Second Brain Systems To Increase Creativity

Written by Emmeric in CREATIVE PRODUCTIVITY

box with brain inscription on head of anonymous woman

I never heard of Personal Knowledge Management before I read Tiago Forte’s book Building A Second BrainOpens in a new tab.

It is not as complicated or boring as it sounds I promise!

Why Personal Knowledge Management Matters for Creatives

Personal knowledge management (PKM) is a critical skill for creatives in today’s fast-paced, information-driven world. As a creative professional, you need to constantly generate new ideas, keep track of reference materials, and collaborate with others on creative projects.

By adopting a PKM strategy, you can streamline your creative workflow, reduce information overload, and stay organized and productive. With the right tools and techniques, you can capture your ideas, organize your knowledge, and make connections between different sources of information, leading to a more efficient and effective creative process.

PKM helps creatives to stay on top of their game, enabling them to access and utilize their knowledge in the most efficient and effective way possible.

How to Get Started with Personal Knowledge Management as a Creative

Getting started with personal knowledge management (PKM) as a creative can seem daunting, but the benefits of organizing and streamlining your creative process are well worth the effort. 

Start Using Capture Tools

To get started with PKM, the first step is to choose the tools that work best for you. Some popular PKM tools for creatives include Evernote, Notion, OneNote, Trello, and Google Keep. I personally use Google Keep and Evernote to capture and I use Evernote and Notion for more organization.

Once you have selected your tools, start by setting up a system to capture and organize your ideas, reference materials, and project details. This can include creating notebooks, tags, or folders, depending on the PKM tool you are using. As you begin to capture and organize your knowledge, make sure to use consistent tags or categories, and periodically review and update your system to keep it organized and relevant. Finally, don’t forget to back up your data regularly to avoid losing any valuable information. With these simple steps, you can start using PKM to enhance your creative workflow and stay organized and productive.

I have recently read Tiago Forte’s book Building A Second Brain and it is a step-by-step manual for how to build your system from scratch. He teaches the PARA method of organizing which stands for Projects, Areas, Resources, and Archives. These are the only categories you will need to organize all your information. From personal to business and everything in between.

He also explains how to capture your information and what to capture.

Tiago Forte’s book, Building a Second BrainOpens in a new tab.

  1. Capture everything: Forte recommends capturing all of your ideas, notes, and other types of information that come to you, regardless of their immediate relevance. This ensures that you don’t miss important details or ideas.
  2. Use multiple capture tools: Use a variety of capture tools, such as a notebook, voice recorder, or smartphone app, to capture information. This helps you capture information in different formats and contexts, ensuring you have a comprehensive collection of information.
  3. Use structured note-taking: Using structured note-taking, such as a template or a standardized format, can help you capture information more effectively and make it easier to organize later.
  4. Use tags and categories: Use tags and categories to organize your notes and make them more easily searchable.
  5. Focus on the “what” and not the “how”: When capturing information, focus on the content of the information rather than how it will be used or applied. This will help you capture more complete and accurate information.
  6. Use an inbox to collect all of your captured information in one place, then process it and categorize it later. This helps prevent information overload and ensures that you don’t miss important information.

Overall, the key to effective information capture is to be consistent and intentional in the way you capture information. By using a variety of tools, structured note-taking, and effective organization methods, you can build a second brain that helps you stay organized and productive.

Organizing Your Creative Ideas 

Tiago Forte’s “Building a Second Brain” introduces a method of organizing information called PARA, which stands for Projects, Areas, Resources, and Archives. Here’s what he teaches about organizing information with PARA:

  1. Projects: Projects are time-bound and goal-oriented activities that require multiple steps to complete. Examples include writing a book, planning a trip, or launching a new product. Forte recommends creating a separate note-taking system for each project, where you can store all the relevant notes, research, and tasks related to that project.
  2. Areas: Areas are broad categories that define the different domains of your life, such as work, health, hobbies, or relationships. Unlike projects, areas don’t have a specific end goal or timeline. Forte recommends creating a separate note-taking system for each area, where you can store notes related to that area.
  3. Resources: Resources are sources of information that you refer to frequently, such as books, articles, or podcasts. Forte recommends creating a separate note-taking system for each resource, where you can store notes and highlights from that resource.
  4. Archives: Archives are a repository for all the information that is not immediately relevant but might be useful in the future. Examples include old notes, completed projects, or outdated research. Forte recommends creating a separate note-taking system for archives, where you can store all the information that you want to keep but doesn’t need to access frequently.

