Analog vs. Digital The battle for analog vs. digital for productivity tools has never been more fierce. On the one hand, what digital tools are able to accomplish continues to amaze as technology advances. On the other hand, technology also opens the door to distractions and interruptions and there’s a lot to be said for […] »

We are pretty avid readers over here. The books we’ve read have helped shape who we are as people and what our company values and offers to our customers. We all take time in our weekly routine to dive into some kind of book, be it a business development book or a gripping novel. We […] »

Big day today! Enrollment for the Fall cohort of Focus Academy is officially open! Click here to explore the agenda and save your spot now. <<< Plus, I’m offering a little something extra special for the next 48 hours… Fast Action Bonus: Everyone who enrolls before midnight Wednesday, gets a free spot in our 2024 […] »

In just a few hours, I’m going live to help you put together a plan for maximum clarity to close out 2023. Click below to RSVP so you can join at 2pm Eastern | 1pm Central | 11am Pacific: How to Build Your Focused Life ← If you’ll set aside 60 minutes, I’ll show you […] »

Tomorrow, Wednesday, September 20, I’m hosting a free online class and you won’t want to miss it: How to Build a Focused Life (even if you hate productivity and aren’t naturally organized). You’ll get a walkthrough of the system I use for identifying, planning, and consistently getting the right things done. How I eliminated 90% […] »

We share our best tips and templates for getting started with Notion and also cover the basic elements and common use cases for getting the most out of it. »

Random fact: There are 109 days left in 2023. When I realized this, I had one thought… That’s so much time. Let’s go! When September starts, I know that it can feel as if the year is almost over. It can feel as if the projects we wanted to accomplish this year will have to […] »

If you want to know how much of a productivity nerd you truly are, there’s only one question you need to ask: How excited does the term workflow make you? 🤓 If you’re sitting at your desk doing this right now… …then you need to save your spot on our free workshop next week — […] »

When I say the word “inbox,” what comes to your mind? For most people, it’s email, right? Email is the thing we think about when we think of checking our inbox. But the truth is that we all have multiple inboxes. An inbox is just anything that collects incoming bits of information that need to […] »

Inbox Addiction is an urge to continuously check our news feeds, social feeds, and message inboxes despite undesirable and even negative consequences or a desire to stop. »

Do Not Disturb is a 3-part live online workshop that gives you a system for unlocking creative momentum and shutting out the distractions that derail your most important work. »

Do Not Disturb is a life saver. You can set it up on all your devices and it silences all your notifications. You can set it to turn on a set schedule, turn it on for meetings, or when you need to go “heads down” on an important project. »

There’s been a battle brewing over the past year or so between Matter and Readwise Reader over which is the better brand-spanking-new read later service. Here at The Sweet Setup, we try to pick the best apps and services in every category we can, but the TSS crew is split on this one, so today Josh and Matt are going to make their case for why they prefer each of these apps. »

When it comes to productivity and focus, I have a secret weapon — a book that I never see anyone talking about. Now, I know not everyone is a nerd about planning, scheduling, and setting goals, but there is a book by J.D. Meier that's just fantastic. »

Do you have thoughts about Notion? Good! We need your feedback. We’re working on some new trainings, resources, and templates for Notion users — specifically to help with prioritizing ideas and managing tasks. We’re excited about it, but before we get too far we have a quick favor to ask you: Would you mind taking […] »

Catch up on what we published this week, including a reminder on how to use Hazel to auto-file your documents, a deep look at what makes relational databases so great in Notion, and more. »

What’s so great about relational databases? We have been big fans of Notion for a while now, and relational databases are what makes Notion, well Notion. If you had a lot of organized spreadsheets next to each other that would be great, but in Notion your organized spreadsheets talk to each other. Relational databases connect […] »

This week, we are kicking off our next Focus Booster inside the community. And it’s a Complete Guide to Margin. How to go from busy and overwhelmed to…. not busy There are only two ways you can restore margin to your life. And they’re actually quite simple… As part of our upcoming Margin Reset — […] »

Quick wins are rarely the elements of a long-term strategy. If you search for quick wins, you’ll find them. But they won’t add up to anything substantial over time. Instead, focus on being consistent with smaller actions you can stick with over a long period of time. Here’s why… The two types of goals (and […] »

If you’ve ever tried to learn something new or up-level in an area of your life, but fizzled out… then we’ve got just the thing for you. 🚀  This week we are starting something new inside the Focus community membership: Focus Boosters Focus Boosters are community-led, themed challenges to help you up-level in a specific […] »

How to stop the “just checks” and keep your bias toward action. »

After teaching more than 15,000 people about productivity and time management, we’ve identified four failures to productivity (and the solutions to each). These four failures are easy to avoid. And that matters a lot because, as you can see from the image below, the four failures work together in a flywheel. A failure of one […] »

