up an Adaptive Note‑Taking System

The goal is to build a system that can adapt to your changing life and career. Start with the free Obsidian Starter Kit (download link in description). Open it in Obsidian and follow the short README. No pressure to learn everything at once—just explore a little and use what you need.

Step 2: Take Bite‑Sized Notes

Take notes on any topic, from daily chores to deep learning. Keep each note small and focused. This reduces the friction of note‑taking and makes it easier to connect ideas later.

Step 3: Create an Automated Daily Dashboard

Manually tracking tasks across thousands of notes is impossible. Instead, build an automated daily dashboard inside Obsidian. The system curates tasks from all your notes into a single dashboard, so you never miss a task again.

Step 4: Build a Smart Literature Review Workflow

Connect your PDF highlights directly to your notes for effortless navigation. When you read a PDF, take notes that are automatically linked back to the exact PDF section. Weeks or months later, you can jump between your notes and the original source effortlessly.

Step 5: Turn Obsidian into Your Personal Knowledge Hub

By combining an adaptive note‑taking system, automated task curation, and bidirectional linking with PDFs, you transform Obsidian into a powerful personal knowledge hub. This system grows with you, not the other way around.

Step 6: Download and Customize the Free Obsidian Starter Kit

The video references a free Obsidian Starter Kit—a customizable foundation for your Second Brain. Download the vault, open it in Obsidian, and follow along with the series. The kit is completely free, and you can customize it based on your needs.

Watch the Full Video

For the complete step‑by‑step walkthrough, watch the full video below:

Real stories. Practical lessons. Right in your inbox.
No spam—just once a week.

👋 About Me

Hi, I’m Shuvangkar Das — a power systems researcher with a Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering, currently working as a Research Scientist. I work at the intersection of power electronics, inverter-based DERs (IBRs), and AI to help build smarter, greener, and more stable electric grids.

My work spans large-scale EMT simulations, firmware development, reinforcement learning, and hardware prototyping. Beyond engineering, I’m also a YouTuber and content creator — sharing hands-on insights on productivity, research, and knowledge management. My goal is simple: to make complex ideas more accessible and actionable for everyone.

Connect with me:

📚 Obsidian Notes I Used for This Blog

You’ve been there—staring at a complex equation in Obsidian, feeling the friction of typing LaTeX syntax, wondering if there’s a faster way. Math notes in Obsidian can be time-consuming, especially when dealing with integration, matrices, or multi-line equations. Many researchers and students avoid taking math notes altogether because the process feels like a “nightmare.” If you’ve ever procrastinated on note-taking because of complex equations, you’re not alone.

As a researcher, you need to capture mathematical concepts, but the effort required to format equations can halt your workflow. The fear of making syntax errors or spending hours on a single equation can be overwhelming. This friction leads to skipped notes, lost insights, and a knowledge system that’s incomplete.

What You’ll Get From This

After reading this blog post and watching the video, you’ll walk away with:

• A clear understanding of how to write equations in Obsidian using inline and block LaTeX syntax
• Practical steps to handle complex equations without getting lost in syntax
• Zero-friction math note-taking using Mathpix—a tool that converts screenshots to perfectly formatted LaTeX
• A workflow that eliminates procrastination and makes math note-taking effortless
• Integration with your existing Obsidian vault (using the investment vault example from the series)

The Solution (Main Content)

Writing Equations in Obsidian: Inline vs. New Line

Obsidian supports LaTeX equations natively. There are two primary ways to write equations:

1. Inline equations: Wrap your equation in single dollar signs $...$. This places the equation within a line of text.
   • Example: $f = P(1 + r)^t$ renders as $f = P(1 + r)^t$
2. Block equations: Wrap your equation in double dollar signs $$...$$. This centers the equation on its own line.
   • Example: $$f = P(1 + r)^t$$ renders as a centered block equation

Handling Complex Equations with LaTeX in Obsidian

Obsidian supports almost all LaTeX equation styles. If you know LaTeX syntax, you can write any equation—integrals, matrices, fractions, etc. However, complex equations can be time-consuming to type manually. The video shows a complex compound interest equation with periodic contributions, which would take many minutes to type.

