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Category Archive: PSA

Notion’s Latest Features, Daily Questions in Obsidian, and More

Here are the things we published this week and last. You can also stay up-to-date by following us on Twitter and RSS. Also, we have a weekly email newsletter that sums up all the new and cool things published to the site. If you like to stay up-to-date via email, then you should sign up […] »

Let’s Build Your Habit Tracker Together

Toward the end of last year, I started a new early morning habit of writing every day. I used a few “habit building” tricks I’ve learned over the years. And, as a result, I was able to go from a blank page to a strong outline and nearly 40,000 words written. All in about 6 […] »

The Perfect Week (Save the date)

There are pretty much only two ways to plan your week: Show up on Monday and find out what happens. Purposefully plan what you actually want and need to do. Which do you think is more effective? Yeah. That’s why I decided to create The Perfect Week Plan, live-online workshop. This is a brand-new training […] »

The Power of Focus Themes

One of the most important concepts to learn as you figure out your 2024 plans comes from David Allen: "You can do anything you want, but you can’t do everything you want." [Free Workshop this Monday] »

Tomorrow is Thursday

Tomorrow, we open registration for our flagship coaching program — Focus Course Live. »

Join us Tomorrow? Last Call for Plan Your Year LIVE

This will be a live-online workshop hosted by yours truly. During the workshop, I will take you through the entirety of the Plan Your Year workbook. We’ve done this four years in a row now, and it is so much fun. (See for yourself in the P.S.) »

The 2024 Planning Kit

The annual How to Plan Your Year workshop is next week. Here's the link to RSVP for free. »

Overwhelmed? Try this…

Have you ever looked up the dictionary definition of “overwhelm”? It’s pretty intense, actually. bury or drown beneath a huge mass defeat completely give too much of a thing to someone If you’re feeling overwhelmed, then perhaps you feel as though you’ve been given too much. In fact, you’ve been given so much that you’re […] »

Focus Academy Opens…Now!

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 […] »

This only happens 2x per year…

We’re officially in what I like to call “nervous laughter” season. Why? Because nervous laughter is the typical response when I ask people how the rest of the year is looking for them. We know the end of the year is getting close… But we also know there is a TON of work that remains […] »

Build Your Focused Life: Live in a Few Hours!

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: How to Build Your Focused Life (Webinar)

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% […] »

Save the Date: How to Build a Focused Life (Webinar)

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 […] »

Let’s build your Notion setup together (New TSS Workshop)

It’s no secret that Notion is one of my favorite tools for managing ideas and notes. It’s also no secret that figuring out your own ideal Notion setup is… kind of a lot. You can spend so much time working ON your Notion workflows, that you end up never creating and working IN Notion. It’s […] »

Using Notion as a PKM, Raycast Pro, and More

Catch up on what we published this week, including a look at what Raycast Pro has to offer, what it takes to use Notion as a Personal Knowledge Manager, and more. »

Steal This Notion Workflow 🔄

We’re adding a brand-new Notion workshop to the Ideas-to-Action Focus Booster (get access inside the Focus Club membership)! It's going to help you turn Notion into your own personal idea incubator so you can accelerate your creative work. »

(Last Call) Ideas-to-Action is starts soon!

Today’s the last chance to save your spot in the Ideas-to-Action Focus Booster before our new-member kickoff call happening later today. Ideas-to-Action is our members-only, 4-part workshop series that will help you install a system that will streamline your creative work for years to come. You’ll go from swimming in notes, plans, and underdeveloped ideas […] »

Introducing: Ideas-to-Action 💡

Announcement time! Today, we are opening the doors for enrollment in our all-new Focus Booster: Ideas-to-Action. Ideas-to-Action is a series of LIVE online workshops happening inside our membership community. You will double your creative output with a simple system for organizing — and acting on — your ideas. If you’re brimming with ideas but struggle […] »

(Webinar) Write More in Less Time

In just a few hours… In today’s free workshop, you’re going to discover the key workflows for doing your best creative work — from writing, to fleshing out your ideas, and beyond. It’s called The Focused Writer: Improve Your Workflows, and it kicks off at 2pm Eastern / 11am Pacific / 6pm GMT. 👉 Click […] »

We’ve Updated Our PKM Primer

The world of Personal Knowledge Management (PKM) has evolved since we first published our PKM Intro for Creatives, so we went back and made sure everything was up to date and included some of the new app updates in the PKM space. »

Inside My Writing Process (Free Webinar)

When you sit down to write (or do any other creative work), what typically happens first for you? Do you… Get going immediately, setting yourself up for a productive session? or… You procrastinate... Check your phone. Maybe dive back into research mode because you tell yourself you’re not “ready” yet. On Tuesday, I’m going to […] »

This Writing Workflow = Peak Creativity (Free Webinar)

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 — […] »

Introducing Do Not Disturb 🌙

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. »

Today: Make your habits stick (LIVE webinar)

In just a few hours, I’m going live to show you a bulletproof approach for becoming more consistent with your most important habits and routines… …even if you’re battling a crazy schedule and more distractions than you can count. :) Join me live, TODAY… at 3pm Eastern / Noon Pacific / 7pm GMT for the […] »

Join Us Tomorrow [Free TSS Webinar]

Been more than 12 years now of running a thriving profitable business. 📶 🎉 It has not always been easy. And I rarely had the answers for what was next. But here we are. And I am having the most fun (and getting the most sleep) so far! There is one simple mantra has kept me […] »

Threats to Your Time and Attention

Continuing in our series on focus and productivity, here we will dive in to see what’s holding you back from being efficient and intentional with your time, and the obstacles you face when trying to do focused, deep work. »

Third-Wave Productivity

Clarity about what matters also gives clarity about what does not. Clarity is vital if you want to do deep work on a regular basis over the long run. »

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 […] »

Fix your endless to-do list (free workshop)

Next week, I’m giving out the blueprint for making steady progress on your most important work — no matter how many distractions your day brings or how good you are at putting things off. »

The Margin Reset: A Complete Guide to Getting Your Time Back

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 — […] »

Introducing Focus Boosters (for TSS Members)

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 […] »

FINAL day to join Focus Academy!