This is it! Today is the last day to get 50% off your first month of The Focus Accelerator — the most affordable way to access every resource we have for living a more focused, productive life. If you’re sweating the decision, I get it. A subscription to ALL THE THINGS can feel a little […] »

The new Focus Pathways are part of the Focus Accelerator membership. Each Focus Pathway brings together the curated course lessons and resources you need to tackle the specific challenge you’re facing or skill you want to master. »

Introducing Focus Accelerator: Your all-access pass to every course, workflow, and recourse in our library. This all-new program is launching with a special promotion for Black Friday. »

Join us for a free class where you'll get a walkthrough of our 4-Focus Method and the productivity frameworks we use every day to manage our tasks and time with a schedule that has plenty of breathing room and focus. »

Our new, free productivity assessment to help you diagnose your biggest obstacle to focus right and how to solve it. »

Version 3.6 introduces Fantastical Scheduling, which is a fantastic implementation of two powerful scheduling tools: Openings and Proposals. »

Daily proactively asks what you are working on. No more timers, stopwatches, or note-taking. »

Later today (Tuesday, Oct 12) we are hosting our October Workshop for getting your Creativity Flywheel set up and running. The workshop will be hosted live, today at 2pm Eastern (with a full replay available to everyone who registers). We’ll show you how to organize your ideas, turn them into something meaningful, and ultimately do […] »

Let's make it easier for you to do (and ship) your best creative work. »

Dashbit, a beautiful & lightweight App for tracking your habits »

This isn’t the kind of thing you’d normally find on The Sweet Setup, but we ask that you please take a moment to read this brief post about a cause we wholeheartedly believe in. September is National Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, and once again The Sweet Setup is happy to promote the Relay FM partnership […] »

This post is a video lesson from the Time Tracking module of our Simplified Time Management course. In this video, Rosemary Orchard shows you how to set up lists of options in Shortcuts to start and stop specific timers in Timery. »

Have you found yourself struggling with challenging content in video games? »

Introducing MagEZ Slider, a wireless charging dock and sliding magnetic power bank that powers the iPhone 12 series, AirPods 2, AirPods Pro, and Apple Watch. »

Here is an exciting housekeeping note for all those who’ve been following along with us the past few months related to all things Obsidian… Next Tuesday, August 3, our brand-new, in-depth Obsidian course will finally be available… To Obsidian and Beyond This brand-new Obsidian course is for those who believe that the curation and organization […] »

Charge your iPhone 8 or higher up to 50% in just 30 minutes with Paracable. »

"A juicy tour of the company Bezos built.” —The New York Times Book Review »

Save links privately, share knowledge with your team »

Capturing notes and ideas when you have them is important so that they don't fall through the cracks, but sometimes having to type out your note takes too long. You need something quick — a way to just offload what is currently on your mind so you can focus on what's in front of you. Voice memos are great for this, allowing you to speak your thoughts faster than you could ever type them. »

No office? No problem! Jamf Now manages your team's Apple devices from anywhere! »

Influnecers can drive your SEO, app store reviews, and more. »

Turn all your content to audio, instantly! »

Timeless principles meet world-changing insights from the bestselling author of Good to Great. »

Because deep thinking doesn’t happen in front of your computer. »

Important data lost by accident deletion, trash been clean-up or even an accident that results in a failure of a PC? In most cases, such files can be saved with the help of a DIY software tool. Microsoft launched such a free tool earlier this year but it’s without Graphical User Interface (GUI) and can […] »

Because deep thinking doesn’t happen in front of your computer. »

Learn a few tips for how to create a more calm email inbox. Join us on Thursday, October 1 as we host a free webinar for The Sweet Setup community. This webinar is for you… If you want less email and more focus If you feel as if Inbox Zero is impossible. If you struggle […] »

When we asked thousands of our readers about email, they said that their biggest frustration was about just how overwhelming email feels. We got feedback from folks, saying things like: “Inbox Zero feels impossible” “I don’t how to prioritize emails that truly need my attention” “I am frustrated at trying to stay on top of […] »

On September 15, 2020, Apple introduced the Apple Watch Series 6, new iPads, and few great new services that we are very excited about. Here's our overview. »

The Personal MBA will help you improve your skills – without mortgaging your life to get a business degree. »

Because deep thinking doesn’t happen in front of your computer. »

This isn't the kind of thing you'd normally find on The Sweet Setup, but we ask that you please take a moment to read this brief post about a cause we wholeheartedly believe in. »

Clean up your inbox today and keep it that way forever. »

Catch up on what we published this week, including an update to our Learn Ulysses course, and much more. »

Refreshingly unique custom business cards with endless add-on finishes! »

Manage all your tasks, notes, docs, projects & clients and stay on track. »

100 Days Home Fitness »

Less Phone, More Focus. »

Find Instagram Influencers for Your Account »

