Exercise 2: Set up your daily notes workflow

In this exercise, you will set up a simple daily notes workflow that you can keep using after the workshop.

Step 1: Create the required folders

Create the following folders in your vault:

  1. A folder for your daily notes (for example: log or daily)
  2. A folder for templates (templates or zzz_templates if you want it at the bottom of your folder list)

Step 2: Create a daily note template

  • In the templates folder, create a new note called daily_template
  • Add the following basic content to the file (use the copy button in the top-right corner)
# {{date}}

## Tasks
- [ ] Check mails

## Log

The value {{date}} will always be replaced with the date of note creation.

Step 3: Configure daily notes

Now we tell Obsidian to use the template for each new daily note:

  • Open Settings (gear icon bottom left)
  • Go to Daily notes (under “Core plugins”)
  • Set:
    • New file location → your daily notes folder (log / daily or whatever you called it)
    • Template file location → templates/daily_template or zzz_templates/daily_template depending on your folder name

Double check that the plugin is enabled. Go to Settings → Core plugins, scroll through the list and check if the Daily notes are turned on.

Step 4: Install the Calendar plugin

The Calendar plugin makes it easier to create and navigate daily notes.

  • Open Settings → Community plugins
  • Enable community plugins (if not already enabled)
  • Click Browse
  • Search for Calendar (it should be on the very top of the list, created by Liam Cain)
  • Install and enable it

The Calendar should now appear in the right sidebar (if not, unfold the sidebar in the top right).

Step 5: Create 2-3 daily notes

Now let’s test your setup:

  • Use the Calendar to create today’s daily note
  • Add at least one task (checkbox) for today

Then:

  • Create daily files for other days of the upcoming week
  • Add some tasks or other things that are coming up to the respective daily notes (can be real or invented tasks/meetings)

Optional tasks (if you finish early)

Pick the one you find most interesting. You don’t need to do all of them.

Customize your daily template

Add a section or a recurring task that fits your work, e.g. ## Meetings, ## Reading or - [ ] Check lab book. Then create a new daily note to test it.

Open today’s note with a hotkey

  • Open Settings → Hotkeys
  • Search for “Open today’s daily note” and set a hotkey you like (Obsidian shows you if it is already in use)

Next: Exercise 3: The Tasks plugin · Back to the workshop page