The clock is ticking! Focus Academy enrollment closes tonight — which means you only have a few hours left to join our special January class before time runs out. The next time we open enrollment, two things will be true: The year will be more than halfway over. Our next class won’t be until later […] »

TSS Workshop: How to solve the 4 Failures of Productivity

There are only four elements of a busted productivity system, and I want to show you how to avoid them altogether and stay on track with your tasks, your time, and your habits. If you want to accomplish anything (from the small things in your day, to the big things of life and career), then […] »

Your bonus for joining Focus Academy today

Today is December 30, which means two things: #1. You only have until midnight tonight to get The Personal Retreat Workshop + My Proven Productivity Templates Pack as a free bonus when you join Focus Academy. Focus Academy will give you the perfect plan for recharging and staying fresh throughout the year so you can […] »

How to save 75% on the Digital Planner (limited offer)

If you want to make any type of progress in 2023, you need these two things: GOALS … that match with your values and vision SYSTEMS … that keep you moving forward I designed the Focus Course Digital Planner to give you the daily, weekly, and monthly systems you need. But those systems will struggle […] »

GoodNotes is Now Free to Try

GoodNotes recently updated its pricing structure to allow new users to get a better grasp of the app before fully committing to the $8 purchase price. Now, you can create your first 3 notebooks inside GoodNotes for free. »

Big Update to Our Roam vs. Obsidian Guide

A lot has changed in the last year or so since we first published our side-by-side comparison of Obsidian and Roam Research. So we went back and updated everything to reflect the major changes in the apps. »

Get Up and Running With Obsidian in Just 2 Hours (TSS Workshop)

Ever feel like the notes and ideas you capture are going in one ear and out the other? If so, you’re not alone. Over the past year we have been getting a slew of emails from readers regarding better note taking, writing, and idea management (and the apps that put idea management on steroids). One […] »

Last Call: Black Friday Custom Offer

Today (Monday, Nov 29) is the last chance to get access to the entire Sweet Setup course library at our Black Friday promotion. Course Library by the numbers: 9 In-Depth Courses (See full list here) 175+ Lessons (Screencast walkthroughs, workflow training, and advanced coaching) 50+ Bonus Interviews, Setup Examples, and Articles 23 PDF Templates for […] »

My Workout Videos

In 2020, when quarantine hit, I bought myself a row machine. And when I do my workouts, I like to learn new things by watching videos. »

Going Live in a Few Hours (November’s TSS Webinar)

Quick heads up: Today — Tuesday, 10 November — at 2pm CST I am hosting our November TSS webinar. I’ll be talking about how to plan your year. If you want to tune in live (or get the automatic replay link) then RSVP here. Hope to see you there! RSVP NOW »

Sneak Peek at Tomorrow’s Webinar Outline

A goal setting webinar to help you find the sweet spot of how you're spending your time and making sure that aligns with your values. Plus a bunch of stuff on goals and systems and showing up every day. »

Last Call: Your Creative Flywheel (TSS October Workshop)

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 […] »

Help Us Raise Funds for St. Jude During National Childhood Cancer Awareness Month

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 […] »

Introducing: Focus Course Academy (Fall 2021 Cohort)

Don't be like me and spend years of your life doing productivity-whack-a-mole while you try to get this stuff figured out. I have condensed and cultivated everything I know about focus, time management, productivity, and work-life balance into this new, 4-week cohort: Focus Course Academy. »

David Sparks: Focus is the superpower of the next 20 years

David Sparks is the well-known co-host of both Mac Power Users and the Focused podcasts. He also writes a lot about workflows and productivity for folks who use Apple products. As a long-time friend and alumni member of The Focus Course, and was also recently one of our pilot members for the new Focus Academy. »

Alfred Adds Universal Actions with 4.5 Update

Alfred recently got an update to version 4.5. This update is a pretty big one, adding a Powerpack feature called Universal Actions which allows you to take text, URLs, or files and perform actions on them directly using a dedicated Alfred Universal Action hotkey. »

Things 3.14 Debuts Markdown Note Formatting

It’s been awhile since our pick for the best productivity app for iPhone, iPad, and Mac received a notable update. Over the past year or more, Things 3 has slowly evolved under-the-hood, becoming one of the most stable and reliable apps available on the App Store. But Things 3.14, though a small update in relation […] »

Obsidian Course FAQs

We can imagine you may be on the fence about Obsidian and about the new course. There are a LOT of apps out there fore note taking, researching, writing, etc. Will this course be helpful to you? Is Obsidian the right app for you? »

To Obsidian and Beyond (All-New TSS Course)

We don't think you should be held back from the benefits of an app like this simply because you're not sure how to set it up or use it. Here is a full list of all the modules and lessons inside the new Obsidian course. »

New Course: To Obsidian and Beyond

The all-new master-course for Obsidian users (new and old alike). Finally organize your notes and ideas to make creative output easy. »

Coming Next Week: To Obsidian and Beyond (Brand-New Course)

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 […] »

Five Things We’re Most Excited for in iOS 15, iPadOS 15, and macOS Monterey

Guess what? It’s mid-week for WWDC 2021. It’s new beta time for iOS and MacOS. And we promise ourselves every year we won’t make the download and risk losing our precious digital lives to the ether. (So far, nobody on The Sweet Setup team has downloaded the betas just yet (except for Rose) and so […] »

A Roundup of Apple’s 2021 WWDC Keynote Announcements

If you had any inclination to think Apple’s pace of product development was slowing down during the global pandemic, today’s 2021 WWDC keynote event should knock you back into reality. At 1.75 hours, this was one of Apple’s longer pandemic-keynotes, but in the end we were left with a dizzying array of features destined for […] »

