OUTSIDE THE BOX
Five Tips for Simplifying Your Note-Taking
by Michelle Fitzhugh-Craig
I have always been interested in creating notes: shopping lists, health records, to-do lists, vacation plans, and so on. When I was able to do all of this digitally, my world opened up to a plethora of opportunities. I became the princess of note-taking apps. When a new digital tool would pop up in the app store, I was as excited as a kid on Christmas morning. But that thrill quickly turned to frustration as I realized I had multiple apps that all did the same thing—and I ended up having to hop among them. I think I was more in search of the next big thing than in finding one app that would meet my needs. Sound familiar? For people who need some help in finding a note-taking app that best fits their life, the following may help.
TAKE INVENTORY
Before you even begin your search for a note-taking app, consider how you currently take notes and if that works or not. Then decide what you’d like to be able to do more of and less of. Once you’ve created this wish list, you’re ready to start looking.
DO RESEARCH
Websites such as PCMag, TechRadar, or Lifewire offer great consumer reviews and research by tech experts. Find a site that provides a comparison list and/or the pros and cons of various note-taking apps. As you go through each one, highlight those apps that meet your criteria.
FREE OR FEE?
Investing in an app that has a one-time fee is often a wise decision, but if something is free, it doesn’t necessarily mean it’s not good. If you choose an app with a free trial period, play around with some test notes to see how comfortable each option feels to you. Make sure that what you are looking for is what you are getting, whether it’s an app requiring a subscription, a one-time fee, or no cost at all.
CROSS-DEVICE COMPATIBILITY
My biggest challenge in searching for a note-taking app is finding one with cross-device compatibility. If I type my notes on my phone, they must sync to all of my devices immediately. Additionally, the app needs to look and feel the same across devices.
THE POPULAR KIDS
So, what’s hot in note-taking this year so far? Ulysses is for people “who love to write and write a lot,” according to its website. It allows images to be embedded in the form of links within a document and is easy to navigate; it also offers in-app purchases. Another option is Notion. According to Nancy Byerly, it boasts a “powerful, database-driven note-taking experience.” It’s free for individuals. Notion also provides good workflow visuals and thousands of free templates.
OLD FAVORITES
I’ve watched Evernote transform over the years, adding features such as web clipping, document scanning, and Google Calendar merging. The free option is robust enough for most individuals, in my opinion, but it is less than $10 a month for the personal paid and professional options. Flexible organization helps users decide how to best keep track of their notes, and its cross-device capability—regardless of OS—is a plus for those who like to use both Mac and PC.
Microsoft’s OneNote is probably my favorite (so far!) on my quest for the perfect note-taking app. It syncs to all of your devices, and it’s free. If you just want to keep simple notes with bullets or checkboxes and/or even have the option to draw on your notes (using a stylus or your finger), this is the one to consider. Also, it’s easy to share notes with others, and the use of color and tabs is a somewhat nostalgic reminder of predigital note-taking days.
Looking for more ideas? Talk to family, friends, and colleagues about their favorite ones. To be the most organized and productive, finding what best serves you personally—and ignoring the extra bells and whistles—should be the most important factor in choosing the right app. |
MICHELLE FITZHUGH-CRAIG is an award-winning journalist who is the owner of MFC3 Media (