my hotkeys and note-taking flow | obsidian
One step that improved and accelerated my note-taking process was learning and setting up Obsidian Hotkeys. You can remove the process of clicking around and moving your cursor all over the place by just using smart Hotkeys.
The great thing is that Hotkeys can be personalized, so you can adjust them to your personal need, workflow, and note-taking style.
Here are my favorite Hotkeys. Some of them are default settings in Obsidian. Some of them I added personally. They even might change in the future. I might add new ones. I adjust old ones. It just depends on what I need and what feels more comfortable.
cmd + click: open the link in a new pane
cmd + o: quick note searcher and switcher
cmd + n: new note
cmd + shift + n: new note in a new pane
cmd + p: open command search
cmd + control + t: insert template
cmd + control + n: note refactor
cmd + control + g: open local graph
cmd + control + f: reveal the active file in navigation
cmd + control + r: open random note
cmd + control + enter: toggle bullet fold / unfold
cmd + control + m: move note
cmd + up: move line up
cmd + down: move line down
one note-taking flow example
The note-taking flow becomes much easier and frictionless if you start using Hotkeys. For example, I like to pick a random note, explore its connections and start thinking about it. I create a new “vague” note, link the random note to it, and start writing whatever comes to my mind. This way I revise some of my notes and maybe even make new connections.
Without Hotkeys I would have to click on the random note button. Move my cursor, click on the vague folder, and create a new note. Then open my templates and copy-paste the vague-note template into the new note. Only then I can start writing and thinking.
But with Hotkeys I just do the following:
cmd + control + r: open random note
cmd + shift + n: new note in a new pane
cmd + control + m: move new note
cmd + control + t: insert template
… and I’m ready to write and think.
It just feels more comfortable to keep your hands solely on the keyboard.
