How to Simplify Your Digital Life

Summary

In this video, Sarah Dii discusses her transition from using Notion to Apple Notes for organizing her creative work and personal life. She shares her experience with simplifying digital systems, the impact of her new baby on her workflow, and her switch to Mac, highlighting the benefits of streamlined tools like Apple Notes and the To-Do app.

Takeaways

• 😀 Sarah Dii, the creator of the video, used to rely heavily on Notion for her business and video-making but has since moved away from it due to changes in her life and creative process.
• 🛠 Notion served as a central tool for managing her video and sponsor databases, allowing her to collaborate with employees and freelancers effectively.
• 👶 Sarah's life changed significantly after the birth of her baby, leading her to simplify her processes and reduce stress by focusing on what truly matters in her content creation.
• 📱 She has transitioned to using Apple Notes as her primary organizational tool due to its simplicity and accessibility across all her Apple devices.
• 🌐 Sarah emphasizes the importance of using tools that one will consistently use, rather than getting lost in the complexity of setting them up.
• 🏠 The video mentions the benefits of simplifying one's digital life, especially when transitioning to a new phase, such as parenthood.
• 🎨 Sarah now uses a single folder for her video projects, using headers and colors to organize her thoughts and ideas without the pressure of maintaining a rigid template.
• 📝 She highlights the ease of jotting down thoughts in Apple Notes, especially when on the go, as a significant factor in her shift from Notion.
• 📊 The video discusses the transition from complex systems to simpler ones, like using the 'Things' app for to-dos, which is quick and efficient for daily task management.
• 🗂️ Sarah consolidated her Google Drive storage from multiple accounts into a single, organized account and is in the process of further organizing it with a NAS system.
• 🔄 The overarching theme of the video is about stripping back to the essentials, focusing on sustainability, and creating from a place of peace and organization.

Q & A

What has changed in the creator's use of Notion over the years?

The creator used Notion religiously for 4 years but has significantly reduced its use due to changes in her life and creative process.

What is the current state of the creator's Notion setup?

The creator's Notion setup is now primarily an archive of previous projects, with databases of videos and sponsors that are no longer actively used for day-to-day operations.

How has the creator's life changed, affecting her use of Notion?

The creator's life has changed significantly, including having a baby and a desire to simplify her life, which led to a decrease in the use of Notion.

What was the creator's previous process for making videos like?

The previous process involved a lot of collaboration, managing multiple sponsored projects, and ensuring satisfaction of both the audience and the clients, which was stressful and complex.

Why did the creator decide to stop using Notion for her to-do lists?

The creator found that Notion was not quick enough for her to offload tasks from her brain, preferring a faster method to capture to-dos as they popped into her head.

What tool has the creator replaced Notion with for her current needs?

The creator has replaced Notion with Apple Notes for organizing her thoughts and processes, finding it simpler and quicker to use.

How has the creator's transition to an all-Mac ecosystem affected her digital organization?

The transition to an all-Mac ecosystem has allowed the creator to simplify her digital life, utilizing Apple Notes and other Apple ecosystem tools more effectively.

What is the creator's current approach to managing her video projects?

The creator now uses a simplified approach with a single video folder, pinning active projects, and using Apple Notes for organization and scripting.

What changes has the creator made to her Google Drive usage?

The creator consolidated her Google Drive usage from multiple accounts into a single account with organized storage, making her digital life more manageable.

How does the creator feel about her new approach to digital organization?

The creator feels lighter and more at peace with her new approach, finding it more sustainable and conducive to creativity.

What advice does the creator have for others who might be overcomplicating their digital organization?

The creator advises others to strip back to the essentials, focusing on what is truly needed and what helps rather than hinders the creative process.