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  alt="What I've learned from forming new habits..."
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## Hey, that's the name of the show!

Today I want to talk about why my newsletter is called Tiny Improvements. For me, personal growth has come by way of small, incremental changes that have compounded over time.

I've always relied on building intentional personal habits to stay productive. When the pandemic hit in 2020 and we found ourselves in an extended lockdown, something changed.

I found myself instinctually leaning on habits to help me stay grounded and optimistic. I've always found small habits to be helpful, and during the pandemic, I used my routines to gradually build towards big changes in my life. It was a time where there was little consistency in the world to rely on, and I found that my habits were a source of stability.

Since then, these are three habits that have stuck around in my daily routine:

### The morning ritual

Every morning, I make myself an espresso, and sit down at my kitchen counter while the sun comes up. I set a timer for 5 minutes, and start writing anything that comes to mind.

I've been using journaling as a form of self-reflection and mental decluttering. By using a simple template in my note-taking app, I jot down any thoughts that cross my mind, no matter how trivial or insignificant they may seem. This daily practice has allowed me to better understand my thought patterns and emotions while setting a clear, focused tone for the day ahead.

I also try to a few minutes each day meditating. I've been using [Headspace for this](https://www.headspace.com/referral/z6jb3?slug=cebee0&audio=false) (that's a referral link for 30 days free, btw!), and it has made a world of difference for stress management and mental clarity. I generally do 3 or 5 minute sessions - it's shocking how much difference that little bit of time makes.

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  alt="A photo of a latte sitting on my countertop"
  caption="Many of my mornings start with a bit of coffee and a bit of writing."
/>

### Language Learning

For the past 1,000 days, I've been using [Duolingo](https://invite.duolingo.com/BDHTZTB5CWWKSRQUQARVC6SFNU?v=la) to sharpen my Spanish skills and learn Japanese and Mandarin. _A thousand days!_ Do you know what you were doing 1,000 days ago? I had to look it up -- that would be July of 2020.

Doubling down on language learning has proved invaluable as I work on my new business, [Craftwork](https://craftwork.com). Many of my new colleagues speak Spanish as their first language, and although I'm far from fluent, it will certainly help to build relationships and trust with my new teammates.

I've also been learning Japanese and Mandarin -- these are languages I'd love to be able to understand, and although it's been a massive challenge to get started, I'm making progress. I'm not sure if I'll ever be fluent, but I'm enjoying the process of learning something new.

My top tip for practicing a second language is to _get out of your comfort zone_ and try to communicate with native speakers whenever possible. I have never had a bad experience with this - people are generally very kind and appreciative, and it's a great way to learn.

### Writing

Launching [my website](https://mikebifulco.com) and [Tiny Improvements](https://mikebifulco.com/newsletter) has given me a platform to showcase my professional work and share my opinions with others. Writing consistently has not only helped me refine my thoughts and ideas but find likeminided people who appreciate my perspective.

## Taking small steps has made a big difference

These three habits, though seemingly small, have played a significant role in shaping my career, and creating opportunities that I never would have found otherwise. Your own series of Tiny Improvements will surprise you as they accumulate over time, ultimately leading to profound and lasting changes.

---

## Resources for building habits

- [Atomic Habits](https://amzn.to/3n33Ehe) by James Clear is the de facto guide to building habits. James has made an incredible career out of building habits for himself.
- My journaling habit is loosely based on [Morning Pages](https://juliacameronlive.com/basic-tools/morning-pages/), writing technique created by artist Julia Cameron. I love the idea of writing without judgement or expectation, but I rarely have it in me to bash out 3 pages of notes... and I am _definitely_ not hand-writing mine. Do what works for you!
- If you use Roam Research for taking notes, feel free to grab my [Morning Pages Template](https://gist.github.com/mbifulco/1357dde391d866c6a14d492b06414581). It is hyper-minimal by design to avoid overcomplicating my writing process.

## New from me this week

- 🎨 Craftwork is on Instagram! Follow us [@craftworkpaint](https://www.instagram.com/craftworkpaint) to see our latest projects and get inspired for your next paint job.
- 🎙️ Over at APIs You Won't hate (the podcast), my latest interview went live. Check out [Analytics for your API, with Steve McDougall from Treblle](https://apisyouwonthate.com/podcast/analytics-for-your-api-with-steve-mcdougall-from-treblle/) if you're working on a team that is building APIs.


Tiny Improvements for big changes


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A few years back, I started a new job at Google, managing a team of Developer Advocates for Google Assistant. I was excited to be working with a high performing team and with an innovative product ecosystem, but I was also nervous about the transition. I had previously been working on a small but mighty team of just a few people. This was the first time I would be managing, and I was worried that I wouldn't be able to keep up with the demands of my new role.

I needed to find a way to increase my productivity and efficiency, and to prioritize tasks, so I could be able to quickly access the information I needed to do my job. I would be managing many interpersonal relationships, so keeping track of the details of everyhing and everyone I met was critical. I needed to be able to quickly and easily recall informatiom about ongoing projects, as well as the latest news from the world of voice tech.

If you work in tech already, this is probably a familiar story. To stay on the ball and manage stress, I needed to amplify my productivity and stay organized. I needed to build a second brain.

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As software developers and entrepreneurs, we often find ourselves juggling multiple projects, deadlines, and priorities simultaneously. With so much going on, it's essential to have effective tools and strategies in place to help us stay organized and focused.

