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In a world overflowing with tech, productivity hacks, and self-improvement apps, it's easy to get overwhelmed. But every once in a while, a tool comes along that genuinely makes life easier, smarter, or just a bit more joyful.
Over the past few years, I’ve tried hundreds of digital tools—some were overhyped, others just didn’t fit my workflow. But a handful of them became indispensable. These are the tools I return to every day, whether I’m working, planning, writing, or simply managing life.
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In this post, I’ll share the top 10 tools I can’t live without, complete with how I use them, what makes them essential, and why they might be game-changers for you, too.
1. Notion—The Brain Outside My Brain
Category: Productivity/Knowledge Management
Platform: Web, Desktop, Mobile
Why I Can’t Live Without It:
Notion is where my entire life lives—seriously. From content calendars and goal trackers to travel plans and book notes, Notion lets me build exactly what I need with total flexibility. I use it to:
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Create a second brain. (thanks, Tiago Forte.)
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Track personal goals and habits
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Manage ongoing writing projects
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Store learning resources and ideas
Why You Might Love It:
If you’ve ever wanted Google Docs, Trello, Evernote, and your planner to have a baby, Notion is it. It’s endlessly customizable—perfect for students, creators, and anyone juggling multiple hats.
2. Readwise Reader—My Digital Reading Companion
Category: Reading/Learning
Platform: Web, iOS, Android
Why I Can’t Live Without It:
I read a lot—articles, PDFs, newsletters, and ebooks. Readwise Reader lets me save everything in one place and highlights key ideas that are automatically resurfaced later via email or app.
How I Use It:
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Save and highlight insightful articles
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Create a knowledge archive that actually sticks
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Read distraction-free (no ads, no clutter)
Why You Might Love It:
If you want to retain more of what you read, Readwise turns passive reading into active learning. It also syncs beautifully with Notion, Kindle, and even physical book notes.
3. ChatGPT—My Idea Machine
Category: Writing/Problem Solving/Planning
Platform: Web, Mobile
Why I Can’t Live Without It:
Whether I’m brainstorming blog ideas, outlining a presentation, or stuck on a headline, ChatGPT is my creative co-pilot. It’s become an integral part of how I think and write.
How I Use It:
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Brainstorm blog titles, names, prompts
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Outline articles and content ideas
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Get unstuck when facing creative blocks
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Clarify complex topics in plain English
Why You Might Love It:
It’s like having a smart, fast-thinking intern at your fingertips—one that never sleeps. The trick is learning how to prompt it well (which honestly feels like a 2025 survival skill).
4. Obsidian—For Deep Thinking and Personal Knowledge
Category: Note-Taking / Zettelkasten
Platform: Desktop, Mobile
Why I Can’t Live Without It:
Obsidian is where I think. It’s my private lab for exploring ideas, journaling, and making connections between concepts. Using markdown and local files, it feels like a vault of wisdom I’ve built over time.
How I Use It:
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Daily journaling and idea dumps
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Building a knowledge graph of book notes
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Reflective writing and goal tracking
Why You Might Love It:
Obsidian is for deep thinkers, writers, and anyone who wants to connect ideas across time. It’s incredibly powerful if you love creating your own knowledge system.
5. Grammarly—The Invisible Editor
Category: Writing/Editing
Platform: Browser, Desktop, Mobile
Why I Can’t Live Without It:
No matter how good you are at writing, Grammarly will catch something you missed—typos, tone, repetition, or clumsy phrasing. It’s my always-on editor for everything from blog posts to emails.
How I Use It:
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Clean up messy first drafts
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Keep emails professional and concise
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Double-check tone before sending important messages
Why You Might Love It:
If you write anything—essays, social posts, work emails—Grammarly makes your writing tighter and more confident. It even suggests rewrites based on intent and tone
6. Trello—Visual Project Management That Sticks
Category: Project Management
Platform: Web, Mobile
Why I Can’t Live Without It:
Trello helps me see the big picture of my projects—whether it’s a blog launch, freelance gig, or personal goal. The card-based format keeps things flexible and visual.