Zero-Friction Math Note-Taking with Mathpix

Mathpix is a snipping tool that converts screenshots of equations (or any text) into LaTeX code instantly. The workflow:

1. Take a screenshot of the equation (or a block of text containing equations)
2. Use Mathpix to convert the screenshot to LaTeX
3. Copy the LaTeX output and paste directly into Obsidian
4. Obsidian renders the equation perfectly

This turns a 10-minute typing job into a 10-second screenshot-and-paste. The video demonstrates Mathpix converting a complex compound interest equation with periodic contributions into formatted LaTeX, which is then pasted into Obsidian.

Integration with Your Obsidian Vault

The video uses the “investment” vault from the Obsidian Starter Series. The note is created under a Map of Content (MOC) called “Mock Investment,” which organizes notes about index funds and investment calculations. By using MOCs, you keep your notes connected and easy to navigate.

Watch the Full Video

For the complete step-by-step walkthrough, watch the full video below:

Real stories. Practical lessons. Right in your inbox.
No spam—just once a week.

👋 About Me

Hi, I’m Shuvangkar Das — a power systems researcher with a Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering, currently working as a Research Scientist. I work at the intersection of power electronics, inverter-based DERs (IBRs), and AI to help build smarter, greener, and more stable electric grids.

My work spans large-scale EMT simulations, firmware development, reinforcement learning, and hardware prototyping. Beyond engineering, I’m also a YouTuber and content creator — sharing hands-on insights on productivity, research, and knowledge management. My goal is simple: to make complex ideas more accessible and actionable for everyone.

Connect with me:

📚 Obsidian Notes I Used for This Blog

You’ve been there—staring at a blank page, struggling to organize your thoughts, tasks, and learning in one place. Your mind is for having ideas, not holding them, but where do you put all those ideas? You’ve probably tried multiple note-taking apps, each with its own friction: messy folders, scattered tasks, and a system that breaks down after a few months. The frustration of losing track of important information, forgetting tasks, and feeling overwhelmed by a chaotic knowledge base is real.

If you’ve ever felt like you’re drowning in notes, bookmarks, and to-dos, you’re not alone. As a researcher and content creator, I’ve spent years searching for a tool that can hold my entire knowledge system—something that connects thoughts, manages tasks, and scales with my brain. That’s where Obsidian comes in.

But Obsidian can be intimidating. With so many features, plugins, and themes, where do you even start? That’s why I created this video: to teach you how to use Obsidian like a pro in one go.

What You’ll Get From This

After watching this video, you’ll walk away with:

• A clear understanding of Obsidian’s core features—Quick Switcher, Graph View, Canvas, Command Palette, and more
• Practical shortcuts and hotkeys to make note-taking frictionless
• How to customize Obsidian with themes and plugins to fit your workflow
• Tips for organizing attachments and notes like a second brain
• A sustainable knowledge management system that grows with you

The Solution (Main Content)

Mastering Obsidian’s Sidebar: Quick Switcher, Graph View, and Canvas

Obsidian’s left sidebar is your command center. Here you’ll find:

• Quick Switcher (Ctrl+O): Instantly search and jump to any note in your vault
• Graph View: Visualize the connections between your notes
• Canvas: A plugin that lets you connect images, notes, and other media on a limitless canvas
• Insert Template: Apply pre-defined templates to notes
• Command Palette (Ctrl+P): Access every Obsidian function without memorizing shortcuts
• Base: A database plugin that mimics Notion-like tables
• Audio Recorder: Record audio directly into your notes

Templates, Command Palette, and Databases in Obsidian

Templates save time. Use the “Insert Template” button to apply pre-formatted note structures. The Command Palette is your best friend—type any action you want, and Obsidian will execute it. Base lets you create structured databases inside Obsidian, perfect for tracking projects, tasks, or resources.

Optimizing Workflow: Opening and Arranging Multiple Notes

Productivity increases when you can see multiple notes at once. Right-click a note tab and choose “Split” to view notes side-by-side. Use shortcuts like Ctrl+Alt+Click to open notes in separate windows. Drag notes to different panes to create a multi-pane workspace. This is essential for writing reports, connecting ideas, or researching.

Boosting Productivity with Obsidian Shortcuts

Shortcuts are the key to frictionless note-taking. The most important shortcuts:

• Ctrl+O: Quick Switcher
• Ctrl+P: Command Palette
• Ctrl+B: Toggle bold
• Ctrl+I: Toggle italic
• Ctrl+L: Toggle bulleted list
• Ctrl+Shift+L: Toggle bullet list (custom shortcut)

You can assign any shortcut to any function in Settings → Hotkeys. Explore and customize!

