Our Favorite Productivity Apps! 

I don't want to be dramatic, but this episode may have been one of the bigger turning points in my adult life. Move over Laine, I've got task apps to use.

My favourite productivity boost is watching a 1 hour 20 minute long video about productivity and producing nothing myself.

Andrew: I think I’m gonna start with Google task. Google after listening to the podcast Google: set a reminder to kill Google tasks on Friday

Marques, the 'memory flaw' you're referring to is actually the genius of the storage system. You don't have to manually delete files. If you deem it inadequate for storage, voila. It's gone.

Missed the opportunity to have a regular intro by saying "and I'm David"

Fellow alarm app people. Join the dark side

The first half of the show was two task management experts analyzing the life of someone to see which task management software to use to make his life easier to manage. The second half of the show was that person getting the task management experts to admit how difficult and complicated it is to manage those task managers.

Not gonna lie I didn't understand the whole "that guy is my spirit animal!" until i heard Andrew talk about how he uses his alarm app for everything with maybe a calendar event. Yea he's my spirit animal. I'm only at the 30min mark but i may use whatever Andrew picks at the end. I have faith in my spirit animal.

The person who did the chapters should be locked in jail 😂

Dealing with ADHD and needing both what Marques and David Use as well as needing some HARD reminders like Andrew. This discussion is extremely interesting. And I am excited to also try whatever Andrew picks... If he picks anything (I am only 20 minutes in while writing this comment.)

I'm glad David also noticed Andrew walking down the "Symptoms of ADHD" list...

Was getting ready for work but realized it must be Friday so it’s my day off. Back in bed baby!

Mid-week waveform podcast 😍!!! Lets go 🎉

For a Samsung user..... Samsung's reminders app. 1. Natural lang processing (It's pretty great). 2. Location based reminders. 3. Checkboxes and images can be added. 4. Sync (can use Samsung account or Microsoft TODO) 5. For an attachment or a more rich text related stuff, you can use Samsung notes (which is amazing btw) and add it to a reminder. 6. Has widget support. 7. Supports categorizing your reminders. 8. It's Free.

This episode amused me on several levels. I had to laugh at myself because after a lifetime since high school having been immersed in the IT world, from IBM mainframes in the 70s on, I now find myself at 74 writing physical notes to myself constantly. I have little pads on my desk, in the kitchen and my outside table where I have my nightly glass of wine. LOL. The other thing I found amusing is you guys reminded my of a Seinfeld episode in that you just did an entire show about the most mundane activity there is, how to remember stuff, very nerdy but very amusing. Well done and thanks.

Thought the “intervention” part was a joke and then I watched the WVFRM version of an episode of Queer Eye. Maybe my fav episode yet! Nice seeing David

Since Marques is always looking for something more than youtube - what about a productivity app ? Marques’s Timely - timely reminders to organize your life.

I feel so represented by Andrew in this intervention... He is me.. I am him. Down to the doing the 8 tasks needed doing before end of day Sunday...

0:36-0:40 - Props to the editor: Great touch of adding a live audio visualizer when the nameplates come up. Those look great!

I literally just planed out my GRE prep and retouched my daily calendar right before this postcard went online! Blocking time for “meaningful tasks” has helped me a lot, like when ever I want to scroll the internet, I check my calendar for tasks scheduled and my to-do list. This beings my back on track pretty good. I find that blocking Deep Work in my calendar particularly useful for improving the productivity and quality. Great topic!

MORE OF THESE TYPES OF VIDEOS PLEASE! LOVED EVERY MINUTE OF IT!

Nothing like the chaos of the alarm app to run the day. On the flip side, nothing like spending 30 min of productive time using scheduling apps to run the day. I deeply relate to all of you.

this is one of my favourite episodes so far, I loved listening to you guys talking about productivity tools and the whole rabbit hole. Thank you so much!

Such a relatable episode. The struggles of finding the “idea” productivity app while also having the best one with you already that you always go back to 😭

The best, loved it. I can't wait for the "Check In with Andrew" show.

The benefit of the alarms as task/event reminders is that the alarms notify via full-screen takeover, where the alarm has to be dismissed, and the audio is loud and continuous, regardless of whether or not the device's ringer is silenced. I wish iOS allowed 3rd party apps to send those alarm-style notifications.

I set aside time (in the calendar app), made popcorn, grabbed my blanket and settled in for this episode. I've never felt so seen and my wife has never rolled her eyes so far backward.

