However, despite its popularity, Obsidian comes with certain limitations.
Lack of Core AI: Despite its promise of graphs and linking, Obsidian soon turns into walls of text dumps unless you spend hours organizing.
Visualization Issues: The graph feature I’ve found to be simply eye candy but has little use.
Collaboration Difficulties: Obsidian lacks seamless real-time collaboration tools, making it challenging for teams.
Mobile Accessibility: The mobile version of Obsidian is often criticized for being less user-friendly compared to its desktop counterpart.
Syncing Costs: While Obsidian offers powerful features, syncing across devices incurs additional costs.
Exploring alternatives can address these limitations and cater to diverse needs. Whether you’re looking for better collaboration, enhanced mobile usability, or cost-effective syncing options, considering other tools is crucial. For instance, Why You Should Ditch Apple Notes provides insights into the limitations of popular note-taking apps like Apple Notes and suggests exploring different options. Additionally, understanding the Best Personal Productivity System can enhance your productivity and organization by adopting a structured approach to managing tasks and responsibilities.
The BIGGEST Problem with Obsidian
As a 1.5 year+ Obsidian user I hate to say this… but the graph feature is completely useless. It’s something cool to show to your friends to get them on Obsidian and to make yourself feel great for having shown them something.
But, do I ever actually use my graph? Well… no.
This is simply because it requires so much manual tagging and constantly linking notes together that it does not end up being practical. While it feels good to journal by writing long dumps of text, when I feel a note links to another note, I have trouble remembering what that other note was. This ends up creating a whole set of duplicate backlinks (sometimes misspellings of each other) and leads to a cluttered graph that looks cool but has no traceability when navigating it.
Collaboration Challenges
Obsidian is often praised for its powerful local file system and extensive customization options. However, it falls short when it comes to collaboration. Unlike tools designed with teamwork in mind, Obsidian lacks real-time collaborative features. This makes it challenging for teams to work simultaneously on shared notes or documents.
Issues with Mobile Accessibility and Usability
Another significant limitation is its mobile accessibility and usability. While Obsidian has a mobile app, users often report a less-than-optimal experience compared to the desktop version. Navigation can be cumbersome, and certain functionalities may not be as intuitive or responsive on mobile devices. This hampers productivity for users who rely heavily on mobile note-taking.
Costs Associated with Syncing and Cloud Features
Syncing notes across devices in Obsidian requires additional services like Obsidian Sync, which comes at a cost. Users who prefer cloud storage solutions such as Google Drive or Dropbox must manage these separately, adding to the complexity and potential expenses. This can be a drawback for those seeking a seamless and cost-effective syncing solution.
For those looking to absorb everything they read, exploring alternatives that offer smoother collaboration, better mobile usability, and cost-efficient syncing might be beneficial.
You might want to consider some of the best note-taking software options available in 2024 which could potentially address these limitations effectively.
Top Alternatives to Obsidian
1. Constella — Combine Your Thoughts Into Knowledge And Become Wiser
Our brains are amazing, aren’t they? Picture a never-ending canvas where brain cells link up in a seemingly chaotic yet incredibly efficient way. Now compare that to how traditional note-taking apps like Apple Notes and Notion work, with their rigid, file-based approach. The difference is clear.
That’s where Constella comes in — the modern note-taking app that’s set to change the game when it comes to gathering and organizing information. It takes a revolutionary step forward from document-based editing towards thinking in graph notes
You might be wondering how is this graph different from Obsidian? Well, Obsidian is just a text editor hiding behind a cool looking graph on the side. Constella is a graph in the first place. And if you are wondering if you will be sacrificing on the free flow typing of Obsidian, then don’t worry, Constella has that too:
Constella isn’t just another option in the crowded world of note-taking apps. Here’s why it stands out as the best choice:
Automatic Organization and Connections
Unlike Apple’s linear, folder-based system, Constella uses an innovative graph-based structure. Your notes aren’t just separate bits of information — they’re all connected.
As you write down your ideas, Constella’s AI links related thoughts together, forming a web of knowledge that’s easy to navigate.
Magic Bar
At the core of Constella is the Magic Bar, your personal note-taking assistant.
Simply type a keyword or phrase into the Magic Bar, and it’ll instantly show you relevant notes and connections from your entire library. It’s like having a search engine tailored specifically for your mind.
Effortless Connection Drawing
Ever wanted to easily link your notes together? With Constella, now you can.
This feature lets you drag and drop to create connections between ideas, making it simpler than ever to see how everything fits together.
Stella AI Assistant
Say hello to Stella, your AI-powered companion in Constella.
Stella does more than just retrieve information; she uses connected notes to think logically and complete tasks. Need an outline for a project? Stella can create one based on your existing notes and insights.
Multimedia Support (On Their Roadmap)
Pasting images and files with similarity search would make organization seamless.
Constella seamlessly incorporates different types of media into your notes without disrupting your workflow.
Sleek Design
We all appreciate good looks.
Constella’s user interface is sleek and modern, designed not only to be functional but also visually appealing. It’s easy to understand so you won’t waste time figuring out how to use it, yet it has all the features you need for effective note-taking.
I’ll admit I’m biased in putting Constella here (I have worked on the team before). It was from my relentless search for looking for a tool that was fundamentally solid from the core that I ended up reaching out to their team and got recruited because of my passion for always trying to improve myself with tools and realizing the potential of Constella.
It’s up to you to decide which of these tools you find the most helpful, and I tried to make the article as comprehensive as possible. Yet, you know what my vote is for.
2. Joplin — An Open-Source Alternative with Markdown Support and Cloud Backup Features
Joplin stands out as a robust open-source note-taking solution, making it an attractive option for users who value customization and flexibility. Unlike Notion, which offers a modular approach to productivity, or Evernote, known for its multimedia support, Joplin provides several unique benefits:
Open-Source and Customizable: Joplin’s open-source nature allows you to tailor the software to your specific needs. You can modify the codebase, add plugins, and tweak settings to create a personalized experience that fits your workflow.
Markdown Support: Embracing Markdown formatting, Joplin enables you to create well-structured notes effortlessly. This feature is particularly appealing if you’re already familiar with Markdown or looking for a seamless way to format text without complex tools.
Cloud Backup Features: Data safety is crucial, and Joplin excels in this area by offering cloud backup capabilities. Sync your notes across various cloud services like Dropbox, OneDrive, or even a private WebDAV server, ensuring your data remains secure and accessible from multiple devices.
Joplin serves diverse user preferences, from tech enthusiasts who appreciate the open-source model to professionals needing reliable cloud backups. Comparing it with tools like Microsoft OneNote or Roam Research, Joplin offers a unique blend of customization and data security without compromising on essential note-taking functionalities.
3. Roam Research — The Linked Thinking Tool that Takes Complex Note-Taking to a Whole New Level
Roam Research stands out for its unique approach to note-taking through bi-directional linking and intricate knowledge management. Unlike traditional note-taking apps like Notion, Evernote, or Microsoft OneNote, Roam enables users to create a web of interconnected notes, enhancing the ability to see relationships between various pieces of information.
Key Features:
Bi-Directional Linking: This feature allows you to link notes in both directions, creating a network of interconnected ideas. It is particularly beneficial for users engaged in research, writing, or any activity that involves complex information management.
Graph Overview: Visualize your notes as a graph, making it easier to navigate between related topics and uncover hidden connections.
Considerations:
Pricing: Roam Research comes at a higher price point compared to alternatives like Google Keep and Simplenote. The premium pricing reflects its advanced capabilities in knowledge management but may be a barrier for casual users.
User Experience: Beginners may find the interface overwhelming initially. Unlike more straightforward apps such as Bear or Dropbox Paper, Roam requires some investment in learning to fully leverage its powerful features.
Ideal for users who prioritize deep knowledge management and complex note-taking structures, Roam Research offers unparalleled capabilities but demands a steeper learning curve and financial commitment.
4. Notion — The Customizable Productivity Tool for Project Management Needs
Notion stands out as a highly customizable productivity tool that merges note-taking, project management, and database functionalities into one platform. It utilizes a modular approach, allowing you to tailor your workspace according to specific needs.
Overview of Notion’s Features:
Templates and Blocks: Notion provides a wide array of templates and building blocks, from simple text notes to complex databases.
Drag-and-Drop Interface: The user-friendly drag-and-drop interface makes it easy to organize information.
Integration Capabilities: It supports integrations with other tools such as Google Calendar, Trello, and Slack, enhancing its utility.
Collaboration Tools: Real-time collaboration features allow multiple users to work simultaneously on the same document.
Benefits for Project Management and Organization:
Centralized Workspace: Notion consolidates all your project details in one place, reducing the need for multiple apps.
Task Management: You can create task lists, assign tasks to team members, set deadlines, and track progress seamlessly.
Database Functionality: Its database feature enables you to manage large amounts of data efficiently, making it ideal for complex projects.
Customizable Dashboards: Create personalized dashboards that display key metrics and project statuses at a glance.
Learning Curve and User Adaptability:
While Notion offers extensive capabilities, new users may face a learning curve. The sheer number of features can be overwhelming initially. However, plenty of tutorials and community support are available to ease this transition. In time, most users find the adaptability worth the initial effort.
For more insights into setting up effective personal knowledge management systems with tools like Notion, check out this article. To delve deeper into how Notion can help organize various aspects of life efficiently, read here.
Transitioning from Obsidian to an alternative such as Notion might be beneficial if your focus is on project management alongside note-taking. While each tool has its strengths and weaknesses, understanding these differences allows you to choose the best fit for your specific needs. However, it’s essential to note that Notion has its limitations which might hinder some users’ productivity in the long run.
