Why the “Consumption-Only” View Misses the Mark
Recently, I’ve been reading and hearing Apple power users say they only use the iPad for consumption, such as reading, watching movies, or surfing the web. Two weeks ago, I listened to a guest on a podcast who said that he felt it was too difficult to work on an iPad because it makes you “change your workflow to suit itself.” (Of course, that’s true of any OS, even MacOS.)
The iPad was indeed designed with specific users in mind. It was designed for use by the general public, not professional niches like professional podcasting. While it’s not a good fit for doing that kind of work, that doesn’t mean it’s not suited for any type of work.
I have a Mac, and I do a lot of my work on it, but I also use my iPad every day for “work,” sometimes even more so than my Mac. Depending on the type of work you’re trying to do, you can do a lot of work on it without difficulty or friction.
I love using my iPad. There’s something magical about comfortably holding a powerful computer on a piece of glass. The touch interface makes the iPad feel more like an extension of me. It delights me and makes me feel like I’m experiencing a Star Trek Next Generation type of reality.
There’s a place for both the iPad and the Mac, and it’s not about consumption vs. work.
My Morning Workflow, All on iPad
I use the iPad for many purposes. Some are consumption, but many fall under the category of work. For instance, I start my day on my sofa with my iPad every morning.
My morning routine is done entirely from my iPad through a series of apps on a custom home page.
First, I review my calendar. This gives me a sense of my appointments and the flow of the week.
Next, I review fifteen randomly selected Readwise highlights. I also review blogs and newsletters that I subscribe to in ReadWise Reader.
Often, an idea I read in a blog or highlight sparks a potential topic for a blog post. I use a shortcut on my iPad to list the topic, add some initial thoughts, and perhaps save a ReadWise-formatted highlight. Then, the shortcut automatically saves the blog idea into a Craft folder of blog ideas and puts it on a list with a link back to the idea note. This is definitely work, not consumption.
I open the Day One journaling app with a shortcut and write responses to my journal prompts. If I want a more extended journal entry, I’ll tap the Whisper Memos app on my iPad, dictate my entry on my iPad, and then paste it into Day One.
Next, I open my NotePlan app and plan my day. I’ll drag reminders due that day from the Reminders panel into the NotePlan Daily Note template. On that template, which appears automatically each day, I have categories for ‘Possible Tasks,’ ‘Today’s Tasks,’ ‘Priority Task’ and ‘Notes.’
I plan my entire day using my iPad. I can also easily time block tasks onto the calendar view by dragging the task onto the calendar at a specific time I want to begin the task. This, too, is clearly work, not consumption.
I typically check the weather forecast for the day and the week on two different weather apps. Most mornings, I conclude my routine by reading a few pages from a book I’m working through on the Kindle app.
Staying Connected and Productive Throughout the Day
Throughout the day, I keep my iPad in the living room, where it’s handy. It’s my go-to tool for many activities while away from my Mac.
As I go through my day, particularly with household chores, I mark off completed tasks in NotePlan, typically on the iPad and sometimes on the Mac if I have it up and running. It often creates less friction to pick up the iPad and do it than go to my Mac. I look up items on the web that I think of during the day, including research for a blog I’m working on. I check the calendar to verify appointment times.
In the afternoon, for an hour before I make dinner, I read nonfiction on the Kindle app on my iPad and typically make highlights.
Creative Work and Cooking, iPad in Hand
When I cook that evening, my iPad is typically propped on the kitchen counter, displaying the recipe I’m preparing.
If I think of something I want to add to or modify a blog idea or a MindNode mind map that I’m developing, I often grab my iPad and make the changes on the fly. Sometimes, I even start a new mind map on my iPad for a blog post topic. That’s how this blog started.
I often compose and send messages and review and compose emails on my iPad while sitting in my living room or at the kitchen table. Sometimes, I’ll watch YouTube videos or movies on my iPad.
Later in the evening, I’ll often read fiction on the Kindle app on my iPad, text with friends, look at the schedule for the next week, and check the weather for the next day.
Use the Right Tool for the Right Job
I urge you to find or expand your balance between using the iPad and the Mac. Don’t try to make an iPad do what it’s not designed to do; that will lead to frustration. Use a Mac for the jobs it’s best suited for. But that doesn’t mean the iPad has to be relegated to mere consumption.
You can also do many work-type tasks if you desire. I encourage you to try some “Tiny Experiments” to see if some of your workflows may work better on an iPad than on a Mac.
AI Note: I wrote this blog post myself, using my own words for the initial draft. I used AI only to suggest headlines, section headings, and improvements to the text.
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