They're talking about the clean home screen and I want to yell into the video that with ticktick (not sure of others but could be there as well and equally or more helpful depending on it's other features) you can have the to do list widget AND set it to a level of transparency so you can see your wallpaper and your tasks basically just look like they are written on it. The less you have to do the cleaner your home screen will be. For me it ensures that every time you see the home screen it both looks good and constantly reminds you of what needs done or is upcoming. I think it would be a pretty perfect set up for him as I have the same "single clean home screen" desire.

Andrew is my spirit animal. One of the best episodes. Love y'all.

I am so happy this episode was made. You have no idea how

This is so helpful to hear that I’m not alone. I literally have moved everything from Apple calendar to Google calendar from Apple reminders to Google tasks from default Apple Maps to Google maps to Apple files to Google Drive. I just I’m constantly experimenting with how I feel with these productivity apps, it’s crazy. I’ve settled on Apple mail Apple reminders Apple calendar only because it gives me anxiety to look at too many apps on my phone.

It's hilarious how much I realized right now, that I'm more like Andrew than any other person on the team LOL. I just can't get into task-management... This subject is a much needed one in my life. Thank you. I'm also a dad of a toddler, but I have a baby coming any day now, and building my own business. So I really have to get myself into groove. Thank you!

This may be the greatest piece of art I've witnessed.

Omg what a great episode. I feel like this was made for me. I'm definitely bookmarking this one!

Thank you very much for this video! It really convinced me to start using a todo app with natural language processing. It's very easy to create a task now. And somehow seeing things ticked off really motivates to do the tasks.

Todoist user for over 4 years. It saved my professional and organizational life. I use it every day to keep track of my every day tasks as well as one-off tasks. I use the projects feature to separate work from home from groceries etc.

Vergecast + WAVEFORM my two favorites in one place!!!!🤯

I havent listened to the episode yet, but these are the real conversations. Love this podcast!

Loved this episode. Y'all need to turn this same questionnaire that you went through with Andrew into a simple website that would help people narrow down the best productivity app based on their needs, habits, motivators, and ecosystem.

Great episode! It got me to use tasks. Something I hit a brick wall with... You can't create a "shopping list" in tasks and have Assistant add things to it via voice. It will only add them to keep. So to get around this you either paste the things to the Tasks app manually or just say "hey google, remind me to buy eggs, milk, cheese etc" and it will add it to the main Tasks list on the tasks app. It's beyond me how this isn't possible with Assistant, but I'm not surprised at the same time 😅

out of all of the podcasts they upload and talk tech, this is the one I am most honed in on. Andrew needs help with productivity and so do I

This was funny. I work just like Andrew. Alarm and calendar is all I use😂. Critical one-time or repeating goes on the alarm. All else go on the calendar. I haven't gotten to watching the end of this episode yet, but I'll see what you suggest to Andrew later. COOL🤙🏽

14:59 The sheer look of HORROR on David’s face = the best laugh I’ve had all month. Thank you gentlemen. 😂😂😂

Another banger of an episode, lads! I love it when people nerd out over something really specific.

The one you'll choose and enjoy the most is the one that has the least friction possible. I've been on the same journey Marques has. I've arrived at needing time blocking. Currently using Amie and Sunsama.