5. Evernote — A Note-Taker’s Best Friend with Powerful Search Capabilities and Multimedia Support
Evernote stands out with its exceptional content capture and organizational features, making it an impressive alternative to Notion and Obsidian. It excels in capturing various types of content, from text notes to web clippings, images, and audio recordings. This versatility ensures that you can store all kinds of information in one place.
Strengths in Content Capture and Organization:
Multimedia Support: Evernote allows you to attach images, audio recordings, and even entire web pages to your notes.
Powerful Search: Its advanced search capabilities enable you to find information quickly, even within scanned documents and handwritten notes.
Tagging System: You can organize your notes using tags, notebooks, and stacks for enhanced categorization.
Limitations Regarding Real-Time Collaboration:
Unlike other tools such as Notion or Dropbox Paper, Evernote lacks robust real-time collaboration features. While it allows sharing of notes and notebooks, simultaneous multi-user editing is not as seamless.
Use Cases for Different Types of Users:
Students: Ideal for organizing lecture notes, research materials, and multimedia resources.
Professionals: Useful for capturing meeting notes, project details, and brainstorming ideas.
Personal Use: Great for managing day-to-day tasks, personal journals, and creative projects.
Evernote remains a powerful tool for those who prioritize content capture and efficient organization over real-time collaboration.
(the apps below are pretty meh now, at least in my opinion, so I’d recommend picking one for yourself from the 5 above)
6. Microsoft OneNote — The Multimedia Notes App that Plays Well with Others
Microsoft OneNote offers seamless integration within the Microsoft Office suite, making it a robust choice for those already immersed in the ecosystem. You can easily incorporate notes into Word documents, Excel sheets, and PowerPoint presentations, facilitating a cohesive workflow.
Advantages for teamwork and sharing notes
Shared notebooks allow multiple users to collaborate in real-time.
This makes OneNote particularly effective for teams needing to brainstorm, plan projects, or share research.
The ability to insert multimedia elements like images, audio recordings, and even doodles enhances the collaborative experience.
One of the limitations of OneNote is its tagging features. Compared to other tools like Notion and Evernote, which offer extensive tagging and organizational capabilities, OneNote falls short. Users looking for advanced note categorization might find this aspect challenging.
In summary, Microsoft OneNote stands out for its robust collaboration features and deep integration with other Microsoft Office tools. While it may not offer the most sophisticated tagging system, its strengths in multimedia support and teamwork functionalities make it an excellent alternative to Obsidian for collaborative environments.
7. Google Keep — The Simple Web-Based App for Quick Notes on the Go
Google Keep stands out for its seamless integration within the Google ecosystem. This app is particularly appealing if you are already using Google Workspace tools like Gmail, Google Docs, or Google Calendar. The ability to sync notes across all your devices instantly via your Google account adds a layer of convenience that is hard to beat.
Why Choose Google Keep?
Convenient Integration: If you’re already using other Google services, this app will fit right in.
User-Friendly: You can start using it without any training or learning curve.
Quick Note-Taking: Perfect for jotting down ideas or making lists on the go.
However, limitations in formatting options can be a drawback. Unlike Notion or Microsoft OneNote, which provide extensive customization and formatting features, Google Keep offers basic text formatting only. This simplicity may suit users looking for a no-frills note-taking solution but could be restrictive for those needing advanced formatting capabilities.
In summary, Google Keep is an excellent choice for quick note-taking and integrating seamlessly within the Google Workspace environment. Its ease of use is unmatched, although its minimal formatting options may limit its utility for more complex projects.
8. NotePlan — Where Task Integration Meets Calendar Functionality for Enhanced Productivity
NotePlan stands out with its unique combination of tasks and note-taking capabilities, making it an ideal solution for users who need both functionalities in one place. Unlike Notion, Evernote, or Microsoft OneNote, NotePlan seamlessly integrates task management with a calendar view, providing a holistic approach to productivity.
Task Management and Note-Taking Integration
NotePlan allows you to manage your tasks directly within your notes. This integration ensures that your to-dos are always connected to relevant information, which streamlines your workflow and reduces the chances of missing important details.
Enhanced Productivity Scenarios
Professionals who juggle multiple projects will find NotePlan particularly beneficial. For instance, if you’re managing a team and need to keep track of various deadlines, NotePlan’s calendar feature offers a visual layout of your schedule alongside your notes. This functionality helps in prioritizing tasks effectively, ensuring nothing slips through the cracks.
NotePlan’s interface is user-friendly, reducing the learning curve typically associated with tools like Roam Research or even Joplin. Its focus on simplicity combined with powerful features makes it suitable for users who seek an efficient way to combine notes and tasks without overwhelming complexity.
9. Dropbox Paper — The Collaborative Editing Software that Makes Real-Time Multi-User Editing a Breeze
Dropbox Paper stands out among traditional note-takers like Notion, Evernote, and Microsoft OneNote due to its seamless support for real-time multi-user editing. This collaborative editing software is designed to enhance teamwork and streamline document collaboration.
Key Features Supporting Teamwork:
Real-Time Collaboration: Multiple users can edit a document simultaneously, making it ideal for team projects and meetings.
Comments and Annotations: Users can leave comments, assign tasks, and mention team members directly within the document.
Integration with Dropbox: Direct access to Dropbox files allows for easy attachment of relevant documents and media.
Comparison with Traditional Note-Takers:
While tools like Google Keep or Bear offer straightforward note-taking capabilities, Dropbox Paper excels in collaborative environments. Unlike Joplin or Simplenote, which focus on individual use and simplicity, Dropbox Paper provides robust features for group interactions.
Formatting Capabilities:
Dropbox Paper may not offer the extensive formatting options found in Notion or Roam Research but compensates with its user-friendly interface and collaboration-centric features. This makes it a practical choice for teams prioritizing real-time interaction over advanced text formatting.
By focusing on these aspects, Dropbox Paper emerges as an excellent alternative for users seeking efficient teamwork and collaborative document editing.
10. Bear — A Minimalist Writing App Designed Exclusively for Apple Devices Users Who Appreciate Simplicity but Want More than Just Basic Functionality at Their Fingertips!
Bear stands out as a minimalist writing app tailored specifically for Apple devices. Its design philosophy revolves around simplicity and focus, making it an excellent tool for writers and editors who value a clean, distraction-free interface.
Key Features of Bear
Markdown Support: Bear offers robust Markdown support, enabling users to format text with ease.
Focus Mode: This feature minimizes distractions, allowing you to concentrate entirely on your writing.
Tagging System: Efficiently organize notes with a simple yet powerful tagging system.
Cross-Device Syncing: Seamlessly sync notes across iPhone, iPad, and Mac through iCloud.
Benefits for Writers and Editors
Intuitive Design: The user interface is both elegant and straightforward, reducing the learning curve associated with more complex tools like Notion or Roam Research.
Rich Text Options: While maintaining its minimalist ethos, Bear provides enough formatting options to cater to detailed writing needs.
Export Options: Easily export notes in various formats including PDF, HTML, and DOCX.
User Adaptability
Bear’s exclusive availability on Apple devices may limit its accessibility compared to cross-platform alternatives like Evernote or Microsoft OneNote. However, its deep integration within the Apple ecosystem offers a seamless user experience for those already invested in Apple’s hardware and software environments.
Bear appeals primarily to users seeking a streamlined note-taking experience without sacrificing essential functionality. For those who prefer a lightweight yet powerful writing tool, Bear delivers on simplicity while still offering advanced features.
11. Simplenote — The Clean Interface App That Helps You Focus on What Really Matters: Your Thoughts!
Simplenote stands out for its minimalist design, providing a distraction-free environment where you can focus solely on your thoughts. This clean interface is perfect for users who prefer simplicity over a myriad of features.
Advantages:
Distraction-Free Environment: Simplenote’s uncluttered layout ensures that you aren’t overwhelmed by unnecessary options or tools. It’s designed to help you concentrate purely on note-taking.
Ease of Use: With its straightforward approach, Simplenote is easy to navigate and doesn’t require a steep learning curve. This makes it an ideal choice for users who want to get started quickly without extensive setup.
Cross-Platform Syncing: The app supports seamless syncing across all your devices, ensuring your notes are always up-to-date and accessible from anywhere.
Limitations:
Lack of Advanced Features: Unlike other tools like Notion, Evernote, or Microsoft OneNote, Simplenote does not support rich media inclusion or advanced formatting options. If you need functionalities such as task management, multimedia support, or complex project organization, you might find Simplenote lacking.
Basic Functionality: While its simplicity is a strong point, it may not meet the needs of users looking for comprehensive solutions like Roam Research or NotePlan.
Simplenote’s clean interface and straightforward functionality make it an excellent choice for those who value simplicity and efficiency in their note-taking process.
FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions)
What are some limitations of Obsidian?
Obsidian faces collaboration challenges, has issues with mobile accessibility and usability, and incurs costs associated with syncing and cloud features.
Why should I explore alternatives to Obsidian?
Exploring alternatives is important to meet diverse needs, especially if you require better collaboration tools, mobile usability, or cost-effective syncing options.
What are the key features of Notion?
Notion offers a customizable productivity tool with a modular approach, making it beneficial for project management and organization. However, it may have a learning curve for new users.
How does Evernote stand out among note-taking tools?
Evernote is known for its powerful search capabilities and multimedia support, making it an excellent choice for content capture and organization. However, it has limitations regarding real-time collaboration.
What advantages does Microsoft OneNote provide?
Microsoft OneNote integrates well within the Microsoft Office suite, making it advantageous for teamwork and sharing notes. However, its tagging features are limited compared to competitors.
