Just Use Apple Notes...

Find the best productivity tools with our site: toolfinder.co/ A discussion into Apple Notes meme on Twitter and why switching is a legal recipe in productivity. We also explore toxic productivity and the role that plays too. Learn more about Apple Notes with Tool Finder: toolfinder.co/tools/apple-notes
Keep Productive is the world's best place to discover and learn productivity tools.
Find the perfect productivity tools with Tool Finder: toolfinder.co
--
📝 FIND US FURTHER
Places to discover Keep Productive around the web & explore further
🎯 Become a Reader on Medium: / membership
👩🏾🏫 Skillshare Free Trial: www.skillshare.com/r/user/fra...
--
🌿 BUY SOFTWARE WITH US
Found a tool we've covered, buy a productivity software with us - allowing us to earn commission on the recommendation. All our recommendations are our own personal thoughts and opinions.
🏛 ClickUp: toolfinder.co/go/clickup
🌲 Monday: toolfinder.co/go/monday-dot-com
☀️ Sunsama: toolfinder.co/go/sunsama
✅ Todoist: doist.grsm.io/cl_fdalessio
📝 Asana: asana.grsm.io/5577fm270e2q
🧑🏻💻 Pipedrive: pipedrive.grsm.io/0j9f3c9nmvmh
✔️ Akiflow: toolfinder.co/go/akiflow
🔐 1Password: 1password.grsm.io/s9fd4ec12jau
🧑🏼🎨 Notion: bit.ly/3Ammn9B
🍊 Coda: coda.grsm.io/k52szbl84r5j
💙 Loom: toolfinder.co/go/loom
📧 Sanebox: toolfinder.co/go/sanebox
--
🌲 COURSES WE LOVE!
The world of learning productivity and software is something we adore. Here are a few courses we make and we recommend from the world's productivity experts.
🍱 The Bento Methodology: www.bentomethod.com
🎧 Notion Mastery Solo: bit.ly/3Necksk
🎧 Notion Mastery Teams: bit.ly/3MqSgmS
🧑🏻💻 Second Brain Cohorts: bit.ly/2K6iUlR
📹 Tool Academy Courses: keepproductive.podia.com
🧠 Learn Asana as a Professional: keepproductive.krtra.com/t/IV...
--
💙 FOLLOW US
📝 Twitter: / keepproductive
We spend most of our time on Twitter but we are looking at TikTok & others.
--
💻 FINAL THOUGHTS
All our thoughts on Keep Productive are our own.
Whilst we have affiliates and sponsors when recommending tools we believe in the highest quality of information, research and insight to help you make the most informed decision to choosing a tool.
Keep Productive offsets carbon with Bulb and currently is a small team consisting of long-time friends of 25 years - Francesco (host) and Steve (editor/film-maker).
Our mission is to help you pick the best software for work and life.
Thanks,
Francesco - host of Keep Productive
#apple #productivity Find the perfect productivity tools with Tool Finder: toolfinder.co --
POPULAR TOOLS
- monday - toolfinder.co/go/monday-dot-com
- ClickUp - toolfinder.co/go/monday-dot-com
- Notion - toolfinder.co/go/notion
- Akiflow - toolfinder.co/go/akiflow
- Motion - toolfinder.co/go/motion
- Sunsama - toolfinder.co/go/sunsama
- Todoist - toolfinder.co/go/todoist
- Wrike - toolfinder.co/go/wrike

[@keepproductive]

*Find the perfect productivity tools with Tool Finder:* toolfinder.co

[@ThmsYT]

I think most people never heard of Gall's Law. "Gall’s Law states that all complex systems that work evolved from simpler systems that worked. If you want to build a complex system that works, build a simpler system first, and then improve it over time." Forget what looks cool. Forget the fancy features. It distracts you from what really matters. If you're looking for an app, just go as frictionless as possible. You'll be just fine.

[@ServantStatusMinistries]

THIS!!!! I have had to tell myself that functionality has to trump fluff with these note taking apps because I would get lost in aesthetics being an artist…

[@joeydsa]

I remembered Reading about Gall's Law in Josh Kaufman's book The Personal MBA. 😎👍🏼✌🏼

[@K3zz21]

This is how I approach journaling

[@polkanietzsche5016]

Windows blocnote lol.

[@marduexo]

Thanks for that!!!

[@MaggieDelano]

Two additional points I’d add: 1) people see others with fancy or complex workflows and think they are missing out or doing it wrong if they don’t have something complex too 2) there’s a legitimate need to explore and understand what works for you, and it’s a natural part of the progression to settle down once you understand your needs better. People on the right of the bell curve probably use their Apple Notes way differently than people on the left, and going from the left to the right often includes a mess in the middle. That mess might just be an inevitable part of the process of finding what works for you.

[@yellowboat8773]

This is the most logical comment on this thread

[@PWingert1966]

I once got hired to help a boat reseller to solve workflow issues. He was making spec sheets. He typed them into word then enter the specs into a data base *Who he didn't do any thing with) and then prepared a web listing. I setup a system to get the base specs from a vendors accessible database then used a web page to allow him to customize the retrieved data. A new listing now took 15 minutes instead of three hours to prepare. I licensed my solution back to him as an annual payment. I made money for years off that and only had to make changes once or twice in that whole time. He doubled and tripled his business over the years and I still got my check in the mail.

[@rado147]

Well said

[@zeshanhm]

Golden Comment right here, great outlook to have on life.

[@palolo381]

What a great and nice logic, i would slap it

[@instantsus_]

i think building of the systems is something people enjoy. much like programmers spending 12hrs trying to automates a task that takes 2hrs. and will be done once only.

