6 habits and tools for deep thinkers and creators (Heptabase, mymind, todoist)

Deep thinkers and creators don’t rely on a single “perfect” system so much as a small stack of tools paired with repeatable rhythms. The core idea is practical: capture what matters quickly, store it so it’s easy to retrieve, then process it on a schedule—so attention doesn’t get consumed by endless collecting.

For capturing and thinking, Heptabase is presented as the main PKM (personal knowledge management) hub. It functions as a journal through the Journal meta app inside Heptabase, where small reminders can be attached to specific dates—like a future prompt on October 26, 2024 to adjust a contract job. The system also supports deeper work: photos and other saved artifacts from elsewhere can be brought into Heptabase for “deep and wide” reflection.

That capture pipeline is powered by mymind, used primarily as a visual memory bank. Instead of treating photos as disposable, the workflow turns everyday images—sunsets, nature, quotes, and other moments—into prompts for later thinking. Books to read are tracked in a simple list: once a book is started and finished, it’s removed, keeping the queue visually clear. The emphasis is on fast intake and low friction: capture with a phone, organize nothing heavy, and let the thinking happen later.

Tasks and time are handled separately to keep the mental load light. Todoist serves as the task engine, relying on natural-language input (for example, “next Monday”) and using a work project plus a “today” filter to surface exactly what needs doing. Personal scheduling is routed to Google Calendar, described as straightforward event and appointment tracking.

Even physical accessories get folded into the system. A Fruit of the Loom pocket tee is used as a practical reading tool because it carries a highlighter and pen. The point isn’t the shirt itself; it’s designing for readiness—so highlighting can happen immediately when something resonates. The highlighter preference is functional: pointed tips allow different marking styles, helping distinguish what truly stood out from what didn’t.

The rhythms section reframes habits as timing and flow, borrowing from music: daily, weekly, and monthly patterns guide when to push and when to rest. The daily keystone is waking up at 5:30 a.m., built from an early-morning UX design boot camp schedule in 2018 and maintained because it “fills the cup” before family, friends, and work. The second keystone is a two-mile walk, described as the primary clarity-builder. During walks, photos are snapped and saved to mymind, scripture is read from a dedicated note (“praying the scripture”), and ideas are jotted into Heptabase’s journal meta app. The walk also fuels creativity, including playful “dad joke” entries tagged for later retrieval.

Daily reading centers on the Bible, treated as the main text and a source of varied literature and long-standing ideas worth continually re-placing in the mind. A slower pace is also framed as a paradox: “the slower I go the faster I arrive,” balancing urgency with intentionality.

Weekly rhythms add processing without over-analysis. Other books are read at least once a week, with a preference for books over articles for depth and craft. A weekly review note acts like a tidy-up: it collects “meaningful moments” and “favorite notes” by linking selected daily entries, tagged so every note has a home. Those weekly reviews then scale into an annual review—essentially a “big weekly review” that surfaces what to celebrate and what shifted perspective across the year.