What makes Joplin a good alternative to Obsidian?
Joplin is an open-source alternative that supports Markdown and offers cloud backup features for data safety. It appeals to users who prefer customization and open-source solutions.
“The most powerful person in the world is the story teller. The storyteller sets the vision, values and agenda of an entire generation that is to come” — Steve Jobs
We constantly need to be telling stories when communicating with everyone. We tell:
Stories to engineers to build an amazing product.
Stories to marketing to broadcast a captivating message to prospects.
Stories to customers to inspire them to achieve great things.
Stories to the executives and board to justify the ROI of our product investment, and the list goes on…
Being a good storyteller is why some product managers, marketers, and designers make the leap from Good to Great… and others don’t. ✥
Let’s become great storytellers
Emma Coats tweeted a series of basic storytelling tips while she was at Pixar. They became known as “Pixar’s 22 Rules of Storytelling.” She shared the valuable lessons from arguably the greatest storytellers of our generation, Pixar.
Emma’s learnings from her days at Pixar inspired me to reflect on mine as a product person, and a storyteller. In the past couple of decades of building software, I’ve told many poorly structured stories and have learned to tell good ones. I’ve seen how a good story by a product manager results in a happy customer, and no story becomes a feature no one uses.
Here I’ve digested the relevant rules Emma presented, and reinterpreted them as:
Seven habits of great storytelling for product managers & UX designers — Inspired by Pixar
1. Without a purpose there is no story
We apply techniques like user stories, scenario narrations, storyboards, and journey maps. We paint a good picture of what happens as the user interacts with a particular product functionality. However, we often prescribe what should be built or how to use it — and neglect the underlying purpose.
What is the underlying message in the story? Like Clayton Christensen says, “People don’t want to buy a quarter-inch drill, they want a quarter-inch hole.” Ask yourself, am I prescribing the characteristics of the drill? Or explaining how the user drills the hole? Instead of articulating why the user needed a hole in the wall?
Before we start writing, we need to know why we are telling the story and what the purpose of the story is. In Emma’s words:
Rule #14 — Why must you tell THIS story? What’s the belief burning within you that your story feeds off of? That’s the heart of it.
2. Make me care
In a good story, empathy and admiration are born from the drama of seeing someone struggle in the face of difficult odds. Without sharing the drama the main character (our end users) is facing, the audience (engineers) don’t empathize with them enough to go the extra mile and solve their problem. Emma reminds us of how much we love a good underdog story:
Rule #1 — You admire a character for trying, more than for their successes.
3. A hero to root for
Everyone wants a hero to root for. Give me a reason why I should care for the hero of our story to get her job done. Why should I root for her success? What happens if she can’t get her job done using our product?
You may have great templates to document user and buyer personas, even have their first names and what the colour of their eyes are! Unfortunately that’s just a lame character in a boring story. If customer success is the end goal, what makes you care for this character as you read their persona?
What will the hero of the story lose if she is not able to overcome the obstacles to get her job done? Will they lose their job? Will the project fail and they will lose millions? Emma goes further and suggests we stack the odds against her as we author her story:
Rule #16 — What are the stakes? Give us reason to root for the character. What happens if they don’t succeed? Stack the odds against.
4. A credible storyline
Each scene in the story needs to be credible. We’ve all heard stories that have an overwhelming amount of unbelievable nonsense, and we’ve stopped caring for the hero.
We lose our audiences when our stories lack credibility — what the user’s objective is, what’s at stake, and how they can overcome obstacles. Instead of getting engineers to build out the acceptance criteria laid out for them, get them to root for the hero instead.
Rule #15 — If you were your character, in this situation, how would you feel? Honesty lends credibility to unbelievable situations.
5. Impactful story structure
Every story has a start, middle, and an ending. A good story delivers the middle in a well-defined structure. Similar to a good speech, telling the story of a product capability is more impactful with a Tell-Show-Tell structure: First you Tell them what’s about to unfold, tell them you understand your user and what the user needs and wants to get done. Then you Show them how it happens. And finally to wrap up, you Tell them why they should care. What’s at stake if the job doesn’t get done.
Tell-Show-Tell method is commonly used for pre-sales demonstrations. It’s also applicable in product management and UX design. To elevate this method to Pixar level, we can apply Emma’s suggestion, which is Kenn Adam’s Story Spine structure:
Rule #4 — Once upon a time there was ___. Every day, ___. One day ___. Because of that, ___. Because of that, ___. Until finally ___.
Khan Academy video on this topic
This structure is brilliant! For someone to buy and adopt your product, the pain of status quo needs to be greater than the pain of change. In the structure above, “every day” is status quo, “one day” is the event that tips the balance, series of “because of that” statements are the benefits they gain by switching to your product, and “until finally” is the expansion play. This format is just great!
6. What’s innovative about your story?
Who wants to hear the same story told, yet again, by yet another software vendor? What’s different about yours? You may be solving for the same “happily ever after” ending, but how does your story unfold differently? Emma’s advice is to not be afraid of throwing the first however-many iterations out, and starting from scratch till you nail it:
Rule #12 — Discount the first thing that comes to mind. And the 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th — get the obvious out of the way. Surprise yourself.
7. Begin with the end in mind
Rule #7 — Come up with your ending before you figure out your middle. Seriously. Endings are hard, get yours working up front.
Emma nails it in Rule #7: “Seriously. Endings are hard, get yours working up front.” It’s hard to know how to measure success after everything is set and done. Feature is built, shipped, and released… now what? What was YOUR Objective? What are the expected Key Results? Begin with the end in mind.
This approach creates a sounding board for us to reassess the validity of our decisions as change appears and we are forced to iterate our story and adjust the scope.
Break away from the habit of writing user stories and bulleted list of acceptance criteria. Stop demoing features and listing benefit statements. Tell a good story, and you’ll end up with a passionate team who works on product your customers Love.
I’m working on a Part II for this post with examples of both good and bad stories to make these concept more practical. Meanwhile, comment below and share your stories with me.
We were surprised to see very few benchmark comparisons for flutter and React Native and even those were quite old. So with current versions of Flutter & React Native, here’s a thorough benchmarking comparison in terms of App size, Memory & CPU usage. The results are interesting and surprising to say the least.
Benchmarked Apps
Three types of apps were benchmarked:
Large Listview of 1000 items: Each item includes a static image and an infinitely rotating image.
Bulk Images Animation: 200 images are simultaneously rotated, faded, and scaled.
Bulk Lottie Animations: 36 Lottie animations displayed on a single screen.
Benchmarking Methodology
Each benchmark was conducted on an M1 Mac.
The benchmark apps were run on Oneplus 7 device for Android and iPhone 8 and iPhone 15 for IOS.
In Android, Memory & CPU usage were measured using Android Profiler on the release apk for both flutter and React Native.
In IOS, each benchmark app was run in release mode. Memory & CPU usages were measured using Allocations & Time Profiler instruments respectively.
FPS was measured on “profile mode” for Flutter app and a JS minified & dev mode disabled build for React Native but with metro bundler connection. (Since RN performance stats are supported only when connected to metro bundler)
Here’s the benchmarking source code : https://github.com/nateshmbhat/flutter-rn-performance-benchmarks
For animation , built in Animation api is used in Flutter and industry standard Reanimated v3 is used in React Native.
Framework Versions Used :
React Native : 0.74.1 | Flutter: 3.19.5 | Dart: 3.3.3
Listview Performance
This app uses built in ListView and Animated api in flutter. Uses the latest Reanimated v3 library in React native and built in FlatList. Both the lists are being used as is without explicit optimisation or fixed height extents.
Click to see : Benchmark Results
Android :
Android list items benchmark
Flutter :
FPS: 60 (no jank)
Dart heap memory usage: 7–8 MB
APK size: 16.8 MB (7.6 seconds to build)
Process memory: 120–130 MB (remained same when scrolling)
CPU: 5–8% (remained same when scrolling)
No jank or framedrops even on rapid scrolling
React Native :
FPS: 50–55 (noticeable jank)
APK size: 21.9 MB (23 seconds to build)
Memory: 160 MB (when not scrolling), 180–190 MB (scrolling)
CPU: 11–13% (when not scrolling), spiking to 25–30% (scrolling)
Occasional framedrops and blank items while scrolling
IOS :
IOS list items benchmark
Flutter :
Memory:
iPhone8 : 48 MB (remained same when scrolling)
iPhone15: 93 MB (remained same when scrolling)
CPU: 40–60% (remained same when scrolling)
No jank or framedrops on rapid scrolling
Archive size: 71.5 MB (Build Time : 30 seconds)
React Native :
Memory:
iPhone8 : 1.05 GB and drops to ~453 MB on scrolling.
iPhone15 : 1.12 GB and drops to ~430 MB on scrolling.
CPU: 120–140% for first 5 seconds, then drops to ~50% when not scrolling. Spikes to 140–150% on scrolling.
No framedrops but sometimes abruptly stops the scrolling when scrolled rapidly (user has to scroll again)
Archive size: 112.3 MB (Build Time : 318 seconds)
Android : Flutter scrolled smoothly with no memory or CPU spikes during scrolling, whereas React Native exhibited frame drops and significant CPU & Memory spikes.
IOS : Very high memory usage in React Native. Flutter uses least amount of memory and CPU. Interestingly on ios, unlike android, memory usage drops to half in React Native on scrolling while CPU usage spikes.
