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If you didn’t get a chance to read part one in this series, here it is:

I left off Part I promising to talk about the tools available and what I myself use as a “knowledge worker.” While I firmly believe everyone should have a capture habit and a second brain, it’s arguably a non-negotiable for “knowledge-workers.”

I talked quite a bit about Tiago Forte in my first post. He coined the term “Second Brain.” Tiago uses Evernote, one of the oldest tools with robust features for capturing information and ideas from any and all sources. It’s still one of the few tools that cleanly captures emails directly sent into it.

This is in a 2023 blog in Tiago’s "Forte Labs,” updated in March of 2024, so it’s a relatively safe assumption to say he still uses it:

That actual blog is about when you should and shouldn’t change your second brain app. He urges reader to avoid…. 👇️ 

Shiny Object Syndrome

In Part I, I said I would touch on this. In the blog, Tiago talks about how a good time to switch apps, if you are going to, is during major life transitions (and in almost no other times.) It’s a heavy lift to COMPLETELY switch apps.

Evernote is a digital filing cabinet-style. Here’s a 2-minute YouTube video on Evernote:

(Note, not all email service providers allow you to click on a YouTube embed and link out to the video. If that’s the case for you, here’s a direct link to it on YouTube).

Apparently, Evernote is making a comeback, too!

Notion, one of my favorite apps, is somewhat similar to Evernote. But better, in my opinion. Notion says they want users to be able tailor the Notion software to create solutions to their problems.

It’s “no-code,” so don’t be intimidated if you aren’t savvy there. One of the coolest things about Notion is you can build almost anything you want. From databases to documents to forms, to courses, to websites, to team-based project management to individual second brains, to habit trackers, to Kanban project boards, to to-do, and so much more.

Or you can use one of thousands of free templates to create something using an out-of-the box structure.

Here’s a YouTube set of Notion intro videos in case you want to check it out:

Digital Filing Cabinet vs. Networked (and in between) Second Brain Tools

The newer-style apps are more “network” or “linked” style apps, and some examples are Obsidian, Roam, and my mind.

I clearly have some “shiny object syndrome.” But no matter the other apps I do use for second-brain, notetaking, bookmarking, tasks, digital gardening, managing projects, etc., I never stop using Notion.

I agree that too many makes things more confusing. When first starting out, one is plenty if it is multi-functional. But I also think digital notetaking, building a second brain, or another term, “personal knowledge management,” are still new enough that novel and valuable new concepts have emerged that shouldn’t just be ignored because you are wedded to one app.

Some Common Second Brain Apps

This article by Ness Labs talks about choosing an app based on your style of notetaking. You are either a architect, gardener, or librarian, according to Anne-Laure La Cunff. For what it’s worth, she deems Notion an “architect” app and Evernote a “librarian” app. Obsidian and Roam Research are for “gardeners,” and I think Capacities, the new app I’m exploring, is a combination of “gardener” and “architect” type apps.

If you choose only one tool for capturing and notetaking, which is probably advisable to start, make sure it can do these things:

• “Capture” via phone and browser extension

• Take direct notes and dictate notes

• Send pdfs and website links to it, upload content directly into it

• Link content to each other within the app (the networked apps do this more seamlessly)

• Take a picture with your phone camera and send right to the app (easy way to get hand-written notes into your app)

• Have high-functioning search functions

• Helpful bookmarking structure

• Integrate with other tools you use daily (for example, if you highlight notes in Kindle and send them automatically to the Readwise app, make sure your tool has an integration with Readwise)

A few things about Notion I now can’t live without, even while I use other apps:

• Embedded “Notion AI”

• Notion Calendar

• Ability to set reminders that send to email and the phone app

• Ability to invite guests to a page, workspace, etc—and give them access all the way up to “edit”

• Ability to turn a page into a website

• Create custom-made “products”

Other Tools I Use:

Capacities

mymind

Raindrop

Audiopen

Want to know more about these apps? Just hit reply and I’ll share more with you!

Bonus Tool:

I also use Typeshare, a digital writing template app with embedded tools and integrations. You can use it to draft social media posts, carousels, blog posts, and more. It also has its own social blog, as they call it, if you want to post your work there. Here’s a screenshot:

Thanks for reading! In Part III, I’ll cover “tending the garden” and how a second brain will benefit your career if you are, or aspire to be, a “knowledge worker.”

*I have affiliate links in this post for Notion, Typeshare, and Audiopen because I love them, use them, and recommend them. Since they gave me affiliate links and I’d recommend them anyway, why not? (If you make a purchase sometime after visiting these sites, I may receive a small commission. It helps support content development for you, my readers!)