While Notion is unquestionably powerful and customizable, it's not always the snappiest app, especially on mobile devices, so navigating from one project to another in Notion can be a little painful. Today, we're going to look at a few ways to navigate to the Notion board you want as quickly as possible. »

Calendars are in a weird metamorphosis period right now. How we use calendars is changing, this is clear. But where calendars are going is hard to pinpoint — we’ve seen calendar apps with to-do lists, AI integrations, and even full-on email applications built in. I’m not sure I can stand here and define what the winning calendar combination will be. »

One of the main things that attracted me to Notion was that it is a visual tool. I can add beautiful and inspiring images and awesome emojis that make me want to use Notion more. Looking at a pretty picture of a European coffee shop while also staring at a task list makes it more enjoyable for me. »

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. »

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

If you’ve been around here at all, it’s no surprise to you that I am excited about Notion’s newest update to the button feature. As soon as it came out, I was already trying to figure out how to create Notion buttons to help automate my workflow and the workflow of my teammates. »

Notion can be a pain in the butt. It can also be the greatest thing ever. Here is how we are using Notion to build and ship our upcoming Obsidian course. »

Notion AI Q&A is the key to unlocking a new type of productivity in our office. It’s effectively the executive assistant in the office, ready with a quick answer whenever you have a question or ready to find an update for something you know you worked on months ago. »

My system for shopping and figuring out what people want for Christmas has evolved over the years. I used to just have a running note on my iPhone, then a spreadsheet. Last year when I was just getting into Notion, I created a simple little setup. But this year I took it up a notch. »

We recently switched from Basecamp to Notion for managing our content calendar. After two weeks, here are some of our initial thoughts and experiences. »

I’m a professional accountant, so my daily work consists of financial and tax reporting, consulting, and communicating with clients via video and written memos or emails. AI is useful for some of these, but certainly not all. Here are some ways I use Notion AI in my daily work. »

Catch up on what we published this week, including some tips on quick-capture in Notion, connecting Notion databases, and more. »

Over the years I have devised different systems for my family's Christmas. I love receiving gifts, but I also love giving gifts. It’s become a bit of a sport for me. I used to use the Notes app on my iPhone, then a spreadsheet to keep track of what I bought people. But the last few years I’ve used Notion to create a user-friendly, fun Christmas list. »

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. »

Over the past 6 months, Notion have added several major features to the app and its functionality, and they also launched a Calendar app. In this article, I will be reviewing some of the newer updates that have hit the internet. »

Catch up on what we published this week, including a focus digest on showing up every day, a look at how you can use Notion's new calendar feature, and more. »

I use Notion almost every day in some capacity. It is the main project management software we use here at Blanc Media, and I also use it for all my side hustles. I also use it as my predominant task list manager, and since it’s one of the apps I use the most, it made sense to start tracking my habits in my personal, customized dashboard. »

Notion is constantly coming out with new features, which as an avid user, I greatly appreciate. One of the most notable new features is sub-tasks and dependencies. This is a fantastic new feature for those who work on a team in Notion, making it an even stronger contender with Asana. The dependency feature lets you […] »

Catch up on what we published this week, including a look at using AI for real-world tasks, some great productivity apps, and more. »

I can point to a sequence of events that led directly to my current hybrid productivity setup. It started last year when I attended Focus Course Academy. One of the mini-lessons nestled in the middle of the academy was a crash course in time-blocking. In hindsight, time-blocking is so obvious. If you want to ensure you get something done, it needs to be part of your calendar. But actually time-blocking isn’t all that obvious. Do you do the time-blocking in your digital calendar? Do you buy a physical notebook and sketch out each day? »

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 […] »

A couple of years ago, Shawn created a productivity dashboard in Ulysses. As you can read more about in that original article, Shawn was working to build a central spot to hold everything he was working on that week: his schedule and most important tasks as well as a place to easily access and work on his notes, ideas, and writing. Anyway — Shawn challenged me to create something similar in Notion that could include the functionality he was looking for. »

When you develop a system, it helps you to create and enforce the habit you need to actually get stuff done. When I create a new system or habit, I want to automate as much as possible so I can spend more time actually doing stuff... In this case: writing. »

Catch up on what we published this week, including an interview with James Clear on building better habits, some examples of how we use Notion AI Q&A, and more. »

Catch up on what we published this week, including a look at Omnivore as a read-later option, some thoughts on using Notion's AI-driven Q&A feature, and more. »

Catch up on what we published this week, including a look at how Chloe uses Notion as her PKM system, a comparison of LogSeq with Obsidian and Roam, a look into a great Mac menu bar utility, and more. »

You can create a personal podcast feed using Dropbox and JustCast. »

I officially joined the Blanc Media team in September of 2021. When I joined, I had some understanding of productivity, habits, focus, and all of those exciting things. But when I first heard the term “PKM” I drew a blank. What the heck is PKM? Over the last two years, my understanding of what PKM is has grown quite a bit. I realized that PKM (Personal Knowledge Management) is not just for the super-nerd or the information hoarder. The concepts within personal knowledge management can be utilized by anyone, and at the end of the day it’s about doing more creative work. »

If you’ve been around here at all or are a fan of the Personal Knowledge Management (PKM) world, you’re no stranger to the term “Quick-Capture”. Quick Capture is an essential component of a good PKM system. Since Notion is my go-to app for pretty much everything, I’ve worked out a few ways to create a good system for quick capture in Notion. »

Catch up on what we published this week, including an intro to the mechanical keyboard world, an update to our beginners guide to Notion, and more. »

Catch up on what we published this week, including an update to our beginner's guide to Notion, some interesting links from our friends, and more. »

Catch up on what we published this week, including a look at how Matt organizes his life with Notion, an announcement about GoodNotes' pricing model, and more. »

Catch up on what we published this week, including a look at how personal retreats work, some ideas for using Notion as a gift list, and more. »

One of the things that makes Notion such an interesting tool is that it’s built to be whatever you want it to be for you. Some people use it for one thing and others will use it for completely different things, and that’s awesome! There’s a place for focused software that everyone uses the same way, but Notion is not in that category at all. »

Catch up on what we published this week, including a look at using Notion to organize your Christmas lists, going through a personal retreat organized in Obsidian, the Tools & Toys Christmas Catalog, 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 […] »

Catch up on what we published this week, including some tips on using Notion's new Button shortcuts, a Shortcuts app for Obsidian, lots of WWDC news, and more. »

In this article, I am going to go over how to create a wishlist and how to share it with others, which can be a bit more complicated and nuanced than you would think. »

Catch up on what we published this week, including a look at how we use Notion at Blanc Media, a quick review of a great menu bar wallpaper app, a tip on using Siri to send voice messages, and more. »

Notion has fundamentally changed how I work with clients on freelance projects. Not only has it given me a way to track my progress and organize everything for myself, but it’s given me a way to share that progress with my clients in a way that always impresses and makes me look like a real pro. »

Catch up on what we published this week, including a look at how our Notion workflow is working so far as an editorial calendar, a look at a great app for launching all the various web conferences you have to join throughout the day, and more. »

Earlier this week we moved all of the planning and collaboration of our editorial calendar over to Notion. Here's why. »