Clean up your inbox today and keep it that way forever. »

The new, 2020 iPad Pros are here. And we've gathered together the best reviews, tips, and resources for you. »

Shawn and Mike talk all things mind mapping in this webinar replay. There's even a live mind mapping example! »

Update: Taskade was founded with the goal of helping remote, distributed teams collaborate and get things done, in one unified workspace. Given the current COVID-19 situation and the rapidly increasing adoption of remote work, we have temporarily lifted limitations on the free version of Taskade. Know that our team is here for you! * * […] »

SaneBox is the all-in-one solution to email overload. It works with any email client or service, and any device – literally anywhere you check your email. »

Your calendar should save you time. Period. With Woven, you can save hours every month by making the calendar work for you. Create smart templates to rapidly create complex events. Schedule one-off links directly from your calendar or publish your availability and let people book with you online. Get direct insights into how you spend […] »

Fantastical just got a HUGE update to version 3. There's a ton that's new here, including a more polished user interface, improved scheduling tools, and an updated pricing model. »

Woven is the fastest way to schedule your life. »

The Only Calendar App with Integrated Scheduling Tools »

Get ready for the new level of remote access and computer management with Remotix. »

Resist online surveillance with IVPN »

Instead of getting a slightly bigger TV this Black Friday, give an enormous boost to your artistic powers. »

Get the best DVD ripper for free to backup and rip any DVDs in 5 minutes. No quality loss! »

MacUpdater automatically tracks the latest updates of all apps installed on your Mac. »

DearMob iPhone Manager, transfer & manage iOS devices with custom options and no data erasing. »

Don't miss your chance to try 4K Video Downloader for free. »

Download a fully-licensed copy for free and enhance your photos in seconds! »

This isn’t the kind of thing you’d normally find on The Sweet Setup, but please take a moment to read this brief post about a cause we wholeheartedly believe in. Parents: I want you to think back to when your child was born. Remember the joy you felt the first time you help them in […] »

InstantDomains.com is the quickest domain availability checker ever built! »

Win iPad Mini and Get Exclusive Discount for DearMob iPhone Manager »

Get the best 4K video converter for free to convert, resize, edit and download video easily and fast. »

Editor’s Note: This review was a joint effort between Rosemary Orchard and Curtis McHale. Brydge has made some of the better external keyboards for iPads for a few years now. The latest Brydge Keyboard for iPad Pro promises an improved feel over Apple’s own Smart Keyboard Folio, and also promises other handy features like a […] »

An easy-to-use, free yet powerful 4K video editor »

Brings sanity back to your inbox. »

In this tutorial, we’ll walk through all the different ways you can export your text from Ulysses on the iPhone, iPad, and Mac. »

The tool that lets creators stay in their workflow. »

What about a completely outstanding look? »

Fully focus in long hours of meetings or lectures. How? »

The more you use Ulysses, the better it gets. And because all your documents are plain text, Ulysses is wildly fast at searching and filtering through everything. It does’t get “database bloat.” Here are eight of our favorite superpowers of Ulysses: 1. Keywords Ulysses calls them keywords, but they’re the same thing as tags. You […] »

Try Elisi today for free! »

Use VideoProc to convert 4K videos to any format with high powered editing tools. Download from YouTube and screen record. »

We put together a list of some of our favorite gadgets, apps, tools, and toys that we've enjoyed using over the last year. »

MacX MediaTrans is a fast Mac app that helps you back up, restore and manage iPhone files. Sync 1000 photos in only 30 seconds. »

Shawn and Josh discuss their favorite photo editing apps for iOS. The apps range from VSCO to Snapseed to Lightroom CC. »

With only 5 minutes, you could use MacX DVD Ripper Pro to convert and backup any DVDs to main video formats with high quality reserved. »

1Password is fantastic for storing login credentials and secure notes, but it's also well-suited for providing a digital will for you family and loved ones. »

Find files in no time. HoudahSpot file search: Powerful. Fast. Easy-to-use. »

Supercharged emailing with space-age features. Start your free trial today! »

Knowledge Officer is a unique learning platform for professionals; building personalised and dynamic learning paths based on people’s career goals. Are you too busy to learn? Bored of long courses? You can learn a lot about strategy, business, people and product management and more by spending just “15 mins” a day on Knowledge Officer. We […] »

RefurbMe: helping you to save money on your next Apple product. »

Read the latest web design software reviews at makeawebsitehub.com »

monday.com is a project management tool which is the next generation of visual tools, built specifically for mac. It’s designed to work with ease, and allows you to see what everyone on your team is working on in a single glance. With monday.com you can manage projects and tasks in a single board, move through […] »

A quick question and answer with Team Alto, the makers of one of our favorite iOS games ever created, Alto's Odyssey. »

Clean up your inbox today, and keep it that way forever. »

It's never been this easy to take control of your privacy - DuckDuckGo, a seamless privacy solution. »

