I'm ADHD and Org-mode has majorly improved my capacity to organise my life, because it has let me create a system that integrates most things I do in a way that works for me and my quirks.
My current setup is....
- Capture todos as they pop into my head, inbox, browser, rss feed, etc, into a simple daily.org file whose parents are the dates of the events. Here's the org-capture-template:
("c" "Do on date" entry (file+olp+datetree "~/org/daily.org")
"\* TODO %? %^G\n%t\n%a\n" :time-prompt t :clock-resume t)`
It outputs a tree like this:
** 2021-10 October
*** 2021-10-01 Friday
**** TODO Reply to Cecile about buying keyboard :PERSONAL:
<2021-10-01 Fri>
[[mu4e:link-to-email][Re: Hello]]
*** 2021-10-04 Monday
**** TODO Haircut :PERSONAL:
<2021-10-04 Mon 11:00>
- If it's part of a big project or more of a datastore, give it its own org file, and refile captures there. Use org-taskjuggler for Gantt charts.
- If it's a long standing task (eg work on book, read Practical Common Lisp) set it up as a habit so that not only it repeats at the desired intervals but I get a diagram which says how well I've kept it up.
- Anything to do with friends and birthdays go in contacts.org, so that I can keep an eye on how much I see people.
- Load up Org Agenda and commit to a todo by clocking in (I). I almost never check how long I've spent, it's more just about committing to myself. Mark things as done (t d) as appropriate.
- Archive DONEs ($) intermittently rather than immediately, so that I can remind myself that I've done stuff.
Stick to the rule that TODOs are only for things I expect myself to actually do, rather things I want myself to want to do. (my cycle is TODO DOING WAITING HOLD | DONE CANCELLED SCRATCH).
I used to have different org files for different projects/aspects of my life but refiling things created too much friction. Most things just need to go into daily.org, and that's fine.
ADHD here too. I use org-super-agenda and a central TODO file to manage my stuff. I've got like 10 capture templates--homework, personal, email followups, etc.--and since they have tags, I have org-super-agenda filter them into sections like OVERDUE, Homework (7 days in future), Future Homework (>7 days in future), Emails, Habits, Personal, Projects (basically any TODO with TODO children), etc.
I've also started using org-roam and I'm loving it for capturing my thoughts. Because hell knows I need some way to keep my thoughts a little more organized and a little more permanent.
One problem with Emacs and i3wm and Linux I've found as an ADHD person, though, is that the customizability lets me never be satisfied and spend more time screwing with stuff than actually working. I've never had a specific workflow or strategy last more than like 2 months, and most last like 2 weeks.
I have tried maintaining a todo list in Emacs, but I just never got used to it, even though I "live" in Emacs. Instead I hung a whiteboard next to my desk and just write down everything I have to do here, and it seems to have been more effective for now (not sure if it will change when the pandemic is over...).
It is so great to see the recent interest and activity in and around org-mode, somewhat triggered by the personal knowledge management trend (org-roam, logseq etc).
Honestly I keep being fascinated by org-mode and hope to see more growth to org-mode.
Some of the things that I am still unhappy about -
- org-agenda is not fast enough, and is practically unusable with more than a few tens of files.
- there is no formal spec, and there is no sane parser + pretty-printer that has the capability of the native org-element.el API.
> - org-agenda is not fast enough, and is practically unusable with more than a few tens of files.
While it's fast enough for my current usage, the agenda is also output in a custom text format - not as an org file - and last time I've looked their did not seem to a simple way to get the info from a given agenda easily exported to JSON, S-Exps or any other format which does not require a custom parser just to e.g. include org-agenda into a dashboard.
Maybe there's a solution for this that I've missed before?
For a release that breaks changes, a decimal increment in version number is maybe too modest.
Was surprised to find some org-babel packages (ob-*) were being moved to org-contrib/ while others not.
The reasoning is apparently:
> "I suggest a criterium [sic] for keeping ob*.el files in Org could be that the extension is known by Emacs _or_ that the supported language is well-established."
