Just Use Apple Notes... 🔗 **Source:** [Just Use Apple Notes...](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wk8sDh9w6ts) > [!note]+ Document Notes > tags: [productivity, apple-notes, productivity-tools] > author: Keep Productive > source: YouTube > reference: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wk8sDh9w6ts > date created: 2024-12-28 13:20 > > # 🏷️ Title: Just Use Apple Notes... > <!-- deep-read:sections start --> ## 🧰 Action Inbox - [H1] Research productivity tools for 3-5 year commitment before choosing — avoid switching toxicity #productivity - [H2] Focus on rules over tools by establishing productivity foundations first — methodology before software #foundations - [H3] Use research → trial → commit → optimize process for tool selection — structured decision making #process ## 🧭 Table of Contents - [📝 Summary](#-summary) - [📖 Main Content](#-main-content) - [🗒️ Notes](#️-notes) - [📚 References](#-references) - [🗣️ Paraphrase](#️-paraphrase) - [📰 Newsletter](#-newsletter) - [✅ Action Items](#-action-items) - [🧪 Hypotheses](#-hypotheses) - [📊 Methodology](#-methodology) - [❓ Questions](#-questions) - [🔮 Future Research](#-future-research) - [💡 Implications](#-implications) - [🧠 Learning Styles Assessment](#-learning-styles-assessment) - [📊 Accessibility Assessment](#-accessibility-assessment) - [🌍 DEIB Assessment](#-deib-assessment) - [✅ Logical Validity](#-logical-validity) - [🛡️ DARVO Analysis](#-darvo-analysis) - [🎯 Conclusion](#-conclusion) ### 🔗 References - [Keep Productive YouTube Channel](https://www.youtube.com/c/KeepProductive) - [Apple Notes](https://www.icloud.com/notes) ## 📝 Summary - A productivity YouTuber analyzes a viral meme suggesting low and high IQ people use Apple Notes while middle IQ people stress over finding perfect productivity tools - The creator argues that constant switching between productivity apps is toxic and counterproductive - Key stakeholders include productivity content creators, students, and professionals seeking organizational systems - Risk is productivity tool switching addiction versus sticking with simple but effective solutions - Bottom line: Focus on productivity foundations and commit long-term rather than chase perfect tools ## 📖 Main Content The video examines a viral Twitter meme depicting an IQ bell curve where both low and high IQ individuals use Apple Notes, while those in the middle struggle with finding the "perfect" productivity tool. The host argues this meme accurately reflects a core problem in productivity culture: excessive tool switching. The creator emphasizes two main concepts: the toxicity of switching and individual differences in productivity needs. Tool switching is compared to moving house - requiring significant time, effort, and stress. Instead, users should research thoroughly upfront and commit to tools for 3-5 years. The "rules over tools" philosophy suggests focusing on productivity methodologies (Getting Things Done, Kanban, Pomodoros) before selecting software. Most productivity apps solve 80% of common problems, making the foundation more important than the specific tool chosen. ## 🗒️ Notes #### ⏱️ [00:00](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wk8sDh9w6ts&t=0) — [H1] Apple Notes Meme Analysis - Key idea: Viral meme shows low and high IQ people using Apple Notes, middle stressed about perfect tools - Evidence: "Give this meme a nine out of ten, it made me absolutely chuckle" #### ⏱️ [01:30](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wk8sDh9w6ts&t=90) — [H1] Switching is Toxic to Productivity - Key idea: Constant app switching is one of the most harmful productivity behaviors - Evidence: "Switching is one of the most toxic things you can do in productivity" #### ⏱️ [02:15](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wk8sDh9w6ts&t=135) — [H2] Consistency Beats Perfection - Key idea: Making productivity as consistent as possible trumps finding perfect tools - Evidence: "The key thing for productivity is to make it as consistent as possible" #### ⏱️ [02:45](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wk8sDh9w6ts&t=165) — [H1] Plan for 3-5 Year Commitment - Key idea: Research tools thoroughly and commit for multi-year periods - Evidence: "Plan your choice for a three to five year distance" #### ⏱️ [03:30](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wk8sDh9w6ts&t=210) — [H2] Moving House Analogy - Key idea: Switching productivity apps creates stress, effort, and time costs like moving - Evidence: "It is like moving house when you move a note taker or to-do list application" #### ⏱️ [04:00](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wk8sDh9w6ts&t=240) — [H1] TodoList Success Story - Key idea: Personal example of choosing Todoist over Wunderlist for long-term needs - Evidence: "I went with Todoist and I've been with them for six years now" #### ⏱️ [05:00](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wk8sDh9w6ts&t=300) — [H1] Productivity is Individual - Key idea: Everyone has unique productivity needs and approaches - Evidence: "My wife will work from a notepad and she does a stellar job" #### ⏱️ [05:45](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wk8sDh9w6ts&t=345) — [H1] Rules Over Tools Philosophy - Key idea: Focus on productivity foundations and methodologies before selecting tools - Evidence: "I believe in a concept called rules over tools" #### ⏱️ [06:30](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wk8sDh9w6ts&t=390) — [H2] 80% Problem Solution - Key idea: Most productivity apps solve the majority of common productivity problems - Evidence: "80 percent of the productivity apps will solve the majority of your problems" #### ⏱️ [07:00](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wk8sDh9w6ts&t=420) — [H2] Methodology Examples - Key idea: Getting Things Done, Kanban, Pomodoros are foundational systems - Evidence: "Getting things done, kanban methodologies, pomodoros" #### ⏱️ [08:00](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wk8sDh9w6ts&t=480) — [H2] Productivity Marketing Criticism - Key idea: Acknowledges toxicity in productivity YouTube marketing - Evidence: "There is some toxic toxic behavior in the productivity space and I am part of that" #### ⏱️ [09:00](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wk8sDh9w6ts&t=540) — [H2] Car Dealership Analogy - Key idea: Productivity tools should match individual needs like cars match driving requirements - Evidence: "I always refer to productivity tools like a car dealership" #### ⏱️ [10:00](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wk8sDh9w6ts&t=600) — [H1] Research-Trial-Commit-Optimize Process - Key idea: Structured four-step approach to selecting and implementing productivity tools - Evidence: "Research, trial, committing to the application, and then optimize" ## 📚 References - [Keep Productive Conference Talk](https://www.youtube.com/c/KeepProductive) - [Getting Things Done Methodology](https://gettingthingsdone.com/) - [Kanban Method](https://www.atlassian.com/agile/kanban) ## 🗣️ Paraphrase - Constant switching between productivity apps wastes time and energy, similar to repeatedly moving houses - Individual productivity needs vary dramatically - simple tools like Apple Notes work for many people effectively - Establishing productivity foundations and methodologies matters more than finding the perfect software application ## 📰 Newsletter **Stop Chasing the Perfect Productivity Tool - Focus on Foundations Instead** The latest productivity meme has everyone talking: both beginners and experts use simple tools like Apple Notes, while everyone else stresses over finding the "perfect" system. There's wisdom here for WordPress professionals managing complex projects and client relationships. Instead of constantly switching between project management tools, establish your foundational workflows first. Whether you're tracking client communications, managing development timelines, or organizing content calendars, the 80% of apps available will solve most of your problems. The key is committing long-term and optimizing your chosen system rather than endlessly searching for perfection. Consider adopting methodologies like Getting Things Done for task management or Kanban boards for development workflows before worrying about whether to use Notion, Asana, or even Apple Notes for your WordPress business. Resources: [Learn WordPress](https://learn.wordpress.org/), [Developer Docs](https://developer.wordpress.org/), [WP-CLI](https://wp-cli.org/) ## ✅ Action Items #### DevRel - Developer advocacy: Create content about sustainable tooling choices for developers - Education: Workshop on productivity foundations for developer communities - Developer experience: Audit documentation tools for consistency over perfection - Community management: Survey community about tool switching fatigue #### WordPress - Core: Establish 3-5 year roadmap for development tooling consistency - Community: Create productivity methodology resources for WordPress professionals - Training: Develop lesson plans on sustainable workflow management - Documentation: Focus on foundational processes before tool-specific guides ## 🧪 Hypotheses - People who stick with simpler productivity tools long-term achieve better outcomes than frequent switchers - Productivity tool switching correlates with decreased actual productivity and increased stress - Foundational methodology knowledge predicts productivity success more than tool sophistication - Most productivity problems can be solved by 80% of available applications regardless of complexity ### 📊 Methodology - Longitudinal study tracking productivity outcomes between tool-switchers and consistent users - Survey analysis of stress levels and actual productivity metrics across different tool usage patterns - Comparative analysis of methodology-first versus tool-first productivity education approaches ### ❓ Questions - How can productivity content creators balance helpful guidance with avoiding switching addiction? - What metrics best measure actual productivity versus perceived productivity tool effectiveness? - How do we identify which productivity problems actually require sophisticated tools versus simple solutions? ### 🔮 Future Research - Long-term productivity outcomes study comparing