A distraction-free writing environment, so you can focus on what you want to say. »

​Sign up for the Digital Strength program and become a change-maker »

Powerful email marketing made easy with world-class support and education. »

Nowadays, VPN services are in great demand among users that prefer to protect their privacy and hide online activities from a prying eye. VPNs are essential for securing sensitive information while unsuspicious users are connected to public Wi-Fi networks. »

Clean up your inbox today, and keep it that way forever. »

Help students succeed in a tech-centric world. »

Have peace of mind that your team is working productively and efficiently. »

​Popular email extension Mailbutler is going Gmail! »

​Jamf Now - Easily manage and protect your Apple devices at work. Get started! »

Clean up your inbox today, and keep it that way forever. »

Tracking your time and productivity so you don't have to. »

One app for managing both your calendar and your tasks. »

This guide will show you how to manage your memories, your work, and your life — all using Evernote. »

Clean up your inbox today, and keep it that way forever. »

Share your personal moments, make calls, start live video, send pictures and files with one secure app encrypted end-to-end. »

Possibly the most beautiful project and task manager app. For Mac & Windows. »

To keep yourself fully secure and anonymous on your MacBook, it's wise to use a VPN service that hides your IP address. »

Detect & remove Mac malware. Clean up internet clutter. Try MacScan 3 for free! »

With TheBestVPN.com comparison site, you'll learn which VPN providers are the best for your device. »

​​Backup Your DVDs with No.1 Fast DVD Ripper »

Teams work better with Daylite. Start your 30 day trial today! »

This free tool will play "bad cop" with your clients when you need something from them. »

Clean up your inbox in minutes! »

Teams work better with Daylite. Start your 30 day trial today! »

A continually-updated short list of some apps and other gear which we recommend even when they’re not on sale, but right now they happen to be at a good price. »

FocusList is a productivity app based around daily planning & Pomodoro technique. »

​MailButler for Apple Mail saves you time to focus on the most important tasks. »

TimberTax.co provides web-based tax services for freelancers and consultants. »

Want to win more business & get more done? Try Daylite free for 30 days. »

The future of Mac apps is here. »

Tired of using Trello in your browser? Get Paws for Trello for Mac and Windows. »

Want to win more business & get more done? Try Daylite free for 30 days. »

No need to endure Outlook any longer - Hiri is beautiful, simple mail client for mac. Syncs all of your Outlook emails, calendar items, tasks and contacts. »

Want to win more business & get more done? Try Daylite free for 30 days. »

Domainr instantly searches every domain, including new ones like .supply, and let's you register it where you always do. »

Domainr instantly searches every domain, including new ones like .supply, and let's you register it where you always do. »

Still not using a password manager? Try Secrets today for Free on the App Store. »

Get more done with Daylite. The business productivity app for busy entrepreneurs and teams. »

Feed Hawk lets you subscribe to a site’s RSS feed from the share sheet of Mobile Safari. »

4K Stogram: Instagram Client for Your Mac. Browse and Download Instagram Posts. »

​Bushel is a simple-to-use tool to manage Apple devices in the workplace. »

Get more done with Daylite. The business productivity app for busy entrepreneurs and teams. »

Hoban Cards produces minimal letterpress printed calling cards. »

​Qbserve: Automatic private time tracker for Mac. See where your time goes. »

​Aggregate and organize your work from the apps you already use. »

Get your support team on the same page. Free for up to 3 users and downright cheap for larger teams! 10% off for life. »

MailButler - your personal assistant for Apple Mail​ »

Always have enough storage for your moments with the Leef iBridge mobile memory! Never worry about deleting memories again. »

Always have enough storage for your moments with the Leef iBridge mobile memory! Never worry about deleting memories again. »

Always have enough storage for your moments with the Leef iBridge mobile memory! Never worry about deleting memories again. »

Always have enough storage for your moments with the Leef iBridge mobile memory! Never worry about deleting memories again. »

BusiBI CRM 2016 is the best CRM app for the iPad and iPhone. »

Argentum Camera is a no-fuss black & white camera app. Stripped of all distractions it doesn’t ask you to fiddle around with settings and takes high quality black & white images with one tap. Perfect for street photography or really any other type of photography. Argentum is simplified to the core, so you can focus […] »

With over 1 million users world-wide, SmartDraw makes it easy to quickly create complex and powerful visuals. »

Wood-fired pizzas baked on a stone board in 90 seconds or less »

​Bushel is a simple-to-use tool to manage Apple devices in the workplace. »

This coming March 14-17, the organizers of CocoaConf will be holding a special event in the heart of Yosemite National Park. It’s called Yosemite, and it’s a conference for Apple developers, designers, and enthusiasts. »

younity: Your entire media collection in your pocket. »

Manage screen time with amazing parental controls for iOS and Android. »