How I use the PARA method

April 27, 2026

I've been drawn to note-taking tools and systems for a while. I'm not sure if it's because I've never found one that works for my brain, or that I wanted the system to do the work for me, but it's probably a combination. Either way, I've read several books including Tiago Forte's PARA Method and I really like this system. I've stuck with it for over two years now, which is saying something.

For me, it helps me organize my thoughts more than just my notes. I find it hard to hold structure in my head, so externalizing it is what makes retention possible. It's basically a meta-level filing system regardless of the domain.

PARA stands for Projects, Areas, Resources, and Archive, and you probably can already figure out how to use it, but Projects are for things that end, Areas are for things that don't. Resources are for collected material to be linked or used later. (To be honest, I use this one least of all.) And Archive is where old things go when you're done with them. I don't believe in deleting notes, not really ever, so Archive is the place things go when I want them out of the way.

Using this system, I'm able to really stay quite organized with my notes. One addition I highly recommend is including an "Inbox" page, which is basically a scratchpad. Use it to take notes during meetings, or capture random todos that pop up throughout the day. And if you're using AI, you can have it triage your inbox page and file the notes for you. It really helps keep everything tidy and organized.

I'd recommend this for anyone whose head feels too full.