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nd other advanced features.</li><li>Finally, surprise Mem. By typing surprise in the search bar, Mem will show you a random note that you have created. Repeat the process to review notes you could not select for yourself. Surprise Mem is extremely powerful if you want to accelerate your creativity and inject randomness and serendipity into your life.</li></ul><p id="1405">There are many more features, of course. Check out Mem’s official <a href="https://www.youtube.com/c/Memdotai/featured">Youtube Channel</a> and popular podcaster <a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCQ69nlXu3VybawAivAjvL6A">Srinivas Rao</a> for more tricks. You download the iOS app by scanning the following QR-code. For Android users, the web version is very good too (save to your home screen).</p><figure id="931b"><img src="https://cdn-images-1.readmedium.com/v2/resize:fit:800/0*SXsH3fTlRpmtbB9N.png"><figcaption></figcaption></figure><h1 id="7359">Other excellent alternatives</h1><p id="ac50">Of course, many note-taking apps fulfill my very basic requirements as well. These include</p><ul><li><a href="https://www.notion.so/product">Notion</a></li><li><a href="https://evernote.com/intl/en/">Evernote </a>(not free though)</li><li><a href="https://roamresearch.com/">Roam Research</a> (same as Evernote)</li><li><a href="https://app.clickup.com/2662800/home">Clickup</a></li><li><a href="https://www.icloud.com/notes">Apple Notes</a> (only for Apple devices)</li><li><a href="https://keep.google.com/u/0/">Google Keep</a> (very basic though)</li><li><a href="https://www.microsoft.com/sv-se/microsoft-365/onenote/digital-note-taking-app?ms.url=onenotecom&rtc=1">Microsoft OneNote</a></li><li><a href="https://obsidian.md/">Obsidian</a></li><li><a href="https://trello.com/en-US">Trello</a></li><li><a href="https://bear.app/">Bear</a></li><li><a href="https://zettelkasten.de/tools/">Zettelkasten</a></li><li><a href="https://standar

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dnotes.com/">Standard Notes</a></li><li><a href="https://slite.com/">Slite</a></li><li><a href="https://ulysses.app/">Ulysses</a></li><li><a href="https://typora.io/">Typora</a></li><li><a href="https://www.omnigroup.com/omnifocus">Omnifocus</a></li><li><a href="https://workflowy.com/a/">Workflowy</a></li></ul><p id="bc55">Worst case, you can also use Google Docs, Microsoft Word, and Apple Pages.</p><h1 id="4ea6">How to set up and get started</h1><p id="e76a">It is very simple</p><ul><li>Create an account on <a href="https://get.mem.ai/">Mem.ai</a> or the other alternatives.</li><li>Download the corresponding app on your phone and sign in. Place the app on your home screen very close to you.</li><li>Create a new note and start typing what you want. Repeat ad infinitum</li><li>Copy and paste information from other sources if you have.</li></ul><p id="863d">In all apps, you bold, italic, and underline using Ctrl (Cmd) B, I, and U, respectively. Tap either “-” or “*.” In most apps, you create headlines by typing #, ##, or ### on a new line, depending on your choice of size. Hyperlinking between notes is different depending on the app, so I recommend you check out the official instructions for each app.</p><p id="8387">Trust that your note-taking system will grow organically as time progresses. For now, just play around.</p><p id="811f">Very easy instructions, right? That is the point. Your note-taking app should be invisible to you, the new oxygen to breathe.</p><p id="e0ac">The next articles will deal with the two behaviors you need to succeed with your note-taking app: non-stop capture and a lightweight organizational system.</p><p id="4fc5"><i>If you like this article series, you will enjoy the full e-book (a full expansion on how to use the Barbell System in your daily life). Click <a href="https://thetotalliving.gumroad.com/l/the-barbell-system">here</a> to learn more.</i></p></article></body>

How To Set Up And Get Started With Your Note-Taking App (Barbell #6)

(You can also listen to this article on Youtube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and Google Podcasts)

While the task manager takes care of your to-dos and choices, you need a separate note-taking app to store your thoughts, ideas, reference material, and other important information to get them off your mind and safely retrieve them later.

Why I recommend Mem.ai

I recommend Mem.ai (beta as of February 2022) for your note-taking app for the following seven reasons:

Extremely easy to create notes. Just tap a button on your phone or simply type on your computer.
Advanced and lightning-fast search bar, allowing you to quickly retrieve desired information
Timeline, allowing you to have a non-hierarchical history of where your notes are
Easy to hyperlink and tag. Just type “+” and the name. For tagging type “#” instead.
Reliable sidebar, where you can star the most referenced notes. Mem does not have folders (which is good) but you can link other notes to a single one, functioning as a folder.
Flows, allowing you to use powerful templates for repeating information and other advanced features.
Finally, surprise Mem. By typing surprise in the search bar, Mem will show you a random note that you have created. Repeat the process to review notes you could not select for yourself. Surprise Mem is extremely powerful if you want to accelerate your creativity and inject randomness and serendipity into your life.

There are many more features, of course. Check out Mem’s official Youtube Channel and popular podcaster Srinivas Rao for more tricks. You download the iOS app by scanning the following QR-code. For Android users, the web version is very good too (save to your home screen).

Other excellent alternatives

Of course, many note-taking apps fulfill my very basic requirements as well. These include

Worst case, you can also use Google Docs, Microsoft Word, and Apple Pages.

How to set up and get started

It is very simple

Create an account on Mem.ai or the other alternatives.
Download the corresponding app on your phone and sign in. Place the app on your home screen very close to you.
Create a new note and start typing what you want. Repeat ad infinitum
Copy and paste information from other sources if you have.

In all apps, you bold, italic, and underline using Ctrl (Cmd) B, I, and U, respectively. Tap either “-” or “*.” In most apps, you create headlines by typing #, ##, or ### on a new line, depending on your choice of size. Hyperlinking between notes is different depending on the app, so I recommend you check out the official instructions for each app.

Trust that your note-taking system will grow organically as time progresses. For now, just play around.

Very easy instructions, right? That is the point. Your note-taking app should be invisible to you, the new oxygen to breathe.

The next articles will deal with the two behaviors you need to succeed with your note-taking app: non-stop capture and a lightweight organizational system.

If you like this article series, you will enjoy the full e-book (a full expansion on how to use the Barbell System in your daily life). Click here to learn more.