Note Apps, Book Summaries & iPhone Tips - Life Hacks 205 | Modern Wisdom Podcast 341

Jonny & Yusef from Propane Fitness join me for another Life Hacks episode. Sit back & enjoy as we run through our favourite tools, apps, websites, strategies & resources for a productive and efficient life. Expect to learn how to crush singing happy birthday, why Yusef is leaving Evernote, the most fun way to spend £12, how to get YouTube Premium for 94p, the ultimate warmup routine, why Jonny is now the most interesting person in the room, how to sleep in Amsterdam Airport and much more... Sponsors: Get 20% discount on Reebok’s entire range including the amazing Nano X1 at https://geni.us/modernwisdom (use code MW20) Get perfect teeth 70% cheaper than other invisible aligners from DW Aligners at http://dwaligners.co.uk/modernwisdom Extra Stuff: Automatically Turn On Low Power Mode Apple Notes instead of Evernote Happy birthday one octave lower Try Blinkist - https://www.blinkist.com/ Use your birthday as a benchmark target Aerobie Pro Disk - https://amzn.to/3j7AUQ3 Write an email to yourself for your birthday 1year@followupthen.com Tesco Own Brand Stuffing 94p YouTube Premium via Argentina - https://surfshark.deals/MODERNWISDOM Commit to a warmup - https://youtu.be/SYumTpIYGbY All Krispy Kremes have similar calories Gate D2 in Amsterdam airport Buy protein powder on holiday Curio - https://curio.io/ Washable Lint Roller for dog hair - https://amzn.to/3h4jJfo Watch Marcella Watch Time Watch Mortal Kombat Watch Gangs Of London Watch Knives Out Michael Raduger - The Phase on YouTube - https://youtu.be/64_MvWQ25M8 Read Jed McKenna - https://amzn.to/2SThnZ1 Speech Central - https://apps.apple.com/us/app/speech-central-text-to-speech/id1223093645?mt=12 Watch Next Get my free Ultimate Life Hacks List to 10x your daily productivity → https://chriswillx.com/lifehacks/ To support me on Patreon (thank you): https://www.patreon.com/modernwisdom #lifehacks #productivity #efficiency - Listen to all episodes online. Search "Modern Wisdom" on any Podcast App or click here: Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/2MNqIgw Spotify: https://spoti.fi/2LSimPn Stitcher: https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/modern-wisdom - Get in touch in the comments below or head to... Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chriswillx Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/chriswillx Email: https://chriswillx.com/contact/

Yusef SmithguestJonny WatsonguestChris Williamsonhost

Jun 30, 20211h 26mWatch on YouTube ↗

WHAT IT’S REALLY ABOUT

Smartphones, note apps, and tiny tweaks for a better life

This Life Hacks episode of Modern Wisdom features Chris Williamson with Johnny and Yusef from Propane Fitness sharing practical tweaks for productivity, training, and daily living. They cover iPhone automations, leaving Evernote for Apple Notes, how to think about book-summary apps, and small physical hacks from warmups to Frisbees and stuffing. The conversation also branches into media recommendations, existential risk, and the psychology of goals and birthdays. Overall, it’s a grab-bag of low-friction optimizations mixed with light comedy and some deeper reflections on reading, attention, and what we choose to care about.

IDEAS WORTH REMEMBERING

5 ideas

Use iPhone Shortcuts to automate repetitive tasks.

Setting automations like enabling Low Power Mode at 20% battery or triggering lights and app shortcuts reduces friction and mental load for things you do constantly.

Speed and friction matter more than features in note-taking apps.

Yusef abandoned Evernote for Apple Notes because Evernote became slow and clunky; a fast, always-available 'external brain' (with seamless sync and quick capture) beats richer but laggy feature sets.

Treat book summaries as discovery tools, not replacements.

Blinkist and similar services can quickly expose you to many concepts and help decide which full books are worth your limited reading life, but they rarely provide enough depth for true behavioral change.

Design a simple, written warmup you always follow.

Having a short, repeatable warmup that gets you literally sweating before training improves performance and reduces injury risk, and a checklist in Apple Notes or on a board helps you stop skipping it.

Attach physical targets to your age to keep progressing.

Yusef’s example—benching bodyweight for his age reps each birthday—illustrates using age-linked goals (physical, mental, or creative) to combat complacency and track meaningful progress over years.

WORDS WORTH SAVING

5 quotes

Your brain cannot have a lag. Even if it's only a five or a 10-second lag.

— Yusef

Most self-improvement books are a single concept that are padded out.

— Johnny

You have to have the Wotsit eater for the influenza specialist.

— Chris Williamson

It's like year seven PE level advice… but having a written down warm up that you do each time makes such a difference.

— Johnny

It’s your duty to give the universe what only you can give it because only you can.

— Chris Williamson

iPhone shortcuts and automations for convenience and battery lifeTransitioning from Evernote to Apple Notes and alternative note-taking toolsBook summary apps (Blinkist, Optimize) versus reading full booksFitness and lifestyle hacks: structured warmups, birthday benchmarks, travel proteinSmall joy hacks: Aerobie disc, VR, Guitar Hero, and food choices like stuffing and donutsCurated information diets: Curio, The Browser, podcasts, and media picksReflections on goals, self-emails, existential risk, and how interests shape careers

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