🎯 Key Takeaways for quick navigation: 00:18 *🎙️ Discussion on productivity apps* - Exploring the necessity of using productivity apps. - Comparison of different approaches to task management. - Introduction to the concept of "second brain" software. 03:04 *🧠 Benefits of using productivity apps* - Highlighting the fallibility of human memory. - Addressing decision fatigue and anxiety associated with task management. - Personal experiences and analogies illustrating the advantages of software-based task management. 06:37 *🗣️ Openness to trying productivity apps* - Andrew's initial resistance and subsequent openness to trying productivity apps. - Discussion on the potential benefits and drawbacks of adopting new productivity tools. - Commitment to finding a stable and straightforward app solution. 11:17 *⏰ Handling task management challenges* - Addressing specific task management scenarios and solutions. - Discussion on using alarms, calendar events, and task management apps to organize tasks effectively. - Strategies for adapting task management systems to changing schedules and requirements. 19:28 *🗑️ Managing tasks efficiently with productivity apps* - Discussing the convenience of natural language processing for setting reminders and tasks. - Exploring the challenges of voice input recognition in task management apps. - Critiquing the user interface and usability of traditional alarm and task apps. 20:52 *📅 Integrating tasks and events in productivity apps* - Examining the dilemma between using to-do list apps and calendar apps for task and event management. - Discussing the advantages and limitations of managing tasks within a calendar interface. - Sharing experiences with balancing work and personal calendars and the challenges of syncing tasks across devices. 25:36 *🔀 Exploring hybrid task and event management solutions* - Evaluating apps that attempt to combine task and event management functionalities. - Highlighting the challenges and benefits of hybrid productivity apps. - Discussing the need for flexibility in task management tools to accommodate different user preferences and workflows. 37:18 *📝 The importance of using a proper to-do list app* - Forgetting tasks is common when not using a to-do list app. - Using a to-do list app ensures all tasks are recorded and not forgotten. - Discussion on the necessity of consolidating tasks and notes in one place. 38:00 *📝 Exploring the use of Google Keep* - Utilizing Google Keep as a note-taking and task management tool. - Challenges and benefits of organizing tasks in Google Keep. - Discussion on the effectiveness of using Google Keep for task management. 40:17 *📝 Introduction to TickTick as a task management app* - TickTick as a versatile to-do list app with additional features like calendar and notes. - Multiplatform availability and seamless synchronization across devices. - Highlights of TickTick's functionality and suitability for task management. 45:17 *📝 Recommendation of Todoist for task management* - Todoist's simplicity and effectiveness as a to-do list app. - Integration capabilities with other platforms like Google Calendar. - Discussion on the advantages of Todoist over other task management apps. 49:54 *📝 Exploring Google Tasks as a task management solution* - Integration of Google Tasks with Gmail, Calendar, and other Google products. - Challenges and potential of Google Tasks as a task management tool. - Discussion on the need for better integration between Google Tasks and other task management apps. 55:31 *📝 Future of Task Management:* - Future possibility of AI-driven task management. - Simplifying task input through natural language processing. - Potential integration with dedicated hardware for seamless task handling. 58:18 *🛠️ Simplifying Task Management:* - Using Google Assistant for hands-free task input. - Challenges with current task management systems. - Leveraging Google Tasks for simplicity and integration. 01:09:11 *💡 Choosing a Task Management App:* - Starting with Google Tasks for simplicity and familiarity. - Considering TickTick for its user interface and task list presentation. - Evaluating Todoist for its integration with Google Calendar and familiar interface. 01:13:14 *🔍 Discussion on email productivity apps* - Main goal: Finding efficient email management solutions. - Superhuman and Mimestream for Gmail are preferred due to their good search functionality. - Goal is to minimize time spent in Gmail and achieve inbox zero quickly. 01:13:39 *⌨️ Typing challenge and discussion on keyboards* - Main activity: Typing alphabet A-Z in order and discussion on keyboard preferences. - Typing challenge: Guests attempt to type alphabet A-Z quickly. - Discussion on keyboard preferences, including mechanical keyboards, Logitech Craft, and Surface Book keyboards. - Exploration of different keyboard layouts and unique inventions in keyboard design. 01:19:17 *🏆 Typing challenge results and reflections* - Main outcome: Reviewing typing challenge results and reflecting on performance. - Review of the guest's typing speed and comparison with leaderboard. - Reflections on personal performance and aspirations in typing. - Expressing satisfaction with achieving a top 10 position on the leaderboard. Made with HARPA AI

This episode is making me feel so much better about myself. If you feel like you don’t have your life together, just listen to how Andrew would set an alarm to ‘fill out form’ and just hope he remembers what form and where 😅

My favorite pod of talks to date. Got me really thinking about my setup

Writing things down on paper, thinking to myself, these 3 people are nuts 😂

This episode is like: who has ADHD and has their own way of dealing with it 😂

Two of my favorite podcasts of really sweet people I watch in One Podcast nice Surprise.Hope all had a great Holiday. Thanks so much for sharing Enjoyed. ✌️💯

Oh my god I was not ready for David Pearce on Waveform. I literally went from a vergecast episode to this, worlds colliding, this is huge

After watching this episode it feels like I'm just not busy enough at this point in my life.

This is sooooooo relatable!! Thanks for making this one.

Hahahaha watched in intervals, but this was super fun. Let Andrew talk more about the inside the office stuff! How Marques would be waiting if the “Drive Home” task didn’t go off was so funny! 😂

This is absolutely my favorite collaboration. Goot bring David back from time to time.

Hearing “alarm app” as the answer every time kills me! 😂 Never gets old

I like this tech audit format

This was so fun! And David fits in nicely with the team.

Marques Shirt is dope, it brought me to look at the daft punk shop where I found an awesome limited Daft Punk Letterman Jacket. Thanks for the inspiration!

Huckleberry is game changing for everything newborn tracking!

