ADHD PKM Showdown: Notion vs. Obsidian, which is better for neurospicy brains?
Description
Outline for this podcast (transcription coming soon)
Notion
Pros
* market leader
* Lots of tutorials
* Lots of templates, free and purchasable
* Databases, not just documents
* Customization options (kind of)
* handles lots of media
* Has lots of integrations (pricey)
* Web-based, so stays synced.
* for ADHD:
* Can be colorful
* Can integrate timers/widgets
* Can use same data in different views < — this is ultimately why it’s better for ADHD
* Lots of professional ADHD coaches or other professionals say it’s the best thing for them, and so there is a community of NotionADHD folks (is there?)
* Being professionally developed, so keeps getting better all the time (usually with things people have been asking for
* Pretty helpful AI
* Apple widgets
Cons
* No offline access
* iPad app is frustratingly different (no pencil integration)
* IOS app is better, but if you plan on using that you’re going to want to configure your workspace
* Lack of security
* Lack of buy-in from coworkers, etc.
* Delay lets you get distracted easily
* Lots of rabbit holes trying to make things pretty/more efficient
* Easy to be overwhelmed.
* Costs money, though there are nonprofit rates and AI is cheap
* Sort of markdown, but really proprietary
* No ability to sketch within the app.
* iPad pen scribble only work haphazardly.
Resources
* Caren Magill
* Notion mastery
* The Notion Bar
* By Regina.com
* Consumer 2 Creator Lab
* The wish they worked for me list:
* Life OS
* Bulletproof workspace
Obsidian:
Pros:
* Fast and simple and non-proprietary
* customize entire workspace
* Community for themes & plugins
* Graph view is cool
* iPadOS versions work pretty much the same.
* Quick to launch, easy to write in
* Daily note! Built in!
* Endlessly interesting
* Very active community
* Honestly, it just feels fun. You feel like you’re a bit more of a hacker.
* Very cool backstory
* Can (sort of) draw on iPad with excalidraw
Cons:
* Great for note taking & note linking, but for database stuff and task/project management requires plugins/complex syntax/learning curve.
* Costs money to sync easily (not terrible, but it’s real).
* Endless customization makes it a Sarlacc Pit
* Not as friendly to multiple file types as Notion (at least, not out of the box)
* Still no built-in sketch or diagram capacity.
* Graph view is cool, but ultimately not terribly useful (to me)
* Not as many templates available, particularly not for ADHDers.
* Except for a very thorough write up in the r/ObsidianMD channel on Reddit
Resources:
* Linking Your Thinking (great community, great course)
* Danny Hatcher
* Bryan Jenks (adhd)
* Nicole Van Der Hoeven
* Ellane (on Medium.com)
* Good example of what it takes (which, btw, I love and have to resist the temptation to try): https://www.arc.wtf/blog/pkm-madness/
This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit adhdos.substack.com