Customizing Hotkeys for Streamlined Note-Taking

Go to Settings → Hotkeys to assign shortcuts to any command. For example, assign Ctrl+Shift+L to toggle bullet lists. This removes friction and makes note-taking faster.

Efficiently Searching Your Obsidian Vault

Search is powerful. Click the search icon or use Ctrl+Shift+F to search across all notes. Search by keyword, phrase, or even regular expressions. Obsidian’s search is fast and accurate, even with thousands of notes.

Personalizing Obsidian with Themes and Plugins

Obsidian has over 2,500 community themes and 2,600+ plugins. Themes change the look and feel—try different ones to find your favorite. Plugins extend functionality: from citation managers to Kanban boards. Start with essential plugins and add as needed.

Organizing Attachments and Notes in Obsidian

Attachments (images, PDFs, etc.) can clutter your vault. Set a default attachment folder in Settings → Files & Links. Use Maps of Content (MOCs) to index notes instead of deep folder hierarchies. This keeps your vault clean and searchable.

Sustainable Knowledge Management: The OFID Starter Kit

The video references the “OFID Starter Kit”—a system I developed for organizing notes in a sustainable way. It uses a Johnny Decimal-style folder structure, MOCs, and templates. This system scales with your knowledge base and prevents clutter.

Watch the Full Video

For the complete step-by-step walkthrough, watch the full video below:

Real stories. Practical lessons. Right in your inbox.
No spam—just once a week.

👋 About Me

Hi, I’m Shuvangkar Das — a power systems researcher with a Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering, currently working as a Research Scientist. I work at the intersection of power electronics, inverter-based DERs (IBRs), and AI to help build smarter, greener, and more stable electric grids.

My work spans large-scale EMT simulations, firmware development, reinforcement learning, and hardware prototyping. Beyond engineering, I’m also a YouTuber and content creator — sharing hands-on insights on productivity, research, and knowledge management. My goal is simple: to make complex ideas more accessible and actionable for everyone.

Connect with me:

📚 Obsidian Notes I Used for This Blog

You’ve probably experienced this too. You read something fascinating, take a quick note, then never look at it again. The knowledge gets buried somewhere in your digital graveyard, never to be seen or used. It’s like having all the ingredients for a great meal but no recipe to combine them. The result? Half-baked ideas, forgotten insights, and a sense that you’re working harder but learning less effectively.

What You’ll Get From This Here’s what you’ll walk away with after understanding this approach:

• A practical system for connecting ideas using Obsidian’s powerful linking features
• How to create smart placeholders that automatically organize as you learn
• The technique of space repetition for building long-term knowledge retention
• A method to learn any topic by building connected knowledge nodes
• The simplest investment strategy for those who want results without the complexity

The Solution Let’s dive into the practical steps for building your knowledge management system. I’ll show you exactly how to leverage Obsidian’s features to create a connected knowledge base that grows with you.

The Power of Connected Knowledge

When you’re learning something new, don’t just take notes—create connections. The video demonstrates using investment as our example topic. Start with one concept, then branch out as questions arise.

Instead of creating isolated notes, create placeholders that link to each other. When you encounter a term like “financial statement” while reading, create a placeholder immediately. This creates a visual map in your graph view that shows how ideas relate.

The beauty of this approach is that your knowledge base becomes self-organizing. You don’t need to spend hours categorizing everything upfront. As you learn, the connections form naturally, and your graph view becomes a living representation of your understanding.

Creating Smart Placeholders

One of Obsidian’s most powerful features is its ability to create note placeholders with simple keyboard shortcuts. When you’re reading something and encounter an unfamiliar term or concept, just select the text and press the left square bracket twice.

This creates a placeholder note that’s automatically linked to your current note. It’s like planting a flag that says “I need to learn about this later.” The placeholder appears in your graph view as a node that’s waiting to be filled with knowledge.

This approach is particularly useful when you’re learning complex topics. For example, when learning about stock investment, you might encounter terms like IPO, financial statements, or valuation metrics. Each becomes a placeholder, creating a web of interconnected concepts that you can explore and fill in as you gain understanding.