Get Up and Running With Obsidian in Just 2 Hours (TSS Workshop)

Ever feel like the notes and ideas you capture are going in one ear and out the other? If so, you’re not alone. Recently we have been getting a slew of emails from readers recently regarding better note taking, writing, and idea management (and the apps that put idea management on steroids). One person shared […] »

You Can’t Manage Time

To be candid, you can’t actually manage your time. You can only spend it. How then would you spend an extra 25 hours in your week? That’s basically an extra 3.5 hours added on to each day. Or one whole extra day each week! Seem impossible? Let’s break down an average week to see where […] »

Brand New Course: Simple Time Management

Remove the mess and stress from organizing your schedule, and get back hours of your life each week. In our brand new course we'll help you win the game of time management. »

Time Management Webinar TOMORROW

Tomorrow… Tuesday, 06 April… at 1pm Central Time… We are hosting a free webinar to help you beat procrastination and buy back your time using the practice of time budgeting. Time budgeting is the practice of giving every hour a job, then measuring how well you were able to stick to your plan. In this […] »

Beating Procrastination with Time Budgeting (TSS WEBINAR)

Have you ever had that feeling where you are completely stressed out because you have so much to do, but you don't even know where to begin? You feel anxiety about falling behind, but you lack clarity on what the best thing to do right now really is? »

Today: Productivity Workshop (Register Here)

Join yours truly today for a live productivity workshop that will be all about how to better manage your tasks and your time! Because YOLO. Live-Online Productivity Workshop: March 18 @ 2pm EST with Shawn Blanc WHEN: Today! Thursday, 18 March at 2pm EDT WHERE: Live-online via Zoom (you’ll get the link once you’ve registered) […] »

Revive Your Productivity in Two Hours (TSS Workshop)

The Productivity workshop will show you how to improve your entire approach to task and time management. We will walk you through what we call the 4-Part Productivity Flywheel. There will be a combination of live training, Q&A discussion, and hands-on workflow templates. »

Prime Your Creative Pump (TSS Webinar)

We are hosting a free webinar to help you beat writer's block, make sure nothing falls through the cracks, and take action on those half-baked ideas that you've been procrastinating on by using our four-part idea system. »

Idea Magic (a TSS webinar)

Ideas are powerful things. One good idea has the ability change your world, but as long as those ideas never leave your head, nothing changes. »

Last Call for Tomorrow’s Productive Habits Webinar

Tomorrow… Thursday, 28 January… at 2pm CST We are hosting a free webinar to help you save time and automate progress in every area of your life using habits and routines. Why habits? Because habits are the key to being PROACTIVE and taking action toward your goals instead of being REACTIVE and responding to things […] »

TSS Webinar: Productive Habits

When it comes to our daily routines, we have only two options: We can be REACTIVE and deal with things as they happen. We can be PROACTIVE and take action. In other words, we can either be a thermostat or a thermometer. You see, a thermometer simply tells you the current temperature of something. It […] »

How to Run 2 Displays From an M1 Mac Mini

Editor’s Note: The LG 4k monitors used for this article are model number 22MD4KA. Some readers have reported that the newer model (24MD4KB) does not work with the mentioned adapter because it requires Thunderbolt 3 instead of USB-C. The Siig adapter mentioned here will ONLY work with a USB-C monitor. I’ve always been a laptop […] »

Make 2021 Your Best Year Yet

2020 was a doozy. From quarantines, to shutdowns, to virtual school/work/everything – 2020 has caused a lot of changes. Many of the goals we had at the beginning of the year never materialized. Which reminds me of this quote by boxer Mike Tyson: Everyone has a plan until they get punched in the mouth. The […] »

How to Free up Your Time and Attention

On Friday I shared with you my simple framework for keeping things on track. Lifestyle habits Daily Routine Process for focus Thanks to my habits, routines, and process I was able to survive an extremely difficult 8-weeks where we thought my wife might have Stage IV cancer. And, more than that, these things make up […] »

How to Get it All Done (December’s TSS Webinar)

Find out our simple, 3-part structure for combining habits, routines, and templates to your advantage. We'll show you how the pieces fit together and how they can save you time and allow you the breathing room you need in order to give more attention to the most important areas of your life in this season. »

Save $339 on the Entire TSS Course Library

Right now you can get ALL of our courses, bundled together, for only $197. The total value of the bundle is $536, which makes this is a discount of 63%. BUY NOW $536  $197 This Complete Training Bundle is your chance to get instant access to every one of our training courses, for the price of […] »

How to be Productive

Get clear on what you value and where you're going. Use systems to help you stay on track. Optimize and refine. »

Getting Clear (TSS November Webinar)

It feels like 2020 deposited a cloud of fog inside my brain. For one, there is all the crud and trauma that we have all had to deal with in 2020 so far, we’re not even through November yet. And, like many of you, I’ve had my fair share of additional challenges to work through […] »

We’ve Updated Our Review of the Best Getting Things Done App

The last major update to our review of the best GTD app for Mac, iPhone, and iPad came in 2017, when Things 3 was still quite new and when many of the best GTD apps were in the midst of redesigns and major changes. Here we are, at the end of 2020, and though everything […] »

Answers to Your Calm Inbox Questions

One of the questions that has come up during launch week has been around how the Calm Inbox approach can also help with the other inboxes in your life, so we put together a short list of answers to your most common questions. »

TSS Webinar: Organize Your Email (and Get More Focus)

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 […] »

Countdown to the Calm Inbox course…

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 […] »

Ideas and Focus: The 2-for-1 Sale

For the next three days, we’re offering two different packs for sale: An Ideas Pack and a Focus Pack. Each pack includes two courses for the price of one. »

Last Call for Special Pricing on Learn Ulysses

If you’d like to get the updated version of Learn Ulysses then this is your last chance to get it at the best price. If you snag it now then you can still get access at the discounted launch price of just $79. But after today (Monday, July 20) the price will be going up […] »

Reminder About Today’s TSS Webinar: Writing Workflows

We’ll be giving ideas for how you can wrangle the clutter and messiness of your unorganized ideas, notes, and articles, and we'll also be sharing some tips for how you can be more focused and productive during your writing time. »

The Productive, Focused Writer (A TSS Webinar)

This coming Wednesday, July 15, we are hosting our next TSS Webinar. This one is all about being a more productive and focused writer. The are a handful of common challenges that face just about anyone who does any sort of writing or note taking. But the good news is that they are surprisingly easy […] »

Working on the Learn Ulysses 2020 Update

We’ve begun work on an update to Learn Ulysses. This is one of our most popular courses, and it’s definitely my favorite here on TSS. I personally use Ulysses for so much, and I spend hours a day with it. So it’s a topic that I can very easily get nerdy about. »

The iPadification of macOS: What Does it Mean for Developers of Productivity Software?