You’ve probably already started the new decade hearing about Notion from somewhere. Whether it was on Product Hunt, your Twitter-sphere, or just people nattering about it at work, Notion is gaining attention all round the web as the new shiny productivity tool in town. With much anticipation, across the last two years, people have flooded […] »

As any long-time reader of this site will know, I am a huge fan of the app, Day One. A few years ago we had written a pretty great guide to Day One, and right now we’re wrapping up some HUGE updates to that guide. (More on that in a bit.) As part of our […] »

Catch up on what we published this week, including a look at a new habit tracker called Polar Habits, some tips on using sub-tasks in Notion, and more. »

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. »

Catch up on what we published this week, including a look at customizing Obsidian into the perfect writing app, using Notion for time and task management, some new iPad review links, and more. »

Catch up on what we published this week, including a look at mapping out your task management as a workflow, an interview on using Notion for time and task management, and more. »

Catch up on what we published this week, including a look at using Notion to replace Evernote, a look at a minimal text editor scratchpad, and more. »

Before embarking on this journey of creating the Ultimate Notion Habit Tracker, I did some research. There have been some great updates to Notion semi-recently (such as repeating tasks, templates, and improved buttons), and I wanted to take full advantage of them. I also looked around the internet to see what was out there and saw lots of great templates, including Notion’s own Habit Tracking template. »

Catch up on what we published this week, including a behind-the-scenes look at our Notion resource database, Jeff and Mike's productivity app picks, and more. »

A little over a year ago, I had the immense pleasure of meeting a lady named Crystal Schaefer. She’s a wife, mother of two, and a great friend. Oh, and she’s a phenomenal brand strategist. I’ve gotten to work with her on a few projects over the last year, and I’ve been blown away by her mad skills. »

We made the transition to Notion as a team in August 2020 and we've never looked back (mostly). We use it for all of our projects, dashboards, and most, importantly our editorial calendar. »

Catch up on what we published this week, including a mindful look at how we sleep and wake up, an automation post on using Workspaces in Drafts for iOS, and more. »

NetNewsWire 5 debuts as one of the simplest and speediest RSS readers available for the Mac and has a classic, recognizably-Mac design that fits right at home in all versions of macOS. »

Catch up on what we published this week, including some tips on finding the right habits, building habits, 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. »

Catch up on what we published this week, including a look at a tool for tracking your library, some options for using Notion as a Christmas list tracker, and more. »

Catch up on what we published this week, including an in-depth look at how to set up your own productivity dashboard in Notion, some interesting links, and more. »

Catch up on what we published this week, including a few examples for using Bunch on your Mac, a deep dive on using Notion to develop a writing habit, and more. »

Catch up on what we published this week, including a look at Chloe's Notion setup for habits, a tip for collecting and sending links, an upcoming Obsidian workshop, and more. »

Catch up on what we published this week, including a look at Mike's method for creating a minimal iPhone Home Screen, some of Notion's latest updates, and more. »

Catch up on what we published this week, including a quick tip on using Shortcuts to send emails to a specific person with minimal effort, some details on an upcoming webinar on planning your year. »

Catch up on what we published this week, including an exciting announcement about our latest upcoming course, some tips for using Obsidian, and some awesome links. »

Use a text editor to discover the feed address of an iTunes-only podcast. »

Catch up on what we published this week, including an updated Notion Habit Tracker for 2024, updated reviews of the best calendar apps for Mac and iPhone, and more. »

Catch up on what we published this week, including a look at using Notion as a habit tracker, our new Focus Boosters, and more. »

Catch up on what we published this week, including a look at Chloe's Notion-based PKM system, some tips on using Magnet to arrange windows in macOS, and more. »

Catch up on what we published this week, including a review of Grovemade's latest desktop shelf, the final portion of our Elements of a Sweet Setup, 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 […] »

Obsidian will be adding the ability to use properties in notes soon, and we look at how they work and compare with 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 […] »

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 […] »

Catch up on what we published this week, including a look at how digital and analog tools compliment each other for a productive workflow, and more. »

Regardless of your level of RSS usage, we have an app recommendation for you. »

The best app for annotating images in iOS, a reader's Mac and iOS setup, a tip on optimizing storage in macOS Sierra, and more. »

The best markup app for iOS, a Tools & Toys editor's setup, a tip on creating PDFs with macOS, and more. »

The best iOS app for annotating images, a reader's Mac and iOS setup, some tips on getting the most out of Scanbot, and more. »

The best iOS Music app replacement, a reader's Mac, iOS, and watchOS setup, a tip on using Google Docs, and more. »

Catch up on what we published this week, including a look at launching specific Notion boards, using web apps in Arc browser instead of native apps, and more. »

There are many apps that grace the Mac and iOS App Stores that simply don’t get enough attention or admiration. Sometimes an app is so good at what it does, it becomes the default app for the task and is rarely questioned. Sometimes a new app debuts in a given category and, while it shows […] »

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. »

Catch up on what we published this week, including a look at how Josh's setup has evolved and changed to support his productivity and creativity, a roundup of awesome Obsidian plugins, and more. »

Catch up on what we published this week, including a list of our favorite books, creating custom planner templates in GoodNotes, and more. »

Way back in February 2021, I wrote about how I used the iPad to study for the biggest exam of my life. The iPad is the best educational tool in the world, and I had developed a bit of a process over the last 10 years to get as much out of the iPad as possible. Here’s how I’ve adapted the first two steps of Mike’s Creativity Flywheel (Capture and Curate) to my own personal workflows. »

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. »

Catch up on what we published this week, including some advice on margin, using sub-tasks in Notion, and more. »

Catch up on what we published this week, including a look at the Opal C1 webcam, a look at the latest version of PDF Expert for Mac, and more. »

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

Catch up on what we published this week, including a look at Mimestream for Gmail on macOS, the latest PKM tool on the market, and more. »

Catch up on what we published this week, including a look at some great lock screen widgets for iPhone 14 Pro (Max), must-have productivity apps from our team, and more. »

Catch up on what we published this week, including a look at Josh's must-have apps for productivity, some apps for using ChatGPT on macOS and iOS, and more. »

Catch up on what we published this week, including a summary of our thoughts on Apple's latest announcements, an update to our Obsidian, Roam, and LogSeq comparison article, and more. »

For the past few weeks I have been experimenting with a Productivity Dashboard inside of Ulysses. Here's a look at what is good, and what's not good, about this setup. »

Catch up on what we published this week, including the three waves of productivity, tweaking your productivity systems for busy seasons of life, and more. »

Catch up on what we published this week, including some tips on boosting your productivity, some interesting links about recent Apple announcements, and more. »

Catch up on what we published this week, including a look at Matt's experiment with using Todoist instead of Things, an upcoming webinar on being more productive, and more. »

Catch up on what we published this week, including a nerdy workflow on managing projects with Alfred and Obsidian, using simple daily prompts for Day One entries, and more. »

Catch up on what we published this week, including a look at building habits, a nifty Fantastical feature, some insight into using Notion to track habits, and more. »

