Konubinix' opinionated web of thoughts

Build a Second Brain

Fleeting

Idea of relieving the brain of some stuff (ideas, todos, appointments…) by putting them in an external system: a second brain.

The gtd is a second brain, and also the zettelkasten.

Writing appointments in a calendar is a way to build an external brain, for we deem our brain not effective at remembering such stuff and we trust an external tool to do it.

In the Getting Things Done method, David Allen claims that the method follows the same idea as trusting a calendar for appointments, transposed with tasks and engagements. (keeping stuff into your mind may be a way to keep a false sense of control).

There is a strange opposition against building a second brain, considering most of us use a calendar. I think it is linked to the appeal to nature cognitive bias: people claiming that it is artificial, thus bad for us. Or by using an external system, we will stopping training our cognitive skills and will become dumber. (the last thing the fish sees is the water around it)

Notes linking here