Latest news with #Notion
Forbes
12 hours ago
- Business
- Forbes
The Freelancer Tech Stack: Tools You Need To Increase Efficiency
Freelancer man working on laptop while sitting at a desk at home. Being a freelancer comes with a unique set of challenges, one of the most universal challenges being that we are strapped for time. There are only so many hours in the day to complete client work, let alone manage your own marketing and the administration side of your business. But the fact of the matter is that time is money. Implementing an efficient tech stack is one way to free up your time so that you can focus on needle-moving, revenue-generating activities. Your tech stack needs tools to help you streamline your workflows, offset basic administrative tasks, and use your time more effectively. From there, you can scale your business to new heights. Here are some tools that freelancers can implement in their business right away. Every hour you waste hunting down client timelines, briefs, and documents, let alone switching between tools, is time not spent delivering value to clients and increasing your revenue. An all-in-one project management tool will centralize your tasks, documents, and timelines, which is crucial for any freelancer's tech stack, especially when managing several clients simultaneously. It will help to keep you organized and efficient, and may even help to prevent overwhelm! Some project management tools can even be shared with clients, which improves transparency and efficiency in your communications. Some popular freelancer tools include Notion, Trello, ClickUp, and Asana. The right tool for you will depend on your preferred workflow and what appeals to you visually. Time is your most important asset. Every freelancer needs tools to help manage their time on projects and busy calendars. It's exhausting to send back-and-forth emails to determine each person's availability. Freelancers need to make it as easy and streamlined as possible for prospects to book discovery calls into their calendars and for clients to book meetings. One such way is with Calendly. Prospects and clients can choose a time in your calendar that suits them. You've already labeled the available times and days, so there's no clash! Calendly then syncs with your calendar so that the appointments will populate automatically. Are you sick of repetitive and mundane tasks? A tool like Zapier lets you create automatic connections between your tools, saving you time and fuss. For example, when a client emails you with a request, Zapier can automatically attach that request to your project management board so that it's filed correctly and doesn't fall through the cracks. Another way to manage your time more efficiently is to track it. Tools like Toggl Track or RescueTime will report your time on a specific task. No more guessing games, just pure data on how much time you're spending, and from there, you can take steps to improve your efficiency. Want to go a step further? Create a 'Zap' in Zapier to send your time-tracking data to Google Sheets or Notion for streamlined reporting and analysis. You may not be a designer yourself, but every freelancer must invest in their own marketing. This is where design and content tools are important additions to your tech stack. Here are a few tools that can keep you efficient and also improve the professionalism and quality of your marketing. First, Canva is a popular tool amongst freelancers - for good reason. It empowers freelancers to upgrade their marketing assets, digital products, reports, and even invoices with pre-designed templates and drag-and-drop builders. Canva also has its own AI tools that freelancers can use which is helpful for non-designers and those quick turnaround requests. Speaking of AI, you may already be using generative AI tools in some shape or form. If not, choose at least one to keep in your tech stack. Highly popular ones include ChatGPT, Claude, and Gemini, which can be helpful to freelancers for super quick brainstorming or drafting of content. Lastly, a round-up of tools for freelancers wouldn't be complete without a grammar checker. It may not be the flashiest of tools in your tech stack. However, a tool like this is important for picking up typos and mistakes in your writing, which can ultimately help you save time on editing and prevent you from second-guessing your communication with clients. Popular ones include Grammarly, Quillbot, and Hemingway Editor. The right tools don't just save freelancer's time and money. They empower you to work with clients more efficiently and confidently. Add some of these tools to your tech stack and watch how they improve your business's operations and even help you scale your business in the future.