App categories seem to go through rainy seasons and dry seasons — an entire category will go years without any major update, any major splash, or any major new competitor, then suddenly the entire category is uplifted from its roots and the cobwebs get shaken out. It’s quite the phenomenon to observe. »

Catch up on what we published this week, including a look at the new Onyx Boox Tab Ultra for hand-written digital notes, and more. »

My wish for an M1-powered MacBook Pro came true in October 2021, of course. And then some — not only can these new MacBook Pros drive two external displays, they can drive four displays, all while fast-charging, reading and writing directly to SD cards, and more. These new MacBook Pros are indeed dreams come true and I had to have one. »

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. »

Catch up on what we published this week, including a look at Readwise's new RSS tool, simplifying your apps, and more. »

Catch up on what we published this week, including some guidance on reducing the number of apps you use, a look at the Onyx Boox Tab Ultra, and more. »

If I had written about using web apps in Arc a month or two ago, I would have discussed how this was a failed experiment. Instead of using the native Notion, Hey, and Slack apps for macOS, I opted to create spaces and tabs inside the new Arc browser. The apps behaved super quickly in Arc and all the latest and greatest features were present from the start. »

Catch up on what we published this week, including a look at the new Logitech MX Master 3S mouse, organizing your writing with Ulysses, and more. »

Here are a few ways our team and colleagues of ours use Loom to save time each day and add some flair to their communication. »

I have loved slowly fidgeting with my iPhone Home Screen, especially with the new updates to iOS over the years. But I think it’s time for a total revamp. My Lock Screen image has been the same for at least five years. Some of my apps have been in the same place since I got my first iPhone, almost 10 years ago. So, I decided it was time to change it up. »

Catch up on what we published this week, including the new To Obsidian and Beyond course, some FAQs around the course, Obsidian, and PKM systems, and more. »

Minimal Reader is a lightweight and minimal RSS feed reading web service that you'll want to use everyday. »

When we hear the word “Productivity,” we all picture something a little bit different. Some people simply think “getting things done,” while others immediately start thinking about the seven different apps they use to be productivity. »

As Matt so wisely put last week, we’ll quickly run the risk here of replicating each The Sweet Setup contributor’s must-have productivity apps. By the end of this little series, you’re likely to see a few commonalities, such as Notion, Fantastical, Ulysses, 1Password and perhaps Things. Each of these apps rock in their own right. And we as a group have a great taste in productivity apps. »

Catch up on what we published this week, including an example for starting up and closing out your day with Sunsama, some tips on focus, and more. »

Today, I’ll show how I’ve adapted Mike’s “Cultivate” and “Connect” steps into something I can use to help advise clients each day. It’s not a 1:1 adaptation, but I’ve been surprised by how many similarities have popped up. »

Richard Seidl is based out of Germany and helps companies write better software by combining humanity and technology to overcome the challenges of this world. »

After two full months with the new email service, I’ve found myself settling into new email habits I never expected to form. Some of these habits are great (like checking The Feed only once or twice a week) while others are still forming, evolving, and restarting (such as how to handle emails I want to read, don’t want to miss, yet don’t need to keep for later or reply later). HEY’s consistent updates since debut have been met with much acclaim in my book. »

The latest version of Day One includes an Instgram importer feature that automates the process of adding your Instagram posts to Day One. »

Josh Ginter is the Editor-in-Chief here at The Sweet Setup and also works as an accountant at a small accounting firm and is constantly working away at completing his CPA designation in the evenings. »

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

Catch up on what we published this week, including some links from the September Wanderlust Apple event from earlier this week. »

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 […] »

Catch up on what we published this week, including a look at Matt Birchler's top productivity app picks, some tips on using Hazel to organize your Mac, and more. »

Today, we’re going to look at a few apps that I find absolutely essential to my work, but we’re not going to dwell too much on the typical apps that everyone mentions, or that you’ve heard us talk about at length on The Sweet Setup already. »

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

Catch up on what we published this week, including a quick look at using your iPhone as a webcam for your Mac, a look at designing an office for less distractions, and more. »

Catch up on what we published this week, including a look at an exciting new browser that offers plenty of control, a look at the new features of Alfred 5, and some great links. »

Catch up on what we published this week, including a review of the reMarkable writing tablet, a look at setting defaults for Windows 11 in Parallels on macOS, and more. »

Daily Notes became a hallmark feature in Craft in short order. The quick and easy ability to create a note, specific to a calendar date, that could be linked and back-linked across your entire Craft database made the feature a perfect option for collecting digital paraphernalia. »

Catch up on what we published this week, including a look at Mike's workflow for taking notes on books, using Rocket for searching for emoji on macOS, and more. »

Matter is a Read-It-Later service that integrates really well into Obsidian. So if you like to collect your newsletters, RSS feeds, and even Twitter threads into Matter, you can sync your digital highlights and notes into Obsidian using the official Matter Obsidian plugin. »

In this Mindfulness Monday post, YouTuber Matt Ragland shares about the boundaries he's established to maintain intentionality with his tech, his bullet journaling practice, and why he starts every project using analog tools. »

Reeder 4 doesn’t rewrite the playbook that made it one of the premier RSS apps for every Apple platform, but it introduces a few niceties, like smoother and more friendly animations, a refreshed and more consistent code base across iOS and macOS, a new native Read Later feature, and Bionic Reading support. »

Use Tweetbot and Twitter to keep track of news instead of an RSS reader. »

Catch up on what we published this week, including a look at how Mike does multi-scale planning to keep his priorities on track, our digest on the 8 laws of focus, and more. »

Catch up on what we published this week, including a look at automatically tracking your time spent on your Mac, using Blank Space to declutter your iPhone, and more. »

Trying to use a single app for PKM is destined for failure. In this article, I'll explain why and share a simple framework for thinking about personal knowledge management that can help you get more out of the notes and ideas that you put into your PKM system. »

If you don’t believe personal knowledge management (PKM) isn’t in a hayday right now, go check out ToolFinder.co. You’re going to find the very best apps for note-taking, emailing, calendaring, to-doing, and producivitying across the wide internet. The list is long and the pocketbook requirements deep — you can spend a ton of money and a ton of time building out a system that works for you. »

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 […] »

RSS has been an important part of information workflows for many years, but read-it-later apps (and the RSS services many of them are based on) desperately need some inspiration and innovation. Enter Readwise Reader, an app that attempts to combine your RSS, newsletters, web highlights, and more into a single location. »

A while back, I reviewed the reMarkable e-ink tablet. There's a lot to like about this incredibly thin tablet: it's thin and light, has incredible battery life, and offers a great writing experience for a digital tablet. But the software was lacking, and I found myself consistently bumping up against the limitations of the device in frustrating ways. »

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 […] »

Traditional wisdom says you should set a goal and work towards achieving that goal. On the surface, there's nothing wrong with this concept. But there are so many variables in the mix with goals that it makes them difficult to achieve and troublesome to keep front of mind in most work-life scenarios. »

If you have a Mac, iPad, or iPhone, 2022 is going to be fun. Here are a few apps we recommend installing on your Mac, iPad, and iPhone to kick off the 2022 year with the best foot forward. »