Bulk Images Animation
Click to see : Benchmark Results
Android :
Android : Bulk Images Animation benchmark results
Flutter :
FPS: 58–60
Dart Heap: 13.4 MB
APK size: 11.6 MB (19.6 seconds to build)
Memory: 128–135 MB
CPU: 8%
React Native :
FPS: 58–60 (with occasional drops)
APK size: 21 MB (20 seconds to build)
Memory: 380–396 MB
CPU: 12–16%
IOS :
Flutter:
Memory:
iPhone8 : 49 MB
iPhone15 : 94 MB
CPU:
iPhone 8 : 50–60%
iPhone 15 : 23%
No visible janks or framedrops
Archive size: 71.2 MB (Build Time : 33 seconds)
React Native:
Memory:
iPhone 8 : 1.2 GB (Low Memory warning and eventual crash)
iPhone 15 : 1.38 GB (No crash)
CPU :
iPhone 8 : 135–140% (Eventual crash after about few seconds)
iPhone 15 : 200–300% for first 3.5 seconds then reduced to 50–60%
Severe janks, framedrops and eventual crash in iPhone 8. Only initial janks in iPhone 15
Archive size: 112.3 MB (Build Time : 317 seconds)
Android : Both frameworks maintained a similar FPS, but React Native experienced FPS drops at animation restarts and significantly higher memory usage.
IOS : High CPU and very high memory spike in React Native and eventual crash in older iPhones. Flutter seems to run fine with lower resource consumption.
Bulk Lottie Animations
Click to see : Benchmark Results
Android :
Bulk Lottie Animation benchmark results
Flutter :
FPS: 36
APK size: 7.6 MB (20.8 seconds to build)
Memory: 220 MB
CPU: 11%
Android :
FPS: 43
APK size: 18.5 MB (23 seconds to build)
Memory: 240 MB
CPU: 22%
IOS :
Flutter :
Memory:
iPhone8 : 150–165 MB
iPhone15 : Increased up to 255 MB and remained at 255 MB
CPU:
iPhone8 : 120–140%
iPhone15 : 50–70%
Archive size: 72.9 MB (Build Time : 29 seconds)
React Native:
Memory: Increased slowly upto 125 MB and remained at 125 MB (both iPhones)
CPU:
iPhone8 : 100% for 6 seconds then reduces to 50–60%
iPhone15 : 60–80%
Archive size: 133.5 MB (Build Time : 304 seconds)
Android : React Native had higher FPS than Flutter but had higher CPU and memory usage.
IOS: React Native consumed less memory and CPU than Flutter.
New Update : As per flutter’s recent 3.22 release article, lottie rendering performance has significantly improved for it’s impeller rendering engine. This benchmark uses Flutter 3.19.5. I’m yet to run this benchmark with impeller for this new version on android.
Starter Project Comparisons
When we first create a project in react native or flutter, an unexpected finding was that the Apk Size for react native is significantly higher than that of flutter app for the starter project.
Although this particular case is not a perfectly fair comparison (given the fact both starter apps are different) and can be excluded as a performance benchmark result, it does present some interesting observations.
Starter Project Build time and App Size comparisons in Android
Note that app creation time is more in React Native since the entire react-native library gets downloaded when setting up a new project while flutter sdk already needs to be downloaded before creating new app.
Final Verdict
Android : All benchmarks consistently showed Flutter’s APK sizes were smaller, and its CPU & memory usage was marginally better than that of React Native.
IOS : Very high resource consumption by React Native compared to flutter except in Bulk Lottie animations app where flutter consumed more resources.
Next Steps :
Do performance benchmark with React Native’s New Architecture enabled.
Improve visualization of the metrics for ios.
Upcoming posts
Will soon be posting more detailed benchmark comparisons along with snapshot data for memory and cpu usages.
So, stay tuned for that !
I always wondered, like, how people can become the top 1%?
I mean, it’s possible, but the meaning of better than 99% of people or becoming in the top 1% is not exactly the top 1%.
You can become the top 1%.
But most of the time, it means focusing on becoming high-value individuals.
It focuses on becoming the most effective person.
Is it easy?
I have researched it in books, articles, and YouTube videos.
All of the tips that I’ve found come down to one character. One tip. One skill. Which foundation most of the traits of successful people, which I will explain in this article.
I know that what you might think is being disciplined, consistent, mastering one skill, and having a big IQ.
All of that works, but the cover behind all of that is one characteristic.
Discipline and consistency for success
Discipline is important.
Especially if you want to start pursuing things or building habits. I always prioritize becoming disciplined because discipline is a skill. It can be built and practiced.
Even so, discipline is not the only one, even though it’s very important for becoming a successful individual.
Other than that, there is consistency.
We all need to be consistent in order to achieve success.
Consistency doesn’t guarantee success, though, but it will help you progress toward success. That’s why I combine consistency with discipline in order to guarantee success.
The formula is like this: you work hard, which needs discipline. Then you maintain that work for many years, which is consistency.
If one of them is empty, you might not achieve success.
Discipline without consistency
For example, I am training for a marathon.
I have a highly disciplined approach to my training sessions, following a strict routine every time I train. However, I only train when I want to — sometimes once a week, sometimes three times a week, and sometimes I skip a week entirely.
When I do train, I follow my plan with great focus and intensity, but the irregularity in my schedule means I’m not consistent in my efforts.
Consistent without discipline
The other example is becoming consistent but not disciplined.
I go to the gym every day, without fail. I am very consistent with my gym visits, never missing a day. However, I lack discipline in my workouts. I often spend my time at the gym chatting with friends, scrolling on my phone, and not following a structured workout plan.
Despite my consistent attendance, my lack of discipline means I’m not making much progress toward my fitness goals.
So, discipline and consistency are connected and best friends.
Without those two, it might not be effective for you to achieve success.
But…
Discipline and consistency aren’t the main keys to success.
How about mastery?
The other one is mastery.
Mastery in one skill or another is very important. Competition in this era is pretty hard.
There are people who don’t need college but can be masters at coding.
There are people who have no musical background who become great musicians.
There are many cases where mastery can be built and trained.
This is important because the only way you can become the top 1% is to master one skill.
In one skill, you can gain an audience, monetize, bring value to other people, sell your service, and do many other things.
This is why it’s one of the most important parts of your engine for success.
But…
Mastery is not everything.
High IQ can make people successful?
The last one I want to talk about is IQ.
There are many people with high IQs, but not all of them take action. Having a high IQ could help you accelerate all of your progress. I have friends who don’t need to study for more than an hour but still manage to pass the test.
Having an IQ is important, but having a high IQ is not necessary.
The more you learn and improve yourself, the more you become smarter and better. Just focus on that.
But…
A mere IQ cannot guarantee success.
What’s the one key to success?
All of those that I have mentioned are important.
If you have both four of them, you will succeed easily.
Even so, there’s one trait or character that can help you achieve success, like miracles. I experience this, and I know this will be the number one trait to become the top 1% or 99% better than most people.
It’s Attitude.
You might work hard and have a high IQ.
But if you have a bad attitude, it will be much harder for you to have connections, friends, and magnets to other miracles.
I will give you an example of this. I work at a tech company and am known for my excellent coding skills and high IQ. I always meet project deadlines and stay very disciplined in my work routine.
I’m really good at solving complex problems and creating new solutions.
However, I often have a bad attitude. I’m frequently rude to my coworkers, dismissive of their ideas, and quick to criticize without being helpful. My negative behavior creates a tense work environment, and my coworkers find it hard to work with me.
Even though I’m good at my job, my poor attitude lowers team morale and makes teamwork difficult.
Other than that, you might close the possibility of gaining help from other people. People might not be interested in you. People might avoid you. This is why attitude could become a magnet for miracles.
You just make people love you and trust you easily.
Attitude to achieve success
You are alone in your progress to success, but you are not alone in your progress to achieve success.
Attitude can help you even if you don’t have a high IQ, skill, discipline, or consistency. Well, it doesn’t mean you don’t have it entirely. Having a decent skill, discipline, and consistency helps you.
Adding those with a great attitude helps you a lot—not only in progressing to success but in achieving success.
Focus on becoming positive and helping other people out.
Be friends and make connections.
Sometimes, connections can help you more than money can.
This is why attitude is important.
It could connect you to miracles and “luck” that people have been seeking for a long time.
New Substack! ✨
I’ve been working on making my articles more structured and exclusive, and I found the perfect platform in Substack.
I’m excited to share two new newsletters with you:
Kevin Nokia Writing: My personal journey from struggling through depression to becoming a successful individual.
I Am Literate: Discover how to replace scrolling addiction with effective reading habits to improve focus and attention span.
Join now for exclusive articles and a growing community!
If somebody had asked me years ago to distil product management in two words, I’d have answered: solving problems. Isn’t that our main job? Find out what the customer’s problems are and solve them. Bam, job done, give me the applause I deserve!
Now, the problem with being passionate about problem-solving was that when I saw a problem, my instinctive reaction was “How can I solve it?” I was a problem slut: I was attracted too easily to too many problems. That means:
I usually ended up burning out quickly trying to solve all the problems myself.
I also often felt frustrated when I couldn’t get enough buy-ins and resources to solve the problems.
And, worst of all, I got bored easily when executing the solution, as I have already fallen in love with another problem.
After many episodes of burnout and frustration, I learned my lesson. If you ask me now what my job is, I’ll answer: multiplying value. That means that I only work on problems worth solving, in a way that delivers the optimal value for the customers.
By focusing on multiplying value rather than solving problems, one actually becomes a better problem solver.
Here are 17 explorative questions to help you sharpening your thinking, divided into 3 sections.
Section 1: Assessing if your problem is worth solving
This section is useful if you already have a problem in mind. You might come across it from reading customer feedback, talking to the support team, or watching a customer recording. Using the dating analogy, this is the part where you make sure your crush is worth falling in love with.