Last week, Apple announced a ton of stuff during their Worldwide Developer Conference (WWDC). And even though they used a slide at the beginning that showed the major platforms (iOS, iPadOS, watchOS, tvOS, and macOS), many of the announcements felt app-specific instead of platform-specific. For example, new features in Maps (i.e. cycling directions) are available everywhere. I lost count of the number of times I heard some version of the statement "this is also available on the (fill in the platform blank)." As a causal observer (I'm not a developer), it seems like there's a lot of focus on features being brought first into the Apple ecosystem, then extended to all the available platforms. »

How to Watch Today’s WWDC 2020 Keynote Presentation

For the first time, Apple’s Worldwide Developer Conference (WWDC) will be completely virtual. Like other years though, the conference kicks off with the much-anticipated keynote presentation on the first day of the conference. Traditionally, the keynote offers a look at some of the new products that will be coming in the near future and gives […] »

Join TSS for a WWDC 2020 Keynote Reactions Event

Next week is WWDC 2020, and it’s fixing to be a doozy. Will Apple be announcing new iMacs? What updates will there be to iPadOS now that it’s been a full year? What one more thing might there be? Apple’s main keynote presentation will be broadcast live at 10am Pacific / 1pm Eastern. And, about […] »

An Update to Our Pick for the Best Bible App on iOS

We just updated our app pick for the best Bible app on iOS. While the overall winner is still the Bible App by YouVersion, we took a deep look at the new features and some of the new contenders that have popped up in the last couple of years. »

Brand New: Simple Habits (A TSS Course)

I’ve been a “habit nerd” for nearly 20 years. Routines have helped tremendously with my desire to keep areas of my life on track over the years. A few examples include things such as creating every day, a weekly date-night with my wife, an automatic saving and investing, consistent workouts. These certainly ebb and flow […] »

Productive Habits (a TSS Webinar)

This coming Thursday, May 21 we are hosting our next TSS Webinar. This week is all about Productive Habits. And we’ll be sharing three ways that small routines can save you time and help create success in every area of your life. There will also be time for Live Q&A to talk about any questions […] »

We’ve Updated Our Review of the Best Photo Editor for iPad

This may amount to being one of our smaller updates on record, but we wanted to give credit where credit is due. Since we published our review of the best photo editor for iPad, each of our favorite apps have received some substantial updates worthy of being included in the review. Some of these new […] »

How to Build a Journaling Habit (TSS Webinar)

This week my friend Matt Ragland and I are hosting a webinar to talk about building a journaling habit. As I shared about in my story this morning, this is something that I have personally doubled down on over the past 60 days of life under quarantine, and it has helped me tremendously to deal […] »

How to Take Better Photos (A TSS Webinar)

If you are someone who is interested in photography… This week we are hosting a photography webinar to talk about shooting, editing, and workflows. Basically, it’s the in-house TSS photography team sharing some ways that you can improve your photography using the gear you already have. Marius Masalar will be giving some practical tips for […] »

Three Ways Cursor Support in iPadOS 13.4 Changes How You Use an iPad

It’s been awhile since Apple released an iOS software update that received this much praise in such a short period of time. If you didn’t know any better, you’d think Apple had released a brand new version of iOS/iPadOS — one years in the making and sure to revolutionize the way everyone uses their devices. »

We’ve Updated Our Pick for the Best VPN Solution for iOS and macOS

Today, TunnelBear becomes our pick for the best VPN solution for iOS and macOS. TunnelBear offers great speed (not the fastest, but certainly not the slowest), a free 500MB data tier, a reasonable pricing structure, a great connection and setup process, and an overall great experience. »

Brand New Course: Manage and Develop Your Ideas

Today, we are finally opening the doors on our brand-new course for idea development. The course — Mastering Mind Maps — is all about how to manage and develop your ideas. And it is fantastic. Get Instant Access Based Your Feedback and Input Many of you may remember last year when we asked about the […] »

Behind the Scenes with Our Upcoming Course on Mind Mapping

A while back we posted a survey about capturing, developing, and organizing ideas using mind mapping. Since then we’ve been hard at work on a new course designed to help you capture inspiration when it strikes, and also to help you create a system for developing those ideas so you can be more creative and […] »

Take Control of Shortcuts for iOS with Rosemary Orchard’s New Book

There is a new Take Control book available today on Shortcuts, and it’s written by our own Rosemary Orchard! If you’re looking to take your iOS automation game to the next level, Rosemary is definitely qualified to help you. She’s written several automation posts here at The Sweet Setup on automation, like how to start […] »

Things 3.11 Brings Big Improvements to Quick Find Feature

The Things team may be one of the hallmark reasons for a wide swath of iPad-focused keyboard features over the last year to year-and-a-half. Ever since that huge Things 3.6 update back in late May 2018, the team at Cultured Code has always put iPad keyboard support at the top of the feature list. One […] »

Focus Course Giveaway (with 2020 Digital Planner)

When it comes to getting your work done, there are few things more frustrating than having too much to do, and not enough time to do it. But… When you are clear and you have the time you need… it is liberating. That’s a huge part of my own “system” for managing tasks and time. […] »

