Optimizing your Workday with Simplenote

this post is not sponsored, I just really enjoy their software

TL;DR download Simplenote. It’s a well thought out Notes app that supports markdown, syncs between all of your devices, and uses a tagging system to search.

Finding a good note-taking app is critical. Getting stuff out of your head for later processing is key to productive work.

To me a good note taking app is:

1. intuitive
2. lightweight
3. markdown compatible
4. searchable
5. syncs between all my devices
6. secure/private

I've used a lot of note taking softwares, to various degrees of success. I’ve used Notion, Apple Notes, bullet journaling and I even tried managing notes on Google Docs for a brief stint.

The problem was, most note taking options were much too heavy. They either took forever to open or were so bogged down with features that it distracted from the note taking experience.

Before Simplenote my favorite note taking devices were:

1. Bullet Journaling
2. Apple Notes
3. Notion

Bullet Journaling

I love bullet journaling because of the daily format. Each day is unique, and may require drawings and chicken scratch to describe, that text just can’t do. The dots, dashes and circle method is intuitive and makes searching through pages a breeze. And since it’s not put on the internet, it’s private!

But.

Carrying around a journal is a pain.
Remembering to write everyday is a pain. Losing a journal is a pain.

Apple Notes

Fast. That is the main reason I used Apple Notes. An idea strikes? Open the notes app. Want to clarify an older idea? Notes app. The search functionality is impressive.

But.

The Notes app doesn’t support markdown. This makes formatting a pain. Writing longer form content on it is out of the question.

Notion

Hyper futuristic writing-organizing-editing-workflow technology that I hope to return to in the future. Linking between pages is a joy, and there are a lot of fun toys to play with.

But.

The experience on iPad and iPhone is awful. It lags, it jumps around different parts of the document, editing previous blocks means you have to scroll and tap on them.

Simplenote

For me, Simplenote was the solution. I needed something that wouldn't take 500 years to open on my phone to capture quick ideas, but also be flexible enough for longer form content. It is password protected so I feel less nervous expressing my thoughts (still not nearly as safe as paper; given the nature of the Internet).

Simplenote allows me to organize my thoughts, monitor project completion, and capture ideas when inspiration strikes. And it syncs between all my devices! For free!

Caveat: apparently some users have ran into issues with syncing. I personally haven't.

At the end of the day, the tool needs to fit the job. If you're more comfortable on Evernote, or with pen and paper, or writing on cave walls, you do you. Find what works.