[@rainbowkittycat627]

Listen here I take personal offense to this because yes I did just spend the last week teaching myself calculus so I can create a matrix formula so I don’t have to do basic addition because i hate myself but y u got to call me out like that bro lmfao

[@Moreoverover]

Automation is actually delayed gratification, because it takes longer but leads to more productivity down the line

[@ashish7604]

​​@@rainbowkittycat627 well try to think it as you needed to do 2 hour everyday for year near about 720 hour but now you have done it in 10 hours(+10 maintainnce hours )

[@rainbowkittycat627]

@@ashish7604 nope, 8 months later with an unfinished formula that and me using that basic addition like twice, I can say it was in fact a waste of time

[@ashish7604]

@@rainbowkittycat627 but if you haven't experimented you wouldn't have known it don't work .no learning is ever wasted

[@migueltoledo1884]

As much as I admire Ali Abdaal's incredible productivity system, I had to shake my head at the absolute convolution of it all. Multiple apps for doing similar things. BUT... it works for HIM. So the ultimate lesson here is - do what works FOR YOU. You don't need 10+ apps and processes to be productive and take notes. Just find whatever information interests you and log it somewhere. Whatever gives you the easiest, more frictionless, and useful notes and productivity system where you can recall and reference it to your needs.. The key to productivity isn't the apps or the process, it's the end result.

[@cevcena6692]

Honestly I get it. I use multiple apps that do the same thing. Why? Because having one app for different uses throws me off, it makes me feel like a mess to use the same notes app for different types of notes. Idk why it does, it just does.

[@bomcabedal]

@@cevcena6692 I must second this. My mainstay is Apple Notes, but I will sometimes use OneNote for a specific project, just to give it a dedicated feel.

[@coltfeltes]

He has a particular incentive to make you feel like your system is not up to par or not complex enough. That's really all there is to know before making an assessment.

[@danm4320]

We don't really know what works for him because for all we know he's making it up

[@EjaxPlus]

Well in his defense your last sentence is where he has explicitly disagreed. He believed in the process not the goal, apparently he found the fun in it.

[@hermestruelsegaard2497]

Since my first try with Notion, I've been constantly migrating between it, Obsidian, RemNote and OneNote, until I decided to use Google Keep and Obsidian

[@Adri4n0]

Love Google Keep! Whether you use Windows or Mac, Android or iPhone it's excellent. Its simplicity, reminders, Google Calendar integration and synchronization across platforms makes it very valuable. For storing notes and documents I use Notion.

[@doxo9597]

Exactly the same thing for me. I went through apple notes, notion, roam, obsidian, evernote, notability, files, just to end up with Apple Notes and Obsidian.

[@baoquynguyen39]

Would Google Keep + Notion a good combination as well? I’m using Notion + google keep + google calendar right now and I feel like im using too much

[@doxo9597]

@@baoquynguyen39 Yes, that’s also a good combination. The most important thing is to not switch to the “next best thing”.

[@pete23soccer]

Evernote

[@Emmanuel_Ce2]

The productivity maxim: Keep it simple. Simplicity is speed. Google Calendar + Apple Notes, the rest is extra weight

[@rsmania01]

why google cal?

[@austinsolak]

@@rsmania01 For me I use apple but I prefer Google Calendar, more-so the UI and UX is very nice! It's something I am comfortable with

[@swayzz5638]

I think a separate task/project manager is valuable as a separate app from your notes and cal app.

[@sicariofalje551]

Yeah for sure, I also use Google calendar, I use bear instead of apple notes (purely aesthetic) and habitica for tasks and habits Tho I do use onenote for exclusively work notes, I don't even have it on my phone or my personal laptop. Only on my work pc, it auto signs in and syncs- nice and quick and easy That's it

[@rushikeshtapre8620]

Google notes is a thing now

[@stevemarkperry]

Don't beat yourself up, Francesco. I don't consider your videos part of this toxic productivity movement. Some of those videos are obviously click-baity and full of re-hashed junk for the most part. Whereas I believe that you do add value in your videos. Your app reviews are honest, and your tips are relevant. Stay true to yourself and do what you do best. Enjoyed this vid.

[@NJohnston12]

Well done. You’ve turned negative criticism into some very insightful and helpful teaching. Thanks!

[@biaowang2651]

So fascinating that we are obsessed with indovidual productivity while the fact is the reaching or uplifting the ceiling of one's productivity will always be dawrfed by the choice of your profession, people you work with and activities you spend time on

[@iLife64]

I’ve been using Google Keep since 2013. It’s dead simple and just works

[@kishly]

I've stuck with Notion for 2 years now. My current productivity tech stack is just Notion + Drafts (for quick capture) + Cron Calendar 😊 I guess it's about matching your tools to your needs, not to someone else's workflow. ✨

[@athl0n]

Personally, been using Apple Notes + Reminders for personal use, and OneNote for school stuff. Works perfectly for me. I don't need anything advanced for my day-to-day stuff, but Notes is just too little for school stuff.

[@bohxio]

I noticed this stress a lot in the Notion world. Every time I switch tools it's because something is just NOT right in my current system for whatever reason. I've been doing this productivity journey since 2015 and since then I've gone from multiple hobbies and part-timing to full-timing and 3 hobbies and freelancing so my tools had to adapt to my needs. I've gone from Trello/Habitica/GCal (inefficient) to ticktick (couldn't share tasks the way I needed) to Notion/Habitify (lost data) to Clickup (new mobile app was terrible), back to ticktick (no longer needed premium features) and now Clickup/GCal. It's still not the best (I'm desperate for a note/journaling app similar to what Friday was going for) but people who think the tool is going to solve their problem... are gonna learn the hard way! I can't imagine switching completely to EVERY tool. I do admit to trying new ones out to see the POV they bring, but that's about it!