Android Authority
17 hours ago
- Android Authority
5 tricks I use to organize my Notion
Edgar Cervantes / Android Authority Notion is that one tool you can go down the rabbit hole of and discover things that even the makers of Notion probably wouldn't know existed. Meanwhile, on the other extreme, you can use it as a barebones task manager with simple checkboxes, dates, and times. And that's the beauty of it — you can make it as complex or as simplistic as you like. I've found my own niche with Notion. I use it to track my book reading, for all kinds of personal long-form writing, and to keep track of my random ideas. Over time, I've built a system that helps me stay organized and actually be productive — instead of wasting time fiddling with the app itself. Here are some of the systems I've built, which have worked well for me and might for you too. Are you team Notion or team something else? 0 votes Notion all the way NaN % Evernote/Obsidian/OneNote/others NaN % Just pen and paper NaN % Archival system One of the best things I've done with Notion is also one of the simplest. No automation or complex database syncing — just a straightforward archival system that works. My workspace is divided into multiple categories, which appear in the left pane: writing, reading list, random ideas, and so on. Each of these categories has its own Archive page nestled within. Once I'm done with a project or no longer need it, I just drag and drop it into the Archive. And as those archive pages get cluttered after months of dumping, I sort them further by month and year for easier retrieval. And the act of archiving gives me a small sense of closure too, which I like. This setup does two things for me. One, it satisfies my need to safe keep everything — even if I may never look at it again in my entire life. Two, it declutters my main workspace while still keeping everything accessible. And the act of archiving gives me a small sense of closure too, which I like. Time-blocked week layout Karandeep Singh / Android Authority I've never found cramming every task into a tightly packed calendar with endless reminders and zero breathing room to be helpful. Sure, it looks impressive to have your day planned down to the last minute — and that productivity high is real — but to be honest, things rarely go as planned. Sometimes tasks take longer than expected. Sometimes new, unexpected ones pop up midday. And at the end of the day, you just feel worse for not ticking off everything. So, instead of micromanaging my day, I use a time-blocked layout in Notion that's far more forgiving — and realistic. It looks impressive to have your day planned down to the last minute — and that productivity high is real — but to be honest, things rarely go as planned. The idea is simple. I divide my day into four broad blocks: morning, afternoon, evening, and whenever (for super low-priority stuff like changing the TV remote's battery). My tasks go into these blocks instead of rigid time slots now, giving me a relaxed structure without boxing me in. And it's easy to reshuffle things if plans change. Time-bound meetings still go into the calendar, but for everything else, this rhythm-based system works much better for me. Creating your own templates Dhruv Bhutani / Android Authority I often found myself setting up the same kind of pages again and again — project files with nested sections, or my weekly task layout, for example. I'd either rebuild everything from scratch for each new entry or duplicate an old page and spend time clearing it out to start afresh. Both options felt unnecessarily time-consuming. That's where Notion templates come in — and yes, you can create your own. I resisted creating mine at first, assuming it would be a lot of effort for very little payoff. But once I made a few, I realized how much time and mental effort they saved. Now, whenever I start a new project, I just select the relevant template, and the skeleton is ready to go with the required layout and even pre-written prompts in some. You don't need to make them complicated either; they can be as simple or minimal as you like. Notion Web Clipper I didn't even know Notion had a kind of read-later feature built in. Sure, I could have created one manually, but the built-in Web Clipper made it too easy to not jump on it. It's now my go-to Pocket alternative, and as a bonus, it works offline, doesn't cost anything, and lives right inside the same workspace as my notes. I use it through my phone's share menu or a browser extension, and my saves go straight into my 'Read Later' page, where I can access it clutter-free. I've also added tags to sort articles into various categories for personal and work use. And since Notion saves the content for offline use, it's perfect for spotty network days or when I just want to be unreachable for a bit. And it's one less app on my phone just to save links! Notion Enhancer This one's just for the fun of it. Notion Enhancer is a third-party tool that lets you customize the look and feel of Notion, which, let's face it, can feel a little too clean and monochrome at times. I found it while searching for ways to break the visual monotony after staring at the same black-and-white layout for months. You can add custom fonts, keyboard shortcuts, link previews, window stacking, and more. But my favorite use is for focus. Notion Enhancer can auto-hide the top and side bars, giving me a clean, distraction-free writing space. It's perfect when I'm deep in the writing mode. And on slower days, I'll sometimes just play around with the font or theme for a small visual reset. It's surprising how much that helps when you spend hours staring at the same screen. Notion either works brilliantly for you or doesn't work at all — there's rarely an in-between. It's such a customizable tool that it's always interesting to see how others have adapted it to fit their needs. These were just some of the ways I've made Notion work for me. I've got a few more personal setups, but for now, I'd love to know how you've made Notion yours. Drop a comment below and let the rest of us steal a few tips.
