Outline for this podcast (transcription coming soon)
Notion
Pros
market leader
Lots of tutorials
Lots of templates, free and purchasable
Databases, not just documents
Customization options (kind of)
handles lots of media
Has lots of integrations (pricey)
Web-based, so stays synced.
for ADHD:
Can be colorful
Can integrate timers/widgets
Can use same data in different views < — this is ultimately why it’s better for ADHD
Lots of professional ADHD coaches or other professionals say it’s the best thing for them, and so there is a community of NotionADHD folks (is there?)
Being professionally developed, so keeps getting better all the time (usually with things people have been asking for
Pretty helpful AI
Apple widgets
Cons
No offline access
iPad app is frustratingly different (no pencil integration)
IOS app is better, but if you plan on using that you’re going to want to configure your workspace
Lack of security
Lack of buy-in from coworkers, etc.
Delay lets you get distracted easily
Lots of rabbit holes trying to make things pretty/more efficient
Easy to be overwhelmed.
Costs money, though there are nonprofit rates and AI is cheap
Sort of markdown, but really proprietary
No ability to sketch within the app.
iPad pen scribble only work haphazardly.
Resources
Caren Magill
Notion mastery
The Notion Bar
By Regina.com
Consumer 2 Creator Lab
The wish they worked for me list:
Life OS
Bulletproof workspace
Obsidian:
Pros:
Fast and simple and non-proprietary
customize entire workspace
Community for themes & plugins
Graph view is cool
iPadOS versions work pretty much the same.
Quick to launch, easy to write in
Daily note! Built in!
Endlessly interesting
Very active community
Honestly, it just feels fun. You feel like you’re a bit more of a hacker.
Very cool backstory
Can (sort of) draw on iPad with excalidraw
Cons:
Great for note taking & note linking, but for database stuff and task/project management requires plugins/complex syntax/learning curve.
Costs money to sync easily (not terrible, but it’s real).
Endless customization makes it a Sarlacc Pit
Not as friendly to multiple file types as Notion (at least, not out of the box)
Still no built-in sketch or diagram capacity.
Graph view is cool, but ultimately not terribly useful (to me)
Not as many templates available, particularly not for ADHDers.
Except for a very thorough write up in the r/ObsidianMD channel on Reddit
Resources:
Linking Your Thinking (great community, great course)
Danny Hatcher
Bryan Jenks (adhd)
Nicole Van Der Hoeven
Ellane (on Medium.com)
Good example of what it takes (which, btw, I love and have to resist the temptation to try): https://www.arc.wtf/blog/pkm-madness/
ADHD PKM Showdown: Notion vs. Obsidian, which is better for neurospicy brains?