Sometimes the best solutions are the simplest ones – like going back to pen and paper.
Starting a new role as a Product Owner felt like being thrown into the deep end of a pool I didn’t even know existed. Between unfamiliar terminology, missing context, and yes – let’s be honest – struggling with different accents during calls, I was drowning in information overload. But here’s what I learned: the right tools can be your lifeline.
The Reality Check: When Digital-First Fails
For the past 5-6 years, I was that person who lived entirely in the digital realm. Everything had to be on my laptop, in an app, synced to the cloud. But my new role taught me a humbling lesson – sometimes the old-school methods just work better.
1. The Humble Notebook: My Unexpected Hero 📝
This might sound crazy coming from someone who’s been digital-first for years, but going back to handwritten notes was a game-changer. Here’s why:
During meetings, I was constantly Alt+Tab-ing between applications – Obsidian, OneNote, browser tabs – and by the time I found the right window, I’d missed crucial action items. The stakeholders would finish their point, and I’d be that person awkwardly asking, “Can you please repeat that?”
Not a great look for a new PO trying to establish credibility.
With a physical notebook, I can:
- Capture everything in real-time without losing focus
- Never miss action items while fumbling with apps
- Stay present in conversations instead of wrestling with technology
Sometimes the simplest solution is the most effective one.
2. OBS Studio: My Secret Recording Weapon 🎥
Even with better note-taking, I was still missing nuanced details. Enter OBS Studio – a free, open-source screen recorder that became my safety net.
What makes OBS special: It can record specific applications (like Teams) while I work on other tasks in the foreground. So while a meeting runs in the background being recorded, I can draft emails or work on other priorities without missing anything.
The reality check: It crashes sometimes when I stop recordings (though it saves the files), and my attempt to add AI transcription plugins made it even more unstable. But for basic meeting recording? It’s been invaluable.
Pro tip: I’m planning to test Otter AI next for better transcription and meeting summaries.
3. Microsoft To Do: Embracing the Ecosystem 📋
Working at a Microsoft-heavy company (Teams, Azure, O365, Power BI everywhere), I learned to work with the flow rather than against it. Microsoft To Do integrates seamlessly across the ecosystem.
What I love:
- Smart date parsing – I can type “Review user stories tomorrow” and it automatically sets the due date
- Cross-platform sync between my phone and desktop
- Persistent reminders that keep nagging until tasks are done (exactly what I needed)
For quick, urgent tasks, it’s become indispensable.
The Browser Wars: Finding My Perfect Setup 🌐
My browser strategy evolved based on context:
- Edge: Company tools and platforms (the path of least resistance)
- Brave: Personal browsing (still my favorite for privacy)
- Perplexity Comet: The new kid that’s slowly taking over
Perplexity Comet deserves special mention – having an AI assistant in the side panel means I can get instant summaries and answers about any website I’m viewing. It’s like having a research partner built right into my browser.
AI Tools: My Digital Support Team 🤖
Rather than relying on one AI for everything, I’ve developed a specialized toolkit:
ChatGPT: My professional writing assistant. Every important email gets a ChatGPT review to ensure it’s clear, professional, and graceful.
Perplexity: My research powerhouse. Any technical query, industry insight, or “how-to” guide – this is my go-to.
Google AI Studio: When I need visual guidance (like setting up Jira workflows), I can share my screen and get step-by-step directions. The only downside? It stops working after a few queries and needs manual resuming.
Google NotebookLM: My secret weapon for customer queries. I uploaded all our product documentation, and now when customers ask technical questions, I can provide accurate, informed responses while learning the product myself.
The Reliable Workhorses 💪
Excel: Still the ultimate Swiss Army knife. I keep all important links here and used to track tasks before discovering To Do. Sometimes the classics just work.
Obsidian: My digital brain. Quick notes, random ideas, project planning – all in beautiful Markdown format. The community plugins let me customize everything to fit my workflow perfectly.
What Didn’t Work: The Tool Graveyard 🛠️⚰️
I tried Jira for personal tasks, Trello, Habitica, Clockify – but they all felt like overkill for my needs. Sometimes having too many tools creates more chaos than organization. The key is finding the minimum effective dose of productivity tools.
The Bigger Picture: Tools as Bridges, Not Crutches
These tools didn’t just help me manage information – they bought me mental bandwidth to focus on actually learning my role. Instead of struggling with logistics, I could concentrate on understanding product strategy, stakeholder needs, and building relationships.
The lesson: When you’re overwhelmed with new information, don’t just work harder – work smarter. Sometimes that means going back to basics (hello, notebook!), and sometimes it means embracing new technology that fits your specific context.
What tools have saved your sanity during challenging transitions? I’m always looking for new additions to my toolkit – especially if you have better solutions for meeting transcriptions!
Drop me in the comments if you’ve found tools that transformed your workflow. I’d love to hear your stories.
Let’s see what I pick up next. I’ll share more in the next post when I have new lessons to talk about.
Until then, Keep It Raw, Keep It Real! 😎✌️🔥