Introducing The 2020 Focus Course Digital Planner

The 2020 Focus Course Digital Planner is an interactive, digital planner meant to be used on a daily basis. And it is available now! Get Your Planner » The system in the planner is based on the proven ideas from our sister site’s flagship productivity course, The Focus Course. All you need to do is […] »

Last Chance to Save 63% on All TSS Courses

Just a friendly reminder that our Complete Training Bundle is about to go away. If you are wanting to get instant access to every single one of our courses, and take advantage of our Black Friday / Cyber Monday bundle, then this is your last chance. The promotional discount ends today: Monday, December 2 at […] »

Save 63% (a $171 discount) on all Courses in the Complete Training Bundle

Right now you can get ALL of our courses, bundled together, for only $99. The total value of the bundle is $270, which makde this is a discount of 63%. BUY NOW $270  $99 This Complete Training Bundle is your chance to get instant access to every one of our training courses, for the price of […] »

A Sweet Deal for Apple Nerds

Next week, for Black Friday, The Sweet Setup is putting together a massive deal. Later I’ll share a bit more of the “why”. But for now I’m just going to share the “what”. (We’ve never done a Black Friday deal before, so I wanted to give you a heads up.) In short, we are bundling […] »

Join us Today for A Nerdy, Live, iPad-Centric Webinar (Updated)

Update: Thanks to everyone who joined us live. It was a blast. We had around 400 folks join us live for the call. We went through quite a bit of tips and tricks and also answered a whole bunch of questions around GoodNotes, iOS Shortcuts, productivity workflows, and more. During the webinar I got this […] »

We Updated Our Guide to the Best Password Manager for iPhone, iPad, and Mac

It's only been a couple of years, but (thankfully) internet security has come a long way since we published our pick for the best password manager. While 1Password is still our favorite because it gives you a great design, powerful security features, and the ability to store just about anything private inside it, there are a lot of other options available for keeping your passwords safe. »

A Roundup of Health Features to Check Out in iOS and watchOS

Apple has made health a commitment over the last few years. In the latest iOS and watchOS there are a whole host of features which you can use to keep on top of your health, including several things new in watchOS 6 and iOS 13. »

Last Call for Special Pricing on GoodNotes Templates and Course

As you may know, earlier this week we released our brand-new course that is all about GoodNotes. And the launch-week discount is ending later tonight, btw. The response to the new course has been amazing. A huge thanks to all of our readers who signed up for the course. I’ve been hearing from folks who […] »

Some of Our Favorite Tech Podcasts

We've been listening to (and making) podcasts for a long time, and there have never been so many incredible options available to podcast listeners as there are currently today — no matter your interests — which means there are a ton of great tech podcasts out there for Apple enthusiasts like us. »

Bose Noise-Cancelling Headphones 700

For years now, Bose’s QuietComfort 35 IIs have been the industry standard when it comes to noise-cancelling headphones. Back in May, they surprise announced that they’d be releasing something a little different that could potentially unseat their own flagship product: the Noise-Cancelling Headphones 700. As Marques “MKBHD” Brownlee puts it in his excellent YouTube review, […] »

We’ve Updated our Review of Our Favorite iOS Podcast Client

We love the new innovations Overcast has pioneered like the Clip Sharing feature that allows you to create and share your favorite moments from your podcast episodes, and Castro has also made several large advances, making the decision even more difficult. »

We’ve Updated Our Review of the Best macOS Launcher Apps

If there’s one way to really bend the Mac to your will, it’s by using a keyboard launcher app. Apps like Alfred, LaunchBar, and the built-in Spotlight make opening apps faster, make finding and opening files a breeze, and make short work of tedious tasks with automations. We’ve long held that Alfred is the best […] »

Updated Course: Day One in Depth

We just updated our Day One in Depth course to cover all the latest features of Day One for your Mac, iPhone, and iPad. We’ve also included a bunch of additional articles that are full of ideas, tips, workflows, and tutorials for how best to use Day One to suit your own needs. »

A Closer Look at the Updated Reminders App: Who is it For?

This week, Apple unveiled a bunch of new features alongside their major operating system updates at WWDC. The keynote this year was jam-packed, and many major software updates only got a few moments of stage time. With so many things to cover, there were a couple that kind of flew under the radar that we […] »

How to Watch Today’s WWDC 2019 Keynote

Today is one of the biggest days of the year for Apple — new versions of iOS, macOS, watchOS, tvOS, and potentially even Apple hardware are all set to receive the spotlight. The WWDC keynote is one of the best of the year, so we recommend finding a great group of people, the best coffee, […] »

Our Review of the Best RSS App for the iPhone and iPad Has Been Updated

With the bevy of RSS app updates over the last few months, it was high time we gave our review of the best RSS app for the iPhone and iPad some polish. Over the last few months, we’ve seen some major updates to all the main competitors in this category: Unread has constantly been refined, […] »

The MacSparky Keyboard Maestro Field Guide

Keyboard Maestro is one of the most powerful and awesome apps available for the Mac. One thing you can use Keyboard Maestro for is to apply global keyboard shortcuts that can then be used to trigger just about any sort of macro, action, or script that you want. For example, I have a hotkey set […] »

Apple News from a Canadian Perspective

For the most part, Apple News has been limited to users in the US and UK, but that changed last week. Josh shares his thoughts on the News platform as well as the new updates. »

The Eight Best Ulysses Superpowers

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 […] »

A Few of our Favorite Things

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

Making Better Portraits: Adjustable Background Blur and Editing

This iPhone photography tutorial by Erin Brooks shows how to use adjustable background blur (a.k.a. bokeh) on iPhone. This video is another sneak peek video from our brand-new course on Mobile Photography. In this tutorial, Erin is uses an app called Focos along with Lightroom Mobile. Focos has long provided the same adjustable background blur […] »