[@andylsq]

This is 1000% me! I get so wrapped up in creating the perfect workflow (and migrating things between shiny new apps) that I can’t even find things when I need them. Earlier this week I decided to commit myself to stick with Apple Notes so I could stop stressing about my setup and just focus on my work. Funny this video came exactly at the right time!

[@JenLunny]

💯 agree. I can get so caught up in the system or the sparkly app that I don’t even get to the content.

[@goenmo]

Why does everybody seem to think that being maximally productive is the goal of life? Most of my best days were the ones where I did next to nothing at all. The days where I stopped to smell the roses, had no goals at all, and just lived. At the end of your life you will not look back and say “ I really wish I had spent more hours coding, or producing content on KZbin.” You will instead say “I wish I had spent more time with my kids” or “I wish I had taken more time to just relax and enjoy my life.” Being organized and having goals is important, sure. But the goal is to be efficient in the things you must do to live, not feel like you have to cram 20 things into every day. I would rather do one thing that I really enjoy than 10 things that make me miserable just to be ”productive.”

[@chrisdawson1776]

🤓

[@GarryBurgess]

good point, thank you.

[@gavinvales8928]

Obsidian is freaking awesome. For detailed notes, all you need is the good old text files plus directories and your golden. And with syncthing, you can have those files on whatever device you want

[@mikejaydavies]

Great video. It made me reflect on what I’ve been doing recently, and I’ve decided to trim off some of the extra apps I’d added recently because you helped me realise that I’ve actually been harming my productivity! Back to just using Bear notes and keeping it simple !

[@brianzhamilton]

My purpose in adopting Obsidian recently was because I wanted something accessible from multiple devices, and able to make a quick note (like Apple Notes) but also more complex notes (like Google Docs). I had too many different apps on different devices, and a bunch of different notes stored all over the place, and I wanted them all accessible in one place.

[@n347f0x]

Completely agree. Plus Apple notes sucks on Windows

[@LinkEX]

Seconded. I prefer having my notes working independently from my operating system or someone else's cloud service. Otherwise I'd actually stick to Notion, which I'd argue is as comprehensive as Apple Notes.

[@jdcv17]

I’m already looking to migrate to Obsidian because sites like GitHub use Markdown and I don’t always have to have connection unlike with Notion. Notion is great for databases but sometimes it takes time to load.

[@melusine826]

I can't do quick notes and save links and screen shots in obsidian mobile app, so I gave up

[@OdinsOdyssey5252]

To be honest, I use just Apple Notes. It is simple, and it does what it should do, taking notes. I tried notion, but it's wasting value time because you need to learn first all the “useful” functions… Just for notes? I prefer the simple and time-saving way, and that's it, Apple Notes.

[@bulldozer8950]

Honestly the key is just using something for a long time. If you’ve ever seen someone use a convoluted or poorly designed website or app they’ve been using for a really long time, they’ll do anything super quickly because they just know what to click by muscle memory so it doesn’t even matter that’s it’s slightly less efficient. So just something you’ll actually use in the first place for a while is all that really matters

[@MrProximace]

Oof this hurt because I was there about a year ago. I got caught up in the productivity systems and second brains, but the BIGGEST problem that absolutely no one addresses is the fact that no one actually uses their first brains enough. I am sure that these systems maybe actually useful to people who developed them, but, for the rest of us mortals it perhaps is overkill. I belong to a time period when marking paper calendars with small notes was the way to go, and it worked. It just worked. It was right there on my desk/ wall and I saw it when I walked in to my room or turned my head. I think that's lost somewhere with the myriad "productivity" apps. After a few iterations and hit and trial, I settled on default apps like Apple Calendar (which syncs with my outlook and gmail calendars for work and personal accounts), TickTick for reminders, checklists, and Eisenhower Matrix style organization. The rest is just fluff which I genuinely did not need, and I am back to simpler times, with the added advantage of less things and notifications to manage, and a cohesive picture of what I am actually supposed to do. Great job on the video BTW :)

[@julelemaitre]

based

[@lemonadeslices]

English Lit major here; graduated. I just typed all my notes on word doc. done and dusted.

[@michelleadams5609]

Same here. The best degree.

[@shereeorien]

Thanks for this video. I was looking to move everything back to apple notes and saw this video pop up. I think using android and apple products has made me overthink what apps I plan on using. I don't really like google notes, but it was the app that was available on my phone. I think the apple ecosystem works, but i feel there are apps that can help me to be more productive. I enjoy researching and collecting ideas/ information and I use notions to store book notes. After 3 days of researching note-taking systems, what I can say is to keep it simple (even if you are using more than one app) and have a process of what you do with your information, which will assist you when choosing to the right app to express your intellectual property..

[@txin999]

I think what you said can also be applied to digital art programs. I've been thinking of switching from Procreate to Clip Studio because of the many features the latter offers, but every time I look at CSP's UI I get overwhelmed lol. I can definitely get my art done in Procreate, so I'm still sticking to it just because of how simple and intuitive it is to use. Switching programs is definitely a big hassle for artists.

[@dootdoot5617]

CSP user here. I'm still discovering new mechanics and I've been using it for close to 2 years!

[@Junhyung_Lee]

Thank you!! I learned a lot from this video!! I was in the middle of a crisis trying to find the right tools and many sources seemed to just add onto my confusion. But I feel more confident now that I've been given a "healthy perspective" on how to choose the right tool! Thank you for this!!