The PARA method provides a flexible and scalable framework for organizing information, where each type of information has its own dedicated space. By adopting this method, you can avoid clutter and confusion in your note-taking system and quickly access the information you need when you need it.

What are The Benefits of Personal Knowledge Management for Creative Professionals

Personal knowledge management (PKM) offers a range of benefits for creative professionals. 

  1. PKM can help creatives to capture and organize their ideas, reference materials, and project details, enabling them to quickly access and utilize their knowledge when needed. This leads to increased efficiency and productivity, as creatives are able to focus on their work rather than searching for information. 
  2. It can help creatives to identify patterns and connections between different sources of information, leading to new insights and creative breakthroughs. 
  3. PKM can enhance collaboration and communication among creative teams, as team members can easily share and access information, resulting in more effective collaboration and better outcomes. 
  4. PKM can assist creatives in establishing a personal brand and identity, as they can showcase their knowledge and expertise through curated content and portfolios. 
  5. PKM can lead to a more fulfilling and rewarding creative career, as creatives are better able to manage their workload, stay organized, and achieve their goals.

What are the Top Personal Knowledge Management Tools for Creatives?

  1. EvernoteOpens in a new tab.
  2. NotionOpens in a new tab.
  3. OneNoteOpens in a new tab.
  4. TrelloOpens in a new tab.
  5. Google KeepOpens in a new tab.
  6. Roam Research Opens in a new tab.
  7. ObsidianOpens in a new tab.
  8. Monday Opens in a new tab.

These personal knowledge management tools offer different functionalities and benefits, so you don’t have to use only one. If you use the PARA system for organizing your information you will have congruency across all your platforms.

What is The Role of Personal Knowledge Management in Creative Inspiration?

The role of personal knowledge management (PKM) in creative inspiration is to help creatives capture, organize, and leverage their knowledge and experiences to spark new ideas and insights. By actively managing and reflecting on their own learning and experiences, creatives can build a rich and diverse repository of knowledge, which they can draw on for inspiration and creative problem-solving.

PKM tools and techniques can help creatives capture and organize a wide range of information and ideas, such as images, quotes, research findings, and personal reflections. This information can then be easily accessed and reviewed, allowing creatives to make connections and find patterns that may lead to new creative insights.

Additionally, by using PKM to continuously learn and expand their knowledge and skills, creatives can expose themselves to new ideas and perspectives, which can further fuel their inspiration and creativity.

Ultimately, the role of PKM in creative inspiration is to provide creatives with a structured and efficient way to capture, organize, and leverage their own knowledge and experiences, helping them to unlock new creative possibilities and achieve their artistic goals.

5 Ways PKM Increases Creative Productivity

Personal knowledge management (PKM) is a game-changer for creative productivity because it allows creatives to better manage their ideas, information, and knowledge, leading to more efficient and effective creative work. Here are some ways PKM can be a game-changer for creative productivity:

1. Organizing and accessing ideas 

PKM tools and techniques can help creatives capture and organize their ideas, allowing them to easily access and review their creative work as they move forward.

2. Collaborating with others 

PKM can facilitate collaboration with other creatives, allowing for more efficient and effective sharing of knowledge and ideas.

3. Learning and growth

PKM can help creatives track their learning and growth over time, allowing them to build on their knowledge and skills and take on new challenges.

4. Efficient research

PKM can help creatives research and organize information more efficiently, allowing them to save time and stay focused on their creative work.

