Intro: why have a productivity system?
Productivity means doing the right thing, not doing things fast. Despite this, having a good system saves you the unnecessary friction of a bad one. This friction comes in the form of:
looking for things when you could pull them in 2 seconds;
forgetting appointments/tasks;
taking unnecessary time shopping;
Wasting brain power thinking about the next task and the day’s schedule (or worse, next week’s);
Wasting time managing email;
Losing important documentation.
A good system eases your load and allows you to focus on solving tough problems or acquiring new skills. In sum, you either manage the day-to-day life or it will manage you.
Important points
This is what works for me. Your system could be the opposite. I tend to prefer digital options due to the convenience;
Any system is better than no system (i.e., relying on memory alone and the search function is a bad idea);
If you already use something that works for you, don't chase after "the perfect thing". A lot of times, good enough is perfect.
Simpler is usually better. If your system has 20 different apps and filling cabinets, chances are you will stop using it.
The tools
A good productivity system should include at least the 5 following tools:
Calendar;
Task management app;
Note-taking/reference app;
Email app;
A read-it-later app.
Let's delve into each one.
The calendar
A calendar saves me from remembering events: doctor’s appointments, dinner parties, birthdays, ... I recommend the stock options for most people. If you are a power user who needs more than the stock option from Android or iOS, I'm sure you know which option is best. I use Apple calendar and it's great. On Android, I prefer Google calendar and Business Cal 2.
The task management app
This tool serves two purposes:
Offload tasks from my mind (so I don’t need to remember them);
Organize projects in smaller steps so they become more manageable.
I use Things 3, by Cultured Code. If you own an iPhone, this is my recommendation. If you don’t want to spend money and don't need reminders, I would recommend Todoist. If you need reminders, I would recommend TickTick. Apple reminders is also a good option since iOS 17.
The note-taking/reference app
While the calendar and to-do list are for something to do, this app is for keeping information that may be useful. In the era of "knowledge work", this is more important than ever. I use a mix of both: Obsidian and Apple notes. I prefer Obsidian because it supports Markdown and Code, useful for programming notes. If you don’t care about those features, Apple notes is great. I have also used Notion but I prefer the simplicity of text files instead of the blocks approach of Notion. It also doesn’t support offline access. I don't recommend text-only apps because saving images and pdfs is important. Lately, I’ve been using an organisation method by Tiago Forte called “Building a Second Brain”. Although quite simple, it works very well. I recommend checking it out.
The email app
Oh, email… That necessary evil that makes us waste so much time. It’s a blessing and a curse. I have wasted more time finding the perfect email app and email management system than I dare to admit. I now use Spark because I like the single key keyboard shortcuts (like E to archive or A to reply all). This is my top recommendation. Gmail is good enough. Outlook didn't have great search so I stopped using it. Canary email is a more privacy-focused option that I also vouch for. I have also used Thunderbird for years and it works well enough.
The read-it-later app
The idea of a read-later app is to stop having a thousand unread emails that I will “eventually” (aka "never") read. Also, this works as a curating method: only good articles/emails go into the list to read later. This way, dead times (waiting for appointments, or the elevator) become reading times. I use an iOS-exclusive app called Matter, which provides the best experience I’ve had. It focuses on the reading above all, adding articles to read is fast, and the free-tier is very generous. Instapaper and Pocket are two popular alternatives that I’ve used in the past and can vouch for, as well. I prefer Instapaper for the focus on the reading experience.
How the tools work together (the system)
I based my system in two beliefs. One: our brains are better at creative and complex thinking, not storing information. And two: even digital storage needs organisation, much like physical storage. Clutter accumulates. If it accumulates in my head, I will feel overwhelmed and stressed. If it accumulates elsewhere (email, browser tabs, post-it notes, etc.), it’s not very useful. So, the overview is: offload -> organize -> do.
The “offload” part
Think about the number of times per day these words come to your mind: “oh, I should remember to (…)”. How often do you act on it? I treat the thoughts I have as the starting point (like an inbox). Depending on the type of thought, I will use a different app. A few examples:
It would be interesting to have a vineyard or a distillery one day. I don’t know what I need to learn or do to get there, or even if it’s a definite long-term goal. So, I added this as a project in the "Someday" list in my task management app.
I find a link that would be interesting to share in this newsletter. It goes in the notes app, organised inside the bookmarks folder.
I receive many newsletters per week. Many times I don’t have time to read them right away. I add them to the read-it-later app and archive the email, keeping a clean inbox.
I'm currently developing a mobile app. All the features I'd like to add go into the notes app, inside the "App ideas" folder.
The organisation part
Offloading is easy. Thought -> app. Yet, if you don’t organise all those brain dumps, they won’t be very useful. I follow a simple principle: those brain dumps should become an action or reference. Things to do that are time-bound go straight into the calendar. Examples: dinners with friends, appointments, or tennis matches. Things to do that are not time-bound are generally less urgent but more important. In Things, I keep a list of ongoing projects (currently 3). Every day, I check which are the top 3 actions I should do for that day. This is where a system excels. Without one, it's easy to lose focus on the long-term plan, and end up lost in the day-to-day urgent tasks. The important ones lose priority and those long-term plans never end up done. Like Cal Newport says: "shallow work keeps you from getting fired, but deep work is what gets you promoted." Deep work will never feel urgent.
This covers actions. Reference material will either end up as:
a note in Notes (bookmarks, important files, reading lists);
a note in Obsidian (programming lessons, newsletter ideas, book notes/summaries);
a read-later article in Matter (newsletters from email, blog posts, articles);
a file saved in the proper folder, according to the end goal.
A good rule of thumb is this: don’t organise based on type of note/file. Organise based on the use of that note/file (kitchen renovation, AI knowledge, etc). This way, when the project becomes live, you have all the reference necessary already grouped.
Conclusion
This is a simple overview of my system and doesn't cover everything. I hope it is useful for you and helps you get an idea of how I process everything. If you'd like to know more or want me to expand on any topic, feel free to reach out by replying to this email. I'd be happy to read your thoughts.