As the calendar creeps ever closer to 2024, I find myself reflecting on the year that’s passing. When I look back on 2023, I’m amazed by how much has changed – both in the world around me and in my little corner of cyberspace with AI and other great things.

One area that could definitely use some freshening up is my collection of social bookmarks. Over the years, I used to have a ton of bookmarks saved for “future reading” that I never really got around to. It is easy to tap there, like here and voila! This is another addition to my ever-growing repository of saved gems. I’m so fucking lazy to go back to it:). I’m sure I’m not alone in needing a social bookmark reset. After all, how many of us have links lingering from years past that we never click on anymore? Or bookmarks that seemed helpful at one point but have long since lost their relevance?

That’s why I’ve developed a system to organize my bookmarks and connect the dots between them.

Step 1: Collect and manage

Use a Tool to Manage Bookmarks, many bookmark management tools are available, like tweetsmash, which you can use for your Twitter (X) bookmarks. They can help you manage and organize your bookmarks more efficiently. It imports your bookmarks to the Notion or Google sheets.

Step 2: Review, Categorize, and Note

Once you’ve import all your bookmarks, organize them into categories to make them easier to find. You can create categories based on topic, interest or anything that makes sense to you. For example, you can have categories like “freelance,” “design,” and so on.

I used this categories:

• Business
• Design
• AI
• Finance & crypto
• Personal Growth

As you categorize your bookmarks, note any important information that might be helpful later. This could include the purpose of the bookmark, any relevant tags, and any notes you have about the website or resource. By organizing your bookmarks in this way, you’ll be able to find what you need quickly and easily, and you’ll be able to make the most of the resources you’ve saved.

I understand that organizing your bookmarks can seem overwhelming, but it’s an essential step towards being more productive. By categorizing and noting your bookmarks, you’re creating a system that will help you find what you need quickly and easily.

Side tip: Organizing is an ongoing process. Set aside time weekly to add new bookmarks, reassess categories, and refine tags.

3. Prioritize, Evaluate, and Refine

Time to separate the diamonds from the rough. Pick the most impactful insights—tweets, articles, or resources that genuinely resonate with you. Jot down what makes you curious, what sparks your interest, and what leaves you thinking, “Wow, that’s cool!” You can work for example with a four-star rating system in Notion. This focused brainstorming helps you collect your scattered thoughts.

Not all bookmarks are created equal. I sift through the noise, selecting impactful tweets that pack a punch in relevance and uniqueness. And when I’m inspired by someone else’s brilliance, it’s all about the remix – credit where it’s due while infusing my own spin.

Side tip: Quality Over Quantity Avoid hoarding. Be selective; keep only the most inspiring and relevant bookmarks. Quality always trumps quantity.

Step 4: Connect the Dots to your perspective

This is where the magic happens. I weave together these refined insights, connecting concepts and ideas. They become threads in the fabric of my personal reflections and projects, sparking new paths of creativity and understanding. Connecting the dots between your bookmarks can help you see patterns and relationships that you might not have noticed otherwise.

Start with pen and paper

“Begin with pen and paper. Even if you’re someone deeply entrenched in the digital realm, utilizing basic analogue tools remains essential. For those inclined toward technology, the advantage lies in not feeling compelled to invest in expensive pens or notebooks – you can allocate your funds toward desired tech equipment. There’s a distinct quality in jotting things down that enhances retention; you establish a stronger connection with tasks, projects, and objectives when written on paper instead of entering them into a device.”

You can create mind maps or use tags to connect related bookmarks. This can lead to new ideas and insights. Following these steps lets you keep your bookmarks organized and easily accessible. Plus, you might discover some new connections and insights along the way! Apply these insights to your own projects, weave them into your reflections, and watch as they spark creativity in unexpected ways.

Side tip: The most effective way is to follow people who are already further along and have achieved what you envision or dream to accomplish. That's where you learn the most.

I hope you find these tips helpful. Do you have any bookmarking tips or tricks you’d like to share? Let me know in the comments.