Chaos AND Structure. Believe it or Not, Personal Knowledge Management Needs Both.

Ever felt stuck between too much structure and complete chaos in managing your ideas? The secret might be finding the balance between the two. In personal knowledge management (PKM), the belief that “the more structure, the better” seems like common wisdom. But too much structure can stifle creativity and hinder your learning. In this blog post, we explore why balancing chaos and order may actually be more effective for your personal growth and productivity.

“Order is needed by the ignorant, but it takes a genius to master chaos.”

Albert Einstein

Fact First: The Dynamic Tension Between Chaos and Structure

Structure drives focus, enhances clarity, and helps manage complexity. Yet, excessive rigidity can stifle creativity and innovation. Conversely, untamed chaos can lead to confusion and frustration. The solution lies in the Goldilocks Zone (Colman, 2009), where structure and flexibility strike a balance that nurtures creativity and productivity.

This tension isn’t a problem to solve, but a dynamic to embrace. Order and chaos are complementary forces. Finding the right balance can help you unlock unexpected insights and generate creative breakthroughs.

As illustrated in the Value Square, a balance between desirable messiness and healthy order can be helpful for PKM.

(Value Square on the Balance of Desirable Messiness and Healthy Order in Personal Knowledge Management (Systems); Dr. Stefan T. Siegel, 2024; CC BY 4.0 )

Questionable Beliefs

• The More Structure, The Better: There’s a common misconception that structure always benefits PKM. While it can drive focus and clarify objectives, over-structuring creates limitations. For example, insisting that every note fits neatly into a predefined folder may prevent serendipitous connections between ideas. Creativity often emerges from the friction between structured and unstructured thought (Benedek et al., 2021).
• Order Equals Progress: Many assume that neatness and structure are signs of progress (e.g., Forte, 2022), but creativity and growth often emerge from some chaos. Disorder and messiness can serve as indicators of progress, too, especially when exploring new ideas. Embracing a certain degree of messiness, especially in the early stages of your projects can foster creativity. Rigid focus sometimes blocks us from seeing novel opportunities that can only emerge through divergence and play.

Some Remedies

• Make Use of the Law of Serendipity: Creative processes can benefit from some randomness. The Law of Serendipity (Copeland et al., 2023) suggests that “Lady Luck favors the one who tries”. Discoveries typically arise when we let go of excessive structure and engage with curiosity. This principle highlights how letting go of excessive structure allows for random but meaningful connections. Practical tip: Try occasionally revisiting randomly old notes (Obsidian has a plugin for this) or creating a “messy sandbox” in your PKM system. These unstructured spaces can lead to discoveries you’d never make in a perfectly ordered system.
• Balance Structure and Messiness: An often viable approach to PKM lies in the Goldilocks Zone (Colman, 2009) balancing structure and messiness. While too much rigidity can lead to predictability, too much entropy can breed confusion. In this sweet spot, divergent thinking and playfulness can thrive, fostering unexpected insights and creative breakthroughs. For example, you might link your notes and tag them broadly (e.g., “ideas,” “to-read,” “projects”) but avoid rigid folder-hierarchies. This flexibility allows for divergent exploration while still keeping your system functional (Milo, 2024).
• Alternate Between Divergence and Convergence: Creative processes naturally alternate between two phases: Divergence is the chaotic phase where ideas flow freely, connections emerge, and exploration reigns. Convergence is the structured phase where you organize and refine your ideas into actionable insights. Both phases are essential. Divergence generates possibilities, while convergence ensures focus and clarity. Skipping one stage risks stifling creativity or creating unmanageable complexity (Forte, 2022).

(Figure. Divergence and Convergence by Forte, 2022)

Concluding Thought: Embrace the Tension

Both structure and chaos serve a purpose in PKM. Too much order can limit exploration, while too much chaos can be paralyzing. The balance between the two—that Goldilocks sweet spot—is where true creativity and meaningful progress thrive.

Order isn’t always a sign of progress; sometimes, it’s a sign you’ve stopped taking risks. Let your knowledge system breathe. Allow for serendipity. You might find your most valuable insights emerge from the interplay between chaos and clarity.

Call to Action: How Do You Balance Chaos and Structure?

What’s your approach to personal knowledge management — are you an architect or gardener? (Whether there are different types of notetakers and if it makes sense to classify people according to their note-taking style is a question for another blog post). Are you leaning too much toward structure or chaos? Share your experiences in the comments below—I’d love to hear how you navigate this balancing act.

References

• Benedek, M., Karstendiek, M., Ceh, S. M., Grabner, R. H., Krammer, G., Lebuda, I., Silvia, P. J., Cotter, K. N., Li, Y., Hu, W., Martskvishvili, K., & Kaufman, J. C. (2021). Creativity myths: Prevalence and correlates of misconceptions on creativity. Personality and Individual Differences, 182, 111068. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.paid.2021.111068
• Colman, A. M. (2009). Goldilocks effect. In A Dictionary of Psychology. Oxford University Press. https://www.oxfordreference.com/display/10.1093/acref/9780199534067.001.0001/acref-9780199534067-e-9336
• Copeland, S., Ross, W., Sand, M. (2023). Introduction—A Science of Serendipity?. In: Copeland, S., Ross, W., Sand, M. (eds) Serendipity Science. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-33529-7_1
• Forte, T. (2022). Building a second brain: A proven method to organize your digital life and unlock your creative potential. Atria Books.
• Forte, T. (2024). 7 Beliefs That Keep You Stuck (And How to Change Them). https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oqPCFWwBIPY
• Milo, Nick (2024). This Secret Principle Will Transform Your Notes. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q0pQh69iPWA

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