Jump to content

Menu

s/o GTD Thread--Evernote


Recommended Posts

I love Evernote for keeping track of all my reference items.

 

I have a stack of notebooks all related to Education - one for each subject. Whenever I find an idea/project/video/worksheet that I like I file it into the appropriate notebook. If I come across a great post here that I'd like to re-read from time to time, I file it in my self-education folder.

 

I have another stack of notebooks for all things Medical - one notebook for each person in our family. I make a new note for each dr. visit, weight check, etc.

 

Yet another stack for all Recipes - subdivide into pasta/chicken/appetizers/drinks/etc.

 

The great thing is that I can access all of this on my phone. I type in my child's vital statistics as he's being measured at the doctor's office. I pull up a recipe while at the grocery store to check on ingredients.

 

ETA: Forgot a word.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Evernote is kind of like the text version of Pinterest.

 

 

I haven't used Pinterest before either ;)

 

The great thing is that I can access all of this on my phone. I type in my child's vital statistics as he's being measured at the doctor's office. I pull up a recipe while at the grocery store to check on ingredients.

 

 

I don't have a smart phone--is it still worth using?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I luuuuuuurve Evernote! It's my brain! I have notebooks devoted to cooking, homeschooling, photography, scouting, essential oils, business, digiscrapping, gardening....EVERYTHING! :thumbup:

 

I love that I can access my files anywhere....my iPad, iPhone, computer, at the library, anywhere there is a internet connection. It takes up less memory on my computer, but I don't **have** to be online to access my files. I can add photos, audio files and text in the same note. I only just got a smart phone a few months ago, and I love the extra access. However I've been an Evernote user for many, many years.

 

The most complicated part of Evernote is that it's sooo flexible sometimes it's a bit hard to figure out how to use it. Some people dump all their notes into one notebook and rely on tags. Other people (like me) like to file things away by notebook. Some ppl do a mix of both. The search function is phenomenal. You can share notebooks with ppl, which is great for collaborative projects.

 

Here is a free book that can explain more about the in's and out's of using it. http://www.makeuseof.com/pages/how-to-use-evernote-the-missing-manual

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Evernote is free up to certain amount of storage each month. I personally like One Note's layout better, but cannot see myself spending that much money just for layout.

 

I like that Evernote can synch between your devices. I also like that you get an evernote e-mail, so you can e-mail items directly to your account.

 

The biggest issue I have with any digital storage is remembering that it's there. I do much better with a paper planner, generally, but for links, copying articles or some notes, it's great.

 

I have notebooks for personal and school. The basics of it are easy to use and I'm still discovering more ways to use it.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

If you're already thinking in GTD terms, Evernote is my "ubiquitous capture" list-making tool and my reference filing system. The cool thing about it is that it scans images for text and makes the text searchable. So you can take a picture of a receipt, a whiteboard of notes, etc, and it will be searchable.

 

If you're interested in setting up a GTD system, we did start a spin off email list called GTD at Home you (anyone) can join, too. :)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 4 weeks later...

I just launched an eBook on getting an organization "binder" set up digitally with Evernote. It has a section specific for homeschooling, as well. If you're interested, you can read more about it on my site and download a free sample, too: Paperless Home Management: A How-To Guide to Create a Digital Home Management Binder.

 

Monday only it's $1.99, and through January it will be $2.99, but then I will be asking $7.99.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I really need something like this. I haven't read GTD, but I just read Zen to Done, which is sort of a simplified version.

 

What are the main differences between OneNote and EverNote??

 

ETA: Hmmm... well, I just figured out that you have to purchase ON, but EN is free online... that's a big difference!! :)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

One key thing to keep in mind with Evernote is they do limit notebooks and you can only create one level stacks.

 

What I've done is create notebooks that are at a higher level than I would normally make folders etc. So I have a home school notebook which is then organized with tags. I have a recipe notebook which is organized with tags. In classic GTD speak these would be my area of responsibility folders. Tags can be seen as project related level.

 

However, you should not under estimate the power of Evernote's search engine. I usually can go to all notes and search out what I am looking for from there.

 

I do have a GTD notebook which is my place to keep action items, but most project support things are in their correct area. You can create notelinks from the action item to any support notes you might need.

 

Finally if you go Premium, create a mobile notebook which is the one that you can use to store items in for offline usage in all your devices. I never have more than 20 notes in it, but they flux depending on what I'm doing: if I go on a trip it holds reservation confirmations, at home, I usually have the recipes I plan to use that week.

 

Finally, don't overlook the apps that will work with Evernote to make it stronger. I use Say mmmm to create shopping lists from recipes and Expensify to track my home school expenses.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Can you store/upload PDFs in either of these? I have hundreds of recipes that I need to somehow store online. I could scan them and then make them into a PDF.

 

 

You can in both. In my experience, EN is a little easier to use though.

 

I love Evernote and OneNote. OneNote is definitely prettier, and you can organize a little better. However, Evernote is much easier to use, in my opinion. Evernote is also free, OneNote sometimes comes with Office, but if not, you have to pay for it.

 

Evernote is pretty much my external brain. If I see an article I like and want to remember, or read later, it goes in there. Gift ideas? Evernote them. Pretty much anything I see myself referencing again, I put in Evernote. It has the added benefit of being easy to use on my phone as well, so I can access everything (recipes are especially nice) on the move. I use it to store my shopping list, to do list, reminders, books to read/books I've read, important emails... pretty much everything.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

 Share

×
×
  • Create New...