#1: Is this problem merely a symptom of a bigger problem?
It’s always worth taking the time to ask the 5-Whys and make sure that you get to the addressable root cause and not just solve the most visible symptom.
One simple example: If a sign up to a certain feature is low and you see that there are some usability issues in the form, it’s easy to jump straight and fix those form issues. (Or worse, you see the usability issues first, and then you dig the sign up number to confirm that this is a problem. That’s a confirmation bias right there!)
Meanwhile, the sign up might be low because the feature isn’t bringing adequate value (quality issue), or it doesn’t bring the value customers need (product-market fit issue). This is why it’s important to dig qualitative and quantitative insights to get the full picture.
#2: How impactful is this problem for the customers?
The answer to this question isn’t as simple as ‘nice to have’ or ‘must have’. There are three dimensions you need to consider in assessing the impact of a problem:
Reach: the number of customers this problem is impacting. This is a real, objective number.
Intensity: how deep the pain caused by this problem is. This one is a slightly arbitrary scale of low-medium-high, or you can use a scale of 1–10, up to you. As far as possible, the assignment of the score should be based on user research.
User segment: who are the customers impacted by this problem. Some of your customers are more valuable to the business than others. You can use a multiplier here, e.g. segment A and B are 1x in value, but segment C has 2x value.
Impact = reach intensity user segment
Thinking about these three dimensions separately allows you to assess the importance of a problem more comprehensively.
#3: How will solving this problem benefit the company?
Guess what, what the customers need and what the company wants aren’t always aligned. I was that bright-eyed, idealistic young woman trying to solve customers’ problems when the company couldn’t care less because it wasn’t profitable for them to do so. After all, companies are created to make a profit by serving customers’ needs.
I have one trick to tip this one in your favor: think about how this problem can harm the company in the long term. Maybe there’s no clear short-term incentive to solve this issue for the business, but over time, it can erode the trust in your company and hurt long-term profitability.
#4: Does it align with the company/product’s long-term vision and strategy?
Even when a problem is impactful for the customers and profitable to solve for the company, it might not align with its vision. A simple example is if the problem is on the web, while the company wants to focus on the app.
Saying ‘no’ to an important problem when it doesn’t align with the company/product’s vision is paramount to maintaining focus. To quote Michael Porter, ‘The essence of strategy is choosing what not to do.’
#5: What do you need to deprioritize to work on this?
You only have a finite resource and when you work on a certain problem, it means you’re not working on other problems. That’s your opportunity cost: the potential loss from a missed opportunity.
Think about the next thing(s) you’re going to work on if you’re not working on this problem, and make sure that you can afford that cost.
#6: What happens if you do nothing?
Thinking about the cost of delay, or the cost of doing nothing, is a powerful exercise to do. You also get to see that some problems are like a fire — you either have to solve them now or rebuild later. Other problems are like a leaking roof — it gets worse and worse slowly until the whole roof falls down. Some other problems are like a puddle of water — it’s annoying but it doesn’t harm anyone as long as everyone knows to walk around it.
Section 2: Finding a problem that matters
Going back to the dating analogy — you know what wise men say, ‘Being single is great because you get to think about what you really want in your partner!’ Similarly, when you’re not thinking about a particular problem, you have more space to think above and beyond.
This is also what usually differentiates a more junior and senior product managers. Senior PMs would identify and scope opportunities to make the product 10x, instead of just 10%, better.
#7: What is the customer’s job-to-be-done?
Jobs-to-be-done (JTBD) framework prompts you to think wider than your product usability problems. When a user flies from London to Dublin, their goal is not to ride a plane, it’s to meet their colleagues. If you’re an airline company, your threat of substitution isn’t just fellow airlines, it’s also Zoom and Google Meet.
Understanding the reason your customers ‘hire’ your product gives you a clear direction to improve your product. Airbnb users are looking to have a nice holiday, not just a place to stay — hence Airbnb Experience was born.
#8: How can I build a deeper moat for my product?
A moat is a deep pool of water surrounding a castle — it serves as a way to defend the castle against an attack. Building a moat in business or product means making it hard for new entrants or competitors to steal your customers.
One of the most popular way to build a moat is creating network effects: where increased numbers of people using your product increase the value of your product for each individual.
Network effects are obvious in products like social media(which is useless if you have no friends, or nobody to follow) or marketplace (which again is useless if the customers can’t find the product/service they need, or the sellers don’t find any buyers). But you can also implement network effects in other products by making an activity that’s typically done on your own (e.g. exercising or investing) and adding a social element to it.
Network effect is just one way to build a moat. You can also deter customers from switching by creating emotional attachment to your product, patenting your technology, etc. Recommended reading: building growth moats without network effect.
#9: If a new hotshot founder creates a pitch deck to disrupt my industry, what will they say about my company/product?
Your company/product might have been created a few years ago with the same ambition: to disrupt a broken industry. You named 50-year-old companies as the enemy and pitched your solution as the revolutionary savior.
The irony is that you can easily slide into being that old enemy in just a few years time if you stop innovating.
The society is evolving faster than ever and the bar is raised constantly. If you don’t disrupt your own product, somebody else will.
#10: What future situation can make my product irrelevant?
The pandemic came as a blow to many companies. Products relying on people traveling or gathering suddenly became paralyzed, and they had to pivot quickly to online events or other means to make money.
Pandemic at the scale of Covid-19 is probably a once-every-century occurrence, but it doesn’t mean there won’t be other situations that make your product irrelevant. Regulatory change is one possible scenario.
It also doesn’t have to be an overnight revolutionary change. A slow evolution such as the rise of renewable energy, electric vehicles, plant-based meat alternatives, job sharing, etc can impact your product. Keep a lookout because the future is already there, it’s just not evenly distributed.
Section 3: Discovering the best solution
When people talk about product discovery, often the focus is on problem discovery. The old adage of ‘PM owns the problem, engineers own the solution’ could also make PMs reluctant to go into the solution space.
I totally agree that a PM shouldn’t decide on, or, God forbid, specify the solution in a silo. But a PM should still be driving the solution discovery process, by amassing the expertise of engineers, designers, data scientists, and the stakeholders.
#11: How much is our appetite to solve this problem?
To put simply, how much resources do you want to allocate? How long do you want the designers and engineers to spend on this? A task can expand to fill the time and space it’s been given, as the Parkinson’s law suggested.
It’s important to clarify the boundaries early and communicate them to the team.
#12: What is feasible to build?
A good solution is desirable by the users, viable for the business, and feasible to build with the resources and constraints you have.
Assuming that you’ve done your homework from question 1–11, I assumed that your solution is likely desirable and viable. The feasibility aspect is the one you need to figure out now, by leveraging the expertise of your engineers (and other technical function such as data scientists).
The importance of this discovery can’t be overstated. There’s a world of difference between an array of solutions. For example, my team at Bulb was exploring giving energy savings advice on the app. The solution can be an array of:
Creating a banner linking to a blog post containing generic advice
Breaking down the advice and making it look ‘native’ to the app
Personalizing the advice by only showing the ones applicable to the users (e.g. don’t say ‘improve your house’s insulation’ if the house is a new-built)
Personalizing the advice by showing the saving amount (e.g. by doing this, you could save £20 / year)
The third and fourth solution requires user data that we might not have, so it might not be feasible for now. Equipped with this knowledge, you can make a decision e.g. build the second solution now, while doing some research on the value of #3 and #4 to see if it’s worth building. Which brings me to the next point: diminishing return.
#13: Where is the point of diminishing return?
The most complex solution is almost certainly the most expensive one to build. The good news is, your customers might not need it! A solution that takes half the time to build might perform 80% of the job — diminishing return principle might apply here.
You can test this by building an MVP version of the solution, ship it to a small % of users, and measure the impact. Improve the solution via small iterations rather than spending months and months building the perfect solution.
#14: What would the Red Team say about this solution?
The ‘Red Team’ is an exercise to look at your solution as if you’re the enemy, biggest critic or competitor. The job of the Red Team is to poke holes in the solution and challenge you with everything that could go wrong. It’s a useful exercise because your actual competitor might do the same thing later.
You can also imagine the most cynical press review you might possibly get. Especially if your company is under quite a lot of spotlight, this might be a completely feasible scenario. (I still remember the time the press wrote the headline ‘Facebook asks users for nude photos’…)
#15: What is the riskiest assumption we have here? How can we de-risk it?
Solutions are based on assumptions — that customers want to do certain actions, that engineers can build something in a certain way, etc. Your team might have different confidence level in those assumptions. And each assumption also has different level of importance in making your solution works.
Try to map out those assumptions in a 2x2 scale of confidence and importance so you can identify which assumptions you need to de-risk.
#16: What is the smallest chunk of value we can deliver?
As much as possible, I avoid building for months and releasing a fully-fledged feature in a big bang. No matter how much research and testing you’ve done, the true test of a feature success is when it’s launched to the wild. Time lag between research and launching increases the chance of changes in requirements, trends, and appetite.
For that reason, I always advocate for phasing your build plan. Focus on releasing small chunks of value and iterate.
This is also important when your feature is solving an apparent pain point. Your customers will appreciate a solution that alleviates 60% of their problem now, rather than something that alleviates 100% of the problem but in a year’s time.
#17: Am I the best person to solve this?
You might be thinking — What? After going through 16 questions to refine this problem and define the solution, you wanted me to give this to someone else?
Yes, particularly if your company is scaling up quickly and you’re becoming a more senior member of the team. Don’t be afraid to give away your Legos — that’s how you actually grow. By empowering a more junior team member to work on this problem, you get to a) learn new skills (e.g. delegating, mentoring) and b) free up your time to do more impactful work.