simple versus complex tool users - Analysis of productivity methodology effectiveness independent of tool choice - Investigation of psychological factors driving productivity tool switching behavior ### 💡 Implications - Practice: Prioritize learning foundational productivity methodologies before tool selection - Policy: Organizations should establish tool consistency policies to reduce switching costs - Education: Productivity education should emphasize principles over specific software training - Funding: Investment in productivity tool training should focus on long-term adoption strategies ### 🧠 Learning Styles Assessment Reading level estimate: 8.5 (Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level) #### 👀 Visual learners - Present: Meme analysis, conference presentation clips, analogies with visual components - Improve: Diagrams showing switching costs, productivity methodology flowcharts #### 🔊 Aural learners - Present: Full video format with clear narration and examples - Improve: Podcast version or audio summary of key concepts #### 🗣️ Verbal learners - Present: Strong analogies (moving house, car dealership), clear definitions of concepts - Improve: More detailed glossary of productivity methodologies #### 🧩 Kinesthetic learners - Present: Four-step process (research-trial-commit-optimize) provides actionable framework - Improve: Interactive tool selection worksheet, hands-on methodology exercises #### 🧠 Logical learners - Present: Structured argument flow, statistical claims (80% solution rate) - Improve: Decision trees for tool selection, cost-benefit analysis templates #### 🧑‍🤝‍🧑 Social learners - Present: Community discussion about meme, conference presentation context - Improve: Discussion forums for tool experiences, peer review checklists #### 🧘‍♀️ Solitary learners - Present: Self-reflection prompts about personal switching behavior - Improve: Self-assessment questionnaires, private journaling templates #### 🌿 Naturalistic learners - Present: Organic meme analysis, natural productivity evolution discussion - Improve: Ecosystem thinking about productivity tool environments ### 📊 Accessibility Assessment #### Screen reader semantics - Present: Clear video transcript available - Improve: Structured headings in transcript, alt text for visual memes #### Keyboard navigation - Present: Standard YouTube player controls - Improve: Chapter markers for easy navigation to key concepts #### Contrast and readability - Present: High contrast video presentation - Improve: Captions with better contrast ratios #### Media and captions - Present: Auto-generated captions available - Improve: Professional captions with speaker identification ### 🌍 DEIB Assessment #### Cultural breadth - Present: Acknowledges different productivity approaches work for different people - Improve: Examples from diverse cultural productivity approaches #### Inclusive language - Present: Gender-neutral language, avoids productivity shaming - Improve: Acknowledge economic barriers to premium productivity tools #### Neurodiversity support - Present: Clear structure, acknowledges different thinking styles - Improve: Explicit discussion of neurodivergent productivity needs #### Representation - Present: Mentions wife's different but effective approach - Improve: More diverse examples of successful productivity approaches ### ✅ Logical Validity #### Strong reasoning - Analogical strength: Moving house and car dealership analogies effectively illustrate switching costs and tool matching - Inductive strength: Personal experience with Todoist supports broader claims about long-term tool commitment - Causal reasoning: Clear connection between switching behavior and decreased productivity #### Fallacies - Appeal to popularity: Uses meme popularity as evidence without examining underlying validity - Anecdotal evidence: Relies heavily on personal experience without broader data #### Tone of voice - Overall tone: Conversational and self-reflective, acknowledges industry problems while maintaining authority ### 🛡️ DARVO Analysis - Deny: Acknowledges participation in potentially harmful productivity marketing - Attack: No attacks on critics, accepts feedback constructively - Reverse victim/offender: No victim/offender reversal present - Emotional cues and rhetoric: Self-deprecating humor and genuine concern for audience wellbeing ## 🎯 Conclusion The viral Apple Notes meme reveals a fundamental truth about productivity: simplicity often beats sophistication, and consistency trumps perfection. The most productive individuals either start simple and stay simple, or choose tools strategically and commit long-term rather than constantly switching in search of the perfect solution. Practical next steps include auditing your own switching behavior, establishing foundational productivity methodologies before selecting tools, and committing to 3-5 year tool decisions. This connects to broader implications about sustainable productivity culture and the need for content creators to balance helpful guidance with avoiding switching addiction in their audiences. ## 🧱 Refactor Appendix ### 📚 Literature Split Pad Purpose: Stage CEE units that become Literature notes. Split level: H3 ### [H1] Productivity tool switching creates moving house stress > [!quote] [Just Use Apple Notes...](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wk8sDh9w6ts) by [[Keep Productive]] via [[YouTube]]. Published 2024. Accessed 2024-12-28. > "It is like moving house when you move a note taker or to-do list application." Switching apps requires migrating data, relearning interfaces, and rebuilding workflows. [view highlight](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wk8sDh9w6ts&t=210#H1) #productivity #switching ID:rw_001 ### [H2] Rules over tools philosophy prioritizes methodology > [!quote] [Just Use Apple Notes...](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wk8sDh9w6ts) > "I believe in a concept called rules over tools where you focus more on your generalized productivity." Foundational systems like GTD and Kanban matter more than specific software choices. [view highlight](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wk8sDh9w6ts&t=345#H2) #methodology #foundations ID:rw_002 --- ### 🔖 <!-- deep-read:sections end --> ## 📺 Video  --- # 📄 Full Transcript *Auto-generated from YouTube captions · timestamps roughly every 30 seconds · [watch on YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wk8sDh9w6ts)* **[00:00]** apple notes is making its round on social media as an absolute meme at the moment and today i wanted to do keep productive's first ever meme review slash deep analysis of this and give you an idea of what i personally think of this meme making its rounds on twitter at the moment so there's a meme on twitter it's basically a graph showing the iq score along the bottom and the sort of average users per one and they're saying that normally people with low iqs go **[00:32]** with apple notes if you would high iqs go with apple notes as well and everyone in between is just stressed and switching and finding the productivity tool uh that's perfect for them and finding it stressful and largely i agree with this meme i'd definitely give this meme a nine out of ten it's so it made me absolutely chuckle when i saw it and i'm so glad that it got brought out because the attention of this is actually really important and today i wanted to actually make this a little bit more serious than it is and so to talk about two things **[01:03]** the first is switching and the second is differences in productivity so switching is something i've been talking about for quite a while now switching is one of the most toxic things you can do in productivity in my opinion the key thing for productivity is to make it as consistent as possible and for a lot of people that is finding the right base on their application sticking with your application for as long as humanly possible to suit your needs is the best **[01:35]** thing to do research finding out the best tools is really important when it comes to sticking with an application long term i cannot speak about this enough i actually spoke at a conference about this and have been speaking on youtube about it for some time here's a little clip from that conference so number two is switching okay so your goal is to actually settle down on this application once you've got it you don't want to move uh the importance of this is is massive a lot of people switch **[02:05]** i've done it in the past and honestly it's something that i know a lot of people will be doing but it's important to settle down because once you do you'll save so much time money and effort because it is like moving house when you move a note taker or to-do list application so what i typically recommend is plan uh your choice for a three to five year distance so for example um i know that when i started university i was recommended a lot and was going to go with an app called vunderlist which was great for the time period but **[02:36]** i knew i'd need some sharing abilities after i finished university for some jobs so i went with that called todoist and i've been with them for six years now so the importance of the application uh is to be there for as long as possible so that you don't have to move so the reason i'm saying that and to sort of build on that moving house analogy is there's that stress there's that effort there's that time that is spent finding and switching applications and that's what's stressful so you want to do it as **[03:06]** minimally as possible so that's why i largely agree with this meme in the center because that guy crying is the people who are just switching and moving applications the ones that stick long term and optimize it when they find their base is probably much more suitable i've actually got a video coming out soon called the problem with notion which talks about this topic in much more detail um and it really does go a lot further so hopefully if you're interested you can subscribe to this channel to dive into a bit more **[03:36]** so switching is really fundamental to productivity because the less switching you do and the more research you do at the start the more productive you'll be and the time you'll save setting up that tool that matters