Android Authority
3 days ago
- Android Authority
These two apps finally fixed my creative workflow
Dhruv Bhutani / Android Authority For years, Notion has been my go-to for organizing everything from invoices to movie watchlists. Its flexibility as a database is unmatched, but when it came to creative workflows like jotting down spontaneous ideas, threading together thoughts, and collecting visual inspiration, that's where Notion starts to feel a bit rigid. I needed something that didn't ask me to file every passing idea into a system the moment it showed up. That's just not how a creative flow works. At least not for me. I needed a tool that didn't ask every idea to fit into a system the moment it showed up. I know, I know. Obsidian is the usual answer here with its unending customisation and the famed graph view. But I wanted something cloud-first. So I began looking for a tool that could complement, if not replace, what Notion already does so well. That's how I found myself bouncing between Notion and Capacities for the better part of a year. Like most people trying to organize their digital life, I started with one, flirted with the other, then went back and forth until I realized something simple: these two tools aren't competing. They're completing each other. Here's why building a system that uses both apps works so well for me. Capacities is where I think, Notion is where I act Dhruv Bhutani / Android Authority The trick, as always, wasn't picking a side at the get-go. It was figuring out what each tool is actually good at — and then staying out of their way. That realization changed how I approached both tools. For example, I stopped using Notion as a space for unstructured notes. Not because it can't do that, but because it never felt natural. You can create endless pages and subpages, sure. You can embed anything you want. But that multi-page hierarchy quickly spirals out of control. I was using Notion to catalog interesting places in cities I want to visit, and over time, that structure became a maze — multiple layers deep, hard to navigate, and harder to maintain. Notion thrives when there's structure and purpose. It's where I build systems that are borderline automatic in execution. Capacities works best when there's none. It's where I think. The moment I stopped trying to force one app to do it all, things clicked, and I could move between them without friction, letting each tool handle what it's built for instead of bending it into something it's not. Capacities doesn't ask you to polish your thoughts before capturing them. It's not just a user interface issue. It's a mindset issue. Notion forces you establish tables, databases and more the moment you decide to enter in some data. This makes me feel like every idea needs a home before it even exists. That pressure to organize too early kills my creative flow and inhibits how much I use Notion. I might have the ideas, but the environment doesn't feel right. You wouldn't want to work in Google Sheets for capturing ideas. Notion's rigidity has the same effect. Capacities flips that dynamic. You don't start with a table or a template — you start with an object. Notes, images, bookmarks, and files are all loosely organized by type and stitched together with backlinks. It's closer to how Obsidian works and feels more like a living network than a rigid notebook. That one shift changes everything. I don't worry about where a thought belongs. I just capture it, drop in a few tags, and move on. I'll clean it up later. Or not. A place to gather ideas without having to polish them first Dhruv Bhutani / Android Authority When I'm in creative mode doing anything from writing to outlining something vague, my go-to app is Capacities. If I'm collecting screenshots, reference visuals, creating to-do notes or compiling quotes across multiple articles, it all goes there, easily cross-referenced by Capacities' take on a graph view. I can write half a thought, leave it for a week, and come back to find it already connected to three other ideas I forgot I had. That's not just good design. That's momentum. And it is critical in allowing me to jump back into work and be in a creative space almost immediately. Trying to think in Notion can feel like brainstorming in a spreadsheet. At the risk of sounding loquacious, Capacities offers an environment that