This game takes you on a slow walk, and opens your eyes to the mortality of people and how everything changes regardless of how much we remain the same.
Since it is a story-based game, there will be major spoilers ahead.
Welcome — In game Screenshot
An Unusual Protagonist
We cannot talk about The Stillness of the Wind without discussing how rare our protagonist is. She’s an aged woman living a lonely life in the middle of a desert, tending to her farm animals and handful of crops. The only thing exciting in her life are the letters from her faraway settled family members, which are handed to her by a sweet old travelling merchant.
He’s got puns too! — In game Screenshot
Talma receives letters from her brother, her daughter, her sister and other people from her village who have moved to the “big city”. Even when she’s alone in her everyday life, she has people writing to her and telling her tales of their own adventures. The travelling salesman also brings her news of his travels, as well as warnings to take care during the night. He also asks her this one specific question which comes full circle in the ending.
The question — In game Screenshot
It’s a simple life for Talma, who is a simple person finding joy even in her solitude. This aspect is especially charming because no matter who we are now, we all would like to have an ordinary life in our old age.
Side Character Energy
Talma isn’t special. She’s an old woman and she can barely complete her tasks in the game. She’s extremely slow to maneuver and takes a long time to do the simplest of tasks. As people who have been accustomed to the fast pace of literally everything in today’s world, we will find it extremely frustrating to play as her. But that’s part of the experience of this game, because Talma has that side character energy, which isn’t essentially a bad thing.
Being the center of everything is a difficult position to fill, and Talma can barely make cheese without getting tired.
She just ate! — In game Screenshot
But that doesn’t stop her from being remembered by people she has known.
The first letter — In game Screenshot
Despite being so far away from these people, they remember her enough that she receives a letter each day filled with happiness and remembrance, with just a hint of underlying troubles. That feels like more than enough — to be remembered in happy occasions.
It might feel like little since no one’s coming to visit Talma, but just knowing that these busy people take the time to remember her and to write her a letter is enough to show how much she is loved.
Something Cozy about Dying
I found this game in the cozy genre which sounds like a stretch since the game can get frustrating at times, despite the easy gameplay — something that other cozy games don’t have you feeling. But regardless of everything, the story and gameplay hit close to home without bothering that certain comfort level.
There’s a sublime beauty to how the themes of the game lead us to the acceptance of death and loss. Two things we are, generally, bad at accepting.
Talma’s health is declining which is hinted at through nightmares or hallucinations throughout the game, and when things turn for the worse everywhere — she can barely hold up.
Weird Nightmares — In game Screenshot
Even the people in her life stop writing her letters after sending her horrible news one after the other. At this point in the game, it’s perfectly clear that Talma will not survive whatever is happening around her, but it’s not a sudden revelation. We come to realize this through a sequence each day. Every solution we can think of will be of no use because we cannot stop the inevitable from happening, even if we try our best.
Time for the end — In game Screenshot
Inevitability and the Inability to Change it
First, the goats disappear. Then the chickens. Then the well dries up. There’s a constant rain which turns everything a disturbing black.
Black rain — In game Screenshot
The letters are all filled with horrible news, but there is worse happening to Talma.
There is nothing left for her to do at the farm. She cannot cook the remaining food she has since there is no firewood and soon the electricity cuts off as well. A terrible storm surrounds the farm and she sits in the silence of the inevitable that is descending upon her. She will die. And she will die alone.
A storm approaches — In game Screenshot
I wondered why the game’s name sounded like such a downer, The Stillness of the Wind, and then I completed the game with tears in my eyes and realized.
At the beginning of the game, there are multiple sounds surrounding the farm as if enveloping it in a warm embrace. The sound of chickens and goats, and Talma’s hearty laughter paired with songbirds. It’s a rich experience of being surrounded with pleasant sounds, but somewhere down the line, they stop.
This is first mentioned by the travelling old man, who mentions how the birds have stopped singing.
The best guy in the game — In game Screenshot
Somehow, this becomes a pattern as everything becomes silent as days pass, until there is nothing but the quiet left, engulfing Talma and the farm.
When there is nothing, there is the wind. But in the last moments of Talma’s life, even the wind has left her, leaving her in a still state.
Where to go from here — In game Screenshot
The game is incredible in showing everything in a subtlety which is overlooked if not paid close attention to. While I was focused on the frustrating slowness of Talma’s movements, everything changed around her.
It was never about farming and reading letters from Talma’s family. It was always about the way everything changes even when we remain the same.
Talma is the same as ever, as also mentioned in the letters. She is happy even in her solitude, and she enjoys looking after the farm which was passed down to her, while her siblings and her daughter went to succeed in the city. She stays the same, just like the farm stands like it always had, with memories of the past.
Talma, Eimi and Garza forever — In game Screenshot
But life is ever-changing, and we cannot stop what we cannot control.
A Lonely Yet Fulfilling Life
Keeping all the sadness aside, the game’s message isn’t just about death and loss. That would’ve been such a typical take on such a thought-provoking game. It’s also about having no regrets.
Now, you might be wondering where I got that from, and it’s an easy answer: from a letter and the final words of the travelling salesman.
Eimi just wants to be happy — In game Screenshot
And I will never regret knowing you— In game Screenshot
Hear me out now. Talma’s life is bound to her farm but she never shows any disinterest or remorse. She doesn’t feel like she has to tend to the farm. She does so out of her own accord and she enjoys it. She laughs while petting the goats; she works hard to tend to the crops; and she has to walk painstakingly slow to the well to get water that can only water five crops. That’s a decision, right there.
JUST 5 CROPS WATERED — In game Screenshot
LOOK AT HOW FAR THAT WELL IS, SMH — In game Screenshot
And she doesn’t regret it. Just like her sister doesn’t regret her decisions as she dies with a smile on her face. Even the travelling salesman doesn’t show any remorse when he last meets Talma. In fact, his dialogues made me weep like a child because there was no grief in his words. He was simply saying goodbye as if the world wasn’t ending around them.
YES, WE HAVE (I’M NOT CRYING) — In game Screenshot
His last words to Talma — In game Screenshot
So, yes, the game is about living a life you have no regrets over, even if your existence is bound to just one thing. We don’t need to be someone with power or incredible riches. Sometimes just having a few goats and chickens is enough. Of course, the goats and chickens are a metaphor. Don’t go out and buy animals on a whim, people.
I would know because I sold one of my goats to buy a Billy goat, and regretted it the very next day in the game. And then my goat and its baby disappeared, which had me feeling angry until the chickens went away too. I had so many regrets in the game.
Don’t be like me, folks. Don’t regret not doing the things you want to do. Eat all the cheese, and have a feast every night.
That’s a metaphor as well. Or is it?
I hope you enjoyed reading this piece on the 2019 cozy indie game The Stillness of the Wind. Feel free to watch this complete playthrough of the game. You can also find and support more of my work here on Medium. Thank you for reading!
ntro
In the previous chapter, we explored the patterns of AI roles in products — the Guide, Companion, and Driver. While discussing the Driver, I briefly touched on how AI builds and reshapes context around it.
Now, let’s shift our focus to how AI interacts with information across different contexts, as product experiences ultimately revolve around the journey to find information. (If that sounds unclear, feel free to revisit the previous chapter.)
To clarify, I’ll break down the three levels of context we’re dealing with:
Types of Context
View-Specific Context: As the name suggests, this context is confined to the view that the user is currently looking at. It doesn’t involve any information outside of this view.
Cross-View Context (Product-Level Context): This is a step up from view-specific context. It includes all the information within the product that isn’t visible in the current view but exists in other views. Think of it as a collection of multiple view-specific contexts.
External Context: Unlike the previous two, external context is established independently of the product. It’s the information and context that exist outside the product environment.
These three levels of context exist with or without AI. What we’re focusing on here is how AI interacts with these different levels of context to create AI-driven experiences within products.
Why Context Matters so much in AI powered products?
Context matters particularly in products with AI engines because, unlike traditional products, AI interactions involve not only the information rendered on the screen but also context outside the view — often to a significant extent. In products without AI, the focus is primarily on the information and context presented within the visible interface.
In AI-powered products, however, the situation is more complex. Sometimes, AI’s responses are “mainly” tied directly to what’s visible on the screen. Other times, AI processes information that’s “barely” linked to what the user is currently viewing, instead drawing heavily on external context beyond the current view.
Notice that I said “mainly” and “barely”. That’s because there’s no clear-cut division in AI products — there isn’t a scenario where something is purely view-specific or purely external. Instead, there’s always a continuous spectrum, a blend of both view-specific and external context.
Somewhere inbetween View and External
In this discussion, we’ll group instances within this spectrum into three categories. We’ll explore how different combinations of view-specific and external context shape user experiences and how these contexts are communicated. Additionally, we’ll examine real-world examples for each case, critically evaluating them and considering possible improvements.
1. View-Specific Context based AI
2. Cross-View Context based AI
3.External Context (Out-of-Product) Context-Based AI
4.Recap and Challenges
1. View-Specific Context based AI
In this scenario, the AI is essentially “looking” at the screen alongside the user. The primary expectation from the user is for the AI to find information within the immediate context and possibly take some action based on that information. However, the crucial first step is always to “check” if the desired information is actually present.
Mainly View, Very Little of External
To make this more concrete, let’s explore a few examples from real products.
Example — Slack Catchup AI
Summary of Chat History (Captured from Video so resolution isn’t great)
Let’s consider Slack’s AI-generated summary of a specific chat channel. (Unfortunately, Deloitte doesn’t use Slack, so I had to rely on a YouTube product demo for a glimpse of the screen — sad, I know!)
