Projects, Areas, Resources, Archives

The PARA Method is a top-level organization system for your digital life.

Defining Terms

1. Projects - a series of tasks, linked to a goal, with a deadline
2. Areas - a sphere of activity with a standard to be maintained over time, things which you are generally responsible for, that have no (real) end
3. Resources - a topic or theme of ongoing interest
4. Archive - non-current activities and information from any of the 3 previous areas

The Method

There is no silver bullet tool that is the best at accomplishing everything. You utilize many different apps and resources in your “stack”. Each of these tools should have a well understood intent, and their usage should be relatively contained to that intent.

The PARA Method of organization suggests that you do not have a per-tool system, instead that you have a consistent system of groups, that are reflected across each of the layers of your productivity and knowledge management stack. This enables consistency for how you organize and manage your work and life across applications, but also allows you to utilize the tools for the jobs for which they are best suited.

Projects

Define your Projects list. It’s best to do this on paper or in a blank document, away from the influence of the environment in which you’re working.

Define your goals.

Map your projects to your goals. Literally draw lines between them. If your project does not have an associated goal, it’s a hobby. If your goal does not have an associated project, it’s a dream. Hobbies are fine, and dreams can be fine too, but they shouldn’t go unrecognized as such.

Areas

Areas are the things you care about and are responsible for. They may contain projects, but are not projects unto themselves. Areas are broad.

The article didn’t really mention WHAT should be done with the list of areas on a day to day week to week basis.

Resources