Asier G. Morato is the co-founder of Chubby Apps — an indie app studio from the north of Spain (Europe) who believes that technology should be easy to use. We make apps with a cute design that don’t need a user manual, are fully accessible, improve people’s lives, and also respect your privacy. »

In the past year, you’ve probably spent a lot of time you spend in virtual meetings. Even if you aren’t live streaming on Twitch, hosting a YouTube channel, or presenting webinars very often, improving your video can go a long way in making your online communication more effective. And if you already have a nice […] »

Here’s a roundup of our favorite implementations of trackpad and cursor support so far, along with a few we’re hoping see an update sooner rather than later. »

In this Mindfulness Monday post, we deconstruct the concept of a distraction-free phone. »

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, […] »

Alex Tai is a student at Santa Clara University where he studies Computer Engineering and collaborates with others on ideas and new technologies. »

Today marks the introduction of Day One V3 for iPhone and iPad. As expected, Day One continues to evolve and expand its feature set, enabling you to capture more of those treasured moments. »

This week, we're trying lire, a Microsoft Surface Ergonomic keyboard with Karabiner for key mapping, and Obscura. »

Combining the power of Zapier with Things opens up limitless input possibilities for automating new tasks in Things. »

Josh Ginter describes his workflows and uses for Day One, and how that sometimes means that Bear steps in to fill certain gaps. »

Our pick for the best RSS reader for iPhone and iPad was updated last week, bringing with it new RSS client support, improved iPhone X features, and new Safari Reader options. »

David Koonce is an attorney who runs Traffic Counsel, LLC. »

Loren Stephens is a Senior Account Executive for a commercial equipment finance company in Orange County, California »

Nadeem Vaidya practices medicine as an ophthalmologist specializing in surgeries of the retina and vitreous, and operates his own practice in Irvine, California. »

The best calendar app for Mac, a Mac and iPhone setup, a quick tip on podcasts, and more. »

Sebastian Green runs a small division of an IT Support company in Manchester (UK) that mainly focuses on web-based systems. »

Here is a running list of our personal favorite apps on iPhone, iPad, and Mac. The are the apps we, The Sweet Setup staff, use day in and day out for work and play. »

According to recent statistics, the average American checks their phone 344 times per day (about once every four minutes). And before you say, “other people may struggle with this, but I've got it under control,” I dare you to go into your Settings and look at your Screen Time stats. The truth is, we all struggle with this stuff. And the deck is kind of stacked against us. »

Catch up on what we published this week, including a look at Apple's new Journal app, some great links on Apple's Vision Pro system, and more. »

Catch up on what we published this week, including a look at Up Ahead for tracking upcoming events you're looking forward to, a guide to effectively using time blocking for productivity, and more. »

Catch up on what we published this week, including a look at how to save highlights to different note-taking apps, a new PKM player called Heptabase, and more. »

One of the newest apps I discovered was Heptabase, a research-specific PKM app that uses a more visual approach to presenting your research and learning. Heptabase uses whiteboards, sections, and mind maps to connect your thinking and has unique PDF features that will be sure to catch the attention of professors, graduate and doctorate students, and more. »

It was nearly a year ago that I first wrote about Raycast here on The Sweet Setup, and few apps have seemed to gain as much momentum in recent years in the Mac enthusiast crowd than this new app launcher. In fact, I don't think I've seen this many Mac nerds change their app launcher since 2010 when Alfred first hit the scene. »

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 […] »

There are two very distinct periods to my year: tax season and not-tax season. The not-tax-season season continues to get more busy, but there’s still quite a drop off from the prior high-stress period of the year. With each passing deadline between April 30th, June 15th, and June 30th, the demands of the season progressively subside. »

Catch up on what we published this week, including an update to our All The Things course, a look at Mike's productivity system framework, and more. »

When you create a productivity system or find a new app, the goal needs to always be the same. Does this system or app serve me and my goals? I am definitely guilty of spending time perfecting my system to the point that it becomes so rigid that it’s unusable. Or I just end up […] »

When you are creating your “ideal productivity system” you need to keep one thing in mind. Your productivity system needs to serve you and your goals. »

Way, way back when, Shawn showed off one of his cool tricks for spurring the creative juices each morning. Rather than sitting down cold turkey at the computer to begin work for the day, Shawn would leave a note right in front of his keyboard the prior evening outlining the next step, the next idea, […] »

Catch up on what we published this week, including a look at using Sunsama to build new habits, getting away from the "just checks" so you can focus, and more. »

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. »

With so many excellent task management apps to choose from, it can be difficult to know which one is the best fit. We've compared the top three productivity apps to help you decide. »

Web browsers have felt pretty stable for quite a while now. Most people use Chrome or Safari these days, and with good reason! After decades of competing web browsers, a lot of the interactions and design elements have normalized around basically the same thing everywhere. Arc is here to make some changes. »

I had my first taste of text snippet expansion way, way back when everyone could use TextExpander without the subscription cost. There was a little bit of magic every time one of those snippets expanded. It was even cooler when you triggered a little dialog box that let you type in a custom bit of text to be added into the text expansion. »

At its heart, Bunch is an app launcher and quitter that uses plain text files to tell it what to do. It can do much more, so if you want to be super nerdy, you can get really deep into automating workspaces with Bunch. »

There is a plethora of note-taking and research-tracking apps available for the iPhone, iPad, and the Mac. Currently popular ones, like Obsidian and Roam Research, are tremendous for storing research and making connections between your discoveries. Others, like Apple Notes and Bear, excel at collecting all sorts of media types, including text, photos, URLs, and handwritten snippets. And still others, like Drafts, whip text and automations together to form ultra-fast workflows on your devices. »

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

With big displays come big widgets in iPadOS 15. Though we had a glimpse of the “larger” widgets with iOS 14’s News widget (sort of), the larger horizontal widgets in iPadOS 15 mostly came out of left field. iPadOS 15 widgets are even larger than the vertical News widget in iOS 14, taking up three columns in the app spring board and displaying content in bold new ways. Apple touted these extra large widgets as being great for media apps like Music, TV, and Photos, where the media inside the app can shine brightly. »

Chris Ferenzi is a Washington DC wedding photographer that captures authentic moments for unconventional couples. »

Catch up on what we published this week, including a workflow for automatically adding Kindle book highlights to Obsidian, a look at Timery on the Mac, and more. »

Save links privately, share knowledge with your team »

You know that feeling when you're not sure if the apps you are using are the best ones for you? Join us for our next, monthly TSS workshop to go deep into the weeds of productivity apps and workflows. »

In our productivity flywheel, the fourth stage is to celebrate your progress. But sometimes this feels counterintuitive or inconvenient. Because when we want to be super duper productive, we often think that speed and efficiency are what matter most. Thus we get stuck in a loop of doing, doing, doing... without ever pausing to celebrate. »

Personal Knowledge Management (PKM) is all the rage. Here's what you need to know to make the most of your PKM and do your best creative work. »

Tiffany White a software engineer from Swatara Township, PA. »

