Friday's Digest - The Newsletter for Doctors & Scientists

Friday's Digest #98

Productivity for Doctors and Scientists:

Tools I Use Daily and Have Never Failed Me

Let’s face it: We rely on computers and apps for our work.
But dealing with unreliable tools can be a nightmare. Here are the tools I trust: Dropbox, Notion, and MacBook.

July 12th, 2024

Friday's Digest - The Newsletter for Doctors & Scientists

For two decades, I've been developing tools that have improved my practice in medicine, dentistry, and scientific research.

Join me every Friday to discover a new tool you can integrate into your workflow as a doctor, a scientist, or both.

I believe in sharing knowledge, embracing automation, boosting productivity, and finding joy in the process.

Preface
Main Article
Readers’ Favorite
Stuff

Preface

This is my first week of being healthier, and so far, I've put my money where my mouth is. I stayed true to my words and did all three things: eating healthier, stretching, and starting to run again.

You can catch up by reading last week’s newsletter here, but in short, I stopped treating my body like a trash can.

It was interesting to see the reaction from my readers to last week’s newsletter.

I knew it would generate a response, especially since the title is quite extreme and my openness about my not-so-smart lifestyle touched people.

The responses ranged from “What’s wrong with you?” to “I totally get what you’re struggling with; I face the same problem.”

Well, this healthier lifestyle is going to stick for one main reason - I enjoy it.

Actually, I enjoy two-thirds of it, the food and the running.

The healthier food is much more enjoyable than chicken tenders and pizza (I feel sick just thinking about them).

And then there’s the running. Oh my god, running is so good.

It clears your mind and makes you feel so much better - physically and mentally.

And the stretching? I don’t enjoy it so much.

But I don’t want to injure myself while running, so that keeps me going.

Bottom line, you have to find the fun stuff in staying healthier. If you don’t, it will be very hard to stick with it.

Writing about it in this newsletter also helps me stay committed. I feel obligated to those of you who decided to adopt healthier habits, just like me. I can’t let you down.

Speaking of letting down, this week I want to show you which tools I use as a doctor and a scientist on a daily basis for years. These tools have never disappointed me, which is why I continue using them.

Give them a try.

Number 98!

Let’s do this!

Main Article

You know that feeling when an app crashes on you, wasting your time? Or worse, losing all your data?

For busy individuals like doctors or scientists, malfunctioning tools can ruin everything.

So today, I will list the tools I trust the most.

Which tools are included?

I’ve used them for years.
I use them EVERY SINGLE day
They have NEVER failed me. NOT EVEN ONCE.

Some are free, while others cost money. But they are the backbone of what I do.

So here they are:

🔵 Dropbox

Dropbox is a cloud-based backup tool. This means that every file you save in your computer's "Dropbox" folder will automatically back up to the cloud while keeping a copy on your computer. It immediately syncs the files across all your devices.

I have used every major cloud backup service out there. The only one that comes close to Dropbox is Apple's iCloud. The problem with iCloud is its compatibility with non-Apple devices.

Google Drive is a piece of %$#*. Sorry, but it is.

I wouldn't trust it even if it were given to me for free. I used to have Google Drive as a backup to my Dropbox, but then all my content was accidentally deleted.

Yes, you heard that right—DELETED.

When I contacted Google support, they said nothing could be done, which is very typical of Google.

OneDrive is an okay service and is considered "safer" than the alternatives. However, it is not convenient to use, and Microsoft's apps are known for their tendency to crash.

Dropbox has NEVER failed me. I've been using it EVERY DAY for 15 years.

🔵 Notion

Notion is an app I use for both scientific writing (manuscripts) and creative writing (this newsletter).

You can also use Notion to organize your life, from finances and to-do lists to projects.

You can sign up for Notion for free, and if you have an academic email address (.edu, .ac), you can get the upgraded version for free.

I prepared a couple of YouTube videos on how I use Notion for research, and you can watch them here:

Aside from the fact that Notion has never failed me, it is simply fun to use.

I’m using it right now to write this newsletter. It allows me to focus on the writing without the clutter and instability you might get with Microsoft Word.

Notion also syncs between your devices, so you can access it from your phone, tablet, or computer.

🔵 MacBook

I switched from a Windows computer to an Apple computer in 2020, and I’ve been using it every day since then.

Windows failed me thousands of times.

I’m not exaggerating—thousands of times. I lost time, data, and money because of Microsoft's instability.

I have never lost time or data with Apple. Not even once.

It literally takes 2 seconds from the moment I open the lid to the moment I can start working. I also like Apple’s PDF reader (Apple’s Preview), which I use on the rare occasions I read a PDF. It is superior to Adobe Acrobat and Adobe Reader in almost every way.

Top it off with Apple’s commitment to securing your data and privacy, Apple’s M silicon processors, insane battery life (15-18 hours on a single charge), and the fact that I’ve never heard the sound of the fans on my laptop.

I have a MacBook Pro M2, mainly because I edit videos. If all you need is a reliable laptop to browse the internet, prepare presentations, and use a word processor, you can safely go for the MacBook Air (M3, M2, or M1).

Just make sure you get 16GB of internal memory and a large enough hard drive for your storage needs.

Readers’ Favorite

This is how I stopped using PDFs and started enjoying reading again.

You can read about it here: Friday’s Digest #76 - Finally, a Reading App Doctors and Scientists Can Use for EVERYTHING

Stuff

Today’s “stuff” will stay true to the theme of today’s newsletter: tools that have never failed me.

⏱️ Garmin Watch

Many wear an Apple or Android watch, but I don't trust these watches.

First, you must charge them daily (or every few days at most).

Second, they break easily. I don't want to "take care" of my watch, I don't want to worry about its battery life, and I really don't like how these watches consume your focus like a smartphone.

This is why I've been wearing a Garmin for the last six years. My current Garmin watch has a battery life of one month (!) and doesn't have a single scratch on it (even though it's been smashed against heavy gear many times).

I absolutely love it.

🛠️ Leatherman multitool

I’ve been using Leatherman for 25 years now, and it has never failed me. I have a Leatherman Squirt PS4 on my keychain, but they no longer make it. I think the Leatherman Skeletool is a good replacement that is available in stock, and I would definitely add a bit kit set and a bit driver extender.

Sure, there are cheaper multi-tools out there, but you can’t beat the reliability and lifetime warranty.

I only broke a Leatherman once, and they replaced it with a brand-new one. No questions asked.

Epilogue

If you received this newsletter from a friend and would like to join Friday's Digest, visit https://newsletter.shaysharon.com

That’s it for this issue.

Hope for better times.

Shay

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