You need to start using maps of content and become more engaged with your notes!
If you’ve ever tried using a Bullet Journal the way it was meant to be set up, you’ll know that trying to update the Table of Contents at the front with all the new pages and spreads you create is almost impossible. Even if you manage it, have you ever actually used it? The same frustration applies to keeping an up-to-date Table of Contents for your PKM—it’s a never-ending job that’s more irritating than rewarding. Traditional alternatives like tags, categories, and even search fail to provide a complete, convenient way to organize and engage with your notes. Let me explain.
MOCs Are a Gateway to Your Digital Mind
I have over a thousand notes in my personal knowledge management system and have tried every method of sorting and organizing them over the years:
Search
Search is fast but inherently passive – it doesn’t present you anything until you give it a search term. If you don’t know the exact term you’re looking for, you’ll be stuck wading through irrelevant results or just sitting, trying to think of what you should type. It’s also hard to connect ideas when searching for one note at a time.
Search is reactive—you have to know what you’re looking for. MOCs enable discovery by surfacing connections you might not have thought of, letting you explore your PKM organically and creatively.
Tags and Categories
Tags and categories offer structure but quickly become overwhelming. A single note might have multiple tags, leading to clutter and confusion causing your PKM vault or zettelkasten to quickly spiral out of control. Everyone has seen those early WordPress blogs with a tag cloud containing hundreds of tags. Ever tried finding something in that mess? A single note might have multiple tags, which is fine, but over time, you’ll end up with so many tags that finding that one note you wrote three years ago with the reference you want now becomes almost impossible.
Categories, on the other hand, can force overly rigid hierarchies, sometimes you want to put a note in multiple categories so you need a system with the flexibility to do so. Categories are great for structure, but they aren’t particularly flexible. If you already have a list of categories, it’s not a huge leap to turn them into a useful map of content that links all your knowledge together.
Maps of Content Are the Answer
MOCs force you to think about the connections and create intentional pathways through your content. You won’t find that quote simply by clicking on “Books” on your MOC, but perhaps a subMOC below it of genres, references, quotes, or authors will help you find it quickly.
A well-made MOC is a curated, intuitive framework for navigating your PKM. It’s active, showing you gateways into your content without any input from you. It doesn’t just organize your notes—it connects them in ways that make discovery and integration natural and seamless.
A Map of Content is not just a list; it’s a gateway into your second brain. Even Niklas Luhmann, the most well-known developer of the zettelkasten method, used MOCs. For example, if your PKM only contained school notes, your MOC might be a list of subjects: Math, Science, English, etc. Each link provides a gateway into your notes on that subject.
But an effective MOC isn’t just about listing categories—it’s about structuring them thoughtfully and dynamically. Let’s talk about how to build a great MOC and why it’s better than tags or categories.
6 Rules to Create a Great Map of Content
This is my “Life Hub.” It’s a map of content for my Areas of Focus – the top-level categories for each area of my life. I use images rather than text because they are recognizable faster and engage more of my brain than text. Most of the MOCs on my Lifehub page link to an MOC for that category; for example, the dumbells at the bottom of the image below link to a map of my fitness content.
Using a map of content that covers your entire life like this makes it easy to create a true second brain, not only a place to store your notes, your journals, or your blog ideas but somewhere you can plan and think about every aspect of your life.
- I have an item on my Life Hub MOC “2025” that contains links to pages about each of the goals I want to achieve in 2025.
- I have a “Work” item, too, that contains links to every responsibility of my job.
1. Keep Your MOC Short
A list of 100 links is just as overwhelming as an unorganized PKM. Keep your MOC under 25 items to make navigation simple and intuitive. Think of it as a high-level overview, not a comprehensive index.
2. Keep Links on the Same Level
Your MOC will be easier to navigate if all links are at the same conceptual level. For example, a list of subjects like “Math,” “Science,” and “English” shouldn’t include individual classes like “Human Organs” or “Plant Life.” Instead, those subcategories should exist in their own MOCs.
3. Use Sub-MOCs
Instead of cramming everything into one MOC, create Sub-MOCs. For example, the “English” link in your main MOC could take you to another MOC for specific topics like “Literature,” “Grammar,” and “Writing.”
4. Make Your MOC Visually Appealing
Your brain doesn’t like staring at a plain list of text. In fact, your brain recognizes images much faster than text (13ms). Images also impact emotions much deeper, so if you want to be more connected to your personal knowledge management system, you must utilize pictures in your map of content. Make your MOC visually engaging by using colors, fonts, or icons. Even small visual cues can make navigation more enjoyable and memorable.
5. Start with a Life MOC
Your Life MOC is the master map that connects every area of your PKM. It’s the first place you go when navigating your content, and it provides a bird’s-eye view of your knowledge. Think of it as the home base for your second brain.
6. Create Content Through Your MOC
To ensure your notes are always connected, create them through your MOC. For example, if you’re taking notes on a book, start by creating a link to the book from your relevant MOC. This habit guarantees that every note you make is organized and nothing gets lost.
How to Create a Map of Content in Obsidian
Obsidian supports markdown syntax, which allows you to turn images into clickable links.
[](path/to/note)- Replace
path/to/image.jpgwith the path to your image. - Replace
YourVaultNameandTargetNotewith the appropriate vault and note names. - Install the Obsidian Image Plugin for additional image resizing and layout control.
- Use Canvas to place images on a visual board and connect them to notes. Install Obsidian Plugins for additional functionality and image resizing, and layout control.
- Use Canvas to place images on a visual board and connect them to notes.
How to Create a Map of Content in Logseq
[]([[TargetNote]])- Replace
path/to/image.jpgwith your image path. - Replace
TargetNotewith the page or block reference.
How to Create a Map of Content in Notion
- Embed Images:
- Drag and drop an image into a Notion page.
- Right-click the image and select Link.
- Use Databases:
- Create a database in Gallery View.
- Add an image for each page as a cover or property.
- Each image will serve as a clickable link to its respective page.
How to Create a Map of Content in Evernote
- Insert an Image:
- Drag and drop an image into a note.
- Create a Link:
- Right-click the image and select Add Link.
- Enter the note link.
How to Create a Map of Content in OneNote
- Insert an Image:
- Drag and drop or insert an image into a OneNote page.
- Link the Image:
- Right-click the image and select Link.
- Add the URL for an external link or a link to another OneNote page.
Why You Should Start Using MOCs Today
MOCs are not just a way to organize your PKM; they’re a way to enhance how you think and engage with your knowledge. They bring clarity to chaos, foster creativity, and make navigating even the largest PKMs effortless. By following the principles outlined above, you’ll transform your PKM into a proper second brain—one that works for you, not against you.
So why not give it a try? Start by building a simple Life MOC today and experience the difference for yourself. Your future self will thank you.
Meet Gregory, a writer and the brains behind Face Dragons. He's the go-to guy for getting things done.
Gregory's been living the digital nomad life in Asia for as long as anyone can remember, helping clients smash their goals. He writes on topics like software, personal knowledge management (PKM), and personal development. When he's not writing, you'll catch him at the local MMA gym, nose buried in a book, or just chilling with the family.
