“Templates transformed the way I work in Obsidian — no more starting from scratch every time!”

If you’re like me, sometimes starting a new note feels like a blank page stare-down. Where do I even begin? That’s where templates come in — reusable note structures that save time and keep your vault consistent.

Let me walk you through how to create templates in Obsidian and ways to use them that’ll make your note-taking flow effortlessly.

Why Use Templates?

Templates let you:

• Standardize note formats (journals, meeting notes, projects)
• Quickly insert repeated info like headers, tags, or prompts
• Keep consistency in structure and style across your vault
• Save tons of time so you focus on content, not formatting

How to Set Up Templates in Obsidian

1. Enable the Templates Plugin

Go to Settings > Core Plugins and enable Templates.

2. Create a Templates Folder

Make a folder named Templates or anything you like in your vault.

3. Create Your Template Notes

Inside this folder, create notes with the structure and placeholders you want to reuse.

Example:

# Daily Journal - {{date:YYYY-MM-DD}}

## Morning Thoughts -

Mood: -

Goals for today:

## Evening Reflection -

Wins: -

Challenges:

#tags #journal #daily

4. Configure Template Folder in Settings

Under Settings > Templates, set the folder location for your templates.

5. Use Templates in Notes

In any note, press Ctrl+P (or Command+P) to open the command palette and search for “Insert template.” Pick the template you want, and Obsidian will insert it with placeholders filled automatically.

Popular Templates to Start With

• Daily Notes — journaling prompts, mood tracking, task lists
• Meeting Notes — attendees, agenda, action items
• Project Templates — overview, goals, milestones, resources
• Book Notes — author, summary, key takeaways, quotes
• Idea Capture — quick note format with tags and priority

Using Template Placeholders

Obsidian templates support dynamic placeholders:

• {{date}} — inserts current date
• {{time}} — inserts current time
• {{title}} — inserts current note’s title
• Custom date formatting like {{date:YYYY-MM-DD}}

Using placeholders automates repetitive tasks so you don’t have to type the same info daily.

Tips for Template Mastery

• Keep your templates simple and adaptable — you can always customize after insertion.
• Use tags in templates to keep notes organized automatically.
• Combine templates with daily notes plugin for routine journaling or planning.
• Explore community plugins like Templater for advanced scripting and automation.
• Regularly update templates as your workflows evolve.

Conclusion

Templates are like your note-taking shortcuts, making Obsidian faster and more consistent. Whether you journal, plan projects, or capture ideas, setting up just a few templates can save you hours.

Try creating your first template today — I promise it’ll be a game-changer.

💬 What’s your favorite template to use in Obsidian? Any cool hacks? Share below!

“The discipline of writing something down is the first step toward making it happen.” – Lee Iacocca

Let’s be honest—keeping a journal or planner sounds great… until you forget to use it for three days straight.

That was me.

Then I discovered Daily Notes in Obsidian. It wasn’t just another blank page. It became the place I started my day—with thoughts, to-dos, and even random stuff like “why did I dream about raccoons in tuxedos?”

If you want a low-friction way to stay organized, clear your head, and plan smarter, Daily Notes can change the game.

What Are Daily Notes in Obsidian?

Daily Notes are time-stamped entries created automatically in Obsidian using the built-in Daily Notes core plugin. Think of them like your personal command center for each day.

Each note is named after the date and usually lives in a special folder like Daily or Journal.

You can:

• Dump your thoughts (morning pages style)
• Track habits and tasks
• Reflect on the day
• Collect ideas, events, or even overheard conversations

I treat mine like a digital bullet journal—but lazier and smarter.

Step 1: Turn On Daily Notes in Obsidian

Super easy.

1. Go to Settings → Core Plugins
2. Enable Daily Notes
3. Go to Settings → Daily Notes
4. Customize:
   • Location: Choose where your daily notes get saved (e.g., /Journal)
   • Format: I like YYYY-MM-DD for sorting
   • Template (optional): Use a pre-designed note layout (more on that soon)

Now, you’ll see a little calendar icon in the sidebar. Click it, and boom—a note for today appears.

Step 2: Create a Simple Daily Note Template

Don’t start from scratch every day. Use a template.

Here’s a starter I used for months:

# 📅 {{date:YYYY-MM-DD}} — Daily Note

## Morning Thoughts

---

## Top 3 Tasks

- [ ]

- [ ]

- [ ]

## Meetings / Events -

## Notes & Ideas -

## Evening Reflection -

What went well? -

What needs improvement?

Use the Templater plugin to auto-insert this when you open a new Daily Note. Trust me, it saves you from blank page syndrome.

Step 3: Use Daily Notes for Planning

Here’s how I plan my day with Obsidian:

• Morning → Brain dump, set intentions, pick top tasks
• Throughout → Add notes, track ideas, adjust priorities
• Evening → Quick recap + personal reflection

I link tasks using Obsidian’s [[ ]] syntax:

- [ ] Finish [[Obsidian Smart Notes Article]]

And if something’s not done? I just move it to the next day’s note or mark it with a > [ ] for “deferred.”