Building a Knowledge Network

The real magic happens when you start connecting existing notes to new concepts. Let’s say you already have a note about “stock investing” and you’re now learning about “how stock price is decided.” You can link them together to create a rich knowledge network.

When you type the name of an existing note inside double brackets, Obsidian searches and filters intelligently. Just type a few letters and it shows matching notes and placeholders. This makes it easy to find and connect related information without breaking your workflow.

This connected approach means you’re not just learning about one topic in isolation. You’re building a comprehensive understanding where every concept connects to and reinforces others. When you review your notes, you can hover over linked terms to see their content without leaving your current note.

Different Types of Stock Pricing

Understanding how stock prices work is crucial for any investor. The video explains two main scenarios:

For newly listed companies, the price is determined through a process called IPO (Initial Public Offering). Investment banks analyze the company’s financial statements, compare it to industry peers, assess growth potential, and evaluate market conditions. Based on this comprehensive analysis, they determine the initial stock price.

For established companies, it’s simpler—supply and demand. When more people want to buy a stock than sell it, the price goes up. When more people want to sell than buy, the price goes down. This daily fluctuation is what you see on financial news channels.

The key insight is that both methods are valuable to understand. The IPO process helps you evaluate new opportunities, while supply and demand helps you understand day-to-day market movements.

The Lazy Investor’s Strategy

Here’s where it gets interesting. Not everyone has the time or desire to become a stock market expert. What if you’re busy and want a simple, effective investment approach?

The answer is index funds. Instead of trying to pick individual stocks (which is complex and time-consuming), you buy a basket of stocks that tracks a market index like the S&P 500. This gives you exposure to 500 of the largest US companies with a single purchase.

The beauty of index funds is that they’re diversified by design. You’re not betting on one company’s success—you’re participating in the overall growth of the market. Historical data shows that S&P 500 index funds have delivered approximately 10% annual returns over the long term.

The Space Repetition Advantage

This is where your connected knowledge base becomes truly powerful. When you review your notes, you’re not just reading—you’re reinforcing connections in your brain. This is called space repetition.

The graph view becomes your learning dashboard. You can start at any node and explore related concepts, creating an intuitive learning path. For example, start with “investment,” move to “how stock price is decided,” then to “IPO,” and eventually to “index funds.” The journey creates a complete picture.

When you revisit these notes periodically, you refresh the information in your memory. This strengthens neural pathways and makes knowledge stick. Over time, you’re not just collecting information—you’re building a lifelong learning system that makes you smarter every day.

Watch the Full Video For the complete step-by-step walkthrough, watch the full video below:

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No spam—just once a week.

👋 About Me

Hi, I’m Shuvangkar Das — a power systems researcher with a Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering, currently working as a Research Scientist. I work at the intersection of power electronics, inverter-based DERs (IBRs), and AI to help build smarter, greener, and more stable electric grids.

My work spans large-scale EMT simulations, firmware development, reinforcement learning, and hardware prototyping. Beyond engineering, I’m also a YouTuber and content creator — sharing hands-on insights on productivity, research, and knowledge management. My goal is simple: to make complex ideas more accessible and actionable for everyone.

Connect with me:

📚 Obsidian Notes I Used for This Blog

You’ve probably experienced this too. You’re learning something new, taking notes diligently, but after a few weeks, you’ve created so many disconnected notes that you don’t even remember what you have. The notes become a digital graveyard instead of a living, breathing knowledge system.

What You’ll Get From This Here’s what you’ll learn from this guide:

• How to create a Map of Content (MOC) to index your notes in Obsidian
• The zero-friction approach to note-taking and organizing simultaneously
• Using quick switcher to find notes in seconds
• Creating a mental map that helps you locate information fast
• Future-proofing your notes with plain text storage

The Solution Let’s dive into the practical steps for organizing your Obsidian notes with MOC. I’ll show you exactly how to create an index system that makes your knowledge base searchable and organized.

What Is a Map of Content?

MOC stands for “Map of Content” in Obsidian terminology. Think of it as an index or table of contents for your notes. Instead of having notes scattered everywhere, you create a central node that links to all related notes on a particular topic.

The beauty of MOC is that it’s not a fancy feature—it’s simply a note that lists and links to other notes. It’s your personal catalog system that makes finding information as easy as looking up a book in a library index.