In the screenshot, the AI-generated summary on the right-hand side is based on the chat history on the left. The AI first scans the chat history to see what’s present in the view-specific context. After that, it “sprinkles” a bit of external context into the summary — for example, interpreting what something in the view-specific context “normally” means in a broader, common-sense scenario. This broader context isn’t derived from the view itself but from information beyond it.
However, it’s important to emphasize the “sprinkling” rather than “pouring” of external context. The main expectation from the user is, “Hey, does X exist here?” Overloading the view with too much external context could mislead the user into thinking that certain information exists within the view when it actually doesn’t.
Communication of the context
So, how is this user expectation communicated in the interface? The short answer is through “juxtaposing” or “stacking” views.
Juxtaposition in Slack & View Stacking in Amazon
Similar to Slack AI providing context about what’s visible in the chat, Amazon’s Rufus AI does the same for what’s visible on the screen — though in this case, it’s a book. Now, here’s a fun (and slightly extreme) example to illustrate the point:
Meredith is Not Jessica
Take a look at the screen. (I picked an extreme case to drive this home.) The screen shows that the author of the book is Meredith Davis, yet when the question “Who’s the author?” is asked, Rufus AI responds with “Jessica Helfand.” What went wrong? This occurred because the Rufus chat window was carried across different views in the Amazon app. The context from a previous view got carried over and overlaid with the current one, leading to this mismatch — even though the context wasn’t view-specific.
So, how should this be handled? Let’s explore that next.
2. Cross-View Context based AI (Product Specific Context)
In this scenario, the context isn’t confined to just one specific view. Instead, it extends across multiple views within the product. Here, the challenge becomes how to visually communicate information that isn’t directly visible to the user at any given moment.
It might sound counterintuitive, but the product must find a way to visually represent these “invisible” elements to ensure the user understands the broader context.
the product must find a way to visually represent these “invisible” elements
Example — Asana AI (Generating Updates Report)
Screen 1- Each item on the screen holds one view-specific context
Screen 2- Generating a report based on multiple views (Cross-view context)
Consider Asana’s AI feature that generates an update report. In the first screen, each item in the list represents a view-specific context respectively, but when you generate a report in the second view, the AI needs to gather information from across multiple views — this is where cross-view context comes into play.
Unlike the view-specific context where the AI focuses on just one view, here the AI needs to visit every relevant view within the product to gather information. Once it’s done, similar to the view-specific context, the AI may “sprinkle” some external context into the report to provide a more comprehensive overview.
Communication of the context
The key challenge in cross-view context is that “no single view” can represent the entire context. This might seem obvious, but it’s often overlooked in design. Let’s revisit Slack for a clearer understanding.
Case 1
Imagine a user trying to find out “who is working on project eagle?” by prompting the AI on a specific channel. Is the user trying to find if “project eagle” exists in that specific channel (view-specific context)? Or are they looking for it across all channels in Slack (cross-view context)?
Now, let’s examine a different screen to answer this question.
Case 2
In the first screen, the user was searching within a specific channel, while in the second screen, they were searching across multiple channels. You might have easily figured this out because either you’re keen on visual details or you’re quite familiar with Slack.
Product Design
Genai
Ui Ux Design
Hci
Graphic Design
Context is Highlighted by Chips on the Screen
The potential for miscommunication here stems from the approach used in the view-specific context. The information displayed on the screen points to a specific section, while the actual search extends beyond that section. This broader context is only indicated by a small chip in the prompt window (red highlighted items). Although visually prominent, this might still be confusing because the user’s mental model is heavily grounded in the current view. Expecting users to intuitively shift their mental model to consider a cross-view or product-level context might be asking too much.
So, how should we effectively communicate the concept of cross-view or product-level context without tying it to one specific view? The answer lies in the fact that no single view can represent this broader context. If such a view doesn’t exist, then it’s best not to show it.
Empty Context
Consider an example that successfully communicates this concept. When dealing with cross-view context, the screen deliberately shows an “empty” state along with an effective call-to-action (CTA) to nudge users toward understanding not only what’s happening but also how things should proceed.
Choose Views
The system then asks the user which views should be considered when answering the prompt. This approach clearly signals to the user that they are dealing with cross-view context. Slack does a fantastic job with this, even though there was some unnecessary confusion in the earlier “project eagle” example.
Allowing users to choose or narrow down specific views helps them quickly grasp whether certain information exists in location A or B. However, does it always matter? For example, if you’re trying to understand the main revenue driver for Toyota Motors, does it matter whether the information comes from Toyota’s homepage or its annual report? It might have some significance in terms of information reliability, but often, when exploring information, you might not know exactly where it resides.
The difference between the cases — “I want to recap whatever information is in these channels” versus “I want to know the revenue driver of the company, regardless of where the information is” — illustrates how different types of context are communicated. This brings us to the next context type: External Context (Out-of-Product Context)-Based AI.
3.External Context (Ouf-of Product) Context based AI
At the far right end of the context mix spectrum, we encounter external context-based AI. This type of AI interaction starts with an almost empty interface, as it has minimal or no pre-existing context within the product itself. Instead, the focus is on leveraging information from outside the product.
Mostly External
In this scenario, the view-specific context typically begins from zero. The AI and user gradually build up the context through interaction. While this might seem counterintuitive, it’s crucial to differentiate this from cross-view context.
Example — Amplyfi, ChatGPT, Perplexity
Empty View Context
When a user first interacts with the product, there’s no context provided within the product itself. The AI relies heavily on external information to generate responses.
Consider ChatGPT, where the initial interaction happens on an empty interface. The AI begins by gathering context from outside the product, not from the interface itself.
Understanding and Using x5 Points Offer
Take ChatGPT as an example. Initially, it starts with an empty space. As the user prompts the AI, the interaction shapes the context over time. This differs from cross-view context, where the primary goal is to find and consolidate existing information from multiple views.
Hacking credit card bonus offers is my favorite trick in ChatGPT. (It’s not really hacking — just a quick TL;DR to help me maximize those perks.)
Prompting is Shaping Context
In external context-based AI, the interaction process is about shaping context together. This differs from cross-view context, which starts with existing information and then incorporates external context.
Key Differences:
Cross-View Context: Focuses on the existence and location of information across multiple views before integrating external context.
External Context: Emphasizes gathering and integrating information from outside the product, often without a predefined scope.
For Cross-View Context, it’s important to clarify the boundaries of different views and specify the locality within the product. This ensures that users understand where information is coming from and how it relates to what they’re currently seeing. As seen in Slack’s example, this is crucial for effective communication.
On the other hand, External Context often involves gathering information from sources outside the product, without a specific view or scope. In this case, trying to confine the scope can be less effective and might complicate the user experience. Rather than focusing on predefined views, it’s often more beneficial to provide a broader exploration of external information, even if it means the context isn’t immediately visible.
Challenges in communicating the concept which conflicts with mental model
Discussing external context often involves framing it in a linear or top-down manner, which can sound reasonable in theory. However, the actual user experience and mental processes are typically less linear and more exploratory. Users may not always be aware of all the context around them or know exactly where their information search will lead. This discrepancy between how we discuss external context and how it actually works in practice can make it challenging to communicate effectively.
framing it in a linear or top-down manner, which can sound reasonable in theory.
Example — Amplyfi
Narrowing down the scope
Product Design
Genai
Ui Ux Design
Hci
Graphic Design
When a user first encounters a product, it might ask them what scope their query should cover. This raises a crucial question: “Will users actually explore information this way?” For instance, searching for “Toyota Motor information from Toyota Motor Company Filings” seems logical, but why not just ask for “Toyota Motor information”?
Since the primary goal of external based context experience is NOT checking the existence of a thing scoping out the context doesn’t bring huge values rather it creates unnecessary frustrations such as
Specifying a source might seem precise, but it can be problematic if users “aren’t aware of the exact locations” of relevant information. The issue arises when users “must remember which sources contain which” information, or when they are expected to search through predefined scopes.
This can lead to unnecessary frustration, especially if the information they seek isn’t in the selected scope but somewhere else. A better approach might be to provide source links along with the relevant information, ensuring users can verify the information themselves.
In essence, the goal of external context is not to verify the existence of information within specific scopes but to gather and integrate information from outside the product. Unlike view-specific context, which focuses on what is available in the current view, external context interactions often require users to explore without predefined boundaries. This approach might seem less structured, but it opens the door to a broader exploration.
Perplexity’s Discover tab seems to find the fine balance and possible solution for this successfully.
Perplexity’s Discover tab demonstrates a successful balance in handling external context.
Initially, the Discover tab presents information regardless of the user’s current context, acknowledging that there is no pre-existing context. This design encourages users to explore a wide range of information without being constrained by specific scopes.
Visaulizing external based context
Once user clicks one of the item in the external context, the user gets into the specific context and now it turns to more of ‘view-specific’ mode but still open to bring external information as well. One thing note-worthy in the screen below is that it ‘overlays/juxtapose’ the context with the prompt and it successfully convey the idea plus even after the dedicated view for the view-specific context, it shows the base-context at the top. (what a nice job)
Overlay (Left) / Source at the top (Right)
4. Recap and Challenge
The implications which exist in different levels of context and ways to communicate these is actually what made me even start the entire series. So the sequence of the entire series is a bit opposite of how the contents was written. I would like to recap what we covered in this chapter by sharing the design decision I had to make and how the contents we have covered led me to the final decision.
