You ever have one of those weeks where your to-do list turns into a guilt trip? Yeah — that used to be my life. Sticky notes everywhere, five different apps with half-finished tasks, and a brain that felt like a browser with 42 tabs open. Enter: Obsidian.
I’ve talked about Obsidian before some years ago that describes what Obsidian is and why I chose it. Now I wanted to explain how I use it every day. I didn’t expect a plain-text note-taking app to change my productivity game. But it did. And it all started with one simple habit: using Daily Notes.
Let me walk you through exactly how I use them — from my morning routine to linking ideas, using plugins, and ending the day with a brain that’s not screaming at me.
🗓️ Why Daily Notes Work in Obsidian
Obsidian has this beautiful thing called Daily Notes — a note automatically named with today’s date, where you can dump your thoughts, tasks, wins, random rants — anything.
But what makes it powerful is this: it’s not just a journal. It’s a launchpad for your day and a hub that connects everything else.
At first, I just used it for to-do lists. But over time, it became the command center for my brain.
✅ My Daily Note Template (Simple, Not Fancy)
I don’t do complicated. Here’s my go-to layout:
# 📅 {{date}}
## Top 3 Tasks
- [ ] Thing 1
- [ ] Thing 2
- [ ] Thing 3
## Notes / Brain Dump
- Random ideas, quotes, thoughts here
## Meetings / Events
- 10:00 - Team stand-up
- 2:00 - Client call
## Links / References
- [[Project X]]
- [[Big Idea Notes]]
This gives me just enough structure to focus — without boxing me in.
🔗 Linking Tasks and Ideas for Seamless Flow
Before I started linking stuff, my notes felt like digital sticky notes — helpful in the moment, but gone forever two days later.
Now? I use Obsidian’s [[double brackets]] for backlinks like a pro.
Say I’m working on a course called “Side Hustle Starter Pack.” I’ll write:
- [ ] Outline lesson 3 for [[Side Hustle Starter Pack]]
Later, I can go to the Side Hustle Starter Pack note and see every time I mentioned it — all automatically. No fancy project manager needed.
I also drop little quote ideas into daily notes and link them to theme pages:
Note: Minimalism isn’t fewer apps — it’s fewer open loops. #quote [[Digital Minimalism]]
It’s like leaving breadcrumbs for my future self. And it works.
☀️ My Morning Routine With Daily Notes
Every day, I open Obsidian, hit my Templater hotkey, and boom — a fresh daily note.
Here’s my quick ritual:
- Sip coffee
- Brain dump everything on my mind
- Pick 3 top priorities
- Link tasks to their project notes
- Add any meetings or appointments
It clears my head faster than coffee (okay, maybe not faster… but close).
🌙 My Evening Review
This one’s subtle, but powerful.
At the end of the day, I:
- Check off tasks
- Move unfinished ones to tomorrow
- Write 1–2 lines of reflection
- Link anything that deserves a follow-up
No deep journaling. Just a soft landing for my brain. I don’t feel like I’m leaving chaos behind when I shut the laptop.
🧩 Best Plugins to Supercharge Daily Notes
Okay, here’s where things get spicy. These are the plugins that actually improved my workflow — not just added noise.
1. Templater
Automates your daily note structure. Adds dates, recurring tasks, and custom prompts. I use it to inject a consistent layout every morning without thinking.
2. Periodic Notes
This one gives you daily, weekly, and monthly notes — all nicely tied together. It’s super handy for weekly reviews and reflection.
3. Tasks Plugin
This is the one I didn’t know I needed. It lets you manage tasks across your entire vault and even filter them. For example:
``` tasks
not done
due before tomorrow
```It’ll show every unchecked task due before tomorrow — no matter which note it’s hiding in. Game changer.
You can even get fancy and start adding tags to your tasks. For example I use #followup on tasks that need extra attention, but may not have a due date. Do collect them under one heading I have a task query that looks like this.
tasks
description includes #follow-up not done
4. Dataview
If you’re a data nerd, this is your playground. You can turn your notes into custom dashboards, summaries, and dynamic views based on tags, dates, and frontmatter.
I’ve used it to build a weekly task board, habit tracker, and even a writing progress chart. Steep learning curve, but massive rewards.
5. Calendar
It’s not flashy — but man, it’s useful. This plugin gives you a sidebar calendar. Click on any day, and it opens the daily note. That’s it. Simple, effective, frictionless.
Bonus Plugins Worth Exploring
- Day Planner: Perfect if you like time-blocking your day. Drag tasks into specific time slots.
- Natural Language Dates: Type “next Friday” or “tomorrow” and it becomes an actual date. Huge time saver.
- Kanban: Build Trello-style boards inside your vault. Great for project planning or high-level overviews.
Pro tip: Don’t install all of these at once. Start with one or two and build your system gradually. Otherwise, you’ll spend more time tinkering than thinking.
🎯 Make Daily Notes Your System
Here’s the deal — your system should serve you. Not the productivity gurus. Not the Reddit templates. You.
I use daily notes to:
- Stay focused
- Connect my thoughts
- Reduce mental clutter
Some days it’s neat. Some days it’s messy. Some days I skip it altogether. And that’s okay.
If you take nothing else away from this post, take this:
You don’t need perfect. You just need consistent.
🛡️ Quick Note on Privacy
Obsidian keeps everything local by default, which is awesome for privacy. Just make sure if you’re syncing between devices, you’re doing it securely — especially if you’re logging sensitive data.
🚀 Final Thoughts
If your brain feels overloaded — start with one daily note.
Seriously. Open Obsidian, hit Cmd + P or Ctrl + P, and type “Daily Note.”
Jot a few tasks. Dump your thoughts. Link one thing. That’s it.
You’ll be shocked at how fast it turns into a habit that actually sticks.
And hey — if you’ve got your own tips, tricks, or plugin recs, hit me up or drop a comment below. I’m always down to geek out about workflows that make life just a little bit easier.
Let’s build digital brains that don’t burn us out. 🧠💪
👋 Want more?
Let me know if you’d like a walkthrough of weekly reviews, project dashboards, or even second brain setups in Obsidian. I’ve got plenty more to share.
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Happy posting!