Brain Maxed Out? Add a Second Brain!

Overview

This presentation shows how to use digital note taking apps like Evernote, Notion, or OneNote to achieve your goals and give your first brain a break! It was presented in May 2024 at the Stir Trek conference.

Video

Check out the video of the talk!

Thanks to the organizers of Stir Trek who have made conference session videos available on YouTube! Watch lots of other great presentations too!

Session Abstract

Stop overloading your brain with too much information and too many good intentions! Ditch the mental grind, and build a Second Brain to give your first brain a break. Discover how Second Brain “support systems” like note taking apps (Evernote, Notion, and OneNote) can yield surprising gains so you can wield the information that matters most to achieve your highest personal goals. Learn surprising ways to better capture, organize, and leverage the information vital to your success and make it actionable and relevant to your life.

Slides

Slides are available as a PDF here.

Additional Resources

• Building a Second Brain website
• Tiago Forte’s company - Forte Labs website
• Tiago’s Blog
  • Recommended!: Choosing Your Second Brain Apps
• Book: Building a Second Brain by Tiago Forte
• Book: The PARA Method by Tiago Forte
• Recommended!: The Second Brain Summit (2022) video playlist on YouTube

Featured Apps

• Notion - (free/paid plans)
• Evernote - (free? + paid)
• OneNote - (requires Office subscription)
• Obsidian - (open source with paid add-ons)
• Readwise - export and review e-book highlights ($ paid service - but worth it!)
  • Recommended!: How Tiago Forte benefits from Readwise
  • Recommended!: Readwise Co-Founder Dan Doyon: How to Use Reading Software to Build a Private Collection of Knowledge - From the 2022 Second Brain Summit - explores the origins and motivations of Readwise!
• snipd Podcast player - (free/paid)
• Instapaper read-later app - (free/paid)

Great YouTubers

• Notion
  • Thomas Frank
  • Marie Poulin
  • August Bradley
• Obsidian
  • Nick Milo

About the Author

Jeffrey A. Miller is a Senior Consultant, Trainer, Author, Speaker, and Leader. Jeffrey has over 25 years of experience helping organizations bring value to their mission through software. He has presented a variety of programming, data, and team topics at user groups and tech conferences.

Jeffrey and his wife, Brandy, are adoptive parents and have written a fun children’s book called “Skeeters” with proceeds supporting adoption.