[@daliboroslav]

I’ve tried a spectrum of apps to achieve the most effective approach, from Evernote to Trello to apple notes to notion to obsidian. The more apps you use, the bigger the frustration is. Then I found a Bullet Journal, and it freed me from crap stacking and really thinking through if I need something or just gathering it to my note system because I may need it. And from all apps, I just stick with Evernote as a digital extension of my Bullet Journal mainly because of the tags system hierarchy, which apple notes (even though I love them) they do not have it. The reason I wrote this is maybe it will help some people to find clarity and peace in their system with BuJo. ✌️

[@sirseth1087]

Not sure if anything has changed in 6 months but I have had a similar experience. Using a bullet journal has been extremely helpful in managing my life, especially having adhd and anxiety. People argue about how fast and optimized their digital tools are like that’s a good thing. For my brain, it just turns into a huge anxiety inducing hoard that I never actually do anything with. Digital tools make it easier to be more efficient at doing the wrong things.

[@daliboroslav]

@@sirseth1087 👏

[@novedekne]

Finding a good productivity system has been a progression, and treating it as anything else has held me back. Jumping all in to a productivity app with a bunch of features never really suited me because I don’t really even know what to do with the features yet. I’ve settled on simple bulleted lists until I have to capacity to plan things a bit farther out. My point is that productivity is like any other skill. You have to learn it, and to learn it you have to take steps. Diving in head first may work for some people but it never worked for me.

[@Jose04537]

Google Keep would be perfect if you could nest notes in folder (like One Note & Evernote) and Block notes with password.

[@coxbright]

I don't know why this isn't a feature in Keep! So simple surely to incorporate

[@agathoklesmartinios8414]

I myself mainly subscribe to productivity channels on KZbin to keep somewhat up-to-date with what is happening in productivity apps generally, not necessarily to switch constantly based on this or that shiny new feature. Doing this did cause me to switch from Evernote to Notion, slowly at first, then more and more neglecting Evernote, and now I don't use it any more. Notion just works so much better for me, and it is thanks to productivity KZbinrs that I was able to improve like this. Currently, I am checking out Obsidian a bit, but I am not really convinced at all. There are elements I like, like how tags are not limited to just one database, like in Notion; and the tags can themselves be made into notes. But for the most part Obsidian just doesn't seem like a good fit for me, too chaotic and unorganized looking, whereas I need order and structure. But I am staying with Notion for the foreseeable future. My explorations into Obsidian did lead me to discover a way to import highlights on Kobo e-readers to Readwise, and onwards to Notion, which is another massive improvement for my note-taking flow. So even if looking into Obsidian has not inspired me to move from Notion to Obsidian, it did lead me to learn other stuff I could do to improve my use of Notion further, that I might not otherwise have discovered. TL;DR watching productivity KZbinrs has helped me make several improvements to how I make and process notes, more so than causing me to just be confusedly jumping from one thing to another. I learn a lot from productivity KZbinrs, but apply that knowledge judiciously to what improve what I already have, more so than to replace it. P.S.: Another reason I don't use Apple Notes is that it is exclusive to the Mac ecosystem, which is a BIG drawback or me. I don't like platform exclusive apps. That really DOES mean switching apps if you operate on different platforms or want to leave a given platform.

[@aeruizvera]

So true, good video. The most stable system will depend on your personality and background. I have found much stability with Nozbe + Evernote, and sometimes I had switch briefly for Notion , but always come back. Stability is important, in life and systems. Sometimes we invest much time between switching and learning other tools rather than using the tools that we already have, and growing accordingly. Thanks for the video and the thinking behind it!

[@speedyfox9080]

People who use VIM and markdown for notes be like:

[@DannyHatcherTech]

"Rules over tools" like it! App marketing is out of hand - They must be in the community to see all of the videos to even recognize it could be out of hand... they are probably confused about their own tool use. Exposure adds complexity, and if you don't understand yourself, then the increasing complexity doesn't help. That is on the individual to learn and organize themselves, not the individual marketing apps. I see the meme as a symptom of the complexity of learning, which is increased by the environments people put themselves in. Constrain the environment, organize your system, and then reduce the constraints for future learning. Fundamentals of learning theory 😁

[@keepproductive]

Always love your thoughts Danny ✨ Well thought out!

[@DannyHatcherTech]

@@keepproductive Thanks! It was a quick comment, not much thinking happened 😁

[@m0nz13]

I don’t even know what productivity apps are used for.. I’ve always used apple notes and it has never failed me. Too many tools wastes time logging in and having to set all the tasks out. Strange.

[@SaHaRaSquad]

For me it is mandatory that all notes are Markdown files. That way I can potentially switch apps and keep all the notes, and I can manually edit the notes using my favorite text editor.

[@Mindtrash_]

I created a shortcut to export all my notes in the Apple Notes App in txt format. Very useful.

[@SnowTriple7]

Hi, that's interesting. As a start-up business owner, I think a lot about those issues. After learning from an E-Mail inbox zero video from Jeff su, that something like GTD exits and reading David Allan's book, I started implementing GTD to my Apple Notes, it works fairly well but, I found out that there are limitations (especially using an old MacBook) and there are always tasks or information that go lost in my next list folder jungle. Now I am switching to Notion using Frank's Brain Template, hoping, that the power of databases will help solve the problem. Now I have a stressful time feeling like the guy in the meme. Like you said, I think that it is important to learn the methodology and be disciplined to maintain it. All the apps in the world cannot do that for you, no matter how powerful they are, they only can be as powerful as you are in are capable and disciplined in using them.

[@SiddharthaRay007]

Doing work without any app is far better than wasting time on multiple productivity apps.

[@Adri4n0]

Very true. My take on that is just use a system that works for you and focus on what matters.

