Why you want an iPad (as a business thinker, writer, and communicator)

No investment is better than an investment in yourself. As a business person who is paid to think, write, and communicate, you may want to consider an investment in an iPad. There are four main reasons why.

1/ Drawing figures 

How many times have you sat down to make a figure, only to find out it’s  not a standard figure type? Hours are spent wrangling with the software. How to create the perfect visualization? If only you could draw the figure…

That's where the iPad comes in.

Your creativity is unbound by your digital pen. You can instantly draw the visual you intended. Done are the days of hours of starching google images for watermark-free clipart.

Plus, then you get to make cool figures, like some of the best internet writers: Not boring, Stratechery, the Generalist.

2/ Composing your thoughts

One of the best ways to think is to handwrite. That's right: ditch the keyboard. It might have to do with all that writing they had us do in school. Or, perhaps it's due to writing's slower pace. The mind is able to keep up. Words flow.

Handwriting is a generative process. The iPad takes it to the next level. Your handwritten words are instantly there for you, translated into computer text. It’s worth noting that this technology has gotten substantially better in recent years. I was able to handwrite this whole post, with very few errors. The text was instantly translated to digital simply by Apple's Notes app.

3/ Taking notes

What's worse than going to a meeting with someone who is on their laptop all the time?

The vertical physical behavior impedes the conversation. In fact, this is true on Zoom as well. If someone is busy typing away, it seems like they are not paying attention. Taking notes on your iPad actually has the opposite effect. You come off as a thoughtful listener, who is taking notes.

4/ Reading better

Let's face it: Reading on a laptop or phone is hard. The medium does not cater to long, uninterrupted stretches for reading. Instead, distractions abound. Notifications. Texts. Even system messages. Everything available to you is also competing for your attention.

On an iPad, it is very easy easy to create a distraction-free reading environment. Unlike your phone or laptop, your iPad was actually designed for such an experience. Holding, and reading on, a tablet feels quite like a normal book. Apps like kindle and news are designed to be immersive. 

Plus, you have all the benefits of being a digital medium. Notes sync seamlessly. No more taking pictures of books. Highlight and automatically export to your favorite note-taking app.

Summary

As business people, it is our job to build documents with compelling figures, write persuasive memos, impress in meetings, and read to stay on top of the latest trends. An iPad actually helps with each of those areas.  So, when it comes time for your next challenging chart, difficult to write memo, tough meeting, or distracted reading session, consider: should I get an iPad?

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Note: iPad ala Kleenex. Yes, you can buy an android tablet. In this case, I have just referred to iPad because because it has become part of the vernacular.