My Simple Apple Productivity System (iOS 18 update)

Summary

This video offers a comprehensive guide to an Apple-centric productivity system using iOS 18 and Mac OS Tooa. The presenter shares their experience switching to Apple's native apps—Calendar, Reminders, and Notes—for organizing life and managing time effectively. They detail setting up calendars for different life areas, creating recurring events, and utilizing reminders for tasks. New features like reminders integration in Calendar and smart lists for groceries in Reminders are highlighted. The video also covers note-taking strategies in Apple Notes, emphasizing the apps' simplicity, offline functionality, and cross-device syncing.

Takeaways

• 📱 The speaker switched to using only Apple apps for productivity after the iOS 18 and Mac OS updates, appreciating their simplicity and power.
• 🗓️ The Apple Calendar app is used to manage time effectively by blocking out recurring events and visualizing time allocation for different life areas.
• 🏋️‍♂️ Creating separate calendars for different life goals like work, health, and personal projects helps in tracking progress and managing time better.
• ⏰ Setting alarms in addition to calendar events can serve as effective reminders to ensure important tasks are not missed.
• 📆 The integration of reminders into the Apple Calendar allows for a combined view of tasks and schedule, enhancing productivity.
• 📝 The Apple Reminders app is organized with lists that mirror the categories in the calendar, streamlining task management.
• 🛒 The grocery list feature in reminders automatically categorizes items, making shopping more efficient.
• 📑 The Apple Notes app is used to take notes and organize thoughts by life areas, with new features like text highlighting and dropdown menus enhancing organization.
• 🔐 Notes can be password-protected for privacy, and the app supports offline use and cross-device syncing.
• 📈 The speaker emphasizes the importance of regularly reviewing and planning to maintain an organized and productive life, suggesting a weekly review process.

Q & A

What motivated the speaker to switch to Apple apps for their productivity system?

The speaker was motivated to switch to Apple apps due to the new updates in iOS 18 and Mac OS Tooa, which addressed the missing features that previously kept them using third-party applications.

What are the three main components of the speaker's Apple productivity system?

The three main components of the speaker's Apple productivity system are the Calendar, Reminders, and Notes apps.

How does the speaker suggest using the Calendar app to manage different areas of life?

The speaker suggests creating different calendars for each main area of life, such as work, health, YouTube channel, and relationships, to visually represent where time is dedicated.

What is the significance of blocking out recurring events in the Calendar app?

Blocking out recurring events helps in managing time by showing a visual representation of time allocation and ensuring that consistent activities are always accounted for in the schedule.

How does the speaker use alarms in conjunction with the Calendar app?

The speaker uses alarms to supplement the Calendar app by setting loud alarms for key turning points in the day, such as waking up, starting work, and going to the gym, to ensure they adhere to their schedule.

What new feature in the Calendar app does the speaker find particularly useful?

The speaker finds the new feature of reminders integration into Apple Calendar particularly useful, as it allows them to create reminders directly within the Calendar app and see them alongside their events.

How does the speaker organize their reminders in the Reminders app?

The speaker organizes their reminders by creating lists that mirror their calendars, such as Work, Health, YouTube, and Relationships, and also uses an 'Inbox' for quick task capture.

What is the 'pull system' mentioned by the speaker for managing tasks in the Reminders app?

The 'pull system' refers to having two categories of tasks: active tasks that are being worked on, and the rest in a queue. This system helps to focus on one or two major tasks at a time and establish clear priorities.

How does the speaker utilize the Notes app to support their productivity?

The speaker uses the Notes app to organize notes by main areas of life, mirroring the structure of the Calendar and Reminders apps, and also uses it for capturing random ideas and thoughts.

What new features in Apple Notes does the speaker appreciate?

The speaker appreciates the new features in Apple Notes such as the ability to highlight text, create dropdown menus for better organization, and the overall improved simplicity and functionality of the app.