[@WinstonAWilson]

This is so critical. I've been tempted to leave todoist after eight years and I'm glad, I stuck with it.

[@GiacomoVaccari]

After many experiments, if you can't get it done with Calendly, Calendar, Notes and Reminders, you're overcomplicating it.

[@amalgamofq]

I love watching those wild videos where folks explain the way that they use like 10 different apps to do what could reasonably done with 1 or 2 and 😂 some sticky notes. I use notion, Google keep annnnnd sticky notes and bc I'm already using Gmail for scheduling Google calendar is the simplest to use for scheduling bc I've got a Google phone. I hope notion integrates with Google calendar one of these days

[@PGBlanks]

What I've found is that the best note taking system / app for you is the one that 1) you keep using and 2) you keep benefitting from. So, Apple Notes over overcomplicated Notion board

[@torb-no]

A good part of ”rules over tools” is that it actually makes it easier to choose tools! I have over trial and error developed my own philosophy for what works for me and when I'm considering tools I always ask the question ”How easy is it do work with my philosophy with this tool? Does changing to this tool significantly help me work with that philosophy?”. That means I change tools fairly rarely. I do consider changing tools often, but that's partly because I find that an enjoyable process, and ultimately I do very few actual changes because I only switch tools if it's a clear advantage to *how I work*. Also: a key here is that it has to be YOUR OWN RULES. What you know works *for you*. For a long time, I tried to force GTD on to myself and then I actually changed tools all the time. It wasn't before I stopped doing that and worked with my *own* rules that I found that things started to get easy.

[@angelogopaul]

Of all the 15+ years using OneNote, no note taking app has ever sufficed. Apple notes, I find too lacking. OneNote can be as complex or simple as I need it to be. -As an architect and graphic designer, when I need to sketch... boom OneNote -When I need to make a task list and add it to my Outlook Tasks... boom OneNote -Saving recipes and meal plans... boom OneNote -Tracking your gains... boom OneNote -Making a shopping list... boom OneNote -doing research with references automatically saved... boom OneNote -just need a sticky note with a simple miscellaneous note... boom OneNote again. Other note taking apps can't do everything here, so why do I need anything else?

[@Arinrine]

My golden rule for switching is if my system is really not working/ lacks a crucial feature. I can't use gkeep or android notes bc it lacks sub folders ( and that's how i work) i used Evernote for a oong time but they became soooo annoying with their subscription. I settled with pure writer and i love it cause its super simple. i still use notion but only when i need automation ( did it for university, i calculated my grades, settled my schedule and notes etc but other than that just GDrive was enough)

[@amdenis]

Different tools for different needs, people and levels of commitment to their own personal growth and organization. People love Notes because it’s free, easy and has a low slope learning curve. People like some of the other tools like OneNote, etc because they are incrementally more functional than Notes. People love Notion (the fastest non-government software in history after Chat GPT) because it can be life changing in terms of organization and productivity- something than none of the other software generally is cited by people for doing for them. However, it take a modicum of discipline and initial setup, but then it enables that (and BTW, Notion functionally embeds GPT within it for enhanced workflow and related productivity).

[@gerydony6531]

For months, I just stick with Obsidian (+ synced in github repository) for Desktop and Google Keep when I'm in my phone. It's a simple but productive life.

[@jaykamli890]

after just seeing obsidian ,one note, notion i just felt overwhelmed now i use a very inexpensive notebook.

[@keepproductive]

Interesting!

[@GarryBurgess]

I use different apps for different purposes. For a journal, I have a single long running file in Apple Pages, and I insert the date at the top of a new day. The Find command in Apple Pages is enough for me to find what I want in the journal, and very fast. When I was working I just had one very very long continuous Microsoft Word file. Every day I'd insert the date and write down notes during the day for everything that happened, all the things that I needed to remember, phone numbers etc. I didn't even put page breaks between the days, just the inserted date. The Microsoft FIND command found me what I wanted to know, years later, pretty much instantly and I only had to think about ONE FILE. I called it: Day Book, and I'd keep it handy on the computer with a 3 character password. It was more useful than my filing cabinet. A decade after I left that job, I still have that file because it taught me a lot of other things. For casual notes and my longest use system, I use Apple notes, and I see no reason to move them over. For notes that need linking, and thinking, I use Obsidian, and I love the fact that they are all text files in markdown.

[@aebisdecunter]

I could never get how you could leave yourself on the mercy of one company for, essentially, planning your life. Cross-device sync is a must-have feature, and limiting it to just Apple devices and a web interface is unacceptable for me. In my note app swiching journey I used Google Keep, Simplenote, Notion and now I'm on Obsidian. Exporting notes from the first three is a nightmare. At least with Obsidian I can rest assured that my notes won't go away if I lose my account, or just would want to export.

[@TheGamingAlong]

Summary: The popular Apple Notes meme is making the rounds on social media, and many people are chiming in with their thoughts on it. The meme essentially states that people with higher IQs should use Apple Notes, while those in the middle are just stressed and switching between productivity tools. While there is some truth to the meme, it is important to remember that everyone is different and that productivity is unique to each individual. There is no one-size-fits-all solution, and the best tool for the job may vary from person to person. That being said, switching between productivity tools can be stressful and time-consuming, so it is important to find one that suits your needs and stick with it for as long as possible.

[@NeroPawn]

👋 chatGPT

[@hanac5586]

I'm still a student. I use the Microsoft To-do simply because of the simplicity and how it gives you this nice DING sound when you get something done. Otherwise I just use paper notebooks that are a big mess of random words and scribbles on random pages. Zero organization, but it works for me lmao. "Oh yeah! I remember putting this certain fact in small font in between these two certain scribbles about midway this notebook hold on I'll quickly skip this through-" Or if I'm coding and need to write something down I use sticky notes and notepad lol. I'm too lazy to use anything else.