invites exploration. This includes the way Capacities treats images which can be inline, full-bleed, or tied to objects allowing you to effectively turn it into a gallery, not just a document. That might seem like a small thing, but when you're spending hours sketching outlines or piecing together visual references, it adds up. You're not just writing. You're effectively building an interconnected web of ideas — something I've struggled with in Notion. Apple's wildly different FreeForm tool offers the closest, but not quite the same, experience. On the other hand, Notion doesn't work like that. It's structured. Precise. Sometimes a little too precise. But that's exactly why it works so well for everything else. Notion is still where my life lives Dhruv Bhutani / Android Authority Capacities may be better for thinking, but Notion still runs the day-to-day. This is where I track invoices, update my reading list, monitor freelance projects, and check off recurring tasks. When I know what I'm tracking — things like client deliverables, brand campaigns, editorial calendars — Notion is unbeatable. I can build databases with views and filters, connect them with automation, and set up reminders that actually help. It's purpose-built for that kind of work. Tools like Notion Forms make it a killer home for long-term data, and on-the-fly additions. Unlike Capacities, Notion offers a kind of safety in knowing that everything has a place. If I log something today, I'll know exactly where to find it three weeks later. It also makes it incredibly easy to add data on the go. When I want to add something quickly like, say, a new restaurant I've spotted on Instagram, I use a Notion Form I set up to log key details straight into my food database. Name, location, cuisine, tags, and that's it. The form is saved as a bookmark on my phone's homepage and lets me accomplish the task in seconds. That's the kind of frictionless utility Notion excels at. I've tried doing that inside Capacities, and while there is a table view, it still feels like an afterthought. It's not really built for structured data entry, nor is it very good at making sense of large volumes of data. They solve different problems — so stop comparing them Dhruv Bhutani / Android Authority The biggest mistake is thinking these two tools are solving the same problem. They're not. They both let you write, collect, embed, and organize. But what they do with those abilities is totally different. Capacities is designed for creativity and knowledge exploration. Similar to Obsidian, everything in its interface is nudging you to connect ideas through backlinks, nested objects, graph views. It's less of a productivity tool and more of a creative studio. When I'm not quite sure what I'm working on, but I know I want to chase an idea, Capacities gives me the room to do that. Notion, on the other hand, is more like a traditional work tool. It doesn't ask you to explore. It asks you to decide, define, and commit. And that matters because how we feel when using these tools often dictates whether we use them at all. While it is certainly possible to use either of these tools exclusively, Notion's structured approach to data types makes it feel like a chore. In fact, I've tried to commit to Notion several times, but every single time it felt I was underusing it because my notes were messy or incomplete. But that wasn't a Notion problem. That was a mismatch. Once I gave that role to Capacities instead, Notion stopped feeling like a burden and started being useful again. The takeaway There's no straight-up winner here. Capacities helped me get comfortable with a messy workflow again. It gave me back the ability to think in fragments and collect ideas without committing. It's a tool for planning and for users still getting used to the idea of knowledge management. In fact, I'd say it's the perfect PKM tool for the first-time user. On the other hand, Notion helps me make order out of chaos. It's the tool I trust to hold the pieces together once I know what they are. Be it large databases of pitches, invoices, things to do, restaurants to check out, Notion is great for that kind of workflow. That said, at the end of the day, both tools taught me to stop looking for the perfect app and start building a better workflow instead. For me, it was a combination of Capacities and Notion.