It’s super lightweight but powerful when done daily.

Step 4: Use It for Journaling, Too

You can also journal in the same place. I have a tag for #journal entries and just brain-dump under ## Morning Thoughts or ## Evening Reflection.

Want to go deeper? Use prompts. Here are a few that live in my journaling template:

• What am I excited about today?
• Where did I feel resistance?
• What’s one thing I learned?
• What drained me?
• What gave me energy?

You can mix structured reflection with free writing. Don’t overthink it—just show up.

Step 5: Enhance with Plugins

💡 Here are a few plugins that level up your Daily Notes game:

✅ Periodic Notes

Combines daily, weekly, and monthly notes into one system.

📆 Calendar Plugin

Visual calendar to click through daily notes.

⌛ Tasks Plugin

Lets you see tasks from all daily notes in one view.

📈 Review Plugin

Schedule regular reviews (weekly/monthly/yearly) to reflect on your notes.

Real-Life Use Case: My Obsidian Morning Routine

1. Open Obsidian with coffee in hand
2. Click “Today” → Daily Note loads with my template
3. Fill out “Morning Thoughts” — dump whatever’s in my head
4. Choose 3 big tasks to focus on
5. Add events or meetings
6. Throughout the day, I log notes or random thoughts
7. End the day with a 5-minute reflection

No apps. No distractions. Just me and my brain on paper (sort of).

Conclusion

Daily Notes in Obsidian aren’t just digital diary entries—they’re an anchor for your mind. With minimal setup, you can build a system that keeps you grounded, organized, and evolving every single day.

You don’t need to be perfect. You just need to show up.

Start with a simple template. Add a few planning prompts. Link what matters. Before long, your daily notes will become the most valuable part of your second brain.

🗣️ Do you use Daily Notes already? Got a favorite prompt or template? Share it in the comments below—let’s swap ideas!

“The best time to organize your digital brain is when it’s still empty.”

If you’re anything like me, your first day using Obsidian probably felt like you’d been handed the keys to a spaceship without the instruction manual. I installed it, created a vault, stared at the blinking cursor… and then thought Now what ?

Don’t worry—I’ve got you. This guide will walk you through how to set up Obsidian properly from day one, so you’re not just clicking around aimlessly (like I did). We’ll cover the vault, the settings, and the plugins—everything you need to feel confident right out of the gate.

Step 1: Create Your First Vault

Let’s start with the foundation.

🔧 What’s a “vault” in Obsidian?

A vault is just a folder on your computer that holds all your notes (which are stored as .md Markdown files). Obsidian reads this folder and turns it into your own little universe of ideas.

✅ How to set up your first vault:

1. Open Obsidian
2. Click “Create new vault”
3. Give it a name (I called mine 🧠 Second Brain, because… why not?)
4. Choose a location on your computer
5. Hit “Create”

That’s it. You now have a blank canvas. No complicated syncing, no login required. Your notes live on your device, and that’s what makes Obsidian so powerful.

📝 Pro Tip: Keep your vault in a Dropbox or iCloud folder if you want multi-device access later. You can also enable Obsidian Sync (paid), but it’s not required to get started.

Step 2: Adjust Key Settings for a Smoother Start

Let’s tweak a few settings so your Obsidian experience doesn’t feel like it was made for coders in 2004.

🔧 Must-Change Settings for Beginners:

Go to Settings (gear icon in lower left corner) and start here:

💡 Pro Tip: Don’t go plugin-crazy yet. Focus on the basics. You’ll have time to experiment later.

Step 3: Install These Must-Have Beginner Plugins

Plugins = superpowers in Obsidian. But there are hundreds. Let’s stick to the essentials that are stable, easy to use, and make a huge difference.

🧩 Enable Community Plugins

1. Go to Settings → Community Plugins
2. Toggle ON “Safe Mode” (you can turn this off later)
3. Click “Browse”

🚀 Top Beginner Plugins to Install:

🛑 Warning: Don’t install 15 plugins at once. It’s tempting, but you’ll get overwhelmed and crash something. Start with two or three, then build up.

Bonus: Create a Starter Note Structure

Not required, but helpful. I created these folders on day one:

📁 Inbox 📁 Daily 📁 Notes 📁 Projects 📁 Templates

Then I added a few starter notes:

• 📄 Daily Note Template
• 📄 Project Ideas
• 📄 Books to Read
• 📄 How to Use Obsidian

It gave me a jumping-off point instead of staring at the void.

Conclusion

Setting up Obsidian the right way from day one will save you hours of frustration. And honestly, it’s way more fun when the app works with you instead of against you.

To recap:

• Make one vault (not five)
• Tweak the basic settings to suit your style
• Install only a few smart plugins
• Create a few starter notes or folders to guide your flow

Obsidian doesn’t need to be complicated to be powerful. Start simple. You’ll be amazed at how fast your digital brain grows.

Coming soon is the next step that goes into note taking principles on How to Take Smart Notes in Obsidian

💬 What plugin or setting helped you the most when starting with Obsidian? Share your answer in the comments!