[@yp5387]

I kept switching because of the fear. Fear of losing knowledge base that I was creating. And, I wanted the best tool for that. Until I realized I never go back to my previous notes. Never. I kept spending too much time organizing things that didn’t matter. Maybe I am not productive enough. Because productive people don’t care, they use paper and pen.

[@theshazman]

I went on this wild search and settled on Obsidian. I really tried to stick it out with Apple Notes but the calendar and auto-daily templating in Obsidian + the tags from bear were perfection. I understand this isn't everyone's workflow, but it works great for me.

[@eantropix]

I use a mix of Microsoft To Do and Google Calendar. I just need to know what to do, know how long I have to do it, and when to be places

[@ambbarofficial]

Great video. Maybe I am too simplistic, but I've come to believe that the good old spreadsheet covers most of the mentioned apps.

[@lukeMac]

Spreadsheets are GOAT. David Allen (the GTD guy) said that no app has changed the game since Spreadsheet apps came along :P I use Notion for (almost) everything but still jump into Numbers for finance.

[@kouhaiii3182]

well said! i recently tried several apps but realized that they just weren't for me. and i only need basic text formatting and lists, which apple notes can take care of just fine.

[@irugal8964]

My opinion is don't trust the KZbinrs, coz they do videos for sponsors, as an example in Ali Abdaal videos, past he said notion is the best notion is the everything like that now that sponsering agreement is over and he tries to become an apple ambassador or something, if you are watching his videos you will be realized, so the thing is don't change your familiar app or a system because someone said so.

[@SlowSpeedChase13]

I just don’t like that I can’t mass export from apple notes. It leaves me feeling uncomfortable

[@ChristianBarresi]

I'm so glad I found this video. I'm definitely a toxic switcher and I didn't really realize it. Now that I have a name for it, I can better address it in my own life, so thank you! Gonna stick with what I use now for as long as I can.

[@adityachaudhry7566]

Use any tool long enough and you'll become so effecient at using it, no matter how "objectively better" the other tools are. Its what you are doing with the tool that matters. Stick to one, master it, and achieve what you set out to achieve. PS : Writing this for myself so i can come back to it one day.

[@vdubs5189]

I’ve used Google Keep for short personal notes and OneNote for work and shared notes for years. I don’t use Apple Notes because until recently I used an Android phone and I still use a PC not a Mac. I love both applications for their respective use cases and don’t see any reason to change.

[@susannahJ]

For me the biggest game changer of the Notes app was making folders. Organising everything into folders just made all my ramblings over the years less intimidating to look at and just super helpful. I made a folder for work, creative ideas, a brain dump (this is where my ramblings go now hahaha) and then I can organise my brain dump into my top three tasks for the day. It makes me happy.

[@nolimitations23]

True. No folders - no deal

[@fleurcode]

Since i've started using Notion i had been using it Transno and Workflowy. However recently i have only kept Notion since it could do what Transno and Workflowy did. Which was make notebooks, Folders/Pages and have bullet points

[@issasecretbuddy]

i've committed to Notion as my primary knowledge management app and haven't really had a need for anything else. Quick notes that don't ever need to b referenced again can go in apple notes / google keep / whatver other lightweight text editor space, even a text editor window. Only other use case is handwritten / diagramming work, which goes in goodnotes

[@artofdao]

I think it’s important for a tool to know what your using it for. Not only what is it capable to do. Should the outcome be task management or writing and taking notes. Should it help with keeping overview of task or the depth of knowledge. People tend to fall in love with the only one tool, that can do all!

[@hilalm.397]

Once I found Craft, I never looked elsewhere. I used to jump from one app to another: Apple Notes, Obsidian, Logseq, Remnote, OneNotes, Notion, all of them really 🤣

[@Praveen-or5ce]

True. Craft is the perfect one, almost.

[@yakinbozek]

@@Praveen-or5ce Agree. Craft and Roam Research are the only note-taking apps that make sense to use over Apple Notes because they really add some useful features that you can't achieve with the latter. The downside is you have to learn to use them and get through that first learning curve.

[@WaskiSquirrel]

I wanted to use Apple Notes, but I couldn't use it at work: they're all Windows there. But I've been using Evernote for a very long time and it works for me. Good point about changing systems. I've played with Notion. I like some things about it. But Evernote does what I need.

[@thecrazy9169]

Even web version of Apple notes can't be accessed?

[@WaskiSquirrel]

@@thecrazy9169 Probably now it can. Back then, that wasn't nearly as much of an option. I'm now heavily invested with many years in Evernote, so switching would be painful.

[@codecruz]

Used to use apple notes. Now I just take notes in my text editor. Easier to write things because I get markdowm syntax higlighting. I move lines around quicly and easily with keyboard shortcuts. I organize the note files in a file stricture that makes sense for me. I rename and duplicate files with keyboard shortcuts as well.

[@kelito_lopez]

One of my guides once said "If you want to solve complex problem, we need simple tools" If you start using some of your energy on the tool, instead of the problem, you're doing it wrong. Wisest suggestion I received ever!

[@ghosthunter0950]

I just can't find a single app that fits all my needs. Onenote kinda worked but I had an awful experience with it. it just feels like crap to use. What I need in a note taking app is: 1) Handwriting pen support. 2) text and only the most common formatting features. 3) notebooks, subnotebook and pages system 4) image support 5) synchronization is a nice to have but not completely necessary. I can just use any cloud service and take that extra step to open the files.

