PARA method explained
Projects have a goal and a deadline. Areas are ongoing responsibilities like health or finances. Resources are topics of interest. Archives hold anything inactive from the other three.
Because the same four folders work in every app, PARA keeps your notes, files and documents organised the same way everywhere.
Try it today
- Create four top-level folders: Projects, Areas, Resources, Archives.
- Move each current project into Projects and everything inactive into Archives.
- When a project ends, move it to Archives in one step.
Where it comes from
Productivity writer Tiago Forte created PARA, and he set it out in Building a Second Brain (2022) and The PARA Method (2023).
Frequently asked questions
- What is the PARA method?
- PARA is a way to organise digital files and notes into four folders: Projects, Areas, Resources and Archives, sorted by how actionable they are.
- Where does the PARA method come from?
- Productivity writer Tiago Forte created PARA, and he set it out in Building a Second Brain (2022) and The PARA Method (2023).
- How do I start with the PARA method?
- Create four top-level folders: Projects, Areas, Resources, Archives. Move each current project into Projects and everything inactive into Archives. When a project ends, move it to Archives in one step.
- Which tools help with the PARA method?
- Tools in our directory that help include Notion Second Brain Template, Notion, Obsidian, Building a Second Brain. Each has its own page with pricing, pros and cons.