I’m obsessed with taking notes on my phone and computer. It helps me keep my shit together. I’ve tried many note-taking apps over the years, and landed on the perfect app for my AuDHD brain: Obsidian.
Why I love Obsidian
Obsidian is made for bottom-up thinkers. You can link notes to each other, forming a non-linear and associative map of your mind’s labyrinth. Perfect for Autistic and ADHD brains!
This means you don’t have to plan out an organisation system for your notes. Obsidian allows you to dive right in and let your system evolve organically.
Graph of my notes. It’s like a whole universe! 😍
All your notes are saved on your device as plain text files. No proprietary formats here! This ensures that your notes will be accessible for years to come, regardless of what happens to the app itself.
There are also loads of free plugins and themes, allowing you to tailor the app to your specific needs and preferences.
The best part of all? The app is FREE for personal use and available for both desktop and mobile platforms!
Check out my Obsidian guide for Autistics & ADHDers to get started!
Types of notes I keep
- Daily notes (for brain dumps)
- Skincare & makeup routines
- Information on my various special interests and hyperfixations
- Notes from books I’ve read
- Notes on my bass practice (techniques I need to work on, songs I want to learn, songs I’ve mastered…)
- Body measurements (for reference when I’m buying clothes online)
- Life troubleshooting guide (tips and strategies for when I’m feeling stuck/anxious/overwhelmed)
- Compliment log
- Bucket & wish lists
- Useful links
- …and much more!
Other note-taking apps
Not a fan of Obsidian? Here are some alternatives to explore:
- Notenik (Mac only)
- TiddlyWiki
- Joplin
- Notion
- Microsoft OneNote
- Bear (Apple only)