Creating Your First MOC

Let’s say you’re learning about investment. You’ve been taking notes on various topics like how to invest, stock selection, IPO, index funds, and more. Instead of leaving these notes scattered, you create a MOC node called “MOC investment.”

Here’s how to create it:

1. Right-click in your vault and create a new note
2. Name it “MOC investment” (the “MOC” prefix is important—it makes the note easy to find)
3. Start indexing all your investment-related notes in this MOC

When you start typing inside double brackets, Obsidian’s search feature kicks in. If you type “how,” it filters all notes starting with “how.” Type “stock,” and it shows all stock-related notes. This intelligent filtering makes it easy to find and link notes even when you have thousands in your vault.

The Zero-Friction Approach

Here’s the key insight: note-taking and organizing should happen at the same time, not as separate tasks. The most common problem people face is the multi-step process: take note → organize note → repeat. This friction kills the habit.

Instead, use this zero-friction method:

When you create a new note or find an existing one you want to link, simply press the link shortcut (left square bracket twice), and start typing. Obsidian will show you matching notes and placeholders. Select the right one, and the link is created instantly.

You’re taking notes and organizing them in one step. No separate organizing session needed. This is how you build a sustainable note-taking habit that doesn’t feel like a chore.

Using Quick Switcher

Quick Switcher is your best friend for finding notes. Press Ctrl+O (or Cmd+O on Mac) to open it. This shows you all your notes and lets you search instantly.

The key tip: Start your MOC notes with “MOC” at the beginning. This makes them easy to filter. When you open Quick Switcher and type “MOC,” you’ll see all your index notes. Select “MOC investment,” and you’re immediately in your investment index.

Once you’re in the MOC, you can see all your indexed notes. Click on any note to open it. If you need to find a specific note within the MOC, you can use the search feature inside Obsidian.

Creating a Mental Map

The MOC helps you build a mental map of your knowledge. When you look at your MOC investment, you see the structure:

• How to invest
• How to buy good companies
• How to select a stock
• How stock price is decided
• IPO (Initial Public Offering)
• Index funds
• Investment advice for lazy people

This visual organization helps your brain understand the relationships between concepts. You’re not just storing information—you’re building a connected knowledge structure that mirrors how concepts relate in the real world.

Making Your MOC More Useful

To make your MOC more functional, you can:

1. Create bulleted lists: Organize notes in a logical structure
2. Use indentation: Create hierarchies by indenting notes (press Tab)
3. Add headings: Use headings to create sections within your MOC

For example, you might have:

• Basic concepts
• Stock-specific topics
• Investment strategies

This structure makes it even easier to navigate your knowledge base.

Finding Notes in the Future

Here’s a common worry: “If I have thousands of notes, how will I find them months or years later?”

The answer is: through your MOCs and Quick Switcher. Let’s say you created an IPO note two years ago. When you open your MOC investment, you’ll see the IPO entry. Click on it, and you’re instantly at that note.

Even if you forget the exact title, Quick Switcher helps you find it. Open the MOC investment, browse through the list, and you’ll recognize “IPO” or “Initial Public Offering.”

This is the power of indexing: you don’t need to remember where you filed something. You just need to know it exists in your knowledge base.

Future-Proofing Your Notes

One of the most important advantages of Obsidian is that your notes are stored in plain text format. This means:

1. Your notes are future-proof: Even if Obsidian doesn’t exist in 10 or 20 years, your notes will still be readable
2. You own your data: Everything is stored locally in your directory
3. Easy backup and sync: You can copy your Obsidian vault to Google Drive, OneDrive, or any sync service
4. Cross-platform access: Open the same folder on any computer

Unlike proprietary note-taking apps that lock you in, Obsidian gives you complete control over your knowledge base.

Watch the Full Video For the complete step-by-step walkthrough, watch the full video below:

Real stories. Practical lessons. Right in your inbox.
No spam—just once a week.

👋 About Me

Hi, I’m Shuvangkar Das — a power systems researcher with a Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering, currently working as a Research Scientist. I work at the intersection of power electronics, inverter-based DERs (IBRs), and AI to help build smarter, greener, and more stable electric grids.

My work spans large-scale EMT simulations, firmware development, reinforcement learning, and hardware prototyping. Beyond engineering, I’m also a YouTuber and content creator — sharing hands-on insights on productivity, research, and knowledge management. My goal is simple: to make complex ideas more accessible and actionable for everyone.

