Balancing creative play and productivity with Milanote
Asana, Dropbox, and Notes are various tools I’ve used to manage content, organize ideas, and track operational workflows. But I often use each one to achieve a singular goal. I use Asana for project management, Dropbox for file storage, and Notes for keeping track of all things going on inside my brain. Milanote combines all of these into one simple tool that allows you to get organized and stay creative.
What is Milanote?
A couple of years ago, I went searching online for tools to help me organize my files. I’ve used Milanote ever since. It is an easy-to-use tool that helps you organize your ideas and projects into visual boards.
I wanted a tool that was more than a file manager, more than a note-taking app, and more than a to-do list. And I wanted it all in one place. With Milanote I manage client collaboration, build project templates, keep track of information, storyboard, and mood board projects, and also organize all my personal mental clutter. It works similarly to your file manager on your laptop except, you can pull together links, notes, images, and files altogether into one or many, infinite whiteboards.
Why Milanote?
Adobe x Microsoft’s, The Future of Workflow webinar, highlighted industry experts sharing their thoughts on what’s next for effective collaboration and creative freedom. Their research found, 76% of employees believe departmental processes and workflows need to change and are looking for tools to easily adapt to new processes and workflows.
With companies searching for tools to increase organizational efficiency, here’s how we think Milanote stacks up:
Ease of use - 5/5
Autonomy (ability to work alone) - 5/5
Personal Aesthetic/Freedom - 5/5
Collaboration - 5/5
4 ways to get organized and stay creative with Milanote
Brand Dashboards
Are you a brand manager? Focus on what’s important. Share the dashboard with your communications team to keep consistent messaging.
Everything you need in one place. Copy and paste directly from the Milanote, easily grab hex codes, and check off to-do list items all while effortlessly uploading your completed project files.
Control who can edit or view with ease.
Cheltenham’s Brand Dashboard Template
2. Collaborative mood boards
Source inspiration from all over the web. Use Milanote’s web clipper to grab images and save them directly to your board.
Get instant feedback from stakeholders on brand direction and tone. Use the color pick to create swatches with ease.
Mood board you can collabrate on
3. Brand Kits
No need to open up that pdf again.
Client, graphic designers, and marketing team members can copy and paste hex codes directly from the browser window.
Onboard new creative team members while allowing them to download and manage files with ease.
Milanote can auto name colors and plus an eyedropper tool to quickly source colors from images you bring in
4. Personalized for the user
Change folder icons and colors, background color, and customize your notes. Build flow charts with ease, stack content in collapsable columns, use keyboard shortcuts to copy, paste and, undo.
Sync text between notes giving each team member autonomy, personalizing their own board while receiving updates to today’s goals and priorities.
A look behind the hood at my brand dashboard
Why I personally love Milanote
Milanote uses a blank canvas approach that works for me. I love starting with an empty board and being able to sort and organize files, notes, and to-do lists all in the same space. The customization options are also a huge bonus. I can easily change the color or the background and various items to make my view fit the aesthetic I desire. I can balance creative play and productivity with Milanote, brain-dumping all my thoughts into a single location, using links, text, and images, then organizing it all with ease.
Gabe Carter is a creative entrepreneur residing in Baltimore, Maryland. Currently creating ease in the lives of small business owners as Founder + Creative Director at Cheltenham.
