Risk-Free Ways to Enjoy Using Obsidian Without Being Swallowed by It
Focus on your notes, not the app they’re in
Some people seem to want to like Obsidian, but feel initially overwhelmed by the puzzling user interface, the massive number of plugins, and all the options for making it look pretty once you really get going. That was my experience, and since those early days I’ve heard many people say the same.
After I got over the initial learning curve and saw the potential of this incredible app, I dove right into the plugin rabbit hole, voraciously consuming all the Obsidian how-to articles I could get my hands on.
There are a lot of them!
In the past couple of years there has been a veritable explosion of articles, videos, and courses from super cool, generous, knowledgable people offering to show you how to do everything from creating databases and tracking habits, to planning role playing games and writing books. It’s a whole new world, I tell you!
But most of it is not for me. Not any more.
I’ve been documenting my journey with Obsidian since 2020 in a series of articles published on Medium, and now on Substack. What a ride! I love what I’ve learned and how far I’ve come. Obsidian is still an app I use daily (if you don’t count the plain text experiment I conducted the other month), but I’ve radically changed my approach. That’s what I want to tell you about in this article: how I continue to use Obsidian in a much simpler, more portable, future proof way.
From 80 plugins to 30, and falling: on knowing when it’s time to simplify
The 80+ plugins I used to use sounds like a lot, but some people have many more and still call life good. These days I’m sporting around 30, and looking for ways to reduce that number where it makes sense to do so. Just so you know, none of those extensions to Obsidian’s core features would break my system were they to disappear.
Why should you consider cutting back on using Obsidian-only features in what seems to be a very stable app with a long and lustrous future ahead of it? If you’re going to use an app, shouldn’t you use it to its fullest?
No, my fine friend! No.
That’s the kind of thinking that’ll have you piling gravy on your fourth plate of fruit salad and icecream at the buffet, just because you can. Trust me — it doesn’t end well.
My message isn’t that you should cut the number of plugins you use down to a particular number. I’m not trying to sell you on metaphorically moving off-grid into a tiny house in the woods, but I am passionate about encouraging people (including me!) to examine our digital workflows, and only adopt tools that support our true needs.
If you’re feeling overwhelmed when you open Obsidian, or you’re spending more time learning about the tool than you are on your actual work, something needs to change. As I describe how I’ve simplified my use of Obsidian, and the wonderful things that have come from that, I hope you’ll pick up some helpful tips; but above all, I hope you’ll take away a quiet determination to discover (and re-discover!) how a note taking app like Obsidian can improve your life.
Why are you using Obsidian?
Why are you using Obsidian? What do you hope it can do for you?
— “I don’t know” is a valid response!
It’s okay to be in explorer-or-play modes, for years, if necessary. It’s also okay to not use Obsidian the way everyone else seems to be. Try out the Zettelkasten, Johnny Decimal or PARA methods if you want to, leave them if you don’t.
Here’s my response to question at the start of this section: I’m using Obsidian on my Mac (I don’t generally touch it on mobile) because it’s easy to write both short and long form notes, and I like plugins that can make it faster. It’s an enjoyable experience, so I keep going with it.
I have a daily note that I add to either in the app on my Mac, or via an action in the Drafts app on Mac or mobile devices. Drafts, plus keyboard shortcuts in Obsidian, make data entry fast and almost seamless.
TaskPaper is the syntax I’m using for an overview of my projects and related tasks. Everything in one file. I can access this file in Obsidian, and often do, when I’m linking to general project pages, but it’s best in the TaskPaper app. My point is this: you can manage your tasks in Obsidian, if it fits your needs, but there’s no need to try and force a square peg into a round hole.
Which of these 6 things do you value most?
Rank these ideas about your notes from (most) to 6 (least) in their order of relevance and importance to you:
My notes must be future proof
I want to be able to access my notes in other Markdown apps, and be able to interact with them in a similar way as I can in Obsidian
I want to use Obsidian as a project/task manager
I want to write notes containing atomic thoughts and link them together to form a useful web of interconnected ideas
I want to run most of my digital life in Obsidian, bringing in quotes and highlights from outside sources to process later
I want to keep track of complex data, using Obsidian for tasks usually handled by database apps
If future proofing your notes is a high priority, you will need to be careful not to organise things around plugins you can’t control; that could disappear without notice. What would your notes look like, how functional would they be if all Obsidian’s plugins and queries disappeared, and you were left with raw Markdown files? Would it break your system?
There are so many paths to choose from! How do I start?
Some chefs use a variety of appliances to make their jobs easier, while others can do most things with a good quality knife and a cast iron pan.
Perhaps you’ve been inspired by someone’s Obsidian setup, and really want to try out their system. Nothing wrong with that! My advice is to separate the time you spend working on the system your notes live in, from the time you spend actually working with your notes.
Set aside say, half an hour at the end of the day, after you’ve completed your most important tasks, and experiment with applying the cool ideas you’ve seen to a copy of your notes.
The answer to the question, “how do I start?” is: as simply as possible. One note, one folder, until you need another. If you’re not yet clear on what you need, err on the side of simplicity, always. Use the Obsidian help documents to answer your questions rather than yet another YouTube video.
Take imperfect action now, and work things out as you go along. Keep your eyes on the destination.
Here’s the doggie bag
Obsidian can be used as a simple Markdown editor, or as a complicated app that uses multiple plugins to process and connect data.
Whether you’re a novice or a seasoned Obsidianite, I suggest you start simply, not adding complexity until you’re clear on your digital values. If you want to experiment with plugins and structures gleaned from other people’s systems, place boundaries around the time you spend doing that. If you can’t work in your notes for a solid 2–3 hours (including tiny breaks, but not breaking focus), you have no business messing about with plugins or with how your notes are structured.
Use whatever plugins you like, but consider structuring the essence of your notes in ways that will make them useful in other Markdown apps. In other words, use Obsidian, enjoy it, but don’t chain yourself to it.