I use org mode by having a single file and using it as a notebook/journal. I use todos to mark important entries.
I’m comfortable with org mode operations and formatting although I don’t know how to use drawers or properties or what’s the point of archiving. I like using org-ref, and I see a version of that has been added officially this version.
I never learned a more clever way of using org mode. Any tips or guides?
Archiving declutters my org files. I could delete things, but archiving saves me from screwing up, and it's basically for free.
No need to use drawers or properties necessarily. I've got into Properties mostly through realising the incredible power of org-columns, which can turn an org file into something like a spreadsheet at the drop of a C-c C-x C-c. If I'm trying to keep track on the status of a big project, that can be really handy, showing the status of each entry, effort estimates, time spent on them, and really whatever else. (I use this to produce Gantt charts with org-taskjuggler.) And then a C-c C-c and you're back in a plain-old org text file.
I know that org-mode is often cited as a reason to use Emacs, but I have to admit that despite being a daily Emacs user of almost 25 years, I hardly ever need it. When I do use it, I'm very happy with it but then again, I use but the most basic functionality (bulleted lists with foldable headlines and sane paragraph filling).
Nevertheless, it's great to see an open-source project strive, especially one that is so versatile and appreciated by many.
Same here, I have tried it time to time and while I like it, I (this is probably heresy, I realize) prefer having a separate application for notes.
What I've been thinking of is running two Emacs instances, one of which is initialized just with Org mode and the other as my text editor/IDE. Haven't quite dove off that cliff yet, though.
Been using it for years and years, and I started same as you, with some basic outlining. Now it's my primary work organizer/brainstorming/documenting tool (I generate html from it for other folks to read, although I'll occasionally drop plain text somewhere).
I am a big GitJournal user. There's a small feature that I'd really like to see. It'd be great if I could set a designated "Inbox" file that would accept the Share Sheet output.
Basically, I'll be on some website and want to save it for later, then hit share and hit GitJournal, but it creates it's own file, rather than going into my Inbox; which clutters up my repo.
What's the easiest way to get org-more (and Emacs?) working under Windows? Is there a same/similar setup which is more lightweight that can run org-mode? Any Notepad++ plug-ins?
I don't need a heavy setup for the Windows laptop that I use for business-y things and bringing to meetings.
(Back in the day I used to use Emacs and Gnus for mail and netnews, but I haven't done that in a long while.)
I wish org-mode supported text coloring. There are macros but you need to redefine them in every file and you must add support for all types of exports yourself. That's truly the only thing that bothers me every time I take notes/write small documents with it.
I appreciate that they start with the stuff they broke and how to fix things
Each orgmode version update has been a pain in the past. You have to go through all your org documents and tweak them. It's kind of horrible - so this helps
Im still stuck on emacs 26's version bc i had some key binding that wouldn't stick, I don't know how to undo their weird hashing html output links (which messes up git diffs) or bring back the '<s TAB' source code block generator. Maybe somebody knows?
I haven't done so myself yet (okay I'll do it tonight!) but I've been meaning to just add a snippet expansion for '<s TAB' (I personaly use yasnippet but of course other snippet programs are available).
Edit: Se other comment about org-tempo which perhaps is the better idea. I'll keep this comment up as a shining beacon of my ignorance of that module.
Org-mode's modest popularity has always struck me as akin to HTML's in the
90s. It was a way for non-programmers to feel like they were programming.
Never found much of an advantage for it over a plain text file, despite having
tried.
[+] [-] nanna|4 years ago|reply
My current setup is....
- Capture todos as they pop into my head, inbox, browser, rss feed, etc, into a simple daily.org file whose parents are the dates of the events. Here's the org-capture-template:
It outputs a tree like this: - If it's part of a big project or more of a datastore, give it its own org file, and refile captures there. Use org-taskjuggler for Gantt charts.- If it's a long standing task (eg work on book, read Practical Common Lisp) set it up as a habit so that not only it repeats at the desired intervals but I get a diagram which says how well I've kept it up.
