Simplify Your Life: How Tiago Forte’s Methods Changed The Way I Work

What if you had a system to organise your projects, thoughts, and ideas—without the overwhelm? Here’s how Tiago Forte’s C.O.D.E. and P.A.R.A. methods helped me move from disorganised to intentional.

Want a simple way to organise your life and ideas? The concept of a “second brain” is popular among productivity enthusiasts, but Tiago Forte has distilled it into something truly transformative. Listen to the master explain his C.O.D.E and P.A.R.A methods here.

Struggles with productivity and focus?

Organisation, time management, and sustained productivity have always been challenges for me. For a long time, I thought I was simply “lazy” for not sticking with projects.

One surprising trait I discovered about myself was hyperfocus—the ability to become intensely absorbed in a single area of interest. I could spend hours, even an entire day, deeply engrossed in researching or building something that fascinated me.

But this focus often left me with a mountain of saved material—half-finished ideas, disorganised folders, and untouched resources—creating more overwhelm than clarity.

Finding Tiago Forte

Like many people, I turned to productivity podcasts during the pandemic and stumbled upon Tiago’s insights. Suddenly, the idea of organising information felt achievable and energising. His P.A.R.A method became a game-changer in managing my digital knowledge and curating creative solutions for life.

While I tried at first to build a flawless “second brain” system, I quickly realised the real power is in adapting as you go. Now, I only save content relevant to a project I’m actively working on—whether it’s a quote, theory, or valuable insight. This prevents me from hoarding information and keeps my focus on what truly matters.

Realising everything is a system

My whole approach changed when I saw everything as a system. This shift allowed me to curate information purposefully, sparing myself from being overwhelmed by forgotten files and unused ideas. And here’s the best part: you don’t need to remember every detail because you’re building a reliable system.

Ready to try it?
Here’s where to start.

Say Goodbye to “Read it Later” 🙅🏻‍♀️

C.O.D.E

Capture: Save what genuinely resonates with you. Curate ruthlessly.

Organise: Make it actionable. Use the P.A.R.A method and categorise items by project.

Distill: Boil it down to the essentials. Leave quick notes for your future self so that each item is easy to scan.

Express: Share what you learn in your unique voice. Instead of keeping knowledge to yourself, break it down and share it with others.

P.A.R.A

Projects: Action-oriented. Use your saved information in active projects.

Areas: Divide information into life categories—Health & Wellbeing, Finance, Mindset, Career, Relationships, etc.

Resources: Keep quick links, articles, and key quotes here for easy access.

Archive: The least actionable but valuable for reference. It goes here when you’re done with something but might need it again.

Platform flexibility is key

Don’t try to fit everything on one platform. For instance, I use Notion to manage my main projects and content and Apple Notes for quick on-the-go captures.

Every category has been intentionally crafted to let me add thoughts and insights throughout the day. You might have more or fewer categories—there’s no right or wrong, just what works for you.

Projects organised in Notion.

Captured info using Apple Notes.

Trust the system

Building a second brain isn’t about perfection—it’s about creating a structure that supports your life and ideas in a meaningful way. With Tiago Forte’s methods, I’ve found clarity, focus, and a way to stay intentional in the whirlwind of projects and ideas.

It’s not about memorising every detail or saving every resource—it’s about trusting that your system will hold what you need, when you need it, freeing you to focus on what truly matters.

These methods have made a profound difference for me, and I believe they can for you too. Take what resonates, adapt it to your life, and start building a system that works for you.

After all, the most powerful systems are the ones that evolve with us.