Escaping the Trap of Overly Complex Productivity Systems
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Chapter 1: The Allure of Productivity Dashboards
"Check out my new productivity dashboard!" David exclaimed, gesturing for me to sit next to him at his office desk.
"Really? I should?" I replied, a bit perplexed.
"Absolutely," he insisted. "You're a productivity blogger, after all!"
For the next hour, David proudly showcased his Notion dashboard, a comprehensive tool where he managed personal projects, tasks, timelines, and deadlines. Each entry was meticulously categorized by type, difficulty, and numerous other parameters. This extensive database allowed him to generate various views based on the criteria he had set—of which there were many.
While it was undeniably an impressive creation, I couldn’t help but think of the countless hours he devoted to building this system—time that could have been spent on more significant tasks.
Investing hours into creating a Notion dashboard—or any productivity software—may feel constructive, but we should pause and evaluate what these systems are truly meant to accomplish.
A well-designed productivity system ought to:
- Prioritize your most crucial tasks.
- Identify tasks that can be eliminated.
- Highlight opportunities for delegation to others, like colleagues or partners.
- Reduce the time wasted on waiting, backtracking, or restarting tasks.
- Provide a strategic view of all your obligations.
If a system fails to deliver on these points, it becomes busywork disguised as productivity.
Section 1.1: The Eisenhower Matrix: A Useful Framework
One effective productivity method is the Eisenhower Matrix, created by President Dwight D. Eisenhower, who famously stated:
"What is important is seldom urgent, and what is urgent is seldom important."
(Source: WikiMedia Commons)
The Eisenhower Matrix offers clear guidelines for deciding which tasks to eliminate, delegate, or complete, making it an invaluable tool for enhancing productivity.
However, many modern productivity tools fall short of achieving these objectives, often complicating rather than simplifying our workflows.
Subsection 1.1.1: A Case Study: David's Dashboard
Consider David's Notion dashboard. Upon closer inspection, it resembles less of a productivity tool and more of a cataloging system. It encourages him to spend hours each week entering and organizing task data without actually completing them. Lacking clear criteria for action, delegation, or elimination of tasks, managing such a system becomes akin to organizing a trading card collection—less fun and less productive.
David isn't alone; many content creators promote productivity system templates, inundating their audiences with advertisements. I used to be one of them, caught in the cycle of complex productivity systems.
Chapter 2: My Journey Through the Productivity Trap
In the early 2010s, long before Notion gained popularity, I was deeply invested in productivity software. The big names then included Omnifocus, Asana, and David Allen's Getting Things Done (GTD), and I experimented with them all.
Each tool had its strengths and weaknesses. Some excelled in data visualization, while others offered seamless cross-platform functionality. However, no matter which system I adopted, maintaining it always felt like a chore. The more sophisticated the system, the more burdensome it became.
I believed this was just part of the process. High-achievers are often portrayed as spending their mornings meticulously planning their day, right? So, I forced myself to integrate these systems into my daily routine for nearly a decade.
Yet, the results were consistently disappointing. Despite my diligence, I found many tasks languishing unfinished. The vital tasks got accomplished, but primarily because I kept them in my short-term memory, not because of any productivity system.
This accumulation of incomplete ideas left me feeling guilty. If I were more efficient, I would have completed them all. So, I would jump to a new system, convinced that it would finally help me get everything done.
Section 2.1: The Moment of Clarity
As time went on, adhering to a morning routine that yielded no tangible benefits became increasingly challenging, leading me to abandon it altogether. My productivity systems lay dormant, and I began managing my tasks from memory.
However, relying solely on short-term memory proved ineffective. Like many, I resorted to my phone for reminders.
"Hey Siri, remind me to grab groceries after work."
"Hey Siri, remind me to fill out that paperwork."
"Hey Siri, remind me to apply for jobs tomorrow."
Then one morning, while berating myself for not sticking to my system, it hit me—I actually had two productivity systems. One was the complicated tool I thought I should use, and the other was simply Apple Reminders, which I actually utilized.
I decided to let go of the clutter. I deleted Notion, Things, Omnifocus, Todoist, and every other tool I had tried, and placed my journals back on the shelf. My new routine became refreshingly straightforward:
- Review my Apple Reminders Inbox, where Siri stored my reminders.
- Eliminate most entries, focusing only on the necessary tasks.
- Categorize and assign due dates to the remaining tasks.
Almost instantly, my life improved. Clearing the clutter from my devices fostered a sense of calm and accomplishment. My task list no longer overwhelmed me, and I never missed a reminder thanks to Apple's system.
Section 2.2: Reevaluating Productivity Systems
You don't necessarily need to abandon your current productivity system. Even if you decide to stick with your existing tools, consider whether you're overcomplicating things. Reflect on these questions:
- Are you actively using the results from your system? For instance, if it generates Gantt charts, are you referencing them while planning?
- Will you face consequences if you don't complete a task? Avoid cluttering your task list with optional activities.
- Have you started a project? If you're planning a bathroom remodel but haven't begun, keep those notes separate rather than on your to-do list.
In Conclusion: Choose Simplicity
I don’t blame myself for falling into the productivity trap; it’s human nature to be swayed by feelings rather than facts. Ultimately, complex tools often replace genuine productivity with an illusion of productivity, showcased through elaborate charts and lists.
Cal Newport discusses in his concept of Slow Productivity how productivity experts have evolved to cater to what employers want to see. In the absence of accurate measures of work value, they resort to measuring the appearance of productivity.
Productivity gurus tend to promote more—more habits, systems, and plans. While striving to maximize life is commendable, we lose sight of the purpose when friends proudly display their complex Notion setups, having spent an entire weekend on a database that didn’t need to exist.
Let’s resist the urge to adopt complicated productivity tools. For everyday tasks, a simple list is often more than sufficient.