Connect with me:

📚 Obsidian Notes I Used for This Blog

You’ve probably tried a dozen note‑taking apps, only to end up with scattered files, broken links, or a subscription you can’t cancel. The biggest frustration? Spending hours organizing notes instead of actually learning. You feel the knowledge is there, but the connections between ideas are missing, making it hard to recall or apply what you’ve captured.

What You’ll Get From This

By the end of this post you’ll walk away with:

• A complete Obsidian setup guide – from downloading to creating your first vault.
• Step‑by‑step instructions for linking notes so ideas automatically connect.
• Tips on keeping your notes future‑proof with plain‑text Markdown.
• A quick workflow to turn any video tutorial into a living knowledge graph.

The Solution (Main Content)

1️⃣ Install Obsidian and Create a Vault

• Download Obsidian (free) from the official site.
• Open the app and choose Create new vault → give it a name (e.g., ID‑nest).
• Select a folder on your desktop or any location you prefer.

2️⃣ Start a New Note & Build Connections

• Click the New note button; name it Welcome.
• Use double brackets [[ ]] to create a link to a new note (e.g., [[Investment]]).
• Press Ctrl/Cmd‑click on the link to open the newly created note instantly.

3️⃣ Organize Topics with Nodes

• In the graph view, right‑click a note and select Create new node to add a concept like Stock.
• Link related notes ([[Stock]]) to weave a web of ideas.

4️⃣ Keep Your Knowledge Future‑Proof

• All Obsidian notes are plain‑text Markdown files.
• You can sync them with any cloud service (Google Drive, OneDrive, etc.) without vendor lock‑in.
• If Obsidian ever disappears, your notes remain readable and portable.

5️⃣ Leverage the Power of Connections

• The more you link, the easier it is for your brain to retrieve related concepts.
• Use the graph view to spot gaps in your knowledge and add missing notes.

Watch the Full Video

For the complete step‑by‑step walkthrough, watch the full video below:

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Real stories. Practical lessons. Right in your inbox. No spam—just once a week.

👋 About Me

Hi, I’m Shuvangkar Das — a power systems researcher with a Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering, currently working as a Research Scientist. I work at the intersection of power electronics, inverter‑based DERs (IBRs), and AI to help build smarter, greener, and more stable electric grids.

My work spans large‑scale EMT simulations, firmware development, reinforcement learning, and hardware prototyping. Beyond engineering, I’m also a YouTuber and content creator — sharing hands‑on insights on productivity, research, and knowledge management. My goal is simple: to make complex ideas more accessible and actionable for everyone.

Connect with me:

📚 Obsidian Notes I Used for This Blog

You’ve probably experienced this too. You read something valuable in a book or article, write it down in a quick note, then weeks later find yourself writing the same idea again in a different context. Or worse, you’re trying to review a topic and have to hunt through ten different notes to piece together your understanding. The fragmentation makes learning inefficient and frustrating.

What You’ll Get From This Here’s what you’ll learn from this guide:

• How to implement single source of truth in your note-taking system
• Why centralizing information improves knowledge retention
• Practical techniques for adding new information to existing notes
• Methods for reusing content without creating duplicates
• Ways to share your knowledge while maintaining one source of truth

The Solution Let’s dive into the practical steps for implementing single source of truth in Obsidian. I’ll show you exactly how to centralize your knowledge and avoid the fragmentation trap.

What Is Single Source of Truth?

Single source of truth means maintaining only one location for each type of information. Instead of scattering notes about stocks across multiple files, you keep everything stock-related in one dedicated note. When you encounter new information about stocks, you add it to that existing note.

This concept isn’t new—it’s used in software development, project management, and knowledge management. The idea is simple: if you have one definitive source for information, you always know where to find it. You don’t waste time searching through multiple files or wondering which version is the most up-to-date.

In Obsidian, single source of truth works beautifully because of the linking system. You can reference the same note from anywhere without duplicating content.

The Stock Note Example

Let me give you a practical example. You have a note called “stock” where you collect all your investment-related information. When you read a book about investing and find this powerful line: “When you buy a stock you are not just investing, you are becoming a partner in a real business,” you don’t create a new note for this insight.

Instead, you open your existing stock note and add this information there. Now all stock-related knowledge lives in one place: stock selection strategies, how stock prices are decided, information about IPOs, and this new business partnership perspective.