[@6tom1g]

The meme would be funny to know that these are the people with only a Windows/Linux computer as a main, & Android phone. This explains the legit hell of trying to keep notes together by shear will.

[@TacticoolMobius]

When I started working(Software Eng) I started with apple notes and sublime text. Then just sublime text. Now I mostly use Jira for note taking, mostly for my own benefit. I keep track of everything I researched and thought of when working on a task. It has a search function. I can tag people in my comments. It is a rich text editor. And another benefit is now my PMs and bosses are now satisfied with my visibility even though I write a bunch of shit not for other people to understand.

[@PASTORJ880]

You and Carl Pullein are tops in this field, I disregard all the others. The fact you did this video proves the point. Ironically, after trying a few things over the years I just stayed with what’s free and at my fingertips, Apple Notes gets the job done, plain and simple, if you think you need more you’re kidding yourself. COD, baby! Keep it simple!

[@bjornunderabadsign]

COD?

[@PASTORJ880]

@@bjornunderabadsign Collect-Organize-Do. Check out Carl Pullein

[@kodi-kute]

I have 2 notion account. One for personal and the other for work. I like how it organized my thoughts

[@AdrX003]

been using Treepad+Simplenote for more than a decade, all looks fine. The only problem is that i end up stacking too much todos because new ideas show up and then these that are just ideas but not import will be there and might not find them when need new ideas i guess.

[@x7j4]

I started using Notes a few years ago, then ‘upgraded’ to Notability then upgraded again to Good Notes, then upgraded again back to Apple notes when Apple added ‘#tags”.

[@alexsafayan7684]

I'm curious what Notion does not do for people? Why do people use Notion along with Google Keep, etc, if notion literally can be used as a note taking app? I personally use Notion and Google Calendar, because I believe that is one of the only areas where Notion is lacking: calendar tracking.

[@ComfyBoi404]

I'd say the only reason I've used Keep w/ Notion is for my Samsung watch. Usually for stuff I want offline: grocery list, critical reminders, and other random notes.

[@naeshelle]

I use Notion with Google Keep because for the longest time the Notion app sucked & had unreliable offline capabilities, so my system had to account for that. I didn’t want to have to try to open the app & wait for it to load (if it did load) every time I thought of something to add to my grocery list. Now, even though the Notion app is much better, I’ve built my workflow around incorporating Google Keep & since it works for me, I don’t see a point in changing it.

[@maximilian952]

You could use notion for everything - but certain Apps are far better in their own area than notion - it is a great allrounder, but has it downsides in specific tasks

[@NYCTalkingcom]

I've always loved and used apple notes. Problem is, since moving back to windows (let's not even go to the why) its become a challenge. I don't like the web version and they don't have a desktop client. So I have tried many apps trying to find the one that is closest to notes that has a windows client, and thus far I've not found one. Granted, I do most of my note taking on the phone or ipad, but I also work on the computer. So I'm kind of stuck figuring this out. But if they had a desktop client, it wouldn't even be a thought, apple notes all the way. I was fond of evernote back in the days, but now they are just to bloated and complicated. Also, I couldn't successfully export my apple notes. I don't only have notes, but images, audio, and a bunch of crap I'd like to keep. I really wish apple made a desktop client.

[@kotgc7987]

Function 0 KISS, keep it simple & stupid (a simple app, including power if needed); Function 1 task/life management: Kanban boards (drag/drop cards) with calendar integration; Function 2 documentation: knowledge on cloud documents, alphabetised using headers H1-H6; Function 3 notes and form management: Apple Notes (solved PDF form scan, complete and sign) < Freeform. An app for all 3 functions, with sync and collaboration would be great, especially if FOSS. Traditional hierarchical structure (filesystem tree) vs binary link outliners (directed graph), leans me to Logseq using version control repositories.

[@chaskinsnc]

Great Content and spot on with my problems with productivity. I continue to find the perfect app, in reality, I need to stick with a solution and build on it with consistency. I have gone back to Evernote time and time again, I need to stick with it for a year to see what sticks.

[@idax471]

i wish apple notes worked for me but it’s too hard to find notes i use for reference, if i use it i have 20 pinned notes w emojis in titles at any given moment and still struggle to find things quickly enough. notion’s icons and drag and drop hierarchy is *so* helpful but i’m worried it’s not going to be around forever and i’m not going to be able to export my notes properly if i switch again.

[@UNBEK4NNTE]

I use OneNote and nothign else. It syncs everywhere and its as simple as the notepad with a little bit of word. And I love the colored folder pages you can make with it. Its so perfect- Never used the pre installed Apple shit.

[@ferdinandzoettl9331]

I found this video at the right time, a week ahead of starting my second year of university I was stressing out about how to be as productive as possible, and watched about 20 videos on productivity apps just stressing myself out - thanks for simplifying things

[@-toriizaka46]

same here expect im going into my first year, kept looking for the most fanciest note taking apps but just went back to my microsoft office and it has everything i need lol

[@keepproductive]

Thanks for the message, its our human nature to overcomplicate things.

[@reginen8895]

@@-toriizaka46 yes! i'm freshman and I totally stressed myself out and bombarded my phone and laptop with new apps. microsoft office is literally enough!!

[@paperlessmovement]

Nice video! I agree! And great how you responded to the criticism about productivity KZbinrs! Keep it up!

[@raiuzel]

I used to-doist and other apps, including Apple Notes, and they didn’t help at all until I found a simple app called Habit and also Notion. These two are enough for me. As for notion, I use it to record and calculate everything I do to deal with it, whether a bad or good habit. University, entertainment, and personal life. Notion is all that for me, along with the habit app, and I’m satisfied using them.

[@harryreafor]

cant wait for the upcoming video!

