A short, honest list of the tools I use in my own writing, work, and recovery. Some of the links below are affiliate or referral links, which means I may earn a small commission if you sign up through them, at no extra cost to you. Some are not. I label which is which.
I will not list a tool I do not use. If something I recommend gets worse, I take it down. If a tool is free and works, I say that too.
AI and Writing
Wispr Flow — Voice-to-text that actually keeps up with how I think. I dictate first drafts, notes, and most of my writing through it instead of typing. Paired with the mic below, it is the closest thing I have to a frictionless capture setup. Link
MAONO PD200XS microphone — The mic I use with Wispr Flow and for recording. Clean input, simple controls, well under what a “good enough” mic usually costs. Link
Claude — Where I think through writing, structure, and systems work. I use it daily. Link
Readwise — Pulls together highlights from everything I read so I actually revisit them instead of losing them. Worth it if you read a lot and forget most of it. Link
Notion — Where I draft and organize. The free tier is enough for most people. (Not an affiliate link.)
Hemingway Editor — Free. Catches long sentences, passive voice, and adverbs. I run public writing through it before publishing. (Not an affiliate link.)
Publishing and Selling
Substack — Where I publish essays and the newsletter. Free to start.
Beehiiv — A more business-leaning newsletter platform. Better analytics and referral tools. Worth a look if you are building a list as a business.
Gumroad — Where I sell my own digital products. Free to start, takes a cut per sale. Easiest way to sell a digital product without building a checkout. My product
Carrd — One-page sites for about $19 a year. I have used it for landing pages and link pages. Hard to beat for the price. (Affiliate link coming.)
Remote Work
Starlink — Reliable internet in places where reliable internet is not a given. If you work remote or travel, it removes a real point of failure. Link
Health and Recovery
A note before this section: I had a stroke, and these are part of my own recovery routine. They are what I use, not medical advice. Talk to your doctor before adding anything.
Premier Protein (Chocolate Peanut Butter, 30g) — Simple, consistent protein I keep on hand. Link
Antarctic Krill Oil (1000mg) — Phospholipid-bound EPA/DHA with astaxanthin. Part of my brain-health stack. Link
Alpha GPC 600mg + Uridine — A choline precursor I added to the same stack. Link
Oura Ring — How I track sleep and recovery. I do not have a referral link for it, but I use it daily. (Not an affiliate link.)
What I Do Not List
I am not going to list every tool that happens to have an affiliate program. If it is not here, it is either because I do not use it or I cannot honestly recommend it yet.
AI Cognitive-Prosthetic Prompt Pack — My own. The 44 prompts I reach for when my brain stalls: finding the word, starting the task, calming overwhelm. Works with any AI.
Brain Recovery Dashboard for Notion — My own. The Notion system I use to hold recovery in one place: daily reset, energy and fog tracker, prompt vault. 10-minute setup.
One Day Forward — My own. A printable recovery journal for the reflection side: no streaks, a missed day is data, not failure.
If you want my take on a specific tool, email me. I will give you a real answer.
Blake
Frequently Asked Questions
What productivity tools does Blake Murphy actually use?
A small, honest stack: Wispr Flow for voice-to-text, Claude for thinking through writing and systems, Notion for drafting and organizing, Readwise for revisiting highlights, and the Hemingway Editor for tightening prose.
What’s the best tool for writing with fatigue or a brain injury?
Voice-to-text. I dictate first drafts and notes with Wispr Flow because speaking is far less tiring than typing for long stretches, especially during recovery.
Are these tool recommendations affiliate links?
Some are, and they’re disclosed. I won’t list a tool I don’t use, and if something I recommend gets worse, I take it down — the list stays honest over time.
Do you need paid tools to be productive?
No. Several picks are free or have a free tier that’s enough for most people, like Notion’s free plan and the Hemingway Editor. Start free and pay only where it clearly helps.
