Atomic Notes

Seedling/1 min read

Atomic notes are the fundamental building blocks of the Zettelkasten Method. They are:

  1. Self-contained: Each note should express a single, complete idea.
  2. Concise: Typically no longer than a paragraph or two.
  3. Interconnected: Linked to other related notes through explicit connections.
  4. Contextual: Include enough context to be understood on their own.
  5. Evergreen: Designed to be relevant and re-visitable over time

Key benefits of atomic notes:

  • Facilitate non-linear thinking
  • Encourage deeper understanding through synthesis
  • Support flexible knowledge organization
  • Aid in discovering new connections between ideas

To create effective atomic notes:

  1. Capture ideas as they come
  2. Refine and break down complex thoughts
  3. Establish meaningful links between notes
  4. Regularly review and update your note network
Tip

Remember The power of atomic notes lies not just in their individual content, but in the network of connections they form.

Related concepts:

Connected notes