Why I Ditched My Perfect Notetaking App for Plain Old Text Files

For years, I was on a quest. A digital pilgrimage to find the \'perfect\' notetaking application. I tried everything—the ones with intricate databases, the visually beautiful ones with endless formatting, the ones that promised to build a \'second brain\' for me. Each new app brought a rush of excitement and a flurry of activity as I migrated my notes, set up complex tagging systems, and built elaborate dashboards. Honestly, I spent more time organizing the system than actually thinking.

The feature creep trap

I eventually realized I had fallen into a trap. The very features that drew me in—nested tags, bi-directional linking, web clippers, custom templates—had become a source of friction. My \'second brain\' was giving my first one a headache. I felt a constant, low-level anxiety that I wasn\'t \'using it right.\' Every time I wanted to jot down a simple idea, I was faced with a decision: Which folder does this go in? What tags should I use? Is this a fleeting note or a permanent one? It was exhausting. The tool, which was supposed to enable my thinking, was getting in the way of it.

My moment of clarity and the move to simplicity

The turning point came on a day when my favorite, feature-packed app refused to sync. All my carefully curated thoughts were trapped. In that moment of frustration, I opened a basic text editor and just started typing. There was no interface to distract me, no formatting to worry about, no system to manage. It was just my thoughts and the blinking cursor. It felt like a breath of fresh air. That day, I decided to commit to an experiment: one month with only plain old text files.

The simple rules I follow

This isn\'t about creating digital chaos. My system is built on two simple principles:

• A basic folder structure: I use a few top-level folders like `1_Projects`, `2_Areas`, `3_Resources`, and `4_Archive`. This is simple enough to navigate but provides just enough structure.
• A clear naming convention: Every new note is named with the date first, followed by a descriptive title (e.g., `2023-10-28-notes-on-new-project-idea.txt`). This makes files chronological and easy to search.

The surprising freedom of plain text

What I gained was more than I ever expected. First, speed. Capturing a thought is now instantaneous. There\'s no app to launch, no syncing to wait for. Second, focus. Without the bells and whistles, I find my thinking is clearer and more profound. The friction is gone. But the biggest benefit is longevity. These .txt files will be readable on any device I own in 50 years. I\'m no longer locked into a company\'s ecosystem or subscription model. My notes are truly mine. I\'ve learned that the most powerful productivity tool is often the one that gets out of your way the fastest, and for me, that has been the humble text file.