Love exploring new productivity tools? Don’t get lost! Focus on using what works, add tools to fill gaps, and evolve slowly for long-term success.

Remember

Expanded perspective

I have been guilty of looking for new ways of being productive and trying to get control of the things that I do. This chase to find the right solution keeps on going.

I am not able to stick to one solution for too long. So instead of boosting my productivity, I end up reducing my overall productivity. 😔

I always carry this feeling that the solution that I have right now is not the right one. There is more I can do or there is something better. And this search never finished and I just stayed in the rabbit hole.

I have a drive to keep learning and getting better. This includes improving my tools and the way I work.

To stop looking at new tools is not an option for me.

I love doing this and it helps me add perspectives to how I work with different workflows.

Here are some lessons I’ve learned over the years that help me strike a balance between working within the existing system and exploring ways to improve.

Keep looking for the right tools

Keep looking for the next tool in the market. There is always something that can help you work better or automate something.

The key to a system is not the tools but how effectively you can use them.

Yes, over the years you would have found tools that you feel comfortable with and you can do things in a breeze. Being too dependent on a tool will add friction when you find something better.

For me, 2 instances stand out:

1. I took way too long to switch to VS code.
2. When Figma was dominating the design tools, I switched late.

Now, without these two, I cannot imagine my work. Although I keep switching between, Neovim, WebStorm, and VS Code, you get the idea.

This taught me that there is no harm in trying and exploring new tools. You don’t have to switch right away but take those slow steps towards the new tool. There will come a day where you are familiar enough, that you are more productive with the new tool and it becomes obvious to make the switch.

This is not just limited to coding or design tools but any tool that you can think of.

There is no perfect solution

No matter how complex or great a system you have, there is nothing like a perfect system. With time, things evolve, the way we work and even the type of work.

What seems to be a perfect system today, possibly will not be as perfect tomorrow. Stick to something that works. It should be a system that you can easily fall back to.

I add new tools or even replace tools in my workflow to see if it helps me improve my workflow. One of the bigger issues I have is I start getting bored or too used to systems quickly that it gets to a point where they are no longer effective. Or, at least they don’t seem as effective at that moment.

One thing to keep in mind with the tools.

You should never build a system around tools but instead, add tools to your system.

As you work with your productivity tools, you will soon realize gaps in your workflow and that is where you add or replace tools.

• As your workflows evolve, maybe a tool doesn’t have enough features to fit your needs. Try something else.
• You have a tedious way of doing something very simple. Figure out if there is a tool that can automate it and add it to your workflow.
• You don’t have a way to keep track of your tasks. Figure out options that can help you do that.

There is always hit and try that happens at the start. But if you don’t do it enough you will be stuck with the default ways that work but are not optimized for the way you work.

Slow evolution is what works

Stick to what is working and slowly evolve. You don’t have to find the right tools or right methods straight away. It is all about filling in the gaps.

First, you need to start somewhere.

If you are in a state, where you are just getting started. Start with something simple, no more than 2 tools and a simple workflow that you can repeat and maintain easily.

If you already have a system that works for you, great! Stick to it. Look for gaps or limitations in your current tool set. If there are better solutions out there, give them a fair shot and see if you can replace some of the tools to improve your productivity.

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ref:
Qatalog: Productivity software overload is killing workers’ productivity | VentureBeat
What If Your Productivity Tools Are Making You Less Productive? | Entrepreneur