Now Open: Mobile Photography Course

Our most ambitious training course yet. Mobile Photography teaches you everything you need to know to transform your photos from average to awesome! »

Our Mobile Photography Course

Our brand-new course is out, just in time for the new iPhones and iOS 12. Here are all the details and a full list of the table of contents. »

On the Apple Watch Series 4

After 3.5 years of using an Apple Watch every day, the new Apple Watch Series 4 is, without a doubt, the best Apple Watch yet. »

Thoughts and details on the just-announced iPhone Xs (Max)

A screen and a camera. That’s the gist of an iPhone. On the front, you’ve got a screen. And on the back you’ve got a camera lens or two. And today, at Apple’s “Gather Round” event, they announced the new iPhones Xs which, of course, have better screens and better cameras than before. Yes, this […] »

Big Week

There are quite a bit of exciting things happening over the next week, and in this post we want to try and communicate everything with you. »

Unlock 1Password (New Course Available Now)

The doors to our new course on 1Password are open. There are 14 video tutorials to help you discover all the amazing ways this app can save you time, energy, and keep your data safe. And, as with all our courses, you also get complete transcripts, downloadable HD files, and a 30-day satisfaction guarantee. Get […] »

We updated our pick for the best Markdown editor for iOS

iA Writer has an exquisite writing and editing environment, it has an extra-customizable keyboard that you can tailor to your writing and editing needs, and it has great exporting options to send your Markdown wherever you need it to go. »

New Time Management Course, Now Available

Over on our sister site, we have been hard at work on a huge update to our popular class on time management. And the time has come… The new class is available now. There is a complete table of contents below, but some of the main themes addressed within the class include: How to get […] »

The Calmest iPhone Yet

Each of the 3 new hallmark features — Screen Time, Notifications, Do Not Disturb — have multiple things you can do with them. Let’s go through each one to see what is going to be possible, and why it’s so awesome. »

1Password releases version 7 for macOS

We love 1Password, and version 7 for macOS adds even more great features and improvements to the best app for managing your passwords and sensitive information. »

Castro 3 is here

Castro 3 was released today, and it features a host of new features, a new subscription model, and much more. »

Things releases version 3.5

Cultured Code recently released version 3.5 of their GTD app suite to add some polish and refinements to this incredibly useful tool. »

Darkroom releases version 3.5

With version 3.5, Darkroom introduces Depth Editing, integration with Halide, and plenty of other new perks. »

Overcast updated to version 4.1

With support for password-protected feeds, 24-hour delete logic, and Smart Resume, our favorite podcast client keeps getting better. »

Twelve South Curve Review

A quick review of the Twelve South Curve laptop stand and how the stand matches up with the ever-popular Rain Design mStand. »

Apps for new iOS devices

The Christmas season is a time that many of us unwrap new iPhones, iPads, and iPods. Anytime I get a new device, I always take a look around to see if there are any new apps that can help make my mobile computing life better. »

Apps and services for the holidays

As is our annual tradition, we like to select a handful of apps and services to help you get through the season with your sanity intact. »

The Wrong Way to Manage Your Time

If there is one thing I have learned about focus and time management over the years, it is that how we spend our time and energy is an ever moving target. »

The Focus Course: Now Available

In partnership with our sister site, we just opened up registration for The Focus Course, our flagship training on productivity and time management. »

Tomorrow: The Focus Course

Tomorrow (Tuesday) at 9:00 am EST, the Focus Course will be available. Here are all the details about the course, pricing, and more. »

What an Un-Focused Life Looks Like

When you’re over toward the left on the “un-focused” side of things, you don't feel in control — it's stressful. You don't feel like there is any breathing room. And you're so frequently responding to the urgent issues of others, that you lack any clear plan forward. »

Get Back Hours Per Week (Part 3)

Continuing in our partnership with our sister site, The Focus Course, here is the third and final video in a short series we've been doing on the topic of focus and productivity. »

How to Get Your Life in Focus (Part 2)

As we continue this 3-part series, it's in this video that I reveal the “framework”I use to stay focused, organized, and on track with all the various areas of my life. It's what I call the 5 Components of a Focused Life. »

Accidental Digital Detox

In 2009, I went on an unexpected digital detox. My wife and I had booked a cabin for a week and when we arrived, I discovered there was no wifi or cell service… »

Take The Focus Quiz

We have a brand-new tool that is our first collaboration between our two sister sites: The Focus Course and The Sweet Setup. It's called The Focus Quiz, and it's a personal productivity assessment. »

Productivity Pitfalls

Let's discuss five of the most common pitfalls that will limit your results and cause immense friction and roadblocks to your workflows and systems. »

First Look: Cardhop for Mac

Flexibits, the makers of our favorite calendar app, Fantastical, launched Cardhop today, a brand new app designed to manage and interact with your contacts in a whole new way. »

Productivity & Focus Workshop Replay

We hosted our first, live workshop for Sweet Setup readers. There were several hundred who joined us for live the workshop, and it was a blast! »

Questions Answered About Learn Ulysses

We can’t say thank you enough to everyone who has supported our work and helped to spread the word about Learn Ulysses. Here are some answers to a few common questions we’ve been getting over the past few days… »

Learn Ulysses: Here It Is

Our brand-new course, Learn Ulysses, is now available. It sells for just $29. But right now to celebrate the launch week, you can get it for $23. Find Out More… Or click here to buy it now. Here’s what a few folks are saying: “This is so good! There is tons of useful information in […] »

Concerning AccuWeather

Due to news of a dishonest use of customer privacy, we can no longer recommend AccuWeather as the best general weather app for iOS. »

Behind The Scenes of Learn Ulysses

Learn Ulysses launches in a week. Here are some fun and nerdy details about the work we’re doing behind the scenes to get things ready for you… »

Ulysses vs. Day One

Recently, quite a few folks have asked me how Ulysses and Day One compare and if one could replace the other. I think it will be easiest to answer this question by explaining how and why I use each of these apps. »