5. Better time management

PKM can help creatives prioritize their work and stay on track, ensuring that they are making progress on their projects and achieving their goals.

Overall, by providing a more structured and efficient way to manage knowledge and ideas, PKM can help creatives be more productive, creative, and successful in their work.

6 Ways artists can use the principles of ‘building a second brain’?

#1 Collecting inspiration    

As an artist, you may find inspiration in a variety of sources, such as images, articles, or music. By using tools like Evernote or Notion, you can collect and organize these sources in one place, making it easier to refer back to them when you need inspiration for your work.

Google Keep is also a quick and easy way to capture images and assign a tag.

#2 Creating a visual library

If you’re an artist who works with visual media, you can create a library of images that inspire you or that you want to use as reference material. You can use tools like Pinterest or even your own image folders to collect and categorize images, making it easier to find them when you need them. This is where tagging becomes an essential feature.

#3 Keeping track of ideas

Whether you’re a writer, painter, or musician, you likely have a lot of ideas floating around in your head. By using a note-taking tool like Roam Research or Obsidian, you can capture these ideas and link them together, creating a web of interconnected thoughts that can serve as a wellspring of inspiration for your work. 

I use my sketchbook for taking notes of landscapes etc and will then capture it digitally and assign a tag like #seascape or #mountains

I also capture written notes in a notebook and transfer them to digital format once a week. Then I mark what has been captured.

Organizing your creative process: As an artist, you likely have a lot of different projects going on at once, and keeping track of them all can be a challenge. By using a project management tool like Trello or Asana, you can keep track of your projects, deadlines, and progress, making it easier to stay organized and focused on your work.

#4 Developing a system for organizing ideas

Create a system for organizing your ideas, such as a digital or physical notebook. You can categorize your ideas by medium, subject matter, or any other criteria that make sense for your art.

#5 Improved documentation and organization of research

Use note-taking apps like Notion or Roam Research to keep track of research for your art projects. You can save links, notes, and ideas related to a particular project in one place.

#6 Documenting your creative process

Use tools like video or audio recording to document your creative process. You can use these recordings to reflect on your work, share your process with others, or even create tutorial videos for other artists.

These are just a few ways that an artist can use the principles of creating a second brain to improve their craft. The key is to find the tools and systems that work best for your unique creative process.

Best apps for visual note-taking

  1. Procreate: This is a digital drawing app that is great for creating visual notes. It has a wide range of brushes and tools that can be used for sketching and drawing, and it also allows you to import images and work with layers.
  2. Sketchbook: Sketchbook is another digital drawing app that is great for visual note-taking. It has a simple interface that is easy to use, and it also allows you to work with layers and import images.
  3. Paper by WeTransfer: This app is designed specifically for note-taking and sketching, and it has a variety of tools that can be used for visual note-taking. It also has a feature called “Mix,” which allows you to create custom color palettes.
  4. Adobe Illustrator Draw: This app is part of the Adobe Creative Suite and is great for creating vector-based illustrations. It has a variety of drawing tools and allows you to work with layers and import images.
  5. GoodNotes: GoodNotes is a note-taking app that allows you to create handwritten notes and sketches. It also has a feature called “Shape Recognition,” which can turn your sketches into more precise shapes.
  6. Microsoft OneNote: OneNote is a digital note-taking app that is great for visual note-taking. It allows you to create handwritten notes and sketches, and it also has a variety of tools for organizing your notes.

These are just a few of the many apps that can be used for visual note-taking. The best app for you will depend on your personal preferences and needs, so it’s worth trying out a few different options to find the one that works best for you

Creatives who are building a second brain

Austin Kleon is an artist and writer who has written several books on creativity and productivity. He has mentioned in interviews and on his blog that he uses tools like Evernote and Notion to organize his ideas and creative projects. In his book “Keep Going,” Kleon writes about his use of personal knowledge management tools:

“I use Evernote to capture everything that interests me: articles, quotes, images, notes, ideas, and more. I also use Notion to keep track of my projects and ideas, and I use Trello to organize my to-do lists. These tools help me keep all of my creative ideas and projects in one place, so I can access them easily and stay organized.”