I've been going to school for 10 years. It's been a long, long road, full of all sorts of amazing lessons, few of which have anything to do with the actual content I'm studying. These 10 years of school have been a testament to the "The journey is the destination" mentality. »

iOS 14 introduced Widgets to the iPhone, which has allowed for some very creative home screens to be created to suit an individual’s preferences and personality. Here’s a look at my current iOS 14 Widgety Home Screen, and the thought process that went into designing it. Remember Why You Came I don’t know about you, […] »

If you want to customize the look of the home screen on your iOS 14 device here are our top picks for the best home screen widgets. »

Widgets and custom app icons... »

I’ve always had a love-hate relationship with email (and Twitter, too, for that matter). I love how they’ve allowed me to connect with folks, build friendships, and make things over the years, but I hate how email (and Twitter) can be such a draw for my attention and a distraction during my day. »

Catch up on what we published this week, including a look at a creative Instagram app for building beautiful stories, a look at using an iPhone under water, and more. »

Unfold’s templates verge on being extra-curated, but there are a range of templates that are simple, elegant, and precise, showcasing your photography in an attractive way. »

Today, our friends at Day One released version 5.0 of their venerable journaling app, which continues to be one of the most important apps on our respective home screens. »

Yesterday, Apple kicked off their annual Worldwide Developer Conference (WWDC) with an impressive keynote presentation. We put together a convenient summary of everything that was announced. »

Creativity is not based on your artistic ability. It has nothing to do with your natural talent. It depends entirely on your perspective, and is vital to embracing an intentional approach to technology. We must all learn to flip the switch from mindless consumption to conscious creation if we want to reach our full potential. »

It’s 6:34 am. The sound of your smartphone alarm startles you awake. (Actually, it’s the sound of the fifth alarm you’ve set because you’ve gotten so used to snoozing them that it now takes several to finally get you out of bed.) You instinctively reach to grab your phone from the nightstand and perform your […] »

iOS 13 appears to have finally solved the difficulty of travel research planning. Maps has been dramatically improved in the iOS 13 and iPadOS public betas and promises next-level features when the new iOS goes live in the fall. »

James Langston is a stay-at-home dad who also runs a pet and house sitting service, coaches soccer, and writes his own blog. »

There are so many great choices for note-taking and writing apps available today. Today we’re going to take a look at how each of these apps differ, how they're alike, and see where each shine. »

With the recent update to Day One for macOS, we've updated our review for Day One to keep up with the features and competition. »

I’ve gone all in with Apple Photos. And I’m going to tell you why... »

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. »

Catch up on what we published this week, including an updated Day One review, some awesome Day One tips leading up to our updated course, a tip on optimizing macOS, and more. »

Jeff Perry writes the Tablet Habit, co-hosts the Getting Caught Up podcast, and works as an audio engineer. »

Wojtek Pietrusiewicz is a publisher, writer, photographer, and human based out of Poland where he runs iMagazine with his friends. »

Rishi Mohan works at BigBinary as a UI Engineer, founded ZINX, and is also a photographer. »

Rupesh R. Mahalle is a 25-year-old Portfolio Manager and start-up investor who manages capital for investors in the stock market. »

V.H. Belvadi is a postgraduate student of physics studying an extremely rare breed of variable stars, and also makes photographs and directs short films in his free time. »

Gerry Hayes owns Haze Guitars in Dublin, Ireland, where he builds and repairs guitars, writes books on guitar repair and maintenance, and also runs Sketchy Setups. »

Chris Powell is a professional technologist and IT Manager for the College of Business and Economics at Western Washington University, and also spends his time on several freelance endeavors. »

Chenyang Hsu is a law student living in Beijing who is also fascinated with technology, design, UX, and Apple. »

Koen Adams works and lives in Belgium as a freelance cartographer and graphic designer, and also runs One Stop Map. »

A reader's Mac and iOS setup, a tip on Dropbox and podcast listening, and more. »

Chris Brakebill is a web and mobile developer who is currently working on an app called Outshape, and also sends the Three Things Weekly newsletter. »

Dr. Terry Portis is a college director, psychology professor, reader and technology enthusiast. »

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. »

David Sparks is the editor, writer, and janitor at MacSparky and also writes for Macworld and co-hosts the Mac Power Users podcast. »

In this post, I'm going to show you how to set up time tracking rules in Timing that will allow you to track the time you spend on your Mac automatically. »

Omnivore is one of the newest, and probably one of the most underrated read-it-later services out there. Many of us know about Pocket, Instapaper, Matter, and Readwise Reader, but Omnivore deserves to be in the conversation as well, as it does quite a few things very well, and even better than the rest in some cases. And it does all this completely for free. »

In this post, we'll show you everything you need to know to start time-blocking yourself and feel like you just got more hours in your day. »

This is the most affordable way to access every resource we have for living a more focused, productive life. »

Now through Monday only, you can get an all-access pass to every course, workshop, and resource we’ve ever released. »

This Black Friday, we’ve got something special for you. »

Catch up on what we published this week, including an update to our review of the best calendar app for iPhone, some great information on picking a planner that fits your style and needs, and more. »

Catch up on what we published this week, including our brand new planner for 2024, some great tips on using Apple Notes, and more. »

Catch up on what we published this week, including some tips for getting the most out of Apple Notes and Reminders, some interesting links from our friends, and more. »

Catch up on what we published this week, including some tips on using Smart Folders in Notes, the latest version of Reminders, and more. »

Over the past couple of months we have explored how to get the most out of the Apple stock apps. Apple has stepped up their game with the newest iterations of their stock apps (Notes, Calendar, Mail, Reminders…). In this article we are going to focus on the Apple Reminders app (with the updates from iOS 17). »

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 […] »

Catch up on what we published this week, including an update to our PKM primer, a look at the all new properties in Obsidian, and more. »

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. »

Let's dive into what makes Notes so good. We’ll provide a few simple quick tips of things that make any Notes experience that much better, as well as the latest features coming to Notes in iOS 17. »

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. »

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. »

Habits change. Inspiration comes and goes. Workflows spring up and taper off. But for me, time blocking never changes. Time blocking has become fundamental to my work day, ensuring I have chunks of time to complete tasks and ensuring my colleagues know what I’m up to. Time blocking structures my day. Time blocking blocks out extra meetings. Time blocking pushes me forward. »

I love me some Obsidian, but one of Obsidian's weak spots has always been it's Shortcuts support (or lack thereof). That's where Actions for Obsidian comes in. »

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. »

When it comes to a lack of clarity, the solution is to take the time to get clear on what matters so you can stop spending valuable time spinning your wheels. One of the ways to help you get clarity is to understand how information flows into and out of your productivity system. So in this post, we're going talk about crafting your productivity workflow so that you can handle anything life throws at you. »

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 — […] »

Catch up on what we published this week, including an upcoming webinar on freeing yourself from overwhelm, a roundup of several popular infinite canvas apps, and more. »

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 […] »

Here are my first impressions of using Sunsama for a month to plan each day, plan each week, and track my work towards my objectives. »

We love Alfred here at The Sweet Setup. It’s been our go-to app launcher for the Mac for years, and it’s hard to believe, but it’s been 11 full years since Alfred 1.0 hit the scene and took over as the app launcher of choice for nerds like us. »