(1) Project Backgrond
The product is designed to provide market information in a dashboard manner but it enables AI-powered chat on the interface in order user to ask follow up questions or explore information that isn’t provided as a default view (drill down or dig into further into the context).
Chat in view specific context
(2) Design Decision Moment
Adding history to bring context outside of the current view
The team proposed to have ‘history’ feature in the chat so that the user can see the previous interactions not tied to the current context.
(3) Challenges
To justify this feature, I needed to explain how context functions differently in AI-powered products. As illustrated, the chat interface we designed operates within a ‘view-specific’ context. Here, the interactions are based on the current view, visually communicated by ‘overlaying’ or ‘juxtaposing’ views.
Conversely, ChatGPT uses an external-based context, where the context is dynamically shaped by prompts rather than existing views. When a previous chat history is selected, the current context reshapes itself according to the selected history, leaving no trace of the prior view context.
The context rendered on the page changes by selection
As shown in the screenshot, selecting a previous chat history reshapes the entire context to reflect the chosen history. The information displayed on the screen pertains solely to this context, without incorporating elements from other views in the product. This differs from the product I was designing, which uses a view-driven context where the context is predefined by the screen prior to any AI interactions.
In contrast, ChatGPT’s context operates independently of the existing view-specific context. When loading previous chat history, the context displayed is solely based on the selected history, not influenced by the current view’s context.
Two Contexts collide
The context that the chat is based on (below, in yellow) and the context displayed in the current view (above, in pink) can conflict, leading to unnecessary confusion, similar to issues seen with Amazon Rufus.
Now that we’ve explored how different types of context are communicated through interfaces, our next series will focus on the different response types in prompts. We’ll categorize these response types and examine how they are visualized to set appropriate user expectations.
Managing your daily focus can often feel like a rollercoaster — filled with highs, lows, and unexpected turns.
Some days, you’ll feel on top of the world, effortlessly sharp and clear. On others, focusing for even three minutes can feel like a challenge. Which led me to wonder:
What can I do to take control of my daily focus?
Through a mix of books, articles, podcasts, and drawing from my own experience, I’ve uncovered seven simple tips that can profoundly transform your ability to concentrate.
While this blog particularly resonates with those familiar with the challenges of ADHD, these strategies are universally applicable for anyone seeking to improve their daily focus.
Ready to dive in?
The High-Level List (save it for later here)
Have a low dopamine morning
Meditate
Write things down
Exercise
Reduce apps / social media
Berocca
Stay away from substances
Diving in
1. Have a low dopamine morning
Following advice from neuroscientist Andrew Huberman, I’ve adopted this essential tip for improving my daily focus.
People with ADHD are ‘dopamine deficient’ meaning our baseline dopamine levels are lower than that of the average person. Dopamine is our natural motivator, ie the chemical that fuels our drive to act and pursue rewards. Without enough of it, even simple tasks can feel monumental.
This explains why people with ADHD often find slow and mundane tasks especially challenging. Leading us to eat highly caloric meals, engage in risky activities, and search for ‘shiny objects’ (aka a quick hit of dopamine).
What you may not realize is with every dopamine spike, there is a crash. And with each crash, our baseline is lowered.
So — how does a peak dopamine morning impact our daily focus?
If you’re like me, mornings will often look like this:
Wake up
Check phone (dopamine 📈)
Big breakfast (dopamine 📈)
Drink coffee (dopamine 📈)
Rush to get out the door (dopamine 📈)
Listen to music (dopamine 📈)
By now, our brains are overloaded with dope and like any addiction, on the prowl for more. This means performing routine tasks for our jobs/lives will feel nearly impossible because they do not satisfy our craving for more.
Focus 📉
Here are some simple tips on how to have a low-dopamine morning:
Avoid checking your phone as long as possible (keep it in another room)
Drink a full glass of water
Avoid caffeine
Avoid a highly caloric breakfast
Read a chapter of a book (slow, engaged, accomplishment)
2. Meditate
Embracing meditation has been a game-changer for my ability to focus — a practice I turn to even when I am feeling my most distracted.
Whether you’re looking to quiet your busy mind or start your day on the right foot, meditation could be the concentration hack you’re looking for.
Meditation involves focusing the mind and becoming more aware of the present moment. Regular practice helps strengthen your brain’s prefrontal cortex and hypothalamus (linked to focus).
Starting your meditation practice can be challenging, but that is expected. Our minds are used to running a million miles per hour with more inputs in our world than ever before. But it’s important to remember:
There is no such thing as a bad meditation session.
It can last 5 to 10 minutes
You can close your eyes, or focus on a particular object
You can sit in silence, or repeat an anchoring word throughout your practice
If it’s helpful, one app has completely changed my relationship with meditation. It’s called ‘Oak — Meditation & Breathing.’ It’s a simple, free, and effective app I have used for over two years and I love how little it does.
A screenshot from the Oak — Meditation & Breathing mobile application.
3. Write things down
Writing things down is one of my favorite tips for daily focus because it was passed down to me by someone I love dearly: my Dad.
My dad and I, bonding over computer time in Atlanta, Georgia, circa 1996.
When I first graduated from college, it felt like my life was all over the place — especially for me and my ADHD mind.
I called my Dad (who also struggles with ADHD) and asked if he had any tips and I’ll never forget his advice: “You need to write things down.”
And he meant that literally.
Despite my many years of writing papers, assignments, filling out forms, etc., he suggested a new way of writing. He told me to go on Amazon, buy a Black n’ Red Notebook, a good pen, and start writing everything down.
Amazingly, the first page in the notebook was intended for my life’s objectives, and, like magic, 4/5 of them happened within a couple of years.
Objectives from the 1st page of my Black n’ Red Notebook
Writing helps in so many ways. It…
Enhances clarity by slowing down the endless stream of thoughts
Boosts concentration by focusing on our processes and tasks at hand
Improves our memory and information retention
Writing has made me noticeably more productive, thoughtful, calm, and organized — so much so that I’ve been doing it for 6 years straight.
And while where you capture your thoughts does not matter all that much, what does matter is making a habit out of it.
That’s why the Twos App is where I choose to write all my things down.
A graphic from the TwosApp.com home page
Twos’ simple system of Days, Lists, and Things makes it the closest experience I’ve had to writing things on paper but with the added benefit of some pretty awesome features:
Auto-detect reminders (aka ‘Call mom tomorrow’ automatically sets a reminder for me to be notified)
Unfinished to-do carry-over (never leave an unfinished task behind)
The memories view reminds me of things I've written down weeks, days, months, and years ago
I use Twos for every thought, idea, to-do, dream, reminder, birthday, grocery item, meeting note, Dad joke, memory, etc., and it has yet to fail me once.
My stats from the Twos App
If you’re looking for a simple place to begin your habit of writing things down, Twos is for you.
4. Exercise
As my friend Fletch Barnes wisely said, “We move our bodies to slow down our minds.”
Exercise improves circulation, increasing the flow of blood, oxygen, and nutrients to the brain. The impact is overall improved brain health — including memory, problem-solving, and attention.
And for people with ADHD, exercise can be particularly beneficial. Physical activity helps us regulate our dopamine levels, which improves focus and attention, providing a natural remedy for ADHD symptoms.
Whether it be a run, walk, short calisthenic workout, or anything in between — moving your body is a great way to improve your ability to focus throughout the day.
5. Reduce Apps / Social Media
Many apps and social media are designed to give you quick dopamine hits so you crave checking them throughout the day.
Something I learned recently is how Twitter (now X) measures its “key performance” (also known as KPIs)…
An illustrative tweet by Elon Musk highlights users' time spent on X
This graph represents the “total seconds” users spent on X and the positive correlation that figure has with X's success.
This means X, a $44B company, often seeks ways to keep you on their platform longer — taking your focus away from healthier/better things you could be doing.
Apps can be addictive just like anything else. Sometimes it’s not enough to close them for a couple of hours.
Removing them from your home screen, logging out, or anything you can to add friction to mindless scrolling is essential for your daily focus.
6. Berocca (link to Amazon)
Berocca is the first clean, tasty, non-overwhelming supplement that improves my focus for about 1–2 hours.
It contains high levels of B and C vitamins.
B vitamins help maintain proper nerve function and are involved in neurotransmitters that regulate mood and brain function. For example, vitamin B6 is important to your brain's serotonin, norepinephrine, and dopamine levels, which are crucial for focus.
Vitamin C also helps improve mood, directly impacting your focus and productivity.
While Berocca can boost vitamins and minerals essential for energy and cognitive function, its effectiveness can vary from person to person.
Note: You might observe a temporary change to a bright neon yellow in urine color after taking Berocca.
7. Stay Away From Substances
From my experience with substances like sugar, alcohol, and caffeine, I’ve learned firsthand the impact they can have on focus and overall focus.
People with ADHD are particularly susceptible to a habitual relationship with substances thanks to their ability to spike dopamine levels.
Many substances disrupt the natural balance of neurotransmitters in the brain. Avoiding them will help you maintain a natural balance, which supports sustained focus and alertness.
Overall, steering clear of mood-altering substances can lead to more stable and effective brain function, which is crucial for maintaining focus.
In Closing
I hope you find these tips as beneficial as I have. Maintaining focus in the era of social media and stimulants is quite difficult, which is why we need all the help we can get.
Most importantly, don’t overwhelm yourself with change. The last thing you want to do is burn out.
Pick and choose which tips fit your needs best, try them for a couple of days, then weeks, then months, and see what sticks.
Keep these tips top of mind:
Save this simple list
Review it as needed
Adapt them to your goals as you practice
And if you have any questions, comments, or suggestions, I’d love to hear them. Thank you very much for reading and have a wonderful week full of love and focus.
