Behind the Scenes of Our Master Resource Database in Notion, Productivity App Picks, and More

June 2, 2023

Here are the things we published this week and last. You can also stay up-to-date by following us on Twitter and RSS.

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How We Created our Master Resource Database »

A couple of months ago, we were in a Blanc Media staff meeting and we were talking about one of our resources, an e-book called Procrastinator’s Guide to Progress. And I asked, “Do we have a central place to easily find all of our resources with source files and links?” Well, the answer was…. “um, I don’t think so”. So then I had the idea to track down all of our resources, PDFs, slide decks etc. and drop them into one place. So our Master Resource Database in Notion was born.

Just for a little bit of context, The Sweet Setup and The Focus Course have been around for a minute. Shawn has created dozens of PDFs, courses, and e-books and hosted even more webinars and workshops. We have A LOT of content floating around in the ether. So I wanted to create a place where we could easily access and share it without digging around our site for 20 minutes.

Mike Schmitz’s Must-Have Productivity Apps »

👋🏼 Hi, I’m Mike Schmitz, and I’m an independent creator.

Like Josh, Matt, and Jeff did previously, today I’m going to share a handful of my favorite productivity apps that are essential for how I work.

Jeff Abbott’s Must-Have Productivity Apps »

We’ve heard from Matt and Josh on which apps they consider irreplaceable for their workflows and productivity, and now it’s my turn to pull back the curtain. These days, a lot of my work happens on a work MacBook Pro that is fairly locked down. The IT-managed operating system presents some challenges when it comes to finding a good productivity balance, and these apps meet my needs on my work device and personal devices too.

Great Lock Screen Widgets for the iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max »

Apple has all sorts of widgets for the iPhone. They each seem to have evolved on top of one another, making them difficult to keep track of.

Today View widgets are accessed by swiping to the right on an unlocked Lock Screen or the Home Screen, providing some quicker access to your favorite widgets. Today View widgets range in size from small to large, with there even being a special extra-large Apple News widget only available in the Today View.

Home Screen widgets live alongside your installed apps. They update occasionally with live information. They can launch directly into a specific view in the app, or they can trigger shortcuts that string together apps right across iOS. Ranging in size from small to large, Home Screen widgets really bring out the best elements of customization on iOS.

Dynamic Island houses widgets in a sense as well. On iPhone 14 Pro and 14 Pro Max, the camera housing morphs into an interactive pop-up window, enabling you to control apps right from the pop-up, launch into the app from the pop-up, and keep an eye on your Live Activities.

Your Opinion: Notion »

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 a few moments to provide your feedback on this brief survey? Your ideas and feedback would be super helpful. Thanks!

Take the survey »

A Few Apps & Tips for Using ChatGPT to Boost Your Creativity and Productivity »

Interest in Artificial Intelligence (AI) has exploded in recent months, due in large part to the popularity of ChatGPT. While the technology is still evolving, there’s no denying the impact that it’s already having on the world around us.

In this article, we’re going to look at how to leverage AI to boost both productivity and creativity.

🚀 Upgrade: Boost Your Habits

Introducing the new Focus Boosters.

Inside our popular Focus Club membership, join us for the Habit Building challenge (a.k.a. “Booster”). You’ll find out how to make simple changes that will make your daily life better, remove distractions, and create a new simple habit.

Membership Includes: Simple Habits Course, Habit Tracking Templates, Digital Planner, Private Chat Community, Monthly Coaching Calls, and much, much more…

Get access to the archives »

Interesting Links From Our Friends and Around the Web »

Our Must-Have, Most Used Productivity Apps

We spend an inordinate amount of time sorting through hundreds of apps to find the very best. We put together a short list of our must-have, most-used apps for increasing productivity.

Send me the roundup »