In this series, we spotlight employees and the clever and creative ways they use the product! Get some inspiration from Evernote insiders.
In a way, Josh Zerkel is “Mr. Evernote.” As head of the Evernote Community and Certified Consultant programs, it’s Josh’s job to spread the word about Evernote to groups around the world, and he designs programs to bring fans together to meet and learn from each other. It’s the perfect job for him. He’s such an organization expert that people who design Evernote come to him to learn new ways of using the product. In turn, Josh never stops thinking up and sharing innovative ideas.
Josh loves burgers so much he keeps a guide to the best hamburgers in the world in Evernote.
A connoisseur’s guide using Evernote
“I’m a bit of a foodie, and I love to travel,” Josh says. “I keep lists of every place I’d like to eat, anywhere in the world. I’m always looking at food resources and researching restaurants. It doesn’t matter where in the world they are. I’ll find a way to get there someday. And when I do, I’ll be ready.” Josh uses Web Clipper to pull together as much information about restaurants as he can, then merges all of the clippings together into a single note. That way, when he travels, he has a ready-made, personalized restaurant guide on his phone. “When I’m ready to go, I drag the notebook for that city into my Evernote shortcuts, so the information is front and center,” he adds. “That’s a huge time-saver.”
Sharing the love…through notebooks
But Josh doesn’t keep his curated lists to himself. Since his job (and his passion) is to evangelize Evernote, he sends his notebooks to friends and acquaintances who want them. “I’ve lived in San Francisco for a long time, and I’ve come to know the city well. I have a note that I call Josh’s Picks of favorite restaurants, activities, and things to do in San Francisco ready to go so that I can share it easily. I’m a burger aficionado, so I have a list of favorite burger places organized by price point.”
Burger restaurants organized by price point? What kind of person organizes to that level? A Certified Professional Organizer (CPO) does, and that’s how Josh came to Evernote in the first place. He was the owner of Custom Living Solutions—a company that worked with small businesses on productivity and organization, systems for managing time, tasks and organization. “That’s how I ended up at Evernote,” Josh relates. “I was a customer first. After awhile, I became the first Evernote ambassador, and I went around and taught people cool ways to use it. The app became a core part of my business. Eventually, I wrote a couple of books about Evernote.
Josh’s pro tip: Keep all of your tasks in one long list. Evernote lets you put a checkbox next to each item, so you can mark it when it’s complete. Don’t go into details, just jot down the task. If you need more details to complete the task, you can add note links to your list. For example, if you need to send someone else to do some grocery shopping, just write a checklist and send it in Evernote. If a significant other isn’t sure which brands to buy, link the list item to a note containing photos of the products you can collect over time. That way, you’ll never get the wrong brand, size, or product again. Your list stays clean and simple, but all the details are only one click away.
Perspective and gratitude
Josh’s natural tendencies to organize himself and others around him has parlayed into a successful career that has taken him all over the world and made him one of the world’s premiere Evernote experts. It isn’t lost on him that he’s been very lucky, and has a lot to be thankful for. And to keep track of just how much, Josh, of course, turns to Evernote.
“I use Evernote to keep my gratitude journal,” he says. “At the end of each day, I write down things that went well or things that I’m thankful for. It’s the last thing I look at before I go to sleep. It helps to put my life in perspective.”
Another thing that helps Josh stay productive all day is to collect things in Evernote that bring him joy. He uses either the Web Clipper or the email function to keep a note full of pictures of cute baby animals. “It’s proven that it reduces stress when you look at them,” Josh added. “So I send the note to people who’re stressed out. They make people smile.” Josh encourages all customers to use Evernote for business and for fun. “Anyone can start a similar note,” Josh advises. “Keep an archive of whatever makes you happy, and go to it whenever you need a pick-me-up. Aside from all your work and study and all the things that keep you busy and productive, Evernote can also be your Happy Place.”