One of the good things about modern operating systems, whether you're on iOS, macOS, Windows, or Android, is that the default browser is actually pretty good in every single case. Most people will be well-served by Safari, Edge, or Chrome, and that's great! If you've been following tech for several decades, you know this is very much not a given (looks intensely at Internet Explorer), so it's nice that we're currently in a pretty good place. »

Just under a year ago, Glass launched on iPhone, offering a genuine photo sharing alternative to Instagram. Glass launched to much fanfare — many folks (including myself) vowed to kick Instagram to the curb in favor of a fresh new start on a new and stylish platform. »

Today, we're going to walk through the basic things you need to know when shopping for mechanical keyboards. »

I had heard of the Light Phone before and was intrigued by the idea, but I write so much about iOS apps that I just couldn’t justify making the switch. But recently, my son turned 13 and we needed a way to stay in contact with him so he could reach us in case of […] »

Recording your screen and sharing it with others is something that's always been useful, but it's only accelerated as so many of us have been physically separated from our teammates over the past few years. There are dozens of options out there for recording your screen, but two of the best and most interesting options for Mac users are Loom and CleanShot X. »

I’ve been working with Canary Mail over the last few weeks to better secure my email workflow. Canary recently debuted SecureSend, a smart encryption feature that secures your email and attached files. SecureSend also has revocation features, enabling you to revoke access to an email or attached files after a certain amount of time, or if the email security has been breached. »

Catch up on what we published this week, including a new tool for assessing your own productivity, some great links from our friends, and more. »

The Studio Display is one of the most giddy-worthy Apple products I’ve played with in a long time. Its design is impeccable, speakers deep and thorough, display bright and crisp, I/O usable and manageable. »

Matter is a relatively new read-it-later service that's been getting a good amount of attention, including several features here on The Sweet Setup. It may be simplifying history a bit, but the very broad strokes version of this market is that Instapaper popularized it, Pocket took it really mainstream, and Matter wants to do right by those of us who loved Instapaper but never really clicked with Pocket. »

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. »

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

The transition from listing out all your tasks to putting them into your calendar has long been an annoyance of mine. Long list of tasks, check. Time blocking habit in a calendar, check. But how do you seamlessly transfer tasks to your calendar without manually inserting each task in its own block? Enter Fantastical. »

It was January 2020. I hit the New Year with ambition. I wanted to read more, write more, and most importantly, exercise more. We had a dusty old exercise bike adopted from a family member in the corner of the basement. It hadn’t been used in years. »

Catch up on what we published this week, including a look at some of our favorite, must-have apps for iPhones, iPads, and Macs, sending highlights from Matter to Obsidian, and more. »

Our resident full-time RVer shares how he gets his writing work done while traveling across the US. »

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. »

It’s that time of year once again when we like to bring you a few of our top app and gear picks to get you through the holiday season in one piece. This handy list has a little bit of everything, whether you’re looking for some neat gift ideas or you’re simply in need of […] »

I love asking myself, and others, this question: As you begin looking toward the next year, have you considered what you are NOT going to do? »

This is how I’ve set up my Ulysses app to fit my various writing adventures. I’ve worked to keep it simple and dumbed-down. This ensures it doesn’t require a lot of mental overhead to keep organized, and it ensures my brain is on the writing rather than the meta. »

Catch up on what we published this month, including a review of the iPhone 13 Pro camera system, a look at how the new iPad mini fits in to Mike's workflow a month in, and more. »

When it was announced during the September iPhone event, I immediately thought that the sixth-generation iPad mini was the star of the show. New iPhones are cool and all, but this iPad mini seemed like it was tailor-made for how I was (and wasn't) using my iPad Pro. I ordered one before the end of the event, and having used it for a month now, I have to say this is by far the most fun I've ever had with an iPad. »

This is the first year that my entire photography workflow can be handled by my iPhone on its own, which has been quite empowering. »

Josh Ginter is a CPA located in Morden, Manitoba, Canada, where he also serves as the managing editor for The Sweet Setup. »

The fourth core element of Craft — and one that sets it apart from most other note-taking apps available — is the ability to collaborate with others. »

Blocks are the very core of Craft. They provide countless ways to format, structure, and build out your documents. They can take numerous forms, from text, audio, video, PDFs, sketches — there is very little Craft can’t handle thanks to its block-based system. »

Our first impressions after 24 hours using the new photo sharing app, Glass. »

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 […] »

Back in December, I outlined how I studied course material for a major exam using Craft Notes. There were many positives, a couple negatives, and a whole bunch of naivety at that time. Craft Notes is still one of my favorite new apps of the last four or five years, but it didn’t end up sticking as well as I thought when the real studying began. »

Catch up on what we published this week, including some times on using callback URLs in Obsidian, combating burnout, and several interesting links we enjoyed. »

Here’s a roundup of a few apps, services, playlists, and products we recommend after a year of COVID working-from-home. »

My name is Bart Kesner and I'm currently responsible for IT transformation efforts for a global engineering/consulting firm in the Kansas City area. This entails partnering with internal and external resources to analyze the delivery and use of products and services to enhance overall effectiveness, and lead teams to resolve any identified issues. Prior to that, I ran the Customer Experience program for a global manufacturing firm. »

When the group at The Sweet Setup suggested we'd be talking about knowledge and idea workflows in the early part of 2021, I couldn't pass up the chance to talk about my analog adventures that live alongside all the apps I use each day. We can't do everything on our iPhones, after all. »

Catch up on what we published this week and last, including an interesting workflow for capturing ideas, using the iPad for education, an update to Streaks, and more. »

The productivity space has been going through a bit of a revitalization recently, and maybe surprisingly, it’s note-taking apps that are causing the bulk of this excitement. Solutions are sprouting all over the place lately, with things like Roam Research, Notion, Obsidian, Bear, Craft, RemNote, Drafts, and oh yeah, Evernote, occupying a considerable amount of […] »

It’s my education experience that has led me to believe the iPad is the world’s greatest learning tool. Ever. In the history of humanity. The iPad is humankind’s greatest educational achievement. »

We've updated our review of the best journaling app for iPhone, iPad, and Mac. »

Widgets can be a gateway into a more productive life, without the overhead of building new habits and routines. For me, they have significantly improved my life, and without much work beyond the setup and deciding where on my iPhone they should live. »

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 […] »

Catch up on what we published this week, including a perspective on using Things 3 for writing, an upcoming Ulysses webinar, and more. »

Like many of you, I’ve been in and out of many task management systems over the years. I’ve used and loved all of the major players for macOS and iOS at different times as my needs have changed. But no task management system is ever perfect, which leads me to regularly try new things. »

Catch up on what we published this week, including a look at how Josh Ginter uses Roam Research for his own studies, a new version of Day One, and more. »

Roam Research is a new note-taking tool that's re-imagining the way that we capture information, and it takes many of its cues from the pre-internet era. Doing away with the traditional file and folder structure that most note-taking tools have stuck with since the dawn of the PC, Roam has more in common with Wikipedia than it does with a traditional notes app. »

In this guide, we’ll show you how to get Ulysses set up for collaboration with others using a version control system known as Git, as well as a companion app for working with Git on iOS/iPadOS called Working Copy. »