This approach makes sense because all these concepts are related to the same topic—investing in stocks. When you want to review or reference this information, you know exactly where to look: your stock note.

Why Centralization Matters

When you maintain a single source of truth, you eliminate several problems:

1. No confusion about where to store information: Every topic has a designated note
2. No duplication: You don’t waste time writing the same thing multiple times
3. Easy retrieval: You always know where to find information about a topic
4. Comprehensive understanding: All related information is in one place, helping you see connections

The key is to think in terms of topics rather than documents. Instead of creating a new note for every piece of information, ask yourself: “What topic does this belong to?” Then add it to that topic’s note.

Ways to Reuse Content Without Copying

One common concern is: “If all information is in one place, how do I use that information elsewhere without copying?”

Obsidian provides several clever ways to reuse content while maintaining single source of truth:

Method 1: Exclamation Mark (!) Embedding

The most powerful method is using an exclamation mark to embed the entire content of another note. Here’s how it works:

• In your current note, type ![[note name]]
• This displays the entire content of that note inside your current note
• The original note remains unchanged—you’re just displaying it

For example, if you want to include your entire stock note in a new document, simply type ![[stock]] and all the content appears. This is perfect for creating reports or sharing information.

Method 2: Caret (^) Embedding for Specific Sections

But what if you only want to include a specific part of a note? Obsidian lets you do that too!

• Go to the section you want to embed (like a heading or specific bullet point)
• Add a unique identifier using ^ (e.g., ^understand-business)
• Reference it in another note with ![[stock#^understand-business]]

This way, you can include just the relevant section without bringing in the entire note. It’s like having a quote from a book without copying the whole book.

Method 3: PDF Export

When you need to share your notes with others who don’t use Obsidian:

1. Open your note
2. Export it as a PDF
3. Share the PDF file

This maintains single source of truth because the PDF is generated from your one true note. If you update the note, you can regenerate the PDF.

Practical Workflow

Here’s how to implement single source of truth in your daily note-taking:

1. Create topic notes: For each major topic, create a dedicated note (e.g., “stock,” “productivity,” “research methods”)

2. Use naming conventions: Start topic notes with a clear identifier (like “MOC” for Map of Content or just a descriptive name)

3. Add new information immediately: When you learn something new about a topic, don’t create a new note—add it to the existing topic note

4. Link from elsewhere: When you need to reference this information, link to the topic note instead of copying

5. Use embeds for reports: When writing a document that needs to include topic information, use ![[topic]] to embed the content

Benefits of This Approach

When you adopt single source of truth, you’ll notice several improvements:

Better Organization: Your knowledge base becomes structured around topics rather than random documents. This mirrors how our brains organize information.

Reduced Clutter: You won’t have dozens of tiny notes about the same topic. Instead, you have one comprehensive note per topic.

Easier Updates: When you want to update information, you only need to change one place. The updates propagate everywhere through links and embeds.

Clearer Thinking: Seeing all related information in one place helps you understand connections and develop deeper insights.

Time Savings: You spend less time searching for information and more time using it.

Addressing Common Concerns

“What if the note becomes too long?” This is actually a good sign! A long note about a topic means you’ve collected substantial knowledge. If it becomes unwieldy, you can create sub-topics or use headings to structure it better.

“What if I need a different version for different audiences?” You can still maintain one source of truth. Create a summary note that embeds relevant sections from your main note using the caret method.

“What about daily notes or journaling?” Some things naturally belong in daily notes—your daily activities, reflections, or time-sensitive information. Single source of truth applies to topical knowledge, not chronological records.

Watch the Full Video For the complete step-by-step walkthrough, watch the full video below:

Real stories. Practical lessons. Right in your inbox.
No spam—just once a week.

👋 About Me

Hi, I’m Shuvangkar Das — a power systems researcher with a Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering, currently working as a Research Scientist. I work at the intersection of power electronics, inverter-based DERs (IBRs), and AI to help build smarter, greener, and more stable electric grids.

My work spans large-scale EMT simulations, firmware development, reinforcement learning, and hardware prototyping. Beyond engineering, I’m also a YouTuber and content creator — sharing hands-on insights on productivity, research, and knowledge management. My goal is simple: to make complex ideas more accessible and actionable for everyone.

Connect with me:

📚 Obsidian Notes I Used for This Blog