I recently reread the article The Paradox of Choice, which was referenced in this post: The Paradox of Choice
To my pleasant surprise, I realized that after wrestling too long on selecting apps, especially my note taking and writing apps., that the Siren Song of app switching has grown increasingly faint with each passing day. I attribute this to:
Frequenting this forum a little less often (several times per week rather than daily or multi-times per day).
Significantly cutting down on the tech podcast I listen to.
Making the decision to settle with āgood enoughā rather than falling into the āmaximizingā trap.
Iām continue using Appleās default apps for my professional and personal work and have eliminated nearly all subscriptions. I have landed on Ulysses for my book project and iA Writer and Pages for all other writing. iThoughtsX and FreeForm meet my mind mapping needs. I use Finder/Files App for all file storage except for research articles. Iām keeping research files in DEVONthink. Other than research, I use DT to archive all of my writing into an archive database.
Iām self-aware enough to realize that I could fall off the wagon but Iām reasonably confident that Iām secured on the mast and will not heed the Siren Call to switch apps unless something catastrophic happens, e.g, Apple Notes fails to sync again, in which case Iāll probably move all note taking to DEVONthink.
Iām sure at least weekly, Iām just cutting back a bit to avoid the inevitable FOMO when I read enthusiastic comments about apps. Itās strange, Iām not afflicted by this mallady when it comes to social media or the news, just apps. Iām not sure it is FOMO as much as āfearā that Iām not āmaximizingā my work flow.
When I accepted a new job in '88 I discovered the only ācomputersā available to me were a handful of DEC terminals and a couple DEC workstations. It could take 30 - 40 minutes to create one pie chart on the monochrome workstations and print it in color on the attached plotter.
Fast forward a few years and managers are now producing their charts on IBM PCs using Harvard Graphics in a fraction of the time. But preparing for their meetings is taking hours longer. Instead of producing one chart they now produce several, and then revise them, and revise them, and . . . until minutes before the meeting starts.
Technology can be a two edged sword, you are the most important component. Tiago Forte recommends picking an app and using it for at least 30 days. Youāve made your choices so keep going.