Using computer applications can help you to be more productive and to live an intentional life.
I use mind mapping in the MindNode app to think graphically through my blog post topics and make decisions. I use my calendar and task manager apps to help me plan my week and remember events and tasks when they’re due. I use personal knowledge management apps like Obsidian and DEVONthink to help me store and organize my thinking and resources for the future.
Shiny New App Syndrome
We’re tempted to pursue shiny new apps, which is called the Shiny New App Syndrome.
Shiny New Object Syndrome occurs when “people focus undue attention on an idea that is new and trendy, yet drop it in its entirety as soon as something new can take its place” Shiny New Object Syndrome, Wikipedia.
Our minds are predisposed to constantly seek something new and different and have an exciting experience. It gives us a pleasurable dopamine hit. That’s why we often distract ourselves by chasing after new apps when we intend to focus on our work.
We imagine the latest and greatest apps will revolutionize the way we work. Likely, they won’t. While there’s nothing wrong with wanting to stay updated with technology, constantly jumping from one app to another can be detrimental.
The Negatives of Shiny New App Syndrome
There are significant downsides to the shiny new app syndrome.
• Constantly switching apps wastes considerable time and energy, which could be better spent doing the work that is important to us. We spend hours or a weekend setting up a new system and transferring data, then do it all again in a few months with a new app.
• Constant switching apps prevents us from thoroughly learning how to use each app effectively. Since we’re always on the lookout for the “latest and greatest app,” we don’t invest time in learning about the app we have.
• Constantly switching apps negatively impacts our focus and attention span, distracting our attention from our work to the allure of the latest new app. New shiny apps can be huge distractions.
Tips for Thoughtful and Intentional App Consumption
So, what are some tips for thoughtful app consumption?
1. Don’t switch unless you have a defined need that an app meets. Does this new app you’re looking at fulfill a need in your system? Is that new feature that wows you something you’ll likely use, or is it just something that seems cool?
I remember listening to a podcast when the Obsidian app first came out. The hosts and a guest discussed the concept of linking your thinking and how the Obsidian app would totally revolutionize the way humans think and put ideas together. The reality is that it hasn’t made that much difference. It was all hype and overblown speculation. In fact, several apps introduced years prior already featured internal linking.
I was attracted to the concept and tried it for a while. However, I found that, in most cases, I wasn’t using or benefitting from my internal links. I used links to other resources while working on a project, but that feature existed long before Obsidian in other apps like Hookmark or DEVONThink with built-in external linking. I continued to use my core workflows and functions in Obsidian and other apps. The promises of “linking my thinking” in Obsidian didn’t do much for me.
I also remember being wowed by the graph view in Obsidian. It seemed so cool to see how ideas and links were all connected in a graphic view. While I still think it looks cool, I’ve never used it for anything productive or helpful. It hasn’t had any positive effect on my thinking or my planning.
I’m still using Obsidian for specific purposes, but none of those use the features that initially lured me to the app. The truth is that I thought they were cool, but they didn’t meet specific needs that I had, nor did I find practical uses for them.
2. Learn the tools that you already have. Often, we’re just scratching the surface with our apps. You might find that the app you already have meets a need that you have, but you’re not aware of it because you have a shallow knowledge of the app. The DEVONthink app always amazes me with how many features it has that I didn’t know existed.
Seek some training on the app. If there’s a McSparky field guide on the app, buy it and use it to help you understand the tool better. Watch some YouTube instructional videos.
3. Look before leaping. Take time to think and experiment before jumping to another app. Give yourself time before making a big jump with a significant commitment to changing your system and transferring data.
Spend some time experimenting and testing the new app with your workflows. You may find that while it meets some of your needs, it doesn’t meet others. That’s not always evident on the surface.
When I’ve experimented with different task managers, I’ve discovered that they often don’t fit my workflow. But I wouldn’t have known that unless I had done some experimentation. I was glad I didn’t just jump over to the new app, transfer all my data, and then discover that later it won’t work for me. It would have been a complete waste of time.
4. Focus on core functionality. Prioritize the essential features over superfluous add-ons. It’s too easy to get enraptured by some cool new features and not really think about the essential features we need.
Choose Apps with Intentionality
It’s okay to be aware of new tools and to take a look. There are new developments and new features that may benefit you.
Perhaps a new app would make you more productive. Or, the design of a new app makes you happy, and you enjoy using the app. If it genuinely does meet your needs and you like using it, it may be a good fit for you. But we’re often attracted to a new app primarily because it is new and has some flashy new features.
When it comes down to doing the work, the tools often don’t matter that much. You can be just as productive with the app that you already work with and already know as you can with that shiny new app. Choose apps with knowledge and intentionality.