Tom's Guide
4 days ago
- Tom's Guide
This AI tool is like Perplexity, NotebookLM, and ChatGPT put together — here's why you need it
I don't know if you've noticed, but there are a lot of AI tools out there. An overwhelming number, some might say. So choosing the right option for you can be surprisingly challenging. Of course, there are the obvious options like ChatGPT, Gemini, or one of the other major AI brands, powered by billions in funding and massive supercomputers. However, that doesn't mean they are always the best option for what you need. For example, for students looking to get an edge on a research project, there are lots of other great options out there. After spending some time testing it, one of my new top picks is Logically. Logically, formerly known as Afforai, is an AI workspace. It can be used for both research and writing. In the Logically app or desktop system, you can have everything you need in one place. Start a new document, and you can set headings, write text, add bullet points, tables, images, code, and pretty much anything you would need to write a book, article, research paper, or essay. This alone is seen in countless places like Notion, Word or pretty much any other AI-powered writing software. Logically stands out by combining its writing technology with AI research tools in a few ways: Get instant access to breaking news, the hottest reviews, great deals and helpful tips. Chatbot functionality Much like NotebookLM, you can add research documents, papers, or links for the tool to comb through. Alternatively, through the built-in chatbot, you can ask questions using AI models like Gemini, GPT-4o, or Claude 3.5. This is paired with Google search functions to work in the same way as you might use ChatGPT or Gemini to research a project. Research like a scholar Equally, you can use a feature called Semantic Scholar. Instead of searching the web and the training data of whichever AI model you're using, it will comb through a database of 200 million peer-review research papers. In this mode, it will not only offer the research papers that best answer your question, but it will also offer the reference, the best quote from the paper and allow you to save your reference straight into a bibliography if needed. Document retrival Finally, if you have an exact list of research documents you want to use, a third tool will change the chatbot to only answer questions from your list of research sources. This will also provide citations and references for any information it provides you. Referencing is, quite frankly, a nightmare. Trying to remember where you found a quote, figure or concept can take forever if you don't note it down. Even if you do, there is then the formatting to make it correct for the document. Part of the benefit of Logically is that it does it all for you. Upload documents and links to your project and it will keep them all in one place. By doing this, you can search these documents using the in-built chatbot or just use them for referencing down the line. You can also add tags to different sources, keeping them all organised in different categories. With all of the incredible things AI can do right now, this is hardly ground-breaking. In a lot of ways, this is a tool that is simply taking the best of other AI systems and using them all in one place. But, that is what works so well. Why split your time between ChatGPT, NotebookLM and Perplexity, when you can have them all in one place. On top of all those research tools, youa also have your actual project in the same place too. For the occasional quick project, this isn't all that useful. But if you're in school, working towards a PhD or in a research role that requires you to be constantly deep into a project, Logically feels like it has nailed the formula.
Geeky Gadgets
4 days ago
- Business
- Geeky Gadgets
n8n AI Automations to Scale Your Business Without Extra Resources
What if your business could operate faster, smarter, and more efficiently—without adding more staff or resources? In a world where every second counts, the traditional ways of managing tasks are no longer enough. Enter the n8n AI Agent Stack, a innovative approach that combines innovative automation with AI-driven intelligence. Imagine a system where your emails are sorted and answered, your leads are nurtured, and your team's productivity skyrockets—all without lifting a finger. This isn't just a glimpse of the future; it's a reality that businesses of all sizes can embrace today. The question is: are you ready to transform how your organization works? SuperHumans Life explore how the n8n AI Agent Stack can transform your operations by introducing a tailored suite of AI agents designed to tackle your biggest challenges. From automating repetitive tasks to delivering actionable insights, these tools promise to shift your focus from busywork to strategic growth. Along the way, you'll discover how platforms like n8n, Notion, and Slack integrate seamlessly with AI to create a unified, results-driven system. Whether you're aiming to scale without increasing overhead or simply seeking clarity in your workflows, this guide will show you how to unlock the full potential of AI in your business. After all, the future of work isn't just about doing more—it's about doing better. Transforming Business with AI The Importance of Outcome-Driven Automation Traditional task-based management often results in fragmented workflows, inefficiencies, and wasted resources. This approach requires constant oversight, leaving little room for strategic focus. In contrast, outcome-driven automation uses AI agents to prioritize results over individual tasks, making sure that every action aligns with broader business objectives. For instance, an AI agent can manage email prioritization and responses, keeping your inbox organized and actionable. This allows you to focus on high-value activities such as client relationships or growth strategies, rather than being consumed by repetitive administrative tasks. By automating these processes, businesses can achieve greater efficiency and clarity