What we published, and links of note

An update to our review of the best note-taking app for iOS, a reader's Mac and iOS setup, some insight into how writers use Ulysses, and more. »

What we published, and links of note

A review of the new 10.5-inch iPad Pro, a reader's Mac and iPhone setup, a workflow on using Photos.app to create slideshows, and more. »

What we published, and links of note

The best pomodoro app for Mac and iOS, a reader's Mac, iOS, and Watch setup, a tip on reviewing your passwords in 1Password, and more. »

What we published, and links of note

The best pomodoro app for Mac and iOS, our favorite Mail.app plugins for macOS, a reader's Mac and iPhone setup, a tip on using Responsive Design Mode in Safari, and more. »

What we published, and links of note

The best pomodoro app for Mac and iOS, a reader's Mac, iOS, and Watch setup, a workflow post on using Markdown and HTML with Byword and Ulysses, and more. »

What we published, and links of note

The best pomodoro app for Mac and iOS, a workflow for removing GPS data from photos, a reader's Mac and iOS setup, a tip on using the Twitter app, and more. »

Scanbot adds fax support

Here in the future, sending a fax isn't as easy as it once was. Scanbot is here to help. »

What we published, and links of note

The best secure messaging app for iPhone, a reader's Mac, iPhone, and Watch setup, some advice from Mike Vardy on working smarter, a tip on disabling sync between your Mac Desktop and Documents folders, and more. »

What we published, and links of note

The best secure messaging app for iPhone, a reader's Mac and iOS setup, a workflow post on creating PDFs from iOS, a tip on using Dropbox offline, and more. »

What we published, and links of note

The best Apple Watch app for tracking your sleep, a reader's Mac, iPhone, and Watch setup, a workflow post on automating Day One using IFTTT, a tip on customizing your AirPods, and more. »

What we published, and links of note

The best app for blocking telemarketers, robo-callers, and spam calls, a reader's Mac and iPhone setup, a tip on adding tasks to Todoist, and more. »

What we published, and links of note

The best app for blocking telemarketers, robo-callers, and spam calls, a reader's Mac and iPhone setup, a tip on using Todoist, and more. »

What we published, and links of note

The best location-logging app for iPhone, a reader's Mac and iOS setup, a tip on using Reminders, an update to Overcast, and more. »

What we published, and links of note

The best WordPress client for macOS, a workflow on digitizing receipts, a reader's Mac and iPhone setup, a tip on using Do Not Disturb, and more. »

What we published, and links of note

The best WordPress client for macOS, a reader's Mac, iOS, and Watch setup, a tip on using Alfred as a clipboard manager, and more. »

What we published, and links of note

A new pick for the best simple to-do list app for iOS and macOS, a tip on restoring files to iCloud Drive, a reader's Mac and iOS setup, and more. »

What we published, and links of note

A great list of must-have apps for your new iOS devices, a reader's Mac and iPhone setup, a tip on using Workflow for easy access to your Music playlists, and more. »

Apps for your new iOS devices

Setting up new iPhones and iPads is part of the holiday season, and we have several great apps that get you started in the right direction. »

Need More Time in the Day?

An online summit featuring candid and powerful video conversations with some of the world's best creative entrepreneurs. »

2016 Apps for the Holidays

The 2016 holiday season is officially here, and we've picked out some of our favorite apps for this holiday season. »

Holiday Tech Tips

Some things you should do for your non-techy family and friends this holiday season. »

2016 Holiday Gift Guide

We've rounded up a few of our favorite tools and apps for Apple devices that are sure to please that Apple fan in your life. »

What we published, and links of note

The best app for managing personal finances and budgets, a reader's Mac and iOS setup, a tip on managing Wi-Fi networks in iOS, and more. »

Barefoot College, iPads for India

The Barefoot College trains middle-aged women from rural villages worldwide to become solar engineers, and Fraser Speirs has just launched a new fundraiser to purchase and transport a set of iPads to benefit the training mission. »

What we published, and links of note

The best online, collaborative document editing suite from last week, a reader's iOS and Mac setup, a tip for using Outlook for iOS, and more. »

What we published, and links of note

Our pick for best general-purpose weather from last week, a reader's iPhone setup, a tip on keeping your iCloud devices tidy, and more. »

A Focus on Time

Things like diligence, focus, priorities, saying no, time management, and the like are important. But why? This quote by Benjamin Franklin pretty much sums it up for me: “Dost thou love life? Then do not squander time, for that’s the stuff life is made of.” Focus, priorities, time management, etc… These are important because they’re […] »

What we published this week

An iPhone dock review from last week, a reader's Mac and iPhone setup, some news from AgileBits and Droplr, and more. »

Day One 2.0 is here

Day One, our favorite way to journal with your Apple devices, just got a huge update. »

Technology resolutions for 2016

2016 is almost here, so it's a great time to think about how you'll use technology this year, and perform useful upgrades and audits. »

Apps for the Holidays

The holidays are here, and we've collected some of our favorite apps to help you through this busy but special time. »

What we published this week

We announced a new eBook about our favorite journaling app, Day One, along with several tips for using it. »

How To Filter Your Day One Entries on the Mac

With Day One, there are many ways to view and filter your timeline of entries. We're going to show you how they all work, as well as how you can also mix and match for advanced filtering of your timeline view. »

The Advantages of a Digital Journal in a Digital Age

There are many advantages to using a digital journal. Not only can it easily store photos, location data, timestamps, and more. It's also always with you (on your iPhone), your information is backed up and secure, and you can quickly search past entries. »

Available Now: ‘Day One In Depth’ eBook

Make the most out of your journaling with our comprehensive guide. *Day One In Depth* is the most detailed and extensive guide to Day One available today. Featuring in-depth reviews that cover every function and feature found within Day One, our handbook goes line by line showing you how to make the most of this award-winning journaling app. »

What’s In My Day One?

