It is important to point out the fundamental differences to other note or reading apps. If I had to put Napkin in a category, it would be a mindfulness or mental health app — with your notes as content.
Who is Napkin for?
It is for people who sometimes have this wow- or aha moment when they read a passage in a book, hear an idea in a conversation or podcast, or come across a quote. The moment one or two sentences click with you, change your perspective or state of mind for the better.
What goes into Napkin?
The kind of ideas that move us, make us happy, grateful, forgiving, brave — ideas that inspire us. Ideas we would love to hear from a wise friend. Ideas that comfort us and ideas that challenge us.
What’s wrong with a normal note-app for these ideas?
People rarely see their old notes again. Most note collections are either a graveyard or a complex Zettelkasten that requires deliberate work to organize.
What’s better with Napkin?
Napkin curates your notes for you. Browsing Your Flow once a day ensures that no idea collects dust. It will always show you the ideas you haven’t seen for the longest time and new ideas you sent to Napkin recently.
These Flows of Ideas are never longer than seven ideas. Even if you have thousands of ideas, your collection stays snackable and is a healthy alternative to the common three-minute social media break while having a coffee or sitting in the subway.
What’s the best practice?
- Collecting good ideas. (Making use of the share sheet to collect ideas.)
- Browsing Your Flow once a day. Reflecting on the ideas, nudging your train of thought in a desired direction.
- Archiving what doesn’t feel inspiring.
- Bookmarking what feels highly relevant.
- Browsing the bookmarks whenever you feel you are not in your desired headspace.
- Un-bookmarking what is not highly relevant anymore.
What’s the outcome?
Fans of Napkin love it for steering their thoughts, thereby altering their emotions and perception of the world. This, in the end, leads to a stronger sense of coherence and wiser decisions and actions.
Napkin helps people to grow amidst an otherwise overwhelming abundance of information.
