For writing notes, I have always been a paper and pen person in the remote past. I love to physically write, journal, plan, etc on paper. But then of course, with technology, I converted to a ‘70% digital/30% pen and paper’ person. I always loved the feel of hand- writing, but at the same time very much enjoy the benefits of going digital.
For me, when I hand-write my notes, I can focus better. I also learn better when I write, versus type notes. Things sink in better, and it feels more natural. I have a lot of folders and notebooks, some rather bulky, for different subjects and themes (including homeschool planning, homeschool high school planning, housekeeping, parenting, personal journal, spiritual journal/binder, etc etc you name it! One problem is it takes too much space, as well as it’s not ‘at my fingertips’.
Like I mentioned, I love the convenience that a digital platform offers. It’s easier to replicate/ edit notes, and easier to save and access stuff at my fingertips. I can always make a backup in a cloud service, and not be in panic when I realise I lost my notebook (which can happen quite a bit in a house with 9 kids; some books ending up being transformed to art books ) I also don’t need to be physically bogged down to where my notes and folders are. For example, if I have a random thought to enter into one notebook, I don’t need to go hunting down the specific notebook. I can jot it down wherever I am (even if I’m making the baby sleep). For me, as a mom, digital has lots of benefits in this respect, when I don’t have to carry specific notebooks to different places inside or outside the house, I can even have my notes with me while I’m waiting for an activity to be done, in the van.
Though digital has its advantages, for me, the main drawback was that I was missing ‘writing’ stuff.
Then I came to know about the Goodnotes app, digital planners and digital notebooks! It’s simply the best of both worlds! Now I have the versatility and convenience of being digital, while being able to hand-write my own notes!! This has been a real game changer for me! Though I had heard about Goodnotes and digital notebooks in the past, I hadn’t really explored what it was. But I’m sure glad I did this time! I have been using Goodnotes now for the past several months. It’s only a relatively small learning curve. And now, I can’t even think of going back!!!
(By the way, this post is NOT a commercial post. I do not get paid in any way for my review. This post does contain affiliate links. By purchasing items through these links, I earn a small commission at no extra cost to you).
So what is Goodnotes?
Goodnotes (Goodnotes 5) is a PDF markup and annotation app, available in iOS platform. It is a combination digital notepad and PDF markup tool. As a notepad, we can create notes with the keyboard or with a stylus/ Apple Pencil. There are other similar apps, ‘Notability’, being a close 2nd. In Android, I believe there are other alternatives to Goodnotes.
Basically you import files into Goodnotes and you can write in them, annotate, highlight, etc using a stylus. And the great thing is that it is currently a one time app purchase fee for less than $10, and you can access it on all your Apple devices under that Apple ID. So I am able to access it on my iPhone, iPad and MacBook, which is very handy, as it syncs across devices. The notes are also searchable.
What tools do you need to use Goodnotes effectively?
To use as a notepad where you can hand-write notes in, you will need an iPad, which can work with a stylus.
- iPad – Though I had a mini-iPad before, I needed a larger surface to write on. So we got the iPad 9. (Which is actually cheaper than the mini iPad). It has been working very well for me.
- A Stylus. We initially went with a regular capacitive stylus. Just make sure that the stylus is a capacitive stylus that offers ‘palm rejection’. Basically, the palm should be rejected by the iPad or you will have to hold your hand at a weird angle to avoid the palm resting on the iPad. The one we purchased was actually working pretty well. But once I started loving Goodnotes, and I knew this was going to be my next favorite app, we decided to invest in an Apple Pencil 1st generation. I am happy that we got the Apple Pencil, as I can charge it right off my iPad, and it charges really fast, unlike the stylus.
- It is good to have an iPad screen protector.
- Also good to have an iPad cover. The one I got is this. It comes with a wireless keyboard and a slot to keep the Apple Pencil safely.
What are digital planners and notebooks?
You can start writing notes using the inbuilt templates that the app offers, for which you don’t need to purchase anything extra. But there are hyperlinked tabbed PDF notebooks and planners that you can buy (or make if you are tech savvy) and import into Goodnotes. It basically works like binders with tabbed dividers, that are hyperlinked. Most of these purchased notebooks come with extra templates of different designs, as well as digital stickers. You can insert templates of suitable designs behind the dividers to create your own personalised notebook, and you can keep adding new pages when you run out. (By just copying and inserting). You can also duplicate the notebook or planner you purchased to rename and use as a different notebook for a different purpose.
I purchased a few varieties of digital notebooks, to have more possibilities for the purposes I was going to use them for, in terms of templates, etc. And I also liked a small variety, instead of duplicating from the same base notebook. I also purchased some themed Digital stickers. I purchased all of these from Etsy. It has a very good selection for reasonable prices. (Basically search for ‘Digital planners for Goodnotes’. ‘Digital notebooks for Goodnotes’ or ‘Digital stickers for Goodnotes’. )
So now, I have a whole bunch of digital notebooks for various purposes, in Goodnotes, and I’m gradually making a complete transition of my physical notebooks and binders to Goodnotes. This has been a huge lifesaver for me! Now, wherever I am, or go, if I just have my iPad/Apple Pencil, I can do most of the things I had probably wanted to do, without carrying a huge stash of physical notebooks. Works especially well on days that I take a notebook with me, while waiting for soccer or something to be done, but end up being inspired to do something else which I didn’t bring with me. Have been a definite productivity booster.
Goodnotes has also greatly enhanced my Bible journaling. I like to journal my Bible readings. Most Catholic Bible journals are pretty expensive, and also only have mostly the Gospel and Psalms. But through Goodnotes, I have been able to journal more effectively. I can just insert a snapshot of the relevant Bible passage, and journal, highlight, annotate etc.
I have also been able to read PDF books more effectively. I usually love a physical copy of a book than PDF version for the reason that I love to underline, highlight, and hand-write notes. But of course I love PDF books, as I can access them at my fingertips (and usually much cheaper too). I always keep several books that I’m currently interested in, offline in my google drive, that I can read any time I get a chance. More currently, I import the book I’m reading into Goodnotes to enjoy the added benefit of writing in it.
Oh, and another thing. I was able to fill in 10 passport applications in less than 20 minutes, using Goodnotes! 😅 I just basically copied and pasted all the common info! Also very good for filling applications that need to be printed, filled and sent back. Can avoid all that hassle by just filling online, saving as PDF and sending back.
So far, it’s been a really great tool for me, and I hope you enjoy it too, if you decide to try it out. Actually I already have some friends who became ‘Goodnotes converts’. 😂
(As there are numerous tutorials on how to use Goodnotes, I am not doing any tutorials. But this post was mainly to give awareness of this option. )
Have a blessed day!