How I Use Heptabase Journal (And When You Should Do It Differently)
The speaker demonstrates two approaches to using Heptabase's journaling feature: the common method of referencing cards from journal entries, and their preferred method of updating cards directly with dated notes. The direct-to-card approach provides better context and organization, though it requires improved search functionality to be fully effective.
Summary
The speaker begins by observing how most Heptabase users employ the journaling feature by creating dated bullet-point entries that reference specific cards, such as notes about a person. While this approach generates backlinks visible on the referenced card, it creates long, uncontextual lists of dates that require tedious searching through to find relevant information.
The speaker presents an alternative methodology: treating each subject card (like a person) as the single source of truth for that entity. Rather than creating journal entries that reference the card, they directly add timestamped notes within the card itself, using natural language date references like "today," "yesterday," or "last week." This keeps all information about a subject in one organized location.
A key advantage of this approach is bidirectional linking. When notes mention multiple entities (e.g., "I talked with person A about person B"), the speaker can navigate between cards and see the specific context of mention highlighted. The journal becomes a reference point for dates rather than the primary storage location. When viewing a date card, backlinks show all entities mentioned on that day, while viewing a person card shows all contextual information about that person.
The speaker acknowledges a significant limitation: Heptabase's search functionality doesn't adequately support searching within backlinks on the desktop version, making it difficult to filter results by type when many backlinks exist. They suggest improvements like collapsible search results organized by content type (whiteboards, notes, etc.) would enhance usability.
Key Insights
- The speaker observes that most users create dated bullet-point entries in the journal that reference other cards, which generates backlinks but creates long, uncontextual lists requiring tedious searching to find relevant information
- The speaker treats each subject card as the single source of truth and adds timestamped notes directly within those cards rather than creating separate journal entries, keeping all related information organized in one location
- When multiple entities are mentioned in a single dated note (e.g., interactions between person A and person B), Heptabase highlights the specific context of mention when navigating between related cards, enabling contextual understanding
- The speaker reports that Heptabase's search functionality on the desktop version does not search within backlinks when using the find function, unlike the browser version, making it difficult to locate specific information within extensive backlink lists
- The speaker suggests that organizing search results by content type with collapsible categories would help users focus on relevant information types, but this functionality does not currently exist in Heptabase
Topics
Transcript
[0:00] Over the time I saw many members how they use Heepbase and the journaling feature inside Heepbase and I thought it might be of interest for you how I'm using the journaling app as there are two ways to use it if you reference any other cards. Let's have a look here in my demo account on Hepabase and here we have the journal app and what I have seen is that people if they want to take notes about a specific person they just say person A this card and they make a bullet list like this. Okay, they take notes about this person on that day. [0:31] Then on another day, they do this again and they…
Full transcript available for MurmurCast members
Sign Up to AccessMore from ICOR with Tom | AI Productivity
I Can Build a $11 Billion Productivity App with AI (You Can Too)
The speaker demonstrates how modern AI models (Claude Sonnet 3.5) enable anyone to build sophisticated productivity applications without extensive coding knowledge, using the newly rebuilt myICOR membership platform as proof. He argues that pre-built platforms like Notion, Circle, and Mighty Networks are becoming obsolete as AI democratizes custom application development, and announces a live workshop teaching the conceptual and technical skills needed to build such apps.
I gave Claude 4 years of our work. It built this app.
A developer used Claude Sonnet 5.5 to build a fully functional ICOR-based productivity application in just one hour by providing the AI with four years of accumulated productivity knowledge and content. The resulting app successfully implements complex ICOR methodology concepts including inbox management, task prioritization, interruption handling, and life dimension tracking, though it needs UI/design refinement.
Claude just replaced every productivity app I use.
A content creator demonstrates how Claude's Sonnet 3.5 model with Code Interpreter can replace multiple productivity apps by building three fully-functional applications in under an hour with minimal prompting. The creator showcases a note-taking app with database features, a Mac application integrating their custom Obsidian plugins and ICOR life management methodology, and highlights the unprecedented speed and polish achievable without traditional development skills.
My AI team took 8 hours. Claude Sonnet 5.5 took 15 minutes.
A creator comparing an 8-hour AI team project with a 15-minute Claude Sonnet 5.5 solution reveals that excessive guardrails and restrictions paradoxically hindered the multi-agent system's performance. The speaker demonstrates how reducing constraints and context allows AI to produce more creative and functional results, though both approaches have significant limitations for production use.
Your knowledge should outlive every AI tool you use.
The speaker clarifies the distinction between the ICOR methodology (a tool-agnostic productivity framework) and its implementations like the ICOR for Life scaffold and myPKA AI team, emphasizing that users can adopt the core principles in any tool they prefer. They announce plans to restructure their membership platform by separating these components to reduce confusion and help users understand they're not locked into specific tools or systems.