Tools and workflows for smarter curation in your PKM system

You've got the techniques down. Now let's pair them with tools and workflows to make curation seamless. The right setup saves time and enhances your process, turning good habits into great results.

Essential tools include Readwise for capturing highlights from books and articles, automatically syncing them to your PKM. Obsidian is fantastic for organization, with its graph views letting you link and visualize curated notes. For initial captures, Instapaper steps in as a solid read-it-later option, stripping distractions and allowing easy tagging. InsightKeeper is particularly strong for capture and highlighting, offering intuitive ways to snag web content and annotate on the fly. It's a great fit if you want zero organization effort and frictionless capture for building your knowledge base.

Building workflows: Start with automation. Use Readwise to import highlights, then flow them into Obsidian for tagging via your resonance test. A sample routine: Daily capture via InsightKeeper or Instapaper, weekly review in Obsidian to summarize and link. Use AI for productivity and assistance, like generating suggested summaries or connections, but keep it human-led to ensure your curation reflects your unique perspective.

Customize for your needs. Researchers might lean on Obsidian's plugins for deep linking; content creators could use Readwise for inspiration pulls. Alternatives like Logseq offer similar privacy-focused organization if Obsidian feels heavy.

Consistency is key: set app reminders for reviews. With these, curation becomes effortless. Next, sustaining it long-term.