Every so often I do a self audit of devices, apps, and even media I own.I'll ask myself if I use it often enough to justify keeping it.If the answer is no, bam, purged.
Done.I've noticed myself doing this quite a bit with various productivity apps, like Tasker.It even extends to some Markdown-friendly apps on my tablet.
As I've been building more and more with Obsidian, I've noticed some of its plugins have made me ditch other productivity apps.Here are my favorites.Two plugins started me on this path They're the foundation for increased productivity Close I can't talk about Obsidian plugins without mentioning the two that really made me start considering replacing other apps with them: Importer and Wikipedia Helper.
Importer makes transferring notes into Obsidian seamless.I like Wikipedia helper because it helps me search for one of my favorite resources quickly and efficiently.And also integrates better with Obsidian.
I've used Wikipedia related community plugins before, but this one has honestly been the absolute best.It hasn't quite yet replaced basically visiting Wikipedia (I just do that for fun in my free time) but it replaced opening a browser window to do a Wikipedia search during my research phases.There isn't much to say about Importer that I haven't already talked about in the past, but I can honestly say being able to grab web pages and put them straight into my second brain is still amazing every time I do it.
I also use Web Clipper, but that hasn't replaced any productivity apps.For now.Excalidraw Flowcharts and drawings right inside my Obsidian Vault I love visual thinking tools.
Ever since I learned about it, Excalidraw has been at the top of my list.I was originally using draw.io, which is a good app, but Excalidraw just me in.I still use Excalidraw in Docker as well, but I've leaned into using it extensively in Obsidian as well.
I'm currently doing an entire overhaul and redesign of my personal website, along with my freelancing website.So I've been using excalibrol to jot down ideas for website flow.I've also been using it to decide how a particular song is going to work.
Should I do a simple guitar solo? An extended jam perhaps? Excalidraw helps me figure it out.Having it in Obsidian is super convenient because I have it on my mobile devices and my computer, so I can just go back and forth whenever I please to my projects.The best part is that the drawings are stored in markdown on my device, which makes them easy to export.
Tasks and Kanban A surprising to-do list replacement and organizer I used to use Todoist.A lot.I had a gig where it was an invaluable tool for basically everything I did.
But that was a few years ago, and I've barely touched it since 2024.Tasks is a great plugin because it does exactly what it's supposed to.It helps me keep track of notes across my Vault.
It's in my Vault, too, which is the key point here.Everything is inside my own app, on my device.No third parties involved.
I can set due dates, reminders, and current statuses with a single command.That makes task management easier.I combined Tasks with the Kanban plugin.
Kanban is a community plugin that acts as a Kanban board.If you're unfamiliar, Kanban is a board that tracks tasks through various stages of completion.If you've worked in an office, you've probably used one.
I'm using it to figure out and strategize my silly YouTube channel.I have some, shall we say, organizational and motivational issues when it comes to the channel.Obsidian is helping with that, too.
QuickAdd Automating repetitive tasks It reminds me of a Tasker app I used in the past.I had been searching for a replacement, but when I found the plugin, it turned out I didn't need one.I like QuickAdd because I can make notes quickly from a template or quickly switch between notes with a shortcut key.
It saves a lot of time.There's also a way to integrate it with an AI assistant if you're into that sort of thing (I'm not).I rather like the idea of creating a complex workflow in Obsidian through shortcuts and plugins.
QuickAdd is simple, but it makes stuff like that possible, which is honestly pretty cool.Community plugins make a big difference I've always sort of resisted the idea of an all-in-one tool for productivity.It makes sense to have a series of tools in your own productivity toolbox.
But with obsidian, you can create essentially a Leatherman tool or a Swiss army knife that helps in a lot of situations.Then you keep specialized tools for other tasks that it can't handle.These plugins made me drop a few of my own productivity apps.
I'm excited to see what else I can come up with as I continue to expand my second brain with Obsidian.Related 7 Docker containers that I leave running 24/7 I never shut these Docker apps down.Here's why.
Posts 25 By David J.Buck
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