- Anything to do with friends and birthdays go in contacts.org, so that I can keep an eye on how much I see people.
- Load up Org Agenda and commit to a todo by clocking in (I). I almost never check how long I've spent, it's more just about committing to myself. Mark things as done (t d) as appropriate.
- Archive DONEs ($) intermittently rather than immediately, so that I can remind myself that I've done stuff.
Stick to the rule that TODOs are only for things I expect myself to actually do, rather things I want myself to want to do. (my cycle is TODO DOING WAITING HOLD | DONE CANCELLED SCRATCH).
I used to have different org files for different projects/aspects of my life but refiling things created too much friction. Most things just need to go into daily.org, and that's fine.
[+] [-] jadenjohnch|4 years ago|reply
I've also started using org-roam and I'm loving it for capturing my thoughts. Because hell knows I need some way to keep my thoughts a little more organized and a little more permanent.
One problem with Emacs and i3wm and Linux I've found as an ADHD person, though, is that the customizability lets me never be satisfied and spend more time screwing with stuff than actually working. I've never had a specific workflow or strategy last more than like 2 months, and most last like 2 weeks.
[+] [-] daptaq|4 years ago|reply
[+] [-] tapland|4 years ago|reply
[+] [-] douglaswlance|4 years ago|reply
[+] [-] nextaccountic|4 years ago|reply
[+] [-] yewenjie|4 years ago|reply
Honestly I keep being fascinated by org-mode and hope to see more growth to org-mode. Some of the things that I am still unhappy about -
- org-agenda is not fast enough, and is practically unusable with more than a few tens of files.
- there is no formal spec, and there is no sane parser + pretty-printer that has the capability of the native org-element.el API.
[+] [-] e3bc54b2|4 years ago|reply
[+] [-] githubalphapapa|4 years ago|reply
Please see https://github.com/alphapapa/org-ql, which implements agenda-like views with a much faster search backend.
[+] [-] phaer|4 years ago|reply
While it's fast enough for my current usage, the agenda is also output in a custom text format - not as an org file - and last time I've looked their did not seem to a simple way to get the info from a given agenda easily exported to JSON, S-Exps or any other format which does not require a custom parser just to e.g. include org-agenda into a dashboard.
Maybe there's a solution for this that I've missed before?
[+] [-] hatmatrix|4 years ago|reply
Was surprised to find some org-babel packages (ob-*) were being moved to org-contrib/ while others not.
The reasoning is apparently:
> "I suggest a criterium [sic] for keeping ob*.el files in Org could be that the extension is known by Emacs _or_ that the supported language is well-established."
[+] [-] perihelions|4 years ago|reply
https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/criterium#Noun
>2. Alternative form of criterion
>1867 George H. Lewes, A Biographical History of Philosophy 1.181:
>There is no criterium of truth.
[+] [-] avgcorrection|4 years ago|reply
[+] [-] nanna|4 years ago|reply
https://orgmode.org/contribute.html
[+] [-] dnhz|4 years ago|reply
I’m comfortable with org mode operations and formatting although I don’t know how to use drawers or properties or what’s the point of archiving. I like using org-ref, and I see a version of that has been added officially this version.
I never learned a more clever way of using org mode. Any tips or guides?
[+] [-] nanna|4 years ago|reply
No need to use drawers or properties necessarily. I've got into Properties mostly through realising the incredible power of org-columns, which can turn an org file into something like a spreadsheet at the drop of a C-c C-x C-c. If I'm trying to keep track on the status of a big project, that can be really handy, showing the status of each entry, effort estimates, time spent on them, and really whatever else. (I use this to produce Gantt charts with org-taskjuggler.) And then a C-c C-c and you're back in a plain-old org text file.
But just use what you need.
[+] [-] githubalphapapa|4 years ago|reply
[+] [-] kleiba|4 years ago|reply
Nevertheless, it's great to see an open-source project strive, especially one that is so versatile and appreciated by many.
