Taking notes is the simplest. I started with outline-mode back in the day. Once you start taking notes you'll think: if only I had a way of cataloguing, tagging

Taking notes is the simplest. I started with outline-mode back in the day. Once you start taking notes you'll think: if only I had a way of cataloguing, tagging and prioritising tasks. Before long you'll start estimating tasks and creating agendas; then you'll want to tie in other parts of your life to your tasks and notes -- as nothing ever lives in a vacuum -- and... well, there you go. That's how it goes. Create a .org file and start writing is really the simplest. If you never make it past that, you still have an effective note taking system in Emacs.