I'm saying this before watching the whole video but... Google Keep is a life saver for me... Calendar sounds cool but for me, I have trouble just sitting there and adding events/todos... Whereas with Google Keep I can just word vomit as I please and organize later... I'll keep watching now...

Just 10 minutes in and I'm pretty sure, this will be my favourite episode of the year!

My people, loved this one. I'm in the camp with David and Marques, always switching and struggling to settle down somewhere.

Haven’t finished the pod yet. My wife is also my weekend calendar app so looking forward to finishing here Edit: I ended up spending 45 minutes putting my family’s birthdays in my google calendar and called it a day

I am such an Andrew, I don't write down everything, only stuff that's out of routine and I use Google Calendar, Keep and alarms to get it done 😂

Every once in a while, I see if I should try using some productivity apps. This episode thoroughly convinced me that my calendar app + paper roadmap notes are what I should stick to.

Andrew’s alarm based task management system always sounded horrifying to me but hearing about it in detail it makes more sense. I have ADHD and was pretty disorganised. I started using Tick Tick (actually after hearing about it from Marques in a previous episode). It is really good. What I like is that you can keep your system as simple or complex as you like. If you want to use, pomo or focus timers, Eisenhower Matrix, habit tracker, etc. It is all there, but if you don’t, you can just hide it and use the parts you do use. The only thing I hope they add is 2-way sync with Google Calendar.

Marques describing his toxic trait hit home hard 😂

as a new father, this is amazing. and possibly one of the first videos i have commented on in a decade

Andrew! You did something there. Thriving in anxiety is the way to go. Its toxic but its a balance of growth-responsibility and to do's i just strive in. That was good.

I love this, I didn’t know there’s were so many other people like me who are todo list app nerds. Another cool one for habits is Habitica which turns your life into an RPG.

We need this exact topic discussed again in 1 year, after proper AI integration.

I have never identified with Andrew more

I love how on hearing Andrew's current way, Marques seems to be in shock while David is trying his hardest to seem supportive but we see cracks of disappointment peek through XD

Love this episode… we need one more like this with more complex apps, email apps, notes apps etc…

Favorite. Episode. Ever!

its honestly really funny being named Claire and having the EXACT same issue as Andrew

I think this the most excited I have ever been for an episode 😲

This episode was great. Would love to see y'all cover more content like this in the future.

Well now I have to spend three hours setting up my new productivity system

This was such a fun episode

While I enjoy watching all of your podcasts, this one has to be the most useful. I could relate to all of those issues, especially trying to put tasks in calendars when I didn't want them to be assigned a time. I also didn't realize that Google tasks could be installed as a app onto itself. This was a game changer. So thank you and keep putting out more stuff like this

Just subbed because of the topic. I did not even know about this channel. I mean I knew about MKBHD but not this podcast. I am a productivity app fanatic so this was such a joy to watch.

1:07:14 “How do I get home?” 😅

MORE WAVEFORM!! LET'S GOO

I really want and need more of these conversations it is so helpful to see and learn how you guys WORK 🛠️ it is so helpful.

37:30 reminds me of that scene from Malcolm in the Middle (s03e06) when Hal starts to replace a lightbulb, then goes down the trail of fixing things 😂😂😂😂

Andrew had me cracking up this episode 😂. I'm interested to see if by the end of the episode if he uses one of the apps because I am relating to all of his issues lol

This episode was definitely Marques's idea.

This should be a series! You matchmake people with to do apps based on their needs.

This was possibly the greatest podcast I've ever listened to. I've genuinely never resonated with anything else so much. Every point and situation mentioned made me laugh so hard because of how relatable it was. Also, "Alarm people" I didn't even know they existed, I was dying at how funny that whole concept is. Made me cringe.

Todoist for sure. It’s amazing.

On a bad day, this podcast came like a god send

Another alternative for todo's, depending on how much you like Daddy Bezos- I have Alexa Frames and I'll constantly tell alexa from my glasses "remind me at X time on Y day to do Z thing". When I go about my day, announce the reminder in my head and then delete itself- my other alexa devices won't announce anything as the default message is "announce from this device (glasses) only"

My app list consists of Samsung Calendar (synced to Google Calendar) for regular events like work school etc, Samsung Reminders for one-time or repeat tasks, Notes for drafting designs or brainstorming, Keep for shopping lists and event planning (shared with my wife).

12 seconds, no views.... wvfrm fell off

Andrew's a min max build with all of his stats in RAM.

This is not Friday but we have a gift from mkbhd. Love this ❤🎉

Great episode guys! Laughing the entire time