Because I’ve put so much time and so many words into my Day One over the years, I wanted to share a bit of how and why I use it… »

Scanbot 4 released

Scanbot 4 brings Workflows and Quick-Actions to the best iOS scanning app. »

The Sweet Setup Back to School Guide

With school starting back up, it's a great time to re-evaluate your setup and tools. Here are some of our favorite apps and devices to power through those long days of class and long nights of homework. »

What we published, and links of note

Here are the things we published this week, as well as some great link material. You can also stay up-to-date by following us on Twitter and RSS. Also, we have a weekly email newsletter that sums up all the new and cool things published to the site. If you like to stay up-to-date via email, […] »

App Camp for Girls launches Quiz Compendium

App Camp for Girls is an amazing program that teaches girls how to design interfaces, develop apps, and learn about the software industry, all while being mentored by some of the most inspiring women in the business. Quiz Compendium is an app built by campers. It comes with 15 personality quizzes like “Which Plant Are […] »

Advertise With Us

The best way to promote your product, service, or company directly to our readership and site visitors is through a sponsorship of the site. »

Shifts: An iPhone Work Calendar

Shifts makes managing an irregular work schedule easy by creating shift types that you can easily apply to your calendar. Once you create the shift types, inputing your schedule is quick and simple. »

We’re excited for 2015

2014 was a year of progress for Apple and the App Store, and we're excited about what's coming with 2015. »

The Ultimate Unofficial Dropbox Guide

On sale this week. Unleash your inner organization freak with these ebooks, and maximize your Dropbox potential. Dropbox is not just a folder -- it’s a tool to simplify your work and personal life. »

Thanksgiving Apps

Thanksgiving is here. We hope that for you this week will bring time with family, a lot of cooking, and (hopefully) some time to rest and relax. »

It’s Our 1-Year Birthday

Just one long year ago today we launched The Sweet Setup. Our aim was to be the place you go when you (or your friends) want the best app for a certain category. That is still our aim. »

What we published this week

Our favorite GTD suite of apps, the process behind our Hero images, some of our favorite OmniFocus tips, a Mac and iPhone setup, and more. »

What we published, and links of note

Our favorite document scanning app for iOS, a tip on viewing desktop sites on your iPhone, a nice setup, and a lot of awesome-ness from Tools & Toys. »

What we published this week

Our pick for the best Markdown writing app for Mac, a tip on iOS 8 battery usage, a setup, and more. »

iOS 8 is Awesome

With iOS 8 -- which is being released today -- Apple has re-invented many things about the OS that powers the iPhone and iPad. Limitations which have long shaped the very nature of the OS and what apps can do have been lifted. »

What we published this week

The best VPN solution for OS X and iOS, a great tip for launching Flash URLs in Chrome from Safari, a standing setup, and more. »

Cheers, Editorially. Now what?

Editorially, our favorite editing tool for all the words on The Sweet Setup, is gone, and we're trying to find a replacement. »

What we published this week

A rundown of the current photo management options, a quick tip, a couple of great app updates, and more. »

PDF Expert releases version 5.1

PDF Expert, our pick for the best PDF app for the iPad, received a nice update that makes it a universal app, and much more. »

Advertising and Sponsorship Availability

Interested in promoting your awesome product, service, or company directly to our readership and site visitors? Great! We've recently changed our prices and options for advertising and sponsorships. »

What we published this week

Our pick for the best password manager, some great apps on sale, a sweet setup interview, and a quick tip. »

What we published this week

Some of our favorite apps are on sale, a tip for getting rid of duplicate "Open With" entries, and an interview. »

What we published this week

A look at some popular apps and updates, thoughts on the best iPad keyboard setup, a quick tip, a Sweet Setup interview, and more. »

What we published this week

A review on Dispatch for email on your iPhone, an update to Dark Sky, using Siri with reminders lists, a sweet Mac setup, and more. »

On the updated Dark Sky app

The recent Dark Sky update brings a new look to the popular app, but it's not enough to displace our favorite general purpose weather app — Check the Weather. »

What we published this week

An exhaustive list of apps that the staff at The Sweet Setup love, a tip about dictation on OS X, a sweet setup interview, and more. »

Pushpin 3.1 update

The newest update to Pushpin, our pick for best Pinboard client, received a slew of awesome updates, such as keyboard shortcuts and custom feeds. »

What we published this week

Lots of updates to several of our favorite apps, an excellent setup interview, plus some tips on using synced iCloud browser tabs. »

Day One’s new Publish feature

Today, there's a significant update to Day One, our favorite journaling and logging app. The update is a new feature called Publish, and it lets you selectively share your Day One entries to the Web. »

What we published this week

A look at our most popular apps, a tip on using 2-step verification, a sweet setup interview, and more. »

What we published this week

An update to our favorite iOS photo editing app, some tips on using the amazing accessibility features in iOS, a sweet interview, and more. »

The VSCO Cam 3.0 update

With the 3.0 update to our favourite photo editing app for the iPhone, VSCO Cam is now better than ever. »

What we published this week

Our pick for the best Pinboard app, a tip for using Tweetbot instead of RSS, an awesome interview, and more. »

What we published this week

Our pick for the best music streaming service, a tip for quickly recording audio on your Mac, this week's interview, and more. »

Our weekly review

Here are some highlights of what we’ve been up to the past couple of weeks. »

What we published this week

A list of our favorite games, the best iPad app for managing PDFs, a Sweet Setup interview with Matthew Panzarino, and more... »

Several of our favorite apps are having a holiday sale

There's an App Santa promotion running, and several of our favorite iOS developers have put their apps on sale for the holidays. Here are a few apps we heartily recommend, even when they're not on sale. »

Our Weekly Review

The highlights of what we’ve been up to this past week. »

Our Weekly Review

It has been two weeks since we launched the site. Here are some highlights of what's been recently published. »

The Dime Tour

Welcome! We're here because we enjoy spending an inordinate amount of time and energy to research, test, and find the very best apps. »