I went really deep on this for a while, to the point of looking at lots of the apps mentioned here. I actually find productivity speak interesting because it’s a unique factor of the age we live in. What I found personally was that interest in the system quickly overtook the excitement of doing the work. I looked at everything from apps, self-built wiki’s to notebooks and the works.
But then I started to find that an old method works best. I have a bunch of notebooks that pile up which in essence are journals on various topics, including my work diary (Volume 9 available nowhere now!) This is literally a rolling capture of to-do’s and jumbled thoughts. I also have work related diaries for book notes and other more in-depth topics. I also have one for music learning. I find that my brain retains the information well this way. There’s enough of a system to keep on top of things, but not too much complexity to distract me from that job.
The single thing that pulled this all into one place for me was the idea of going back to a notebook once finished, and creating a table of contents, and rewriting elements I need for future recall. That way I am able to find anything I need. I just have 2-3 A4/A5 notebooks for everything and yeah… That way works best as a general approach to productivity. Hope that’s useful and somehow relevant.
I definitley wouldn’t kick yourself for that. I’ve grown to recognise a moment where I’m in shopping mode where I look for theories that fit what I’m doing. Happens with work, happens with music. This isn’t the “if I only have X then Y will be easier/better/finished” but more a question of being excited by tools and approaches. I think tools and techniques really matter, more than we give credit to. Your tools shape you as the saying goes. I have almost an on/off switch with this stuff where I get excited about the exporation and the journey to finding a new thing, but then literally I’ll go cold turkey on it and crack on. Strange how the mind works eh?! I guess that somewhat explains this specific sub-genre of tools - I just ended up back at pen & paper.
I am going to echo pen and paper.
I’ve tried a crap ton of apps for organizing todos and they all seem blah. I keep several todo lists on pen and paper, an immediate one and one thats a long term one. All ideas go on the immediate one but if something stays on there past everything else being completed it gets moved to the long term one (thats on fancy paper i usually get from https://www.russellandhazel.com/ cause i love fancy pens and paper stuff).
I get a brain boost when i cross things out with pen thats why i stay putting simple things on my todos.
For longer notes i use to use evernote until my login credentials were stollen and used maliciously. I’ll never use an app i have to create an account for to use again. Text edit on a mac works for me. Sometimes google docs if i have to collaborate but im kinda paranoid with online things (read security nut).
I use a hybrid setup to help with study, lesson planning, and blogging. I use Obsidian to keep big, massive lists of tagged links and clippings from my Kindle account, so that I can search quickly and access that link from that thing. Obsidian isn’t mobile though, so I use Apple notes to temporary hold any ideas out in the wild, then periodically dump them all into Obsidian and clear them out.
But when it comes to actually connecting and deploying my notes, I use a notebook. I don’t trust myself to think clearly with an internet-connected device. Paper also forces me to think with care and concision, rather than just blathering at length. It’s like music: constraint is inspiring.
There’s an Obsidian app! I pay for Obsidian sync which syncs my notes between my phone and all of my computers. If you know how to use git, there are extensions to use your vault as a repo for syncing as well.
Big vote for Obsidian as well. I use Trello for team stuff, but Obsidian for everything personal. There are extensions for just about anything (repeating tasks, Trello-style boards, calendars…). 1.3 just added in a PDF reader so I’ve been using that to organize gear manuals and DSP research papers.
I also tried this thing once. Cool concept but one time they updated the app and i lost all my digital notes, of course i still have the written notes tho. Smart Writing Set Black | Moleskine
Thanks for all the replies so far, folks, I appreciate reading the different perspectives on this topic.
I understand this, but, for me, pen and paper has been what’s causing my issues.
It would be easy for me to return to that way of working, but I want to be paperless and be able to organise my notes to be useful/cohesive/productive.
I like physically writing though (and dislike typing), which is why I got the Apple Pencil, plus a Paperlike iPad screen cover to make writing feel more familiar/organic.
I travel quite a bit too, so taking 3-4 pads around with me just isn’t practical, esp when I’ll have the devices with me anyway.
Then there’s the trees. I like trees.
This is something I can definitely relate to right now.
It seems that the apps are quite interchangeable, the power is in having a system and sticking to it. I like that Trident approach… also been reading/watching about the PARA method.
Since I’ve started on this a few days ago, it feels quite overwhelming, like I have way more work to do in getting organised than I’d realised…
I’m currently focussing on using Google Cal (with Fantastical) and Todoist as my main tools for getting myself to the starting line! (And using GoodNotes (which I like a lot) as my notepad/note system.)
You’re right, I had somehow confused Obsidian sync with “costs more time/money than I’d prefer” with “no option is available.” Of course, for lots of Obsidian users, sync is absolutely worth the cost. But in my case, it wasn’t worth it.
I’d like to add: The dependency you create on these systems or apps. Some of us can’t imagine this, but there was a time that people were very organised when internet synced apps and “cloud pm” wasn’t a thing .
And a (digital) agenda. Using pen and paper also trains your brain, so you’ll easy remember what you need to do and make your unconscious part of the brain do the hard work (like prioritizing and problem solving).
Have a notebook for work and leave it at you workplace. Same for music projects or your house. This way you’re never tempted to mix things up: This keeps you focussed on what you want to do.
Well… the batteries, power and resources needed for those devices and traveling in general is much more harmful for “the trees” (environment) than the wood used for paper.
There are notebooks made from recycled paper.
I’d say it really shouldn’t be that complicated to get organised. Keep it simple and focus on steadyness and dicipline which are important to make any method work.
I would take this on step further, as tools, apps and methods are just ways to fix the symptoms of “unorganised-ness” and not the cause: Take care of yourself as much as possible: exercise, meditate, have enough sleep, eat healthy, limit (or quit) alcohol or drugs. When your body and mind are fueled and rested, it’s much easier to get organised, whatever method you choose.
To do lists in Apple notes. Used to just use paper.
Use a calendar to schedule things I have to do. This also leads to decisions about what’s most important.
Do the most important stuff when I expect to feel best.
Block out time at end of the week for planning.
Schedule time for music, life, etc.
Keep the organizational structure as light as possible and spend as little time as possible on it. For instance, I don’t delete emails. It’s not because I’m sentimental but because it eliminates dozens of micro decisions from my day. My computer folders are also broad categories. I let search do the rest for me.
At work we use Notion and it is good. I think it is missing some keyboard shortcuts that would improve the experience for me, but otherwise there are very few rough edges and it is very powerful.
From about 2008 to 2016, I used an Apple Newton, which taught me how much I gel with (1) a well-crafted pen interface and (2) outlines and outlined checklists [which Notion also has].
I left that Newton on a plane by accident and never got it back. Switched to a Filofax which had the benefit of being pen/written, with pages I could tear out / throw away, and it was not as attention-grabbing from strangers as the Newton. But I failed to buy new calendar refills for it during “pandemic lockdown supply chain issue time” or thereabouts, and suddenly… was no longer organized at all. Things got really bad. I’m digging myself out; bought new refills for the Filofax and resuscitated a different Newton, hoping one of them becomes my go-to again.
I’d like to try out a Remarkable tablet but I don’t know how elegant they are for outlining and task management.
Can’t bring myself to invest fully in the Apple or Google ecosystems for calendar/todos.
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