[+] [-] b3morales|4 years ago|reply
What I've been thinking of is running two Emacs instances, one of which is initialized just with Org mode and the other as my text editor/IDE. Haven't quite dove off that cliff yet, though.
[+] [-] JohnL4|4 years ago|reply
[+] [-] philsnow|4 years ago|reply
[+] [-] m4lvin|4 years ago|reply
If you want to learn org-mode systematically and like watching videos, the Udemy course by Rainer König is really nice: https://www.udemy.com/course/getting-yourself-organized-with...
(Yes, Udemy is full of terrible dark patterns...)
[+] [-] vhanda|4 years ago|reply
Disclaimer: GitJournal Author
[0] https://gitjournal.io
[1] https://github.com/amake/orgro
[+] [-] mewfree|4 years ago|reply
[+] [-] douglaswlance|4 years ago|reply
Basically, I'll be on some website and want to save it for later, then hit share and hit GitJournal, but it creates it's own file, rather than going into my Inbox; which clutters up my repo.
[+] [-] throw0101a|4 years ago|reply
I don't need a heavy setup for the Windows laptop that I use for business-y things and bringing to meetings.
(Back in the day I used to use Emacs and Gnus for mail and netnews, but I haven't done that in a long while.)
[+] [-] jrhawley|4 years ago|reply
If you want to set it up in your `~/.emacs.d/init.el` config, you can use something like `use-package` [1] to make the installation easier :
```elisp (add-to-list 'package-archives '("Org" . "https://orgmode.org/elpa/")) (use-package org :ensure org-plus-contrib :mode ("\\.org\\'" . org-mode) ) ```
[0]: https://jrhawley.ca/2020/03/08/emacs [1]: https://github.com/jwiegley/use-package
[+] [-] nanna|4 years ago|reply
https://ftp.gnu.org/gnu/emacs/windows/emacs-27/
Then have a look at these tweaks:
https://caiorss.github.io/Emacs-Elisp-Programming/Emacs_On_W...
[+] [-] tharne|4 years ago|reply
[+] [-] Iridescent_|4 years ago|reply
[+] [-] geokon|4 years ago|reply
Each orgmode version update has been a pain in the past. You have to go through all your org documents and tweak them. It's kind of horrible - so this helps
Im still stuck on emacs 26's version bc i had some key binding that wouldn't stick, I don't know how to undo their weird hashing html output links (which messes up git diffs) or bring back the '<s TAB' source code block generator. Maybe somebody knows?
[+] [-] tut-urut-utut|4 years ago|reply
Either require it manually, or, if you use use-package, put the following into :config section:
[+] [-] tephra|4 years ago|reply
Edit: Se other comment about org-tempo which perhaps is the better idea. I'll keep this comment up as a shining beacon of my ignorance of that module.
[+] [-] jimmyvalmer|4 years ago|reply
[+] [-] xvilka|4 years ago|reply
[1] https://github.com/jceb/vim-orgmode
[+] [-] dotancohen|4 years ago|reply
[+] [-] e3bc54b2|4 years ago|reply
[+] [-] daptaq|4 years ago|reply
[+] [-] nanna|4 years ago|reply
The status of GNU Elpa in *Packages* is 'Available Obsolete'. Version is 9.5 though. Bit confusing but guess this is now the way to go?
[+] [-] axiosgunnar|4 years ago|reply
[+] [-] amichail|4 years ago|reply
[+] [-] sydthrowaway|4 years ago|reply
I’d give anything for a Markdown supported editor with freehand drawing (a true alternative to OneNote)
[+] [-] RaycatRakittra|4 years ago|reply
https://github.com/misohena/el-easydraw
https://github.com/lepisma/org-krita
[+] [-] tephra|4 years ago|reply
[+] [-] LandR|4 years ago|reply
For you maybe, I use org mode a lot and never feel the need for having graphs and equations in my workflow.