The Power of Read It Later Apps and How Calendly Revolutionized Scheduling

The Power of Read It Later Apps and How Calendly Revolutionized Scheduling

In today's fast-paced world, where information is readily available at our fingertips, the ability to focus and absorb long-form content has become a valuable skill. This is where read it later apps, like Pocket, come into play. These apps allow users to save articles, blog posts, and other forms of long-form content for later consumption. But why is this important? And how does it connect with the success of Calendly, a scheduling tool that has transformed the way we plan meetings and events?

Reading is not just about acquiring information; it's about immersing ourselves in someone else's perspective and expanding our own understanding. However, with the constant distractions and limited attention spans, sitting down to read a lengthy article or book can be a daunting task. This is where read it later apps come in handy. They provide a solution to the problem of being able to focus and direct our attention for sustained periods of time.

Google's research has shown that increasing the number of search results per page from 10 to 30 only takes half a second longer, but it causes a significant drop-off in user engagement. This suggests that our ability to process and consume information is limited, and we need tools that help us filter and prioritize what is most valuable to us.

Calendly's founder, Tope Awotona, stumbled upon the idea for the scheduling tool when he was personally frustrated with the inefficiencies of planning meetings. He realized that there was a big opportunity to solve this problem, and thus, Calendly was born. The success of Calendly can be attributed to its ability to simplify the scheduling process and make it more efficient for both individuals and businesses.

What connects these two seemingly unrelated topics is the concept of managing information overload and optimizing our productivity. Read it later apps, like Pocket, allow us to curate a pool of options from a longer time period. This enables us to make decisions from a higher perspective and align them with what truly matters to us. Instead of mindlessly consuming information, these apps help us become more intentional about what we choose to read and when.

Furthermore, read it later apps also facilitate the assimilation and building on the ideas of others. By saving articles and blog posts, we can reference them later and incorporate their insights into our own thinking. Ideas are powerful, and when arranged in highly cross-referenced networks, they become even more impactful. The human brain is the ultimate tool for creating and accessing these networks, and read it later apps serve as a way to enhance this process.

So, how can we make the most out of read it later apps like Pocket and leverage their benefits? Here are three actionable pieces of advice:

1. Use read it later apps as a tool for increasing consumption of long-form content. Instead of feeling overwhelmed by the sheer volume of information available, curate a collection of articles and blog posts that align with your interests and priorities. This will allow you to focus on substantive content that adds value to your knowledge and understanding.

2. Utilize read it later apps for better filtering. Instead of succumbing to the temptation of clicking on every interesting article you come across, save them to your read it later app. This will help you avoid cognitive dissonance and the feeling of being overwhelmed by too many uncompleted tasks. By filtering and prioritizing what you save, you can ensure that you are consuming content that is most relevant and valuable to you.

3. Export highlights and key passages to note-taking apps like Evernote. This will allow you to organize and revisit the most important insights from the articles you read. By creating a digital library of key takeaways, you can easily reference and build upon these ideas in your own work and thinking.

In conclusion, read it later apps have the power to transform the way we consume and engage with long-form content. By providing a solution to information overload and helping us filter and prioritize what matters most, these apps enable us to become more intentional and focused in our reading. The success of Calendly, on the other hand, showcases the value of simplifying complex processes and addressing pain points in our daily lives. Together, these two concepts emphasize the importance of optimizing our productivity and leveraging technology to enhance our personal and professional growth.