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How I Get Instant Access to the Four Text Files That Run My Life

Living life distraction free, thanks to these simple iPhone Shortcuts

Icons, sketches, or photos? Contrasting colours or monochromatic? Your shortcuts have options!!

This post can also be read on my blog. There are footnotes there (7 of them!) that don’t appear here.

I’ve changed the way I access my most used files in Obsidian, on my iPhone. Prepare to be completely underwhelmed! What I’m doing now is so simple, it’s a wonder it has taken me so long to get here.

Last week I mentioned that I’m taking the opportunity to organise my time and tasks differently, while away visiting family for a couple of weeks. Both the visit and the digital change of pace have been a joy so far! And even more so, now that I can see what I need to do and where I need to be, distraction-free.

Four basic text files

Four text files form the bedrock of how I’m manually capturing information and organising my time and tasks.

1. OBTF — One big text file as a scratchpad for the entire year
2. calendar.txt — For appointments and time blocking
3. todo.txt — For capturing tasks and deciding when to do them
4. today — For listing…