in their operations. Building a Tailored AI Agent Stack To fully harness the potential of AI, businesses must develop a customized stack of agents designed to address their specific needs. Below are five essential AI agents that can deliver measurable results across various operational areas: Digital Virtual Assistant (Zero Inbox Guardian): Automates email management by categorizing, prioritizing, and responding to messages, reducing cognitive load and freeing up time for strategic initiatives. Automates email management by categorizing, prioritizing, and responding to messages, reducing cognitive load and freeing up time for strategic initiatives. Client Delivery Agent (Promise Keeper): Streamlines client onboarding and project management, making sure consistency and improving client satisfaction. Streamlines client onboarding and project management, making sure consistency and improving client satisfaction. Sales Conversion Agent (Opportunity Hunter): Identifies, qualifies, and nurtures leads through personalized outreach, maximizing sales opportunities and revenue potential. Identifies, qualifies, and nurtures leads through personalized outreach, maximizing sales opportunities and revenue potential. Content Engine (Infinite Content Engine): Automates the repurposing and distribution of content, maintaining a consistent and strong brand presence across multiple platforms. Automates the repurposing and distribution of content, maintaining a consistent and strong brand presence across multiple platforms. AI Chief of Staff (Chief of Clarity): Monitors key performance indicators (KPIs), prioritizes tasks, and provides actionable insights to support informed decision-making. Each of these agents plays a critical role in driving efficiency, enhancing productivity, and aligning operations with strategic goals. By integrating these tools into your workflow, you can create a cohesive system that supports sustainable growth. n8n AI Agent Business Stack for 2025 Watch this video on YouTube. Uncover more insights about AI Agents in previous articles we have written. Scaling Operations Without Increasing Overhead One of the most compelling advantages of AI agents is their ability to scale operations without the need for additional resources. By automating repetitive tasks and optimizing workflows, businesses can achieve more with fewer manual inputs. This scalability is particularly valuable for growing organizations that need to expand their reach without incurring significant costs. For example, a Sales Conversion Agent can simultaneously qualify hundreds of leads, a task that would otherwise require a dedicated team. Similarly, a Content Engine can manage the distribution of marketing materials across multiple platforms, making sure consistent messaging without additional effort. This ability to scale efficiently allows businesses to focus on strategic priorities while maintaining operational excellence. Achieving Clarity and Measurable Results AI agents excel at eliminating operational noise and focusing on outcomes. By clearly defining business objectives and aligning AI tools to meet them, organizations can ensure that every action contributes to measurable results. This clarity not only improves efficiency but also enhances decision-making by providing actionable insights. For instance, the AI Chief of Staff can analyze performance metrics, identify bottlenecks, and recommend adjustments to keep your business on track. This proactive approach ensures that your operations remain agile and responsive to changing conditions, allowing you to make informed decisions that drive growth and success. Integrating AI Agents with Key Tools To maximize the effectiveness of your AI agent stack, seamless integration with existing tools is essential. Platforms like n8n, Notion, and Slack play a crucial role in connecting systems and automating workflows, making sure that your AI agents operate efficiently and cohesively. Here's how these tools can enhance your operations: n8n: An open source automation platform that allows you to create custom workflows by connecting multiple applications and AI agents, allowing seamless data flow and task automation. An open source automation platform that allows you to create custom workflows by connecting multiple applications and AI agents, allowing seamless data flow and task automation. Notion: A versatile platform for organizing and managing data, enhanced by AI agents for automating tasks such as content management and project tracking. A versatile platform for organizing and managing data, enhanced by AI agents for automating tasks such as content management and project tracking. Slack: A communication tool that integrates with AI agents to provide real-time updates, alerts, and task assignments, fostering collaboration and transparency across teams. By using these tools, businesses can create a unified system where AI agents work in harmony with existing processes, enhancing both efficiency and effectiveness. Driving Business Growth with AI Adopting AI-driven systems is no longer a luxury but a necessity for businesses aiming to stay competitive in today's dynamic landscape. By implementing a tailored AI agent stack, organizations can reclaim valuable time and resources, allowing them to focus on strategic growth initiatives. Whether it's managing client relationships, generating leads, or monitoring KPIs, AI agents provide the tools needed to scale effectively while maintaining clarity and control. The integration of AI agents with platforms like n8n, Notion, and Slack ensures that your business remains agile, efficient, and results-oriented. As the business environment continues to evolve, embracing AI-powered solutions will not only enhance your operations but also position your organization for long-term success. Media Credit: SuperHumans Life Filed Under: AI, Top News Latest Geeky Gadgets Deals Disclosure: Some of our articles include affiliate links. If you buy something through one of these links, Geeky Gadgets may earn an affiliate commission. Learn about our Disclosure Policy.