Kleon has also discussed his use of these tools in interviews and on his blog. He believes that personal knowledge management tools can help artists stay organized and productive, and can also help them generate new ideas and insights.

James Clear is a writer and speaker who is known for his work on habit formation and personal development. He has written about his use of personal knowledge management tools, including Evernote and Roam Research, to organize his ideas and research.

Debbie Millman is a designer, writer, and podcaster who has mentioned on her podcast, Design Matters, that she uses personal knowledge management tools to organize her research and creative projects.

Tim Ferriss is an entrepreneur and author who is known for his work on productivity and self-improvement. He has mentioned on his podcast and in his writing that he uses a variety of personal knowledge management tools, including Evernote and Notion, to organize his ideas and research.

Adam Grant is a psychologist and author who has written several books on creativity and work. He has mentioned in interviews and on social media that he uses personal knowledge management tools, including Evernote and Roam Research, to organize his ideas and research.

Nina Karnikowski is a travel writer and photographer who has mentioned in interviews that she uses Evernote to organize her travel notes and research. She also uses Notion to organize her writing and creative projects.

Julia Cameron is a writer, artist, and creativity coach who is known for her book “The Artist’s Way.” In a blog post on her website, Cameron writes about her use of index cards to capture her creative ideas and inspirations.

James Victore is a graphic designer and author who has mentioned in interviews and on his podcast that he uses personal knowledge management tools to organize his creative ideas and projects. He has also discussed his use of mind maps and other visual thinking tools to generate new ideas and insights.

John Maeda is a designer and technologist who has written several books on design and creativity. In an interview with The New York Times, Maeda discussed his use of personal knowledge management tools, including Evernote and Asana, to keep track of his ideas and projects.

Maria Popova is a writer and curator of the website formerly known as Brain Pickings, now renamed as Marginalien. In an interview with The Observer, Popova discussed her use of personal knowledge management tools to organize her research and creative projects. She has also discussed her use of physical notebooks to capture her ideas and inspirations.

Creative Workflow using Personal Knowledge Management Tools

Here’s an example of how an artist might use PKM tools and principles to manage their creative workflow:

Capturing ideas

The artist uses a PKM tool like Evernote or Notion to capture ideas as they come to them. They might create a new note or page in their PKM tool for each new idea, and include any relevant images or links that they come across.

Organizing ideas

The artist uses tags, categories, or folders in their PKM tool to organize their ideas by theme or project. For example, they might have a folder for “landscape paintings” and another folder for “abstract sketches”.

If they are utilizing the PARA system for organization, they would have four main folders:

  1. Projects
  2. Areas
  3. Resources
  4. Archives

They would file any information that is pertinent to completing an ongoing project in the corresponding PROJECTS file and things like abstract sketches under the AREA folder.

Researching

As the artist begins to research a new project or idea, they use their PKM tool to capture and organize any relevant information. They might create a new note or page for each source of information, and use tags or categories to group related sources together.

Developing concepts

Using their PKM tool, the artist begins to develop concepts for their project. They might create a new page or note for each concept and include sketches, images, or other media to help flesh out their ideas.

Cross-pollination is usually how we come up with new and original ideas. We start seeing connections in our own work and that is how art develops organically.

Planning

Once the artist has settled on a concept for their project, they use their PKM tool to plan out the details of the project. They might create a new page or note that outlines the steps involved in creating the project, and use a checklist or project management tool to track their progress.

Creating

Using their PKM tool as a reference, the artist begins to create their project. They might use a separate page or note in their PKM tool to capture any new ideas or changes that come up during the creative process.

Sharing

Once the project is complete, the artist uses their PKM tool to share their work with others. They might create a new page or note that showcases the project and use tags or categories to make it easy for others to find.

This is just one example of how an artist might use PKM tools and principles to manage their creative workflow. The specific tools and methods that an artist uses will depend on their personal preferences and workflow

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