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PLAIN TEXT. PAPER, LESS · 140

Using todo.txt in Obsidian (Or Wherever You Like), Part 1

140 · Distraction-busting simplicity

Ellane W

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A page with stylised lines (representing text) sits at an angle on the left of the image, with text overlaying it that reads Plain text. Paper, less
Image by the Author

Time for a fresh start

In the spirit of a fresh start for the new year,¹ I’ve transitioned my to do list from Taskpaper format to todo.txt. Each approach has its advantages and disadvantages so as I always say, you just need to pick a set of faults you can live with.

The biggest difference between Taskpaper and todo.txt isn’t in the format (they’re very similar), but in how I’m setting up the file. Previously I tried to move tasks under project headings, or at least group them into broad areas. It might look nice, and yes, you can navigate even a large file with the help of Markdown headers, but I wasn’t motivated to keep up with the housekeeping side of things. Pretty soon my inbox was huge and growing.

Granted, this was due to how I was using the Taskpaper format, not due to the format itself. Now my file is ordered solely by the order in which tasks were added. Seems like a small thing, but it feels like a weight off my shoulders! This type of simplicity is definitely a distraction buster.

As you read about how I’ve made todo.txt work in Obsidian, keep in mind that I’m well aware there are far…

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Ellane W
Ellane W

Written by Ellane W

Designer and educational publisher for 30 years+. Plain-text advocate. Still using paper, but less of it. https://linktr.ee/miscellaneplans

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