This is going to sound completely wild, but the most profound change I made in the way I learn, work, and operate day to day was simple:

## I started taking notes.

Specifically, I adopted a technique called networked note taking (also called _zettelkasten,_ _second-brain,_ and more generally _Personal Knowledge Management_, or _PKM_). Essentially, networked note taking involves creating a web of interconnected notes that link together various ideas, thoughts, and concepts. By using note-taking tools like Obsidian, Roam Research, Notion, or Logseq, you can create a digital archive of your notes that allows you to quickly access and retrieve information when you need it.

So why is networked note taking so useful? For one thing, writing things down helps free up mental energy. Writing things down offloads some of the burden of _just remembering things_ from your brain. Instead of trying to remember everything in your head, you can capture your ideas in real-time and let the tools do the heavy lifting of organization and retrieval.

This gives you more mental space to focus on the things that really matter. You can spend less time worrying about remembering things and more time prioritizing and focusing on what's important now.

<Image
  publicId="newsletters/unlock-productivity-with-networked-note-taking/networked-notes"
  alt="A redacted screenshot of some of my notes from interviewing at Google, showing dozens of interrelated names, topics, and ideas"
  caption="I took notes furiously during my interview process at Google. This helped me remember all of the people I met, and the topics we discussed, and draw connections between common themes and ideas in the many discussions I had."
/>

### Remember without forgetting

Another benefit of networked note taking is that it ensures that your notes remain accessible without any loss of fidelity in the future. As much as we'd like to think that our memories are perfect, they're not. We all forget things from time to time, and we all make mistakes. Even with traditional note taking methods like pen and paper, notes can become lost, damaged, or misplaced over time. But with networked note taking, you can rest assured that your notes will always be available and easily searchable.

### Drawing connections between ideas

One of the biggest benefits of networked note-taking is that all of your notes become more valuable the more you write, as the network of connections between notes grows. As you write and link more notes together, you'll start to see patterns and connections that you might not have otherwise noticed. This can help you generate new ideas, solve problems, and make better decisions.

Networked note taking is also a great way to build a personal knowledge base. As you write more notes, you'll start to see patterns and connections between them. This can help you generate new ideas, solve problems, and make better decisions. If you're building a product, this is the kind of thing that can be a complete game-changer.

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  publicId="newsletters/unlock-productivity-with-networked-note-taking/obsidian-screenshot"
  alt="screenshot of Obsidian desktop and mobile apps"
  caption="These tools allow you to stay organized, and help you see connections between your ideas. Screenshot from Obsidian's website, Obsidian.md"
/>

## The best tools for networked note taking

If you want to get started with networked note-taking, it's a good idea to find a tool that works for you, and stick with it. I recommend giving each of these a look and seeing which one feels right for you.

- [Obsidian](https://obsidian.md/) is a great place to start. It's powerful, has a great UI, and will help you get that allows you to create a network of interconnected notes. It's free for personal use, and for $8/month there's a premium version that includes additional features like cloud sync and version history. Obsidian has a great community behind it, and a lot of great resources to help you get started.

- [Logseq](https://logseq.com/) is a free, open-source networked note-taking tool that focuses on privacy and security. It has a handful of really cool features for learning, like PDF generation, a built-in flashcard tool, and whiteboarding features. It's also free, and because it is open-source, you can contribute to the project and help make it better.

- [Roam Research](https://roamresearch.com/) is a minimalist note-taking tool, and my personal choice for networked note-taking. A few years back, Roam was the tool that started a bit of a craze about networked-note-taking online. I like it because it is simple, and fast, and has great keyboard shortcuts for getting things done. Admittedly, it doesn't feel like it's received a ton of user-facing updates in recent months, which is a little discouraging. It's also fairly expensive at $15/mo or $165/yr -- and for full transparency, I purchased an early membership for a one-time fee.

- [Notion](https://notion.com) is... _not exactly_ a networked note-taking tool. I'm mentioning it here because I know _many_ people who use Notion effectively to stay organized. I think it's a great product, and we've been using it at my new company to stay organized. Because it doesn't support back-linking, it's not really a networked note-taking tool, and it's not really a knowledge base tool. It's a bit of a jack-of-all-trades, and I think it's best used for things like project management, task management, and personal knowledge management. Come at me, Notion gang 😘

---

## How to get started with networked note taking

If you're new to networked note-taking, it can be really helpful to check out some tutorials and guides to get started. Here are a few of my favorites:

- [Zettelkasten.de](https://zettelkasten.de/posts/overview/) offers a great overview of the zettelkasten method, and how to get started with it.
- YouTuber [Tiago Forte](https://www.youtube.com/@TiagoForte/search?query=notes) has a _ton_ of great videos comparing note-taking methodologies, and breaking down how he uses notes to stay organized in his job and personal life. He also published a book called [Building a Second Brain](https://amzn.to/3KvvCvn) which goes into deep detail on networked note-taking.
- It may be helpful just to watch someone take networked notes, too. Connor Sullivan, founder of Roam research has a 3.5 hour long [video of him taking notes in Roam](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ScRrcL__SSI) -- dive in for as long as you like.

## More from my second brain

In the weeks to come, I'll be sharing more of my notes and thoughts on networked note-taking, and how it's helped me stay organized and focused. I'm planning to share a bit about some of my favorite note-taking workflows, including:

- Second brain as a personal CRM
- Daily journaling for mental clarity
- Taking personal meeting notes to stay organized
- Notes for writing: how I build my blog posts over time

So -- stay tuned! If you're interested in PKM/second-brain/networked note-taking, I'd love to hear from you. What are you using? What are you working on? What are your favorite tools and workflows? Reply to this email and let me know what you use. I read every single reply, and I'd love to hear from you.


#notes: 2 posts tagged

Tiny Improvements for big changes

The productivity tool I use every day to multiply my output