Master Evernote

1. Evernote: Your Digital Brain for Capturing and Organizing Everything

What Evernote provides is a central location to store every thought, document and plan for the future.

Digital command center. Evernote serves as your all-in-one solution for capturing, storing, and retrieving information. It's designed to be your second brain, allowing you to declutter your mind and physical space. By centralizing your data, Evernote eliminates the need for filing cabinets, notebooks, and scattered digital files.

Ubiquitous capture device. With Evernote, you can quickly record ideas, thoughts, and information across all your devices. Whether you're at your desk or on the go, Evernote syncs seamlessly, ensuring your data is always accessible. This ubiquity makes it an invaluable tool for personal and professional organization, helping you to never lose an important piece of information again.

2. Master the Basics: Notes, Notebooks, and Stacks

Notebooks, which can include a single note or thousands of notes, are the first level of that structure.

Hierarchical organization. Evernote's structure is built on three core elements: notes, notebooks, and stacks. Notes are the basic building blocks, containing text, images, audio, or attachments. Notebooks group related notes together, while stacks organize multiple notebooks under broader categories.

Strategic setup. To maximize Evernote's potential:

• Create a default "!Inbox" notebook for quick capture
• Develop context-specific notebooks for different areas of your life
• Use stacks to group related notebooks (limit to 10 notebooks per stack)
• Choose between local (private) or synchronized (cloud-based) notebooks based on your needs

3. Harness the Power of Tags for Ultimate Searchability

What tags provide is a simple system for organizing and finding all of your information.

Flexible categorization. Tags offer a powerful way to categorize and find information across notebooks. Unlike the hierarchical structure of notebooks, tags provide a flexible, lateral method of organization. This allows you to easily locate notes based on multiple criteria.

Tagging best practices:

• Use plurals instead of singular tags
• Stick to a standard convention
• Start broad, then narrow your focus
• Use the 5 W's (Who, What, Where, When, Why)
• Avoid multiple-word tags
• Keep tags streamlined (aim for 100-200 total)

By implementing these practices, you create a robust system for quickly retrieving information, even as your Evernote database grows to thousands of notes.

4. Leverage Advanced Features: Web Clipper, OCR, and Email Integration

Evernote stands out because it has advanced features that automate and systematize many of our day-to-day activities.

Streamlined information capture. Evernote's advanced features elevate it from a simple note-taking app to a comprehensive information management system. The Web Clipper allows you to easily save web content, while Optical Character Recognition (OCR) makes images and PDFs searchable.

Automated workflows. Email integration enables you to forward messages directly to Evernote, creating a centralized repository for important information. This integration, combined with tools like IFTTT (If This Then That), allows you to automate various processes, such as:

• Saving tagged Gmail messages to specific notebooks
• Archiving social media posts
• Logging calendar events
• Capturing RSS feeds

By leveraging these features, you can create a seamless system for capturing and organizing information from multiple sources.

5. Implement the GTD System with Evernote for Peak Productivity

The purpose of GTD is to take ideas, tasks and projects out of your mind and create a series of actionable tasks.

Mind like water. The Getting Things Done (GTD) method, when combined with Evernote, creates a powerful productivity system. By capturing all tasks and ideas in Evernote, you free your mind from the burden of remembering, allowing you to focus on execution.

GTD workflow in Evernote:

1. Capture everything in the !Inbox notebook
2. Process items regularly, deciding if they're actionable
3. Organize into appropriate notebooks and tag with contexts
4. Review weekly to keep the system current
5. Execute tasks based on context, time available, energy, and priority

Implement this system by creating specific notebooks for projects, next actions, and reference materials. Use tags to indicate contexts (e.g., @home, @work, @phone) and energy levels required for tasks.

6. Transform Your Life: 75 Practical Ways to Use Evernote

Ultimately, what Evernote gives you is a central place for every important document and bookmark.

Life organizer. Evernote's versatility extends far beyond simple note-taking. It can be used to organize virtually every aspect of your life, from personal finance to travel planning, from education to health management.

Some practical applications include:

• Creating a paperless lifestyle by scanning and storing important documents
• Building a personal cookbook with clipped recipes and photos
• Tracking fitness goals and medical history
• Planning trips with itineraries, packing lists, and travel research
• Managing home and car maintenance records
• Brainstorming and outlining creative projects
• Journaling and personal reflection

By implementing these ideas, you can create a comprehensive system for managing information across all areas of your life, increasing efficiency and reducing stress.

7. Automate Your Workflow with IFTTT and Evernote

IFTTT.com stands for If This, Then That. IFTTT is a website and app that automates processes between two different services.

Workflow automation. IFTTT (If This Then That) is a powerful tool that can enhance Evernote's capabilities by automating various tasks and integrating with other apps and services. This automation can save time and ensure that important information is consistently captured and organized.

Popular IFTTT recipes for Evernote include:

• Automatically saving email attachments to specific notebooks
• Logging completed tasks from your to-do app
• Archiving social media posts and RSS feed items
• Creating notes from calendar events
• Saving favorite articles from read-it-later apps

By leveraging IFTTT with Evernote, you can create a seamless ecosystem of productivity tools, ensuring that all your important information is captured and organized without manual intervention.

Last updated: October 6, 2024