to you so the second topic is the differences in productivity now productivity is so unique everyone is different and everyone has their own take on it my wife she will work from a notepad and she does a stellar job and she's very very efficient at doing stuff so much more efficient **[04:06]** than me it's really embarrassing running the youtube channel about it but as you can imagine people don't necessarily need these tools in the middle they might need apple notes they might need one note it it's whatever suits you best and um it's really useful to see i've seen students that have taken notion and then been able to 3x their proactiveness before getting to a job i think the the fundamental difference is you're actually **[04:38]** using a tool to get yourself a step further i believe in a concept called rules over tools where you focus more on your generalized productivity the foundations your productivity before the actual tool if you look at that you'll tend to find that a lot of time the productivity tool doesn't matter as much and probably 80 percent of the productivity apps that you find will solve the majority of your problems but it's important to find the foundations of your productivity first what i mean by foundations is that getting things **[05:08]** done um kanban methodologies pomodoros things that actually will help you systematize your productivity versus necessarily um you know the tool and the software that's in front of you so it's really interesting i did see some negative feedback from this and of course it's great to have negative feedback because we can learn from it and there was one in particular i won't show the details of the tweet is these productivity youtubers and their note-taking applications marketing are getting out of hand and wasting thousands of young students careers apple notes or all over **[05:41]** all of the bs and i agree with him about the productivity at market um there is some toxic toxic behavior in the productivity space and i am part of that and it's difficult to find the balance between being and putting out content regularly about finding the right productivity application and being relevant for the long term it is hard to find a balance and i'm definitely learning more and more about this but at the same time i always go with **[06:12]** the basis of um the actually quite an interesting statistic on our youtube eighty percent of the people who watch our videos aren't subscribed because they come they find the information and they go and that's what i love the people who typically stay are the ones who are trying to find a tool that um that they want to enhance or maybe are interested in the other videos that we do on productivity not necessarily the fact that we do other videos about **[06:43]** sort of new apps it's difficult to navigate this space because it's so new as a problem but i guess it's very similar to self-development in it to some extent because it's very similar in its fashion of like motivation for motivation's sake and things like that going back to the apple notes meme i do think there's a good sort of rule for this in general and i always refer to productivity tools like a car dealership you walk into a car dealership and they're not just going to sell you the high-end eye and tell you to go **[07:14]** they're going gonna give you the best car for your needs so the great thing is there are a few cars but we all know they go from a to b every car goes from a to b a mercedes-benz posh car lovely car will get you from a to b maybe one a little bit more efficiently and faster maybe breaking down a little bit less in the long term but they'll get you from a to b largely right so this is what i mean is you know there are so many different cars for lots of different situations **[07:46]** there's cars that are adapted for disabilities there's cars that are adapted for those with a different lifestyle there's cars that are much more suitable for older people or young people there is a different calf and there's a car for everyone out there and it's similar to the productivity market that's how i tend to view it so negative aside i think this is probably a good time to if you're looking at yourself and going i'm making a lot of switching i'm making a lot of shiny new syndrome decisions **[08:17]** this might be the good learning outcome for this video is okay maybe i need to look at the productivity tools um that i use and say i'm going to stay for these for the long term now and adapt to that i have a typical process that i go through which is research trial which is committing to the application and then optimize where you then actually learn the tool and build on it and make sure you build a base for the future that's my opinion on it i'd love to hear your opinion it's a very complicated topic at **[08:48]** least but i thought it'd be interesting to talk about in today's video this is such a weird video to do about a productivity meme that's exploding um but i'd really love to hear some of your opinions on this thank you very much folks if you're new here hit subscribe and i'll talk to you all very soon cheerio