[@dalanazelas]

I came to this channel looking for an app that would best fit my team's style of working. After using Trello for over a year, we switched to To-doist for a year. This year (and after much research--and watching your videos on the topic), we've moved over to Notion. I use Notion for my personal life, but not nearly as intensive as I do for work. Sometimes, Apple Notes does what I need it to do for simple things-like for when I need to reference a favorite recipe while I'm at the store to purchase ingredients. Notion is great for when I need to figure out utility expenses between my roommates and I. I'm subscribed so I can stay informed, learn tips and tricks, and continuously evaluate my methods of being productive.

[@keepproductive]

That's so good to hear and I believe this is how people should use the channel and I love it, thanks Dalan!

[@Zooooman]

I love todoist

[@cheezeebutter452]

The only problem I have with Apple Notes is that there’s no undo function. I write stories in there and if I ever I try to select and delete only to accidentally highlight everything and delete, _which happens more often then you think_ well I’m just screwed.

[@aldorodriguez7310]

Capturing notes with no friction is my goal. In 2022 , those notes come to life in different formats. It could be while taking a shower, exercising or driving. The Apple Watch for example can certainly be the hardware most suitable for capturing anywhere through voice,when my hands or devices are unavailable and I need to take a note. My Apple Watch doesn’t have the “take a note “ command when I activate Siri. The HomePod has this “take a note” command but I can only use it at home. Even my old iPhone 7 has this command while holding the button to activate Siri. They can have best hardware in the market , but if they miss out in such a crucial command in the watch, they inhibit their functionality in my workflow which causes me to look for external app like Drafts.

[@Saraiscool00]

I have been using apple notes and the clander to time block, and also reminders, I have a list for every subject and all of the things i need to do. I just like them better because of simplicity and also it just comes with my device minde as well use it

[@slothguy_]

or just use obsidian for everything (calendar, note taking, hand writen notes, pdf reader, tasks, habit tracking, planing) you can do all of that with plugins

[@z.zsamad5603]

For me its: Google Calendar: Scheduling Keeps: Tasks Notion: Dream Journal + Book summaries that I write, as in notion I can organise my pages according to dates Physical Diary: Daily journal Adobe Acrobat l: to open/read pdfs

[@TevfikFikretBakan]

The size of the business/tasks matters. For an average person/student, maybe a notepad is enough. But when things are getting more extensive or complicated you have to use an advanced solution. Think like that when you eat a sandwich you don't need a spoon, fork, or knife you can eat with your hand. But when you have a square meal you can also eat with your hand but probably you mess up everywhere.

[@lifedev7305]

I agree!! It’s so easy to get lost in all kinds of cool apps when apple notes does most things just fine..

[@arashistorm6224]

I like the apple suite of products because of the ease of switching devices when needed. Of course my work computer is windows so this doesn’t work. Cross platform does matter to me but not all of the productivity tools work on my work computer because of the server

[@dobledes]

What app do y’all use to keep track of your savings? I’m looking for something simple

[@playeronthebeat]

Quick Notetaking on the fly: Google Keeps for EVERYTHING else: Obsidian. Usually, I got a couple of integrations that automagically fill my Obsidian Vault (like Readwise's own integration). Anything else doesn't really make sense to me.

[@anandshah71]

I am needing a great solution to organise my bookmarks from safari with tags evernote I am using but not happy. Can notes do it. I surf the web a lot and the pages I like need to organise in respective category and tag it for easy search

[@GarryBurgess]

Tags was a big deal for me, as was linking, and synching. Finally Apple ticks all the boxes.

[@BartvanderHorst]

Thanks, I am in a switching period, trying everything, but none of these apps really do what I want. It is amazing actually why that is... I ended with Amplenote because it almost does everything I need that obsidian can and logseq... but somehow it is too messy and you can not easily create daily notes for the future. But it syncs really great and it is fast... but the task manager is all over the place... by using all apps evernote, apple notes etc... i ended up with a deep conversation with my self that none them are actually any really good. How about just building a memory palace iand do things with my head, and use some simple trustworthy note system that is just there. Then i ended with bear... it is beautiful... but it doesnt clip websites really good. evernote does... but well... CIrcular circular madness... Mem seems to be an answer, so I see a nice view, and I enter a daily note, but the moment I start to type my screen changes into a different screen... that feels horrible I don't want that. So no Mem. Logseq in my opinion is the best, but it does not sync well because of icloud, I really lost data Obsidian feels stable, but it feels as if you have to fight for plugins... these plugins are amazing, but actually they are not. look at the daily planner, I have been busy for 3 hours to use it properly... and still... But I can not make a dayplanner on another day... wtf? Because of all the parameters and tweaking I accomplish all kind of things that feel good but are less productive then for example google calender. And so I circle from one genius app to another genius app. But none of them do it all. Doing it all shouldn't be so difficult. So then there is Notion , with the fruitful vines just out of reach of Cron integrated and solving all google cal problems... #waiting for But in Notion you can not easily link notes like in Logseq... in logseq I don't have to think about linking... But in Obsidion I don't even have to make a link, cause via references are done automatically very well.. Wel since it can go automatic... isn't there an app that can do it automatically. Yes Mem, but you have to wait until you are on the list. So... then forget it all, I will just pay for roam research... yes it is expensive, but i can use it on all platforms, and they been here for al long time it is the solution... Yeah, a lot of money for functionality i can find on the free version of Amplenote! yes but in amplenote i forget to put in the bullets... with roam it is standard. I need something that is really fast Circling and circling. So the wise man said: Use none of them... and use your own brain again... and for reference and archive use something that will stay... Applenotes? Bear? but wat about the clipper? Why do you want a clipper?