Uncertain about atomicity during capture? Write it now…
When unable to determine if a note contains one idea or two, write it as-is during capture, then return during a dedicated review session to attempt decomposition without the pressure of real-time capture.
When This Fires
- Capturing an insight and uncertain whether it's one compound idea or two separate ones
- Writing quickly during a meeting, conversation, or reading session
- Feeling friction during capture because you're trying to get the structure perfect
- Any time perfectionism about note structure is slowing down capture
Common Failure Mode
Never returning to review. The compound note gets captured and then sits in your system permanently, because "review" is scheduled "later" and later never comes. The rule only works if you have a regular review practice. Without it, deferred atomicity decisions accumulate as structural debt that progressively degrades your knowledge base.
The Protocol
During capture: (1) If atomicity is unclear, write the note as-is — compound is fine. Prioritize completeness and speed. (2) Tag it with a review marker (e.g., #needs-split or a dedicated inbox). During review (weekly or bi-weekly): (3) Open notes tagged for review. (4) For each, attempt decomposition: can this be split into atomic notes, each standing alone? (5) If yes, split and link. If genuinely one idea, remove the review marker. The temporal separation preserves capture speed while ensuring structural quality through a dedicated refinement pass.