GoodLinks is a relatively new app in the read-it-later space, developed by the same folks behind 1Writer. We're giving it a try and comparing against the popular apps in this category like Pocket and Instapaper. »

HEY has disrupted nearly every element of my email workflow. HEY has allowed me to experience a new level of email productivity, and it has even created a new sense of zen-like Inbox Zero in my Imbox, without archiving, deleting, or snoozing. »

Things aren’t perfect yet, but depending on your tolerance for doing things differently, we’re finally at a place where the iPad is a viable companion for the working photographer. »

Our accounting office is right next to a Telus store full of Android and Windows fanatics. I haven’t been able to get any person in the store to even consider an iPhone or Mac for themselves, let alone convince them the iPad is a great business device. The Magic Keyboard is the first accessory that […] »

In this Mindfulness Monday post, Executive Editor Mike Schmitz shares his moment of clarity with intentional technology use and how he continues the fight to shift expectations around email. I’m Mike Schmitz, Executive Editor here at The Sweet Setup and co-host of the Focused and Bookworm podcasts. I’ve asked quite a few people to share […] »

Kyle Bauman is the Associate Pastor of Discipleship & Students at Bear Valley Community Church in Colleyville, TX where his main responsibility is teaching and leading ministries for middle school, high school, and college students. »

In this Mindfulness Monday post, we look at how to to maximize our intentional technology use by doing a digital declutter. This post originally appeared on our sister site, The Focus Course. If you want to join in by doing your own digital declutter, check out the 30-Day Digital Declutter Kickoff. I’ve long been a […] »

In this Mindfulness Monday post, we talk about how to use your technology to develop your ideas and turn them into action. »

Are you thinking of evaluating your task management system for the New Year? Here are a few quick tips for staying productive and focused. »

The Twelve South HiRise Pro and BackPack are great accessories for cleaning up the desk around your iMac and for pushing your iMac to new ergonomic heights. »

Catch up on what we published this week and last, including an update to our favorite habit tracking app review, a look at the latest version of iA Writer, a tip on using Siri, and more. »

In this Mindfulness Monday post, we share some tips on how to set yourself up for NaNoWriMo success. »

This is just a slick-as-all-get-out accessory you'll love having on your desk. »

In this Mindfulness Monday post, we take a look at Duolingo and why you might want to use it to apply intentionality to your downtime on your iPhone. »

Catch up on what we published this week, including a mindfulness post on changing your defaults, using new gestures in iPadOS, and more. »

Over the next several weeks, we’ll be looking at apps that help facilitate a mindful approach to your technology. »

Flighty is a brand new app designed to take at least some of the stress out of the airport. »

Catch up on what we published this week, including an in-depth look at using a mouse with iPadOS, a reader's Mac and iOS setup, some tips on keeping your Mac desktop clean with Hazel, and more. »

The team behind Day One recently released a new version that allows you to email an entry directly to one of your Day One journals. »

iPads and pointing devices have never coexisted before, so we've taken a close look at how this new input works on the latest public beta of iPadOS. »

Tiffany White is a frontend software developer and course instructor, and also writes her own blog that focuses on software development. »

Apple always knocks it out of the park with under-the-radar photo features, and it appears that the iOS 13 Photos and Camera apps are no exception. »

Catch up on what we published this week, including a comparison of GoodNotes and Notability, a tip for adding custom paper types to GoodNotes 5, and more. »

Our new review of the best RSS app for the Mac spans the new Reeder 4 update. »

This week we're looking at the Reeder 4 Beta, Drafts for Mac, and MLB at Bat. »

A detailed look at how Shawn Blanc captures ideas and links and what the process looks like for moving those from the starting line of an idea to the finished product of a published article. »

What appears to be a relatively simple workflow to capture ideas and publish blog posts is actually a super in-depth, super geeky way of using Shortcuts, Ulysses, and Working Copy — one that brings out the power of automation on iOS. »

From a fresh design, to a new toolbar, improvement range management, and new pop out entries, Day One 3.0 for macOS continues to improve on what we love so much about Day One. »

Catch up on what we published this week, including a tip on using Fantastical on your Mac, a review of the Bellroy Work Folio, and more. »

Day One hit version 3.4 last week, introducing new Hoefler fonts for the typographically-inclined, new drawing capabilities for the iPad Pro’s new Apple Pencil, new dynamic photo layouts, and improvements to the Apple Watch app. »

This week we're trying Edison Mail, Kodex, and a Shortcut for extracting image URLs. »

This week, we're trying NHL, Pica, and Picsew »

Marty Day is an Integrations Engineer for Partnerize by day, and an on-stage co-host and producer for Super Art Fight, co-host of The Rough House Podcast, and owner of blast-o-rama. »

Igor Kulman lives in Prague, Czech Republic and is currently working as the lead iOS developer for a company that builds a secure messaging app for corporate customers. »

The Microsoft Surface Ergonomic Keyboard may not be an Apple accessory, but it's a great keyboard that most people will enjoy using. »

Catch up on what we published this week, including our new Day One course, a detailed look at how we use Day One, and more. »

We updated our review for the best journaling app for Mac, iPhone, and iPad, and it's still Day One. Day One first debuted in 2011 and has been the best journaling app ever since. »

When we launched this website in the fall of 2013, we had just a handful of app reviews written: weather, calculator, calendar, and a few others. Of those first reviews, there was one in particular that I wanted to write myself: the pick for best journaling app. The pick was — and still is, of […] »

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

Sharing your entire photo library with someone is incredibly easy in Google Photos on iOS. »

Justin Hamilton is a first-year student at the University of Delaware where he studies computer engineering, writes music, and also takes pictures. »

How to use Day One as a central commonplace book for all your ideas, things to read, quotes, thoughts, and highlights from your favorite eBooks. »

Chris Gonzales is a writer and editor (Tools & Toys, The Spark Journal, and Stellar Edits) from Oklahoma City, but currently lives full-time with his wife and son in an RV. »

With Pinboard and a few other tools, you can make sure you never lose something you've read before. »

Thord D. Hedengren is a writer of fiction and technical literature, an entrepreneur, and CEO of a digital agency. »

Graham Hind works for EP Books, a Christian book publisher based in the UK. »

Craig Camp is the general manager at Troon Vineyard in Southern Oregon, and also publishes The Wine Camp Blog. »

Jacob Terry is a graduate student studying for his master's degree in civil engineering at the University of Waterloo, where he works in the transport economics research group. »

Jowanza Joseph is a software engineer at OneClickRetail in Salt Lake City, and also writes his own site about technology, photography, and other cool internet content. »

It shouldn't be surprising that I want to work as efficiently and effectively as possible. Much of that boils down to one thing: working smarter. »

Stephen Biggerstaff is a freelance iOS developer based out of Glasgow, Scotland. »

Steve Cholette is a full-time fire fighter and paramedic near Detroit, Michigan. »

Edwin Leong is a Senior Compliance Analyst with the British Columbia Securities Commission in Vancouver, and also a photographer. »

Matthew Guay is a content marketer at Zapier, works from Bangkok, Thailand, and also writes his own tech blog. »