How I Use It:
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Weekly planning board (To Do / Doing / Done)
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Freelance client work tracking
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Long-term goal breakdowns
Why You Might Love It:
It’s as simple or complex as you want it to be. Perfect for solo users or small teams who want structure without overwhelm.
7. Figma—Design Made Collaborative
Category: Design / UI/UX
Platform: Web, Desktop
Why I Can’t Live Without It:
I’m not a full-time designer, but I often create visual content, mockups, or social media assets. Figma is the design tool that doesn’t make me feel like I need a degree to use it.
How I Use It:
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Wireframe content ideas
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Design presentations and visuals
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Collaborate with designers seamlessly
Why You Might Love It:
If Canva is too basic and Photoshop is too much, Figma is the sweet spot. Great for creating sharp visuals, even if design isn’t your main thing.
8. Google Calendar + Sunsama—Mastering My Time
Category: Time Management
Platform: Web, Mobile
Why I Can’t Live Without It:
Google Calendar is my backbone, but Sunsama is the tool that gives my calendar soul. It helps me plan each day with intention—pulling tasks from email, Asana, Trello, and more.
How I Use It:
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Plan each day in time blocks
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Reflect on daily wins and challenges
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Avoid over-scheduling with realistic planning
9. Pocket Casts—My Personal University
Category: Podcasts/Learning
Platform: Mobile, Web
Why I Can’t Live Without It:
I treat my commute and walks as learning time, and Pocket Casts is the cleanest, most reliable podcast player out there. Bonus: It syncs across devices perfectly.
How I Use It:
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Queue up thought-leader interviews and niche shows
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Save episodes for note-taking later
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Listen at 1.5x speed to absorb more in less time
Why You Might Love It:
If you’re a podcast lover, Pocket Casts offers great discovery, clean UX, and full control over how you listen.
10. Zapier—My Automation Assistant
Category: Automation/Productivity
Platform: Web
Why I Can’t Live Without It:
Zapier is the tool that quietly runs behind the scenes, saving me hours every month. It automates repetitive tasks—like syncing emails with Notion or auto-saving new blog comments to a spreadsheet.
How I Use It:
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Send form responses to Notion or Google Sheets
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Auto-post content updates
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Connect apps that don’t naturally talk to each other
Why You Might Love It:
If you’ve ever thought, “I wish this just happened automatically,” Zapier probably makes it possible. It’s like building your own virtual assistant without code.
Honorable Mentions (That Almost Made the List)
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Canva—For quick social and visual content
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Bear—A beautiful alternative to Apple Notes
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Loom—for screen recording and quick explainer videos
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Toggl Track—For time-tracking and work analytics
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Things 3—The most elegant task manager for Apple users
How These Tools Fit Together
You might wonder, with so many tools, how do I avoid chaos?
Here’s how I connect them in a functional system:
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Notion + Obsidian → Knowledge, ideas, and systems
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Google Calendar + Sunsama + Trello → Time and task planning
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ChatGPT + Grammarly + Readwise → Writing and learning
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Zapier + Figma + Pocket Casts → Automation, design, and continued education
The point isn’t to use all the tools—it’s to find the ones that integrate into your lifestyle and make your goals more achievable.
Final Thoughts
The tools we choose shape how we think, create, and grow. Over the years, I’ve learned that productivity isn’t about using more—it’s about using better.
Each tool on this list earned its place not by being trendy, but by proving itself useful, again and again. Whether I’m deep in writing mode, planning my week, or tackling a big project, these 10 tools help me stay focused, organized, and inspired.
📌 TL;DR – My Top 10 Can’t-Live-Without Tools
| Tool | Best For |
|---|---|
| Notion | Life organization & content planning |
| Readwise Reader | Smarter reading & recall |
| ChatGPT | Creative thinking & writing support |
| Obsidian | Deep thinking & note-taking |
| Grammarly | Clean, confident writing |
| Trello | Visual project management |
| Figma | Easy, flexible design |
| Sunsama + GCal | Thoughtful daily planning |
| Pocket Casts | On-the-go learning |
| Zapier | Automation and time-saving |
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