Use verb and pattern tags (#deciding, #recurring-blocker) not category tags (#productivity)
Favor verb-based and pattern-based tags (#deciding, #recurring-blocker) over abstract category tags (#productivity, #management) to capture actionable relationships.
Why This Is a Rule
Abstract category tags (#productivity, #management, #psychology) sort notes into silos that mirror academic disciplines or bookstore sections. When you're facing a real problem — "I need to make a decision under uncertainty" — you don't search by discipline. You search by the action you're trying to take or the pattern you're trying to recognize.
Verb-based tags capture actions: #deciding, #estimating, #communicating-bad-news, #debugging. When you face a decision, searching #deciding retrieves all notes about decision-making across every domain — cognitive science, engineering, personal practice. The tag crosses domains because the action crosses domains.
Pattern-based tags capture recurring structures: #recurring-blocker, #premature-abstraction, #diminishing-returns, #false-dichotomy. When you notice a recurring blocker on your project, searching #recurring-blocker retrieves every note about this pattern regardless of context. The pattern is the retrievable unit, not the domain it appeared in.
Category tags fail because they create the same problem as folders: you file a note about decision-making under #psychology or #management, and when you need it for an engineering context, it doesn't surface because the category doesn't match.
When This Fires
- Choosing tags for a new note
- Reviewing and refactoring your existing tag system
- Noticing that your tags group notes by topic but don't help you find what you need in the moment
- Any time your tag search returns too many irrelevant results
Common Failure Mode
Mixing verb/pattern tags with category tags inconsistently. If half your notes use #deciding and half use #decision-making, and some use #management as a catch-all, searches miss notes tagged with the "wrong" variant. Pick one style (verbs and patterns) and apply it consistently. Migrate existing category tags when you encounter them.
The Protocol
When tagging: (1) Ask "What action or pattern does this note address?" rather than "What category does this belong to?" (2) Use verbs: #deciding, #estimating, #explaining, #designing. (3) Use patterns: #bottleneck, #premature-optimization, #sunk-cost, #feedback-loop. (4) Avoid abstract categories: not #productivity but #protecting-deep-work, not #management but #giving-feedback. The specificity of verb/pattern tags makes retrieval precise without requiring you to remember which academic bucket you filed the note under.