Matt McManus is a Senior Software Engineer at Yapp where he works with Ember.js and Rails, and he is also the co-founder of OwnersUp. »

You can easily mute notifications for individual friends in the Activity app with a simple settings change. »

Josh Ginter is a Deals Editor and Reviews Editor for Tools & Toys, freelance photographer, a podcaster and writer for his site, and is currently working toward his accounting designation. »

Aaron Riddle is a professional cartoonist who runs the Buy a Drawing site, where he draws custom cartoons, illustrates, greeting cards, and more. »

Tim Bornholdt is a co-founder of The Jed Mahonis Group, a mobile app development shop based in Minneapolis, MN, and also films and edits C Tolle Run, a weekly show about running and fitness hosted by Olympian athlete, Carrie Tollefson. »

Brian Baggett is a cloud management architect for Sovereign Systems in Norcross, Georgia where he helps companies build hybrid clouds and embrace automation at the enterprise level. »

A review we published last week, a tip on using Narwhal, a reader's setup, and more. »

You can quickly share posts and links from Narwhal with this simple shortcut. »

If your favorite sites aren't listed in Apple News, you can easily add them from the Safari share sheet. »

Kramer Wetzel is a writer and a consulting astrologer, now based in San Antonio with deep roots in the Austin area, where he's been doing readings and writing horoscopes for more than 20 years. »

Our favorite note-taking app for iOS, a setup interview of an Apple Consulting team, a tip on using Fantastical, and more. »

​Magic Number — The most intuitive calculator. Exclusively for Mac. »

Foojee is a team of Apple Consultants operating out of Atlanta and Nashville that helps organizations and schools build rock-solid solutions with their Apple IT. »

Our favorite mail app for OS X, a tip on keeping iTunes from launching from Safari, and more. »

In an incredibly elegant and simple manner, timeshel helps create a monthly rhythm of printing photos — reconnecting us to the special experience of seeing our lives unfold in tangible form. »

David Robert Wright is working toward becoming a pastor, working as a private vocal instructor and performing musician, and also an avid photographer. »

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

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. »

Our favorite Wikipedia app for iPhone, a reader's iOS setup, a tip about Pinboard, and more. »

A reader's Mac and iOS setup, a tip on using Wunderlist, OS X El Capitan, Tweetbot 4, and more. »

Our favorite time zone calculator app for iPhone, a reader's Mac and iOS setup, a tip about using Wunderlist, and more. »

If you deal with lots of tasks, files, notes, projects and clients, then you need to try Pagico. Pagico is elegant, powerful, easy-to-use and cross-platform. Try for free, and save 20% by the end of September. »

The best flight tracker app for iPhone, a Mac and iOS setup, a tip about Instapaper, and lots more. »

The Smart SYSTM iPhone 6 case is the first in a series of premium solutions that keeps your device and content safe -- offering real protection through good design »

Jeff Sheldon is the founder and designer of Ugmonk, a design brand that sells products like leather goods, prints, hoodies, and other sweet accessories. »

Thomas Mathoi is a freelance project manager, creator of software, father, and husband. »

Rachel Anderson is a Web Producer for a specialty publisher focused on medical journalism, and also writes about technology and culture at Sanspoint.com. »

A reader's iOS setup from Moscow, a tip about your Health.app data, and more. »

The data from Health.app used to be something I didn’t think about too much. Once I got Apple Watch, that all changed. I’m feeding a ton of exercise data into it and also calorie data from MyFitnessPal. This data is backed up to iCloud and synced between devices. If you’re not using iCloud, you can […] »

Chad Landman is a youth minister (pastor), independent designer, and podcaster living in the middle Tennessee area with his wife and two sons. »

Dean Sherwood is a filmmaker and photographer working in the music industry for a UK band called The Vamps. »

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, […] »

Let others know you're 'In The Zone' with a custom, wireless, LED 'Busy' sign from Wired In. Whether you work at home with kids, in an open office, or any team environment, Wired In protects important moments of focus from distraction. »

Blake Cloutier is a fourth year Civil Engineering student, a Player Support Representative with Disney Interactive, and also works remotely for an animal supply company. »

Brian Hamilton is a film student living in Boston, MA, works as a videographer for a local business school, and also does freelance writing, photography, and podcasts. »

Daniel is a student who is fascinated with technology and the convenience it adds to our lives, especially the role smartphones play. »

Álvaro Serrano is the author and publisher of Analog Senses, a website about the human side of technology featuring links and articles on design, photography, Apple, and the tech industry in general. »

Jamelle Bouie is a staff writer for Slate magazine, where he covers politics and policy, takes photographs, and sometimes goes on TV. »

Many great app updates are shipping this week. We are collecting a list of the most notable updates and the best new apps for iOS 8. »

Shahaf Levi is a writer and developer on his site, SL Repository, where he builds apps and writes about things he discovers. »

Rdio was updated with new features and a new free version that make it significantly better service for both paying and non-paying subscribers alike. »

A quick tip, interesting setup, a new podcast network, and more. »

The universal genius for photo editing, batch conversion, metadata editing, image browsing and much more »

Oliver Haslam is a part-time writer of words, full-time tinkerer of tech, and father. »

A new podcast app, a quick tip, an awesome setup, and more. »

Overcast is a new iOS podcast app by Marco Arment that gives existing apps a run for their money. »

No one wants a brick wallet weighing down their back. Here are some easy tips from Bellroy to slim down. »

Jago Silver is an illustrator living in Cornwall, UK who has illustrated more than 40 children's books, along with magazines, album covers and logos. »

Joe spends his days repairing Apple products, and writes for his blog and other publications by night. »

Our pick for the best list-making app for iOS and Mac, a quick tip, an awesome link, and more. »

JetPens is a web store that offers unique, high-quality writing instruments and office toys. Spend $25 and get a free Signo 0.38 fine-tip gel ink pen (Shawn's favorite pen). »

A sweet iPhone setup, a quick tip about Find my iPhone, some great articles, and more. »

David is a content strategist and writer who runs the marketing and PR for AgileBits (1Password), and also runs Finer Things in Tech. »

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

At its core, accessibility is about access — hence, iOS's accessibility options are tools with which users, regardless of physical or cognitive ability, are better able to access their devices. »

Quick links to the articles and reviews we published this week. »

Federico is the writer behind MacStories.net, the co-host of The Prompt podcast, contributing author to The Sweet Setup, and a casual eater of pasta. »

Matthew Panzarino is a Senior Editor at TechCrunch where he writes about a lot of stuff like startups, technology trends, and cool new inventions. But mostly about Apple and Twitter. »

Chris Gonzales lives in Oklahoma City with his wife and son. He's known for his site, Unretrofied, and is a daily contributor to Tools & Toys, a sister site to The Sweet Setup. »

Matt Gemmell is a consultant user experience designer and software engineer, mostly for iOS apps. He's also a speaker and writer. »

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

When it comes to backups, software is only part of the equation. There are many good tools on the market, but having a dependable hard drive on the receiving end as important, too. Purchasing the “best” hard drive is all about what you need out of it. So we have two suggestions: Our favorite external […] »