Productivity Trap

Lately, I’ve fallen into a bit of a trap.

In my effort to become more organized—especially in my work life—I’ve gone down the rabbit hole of trying every tool under the sun. I created one giant spreadsheet to house all of my projects. Then I made individual spreadsheets for each one. I downloaded new apps. I even transferred things into Word documents.

What happened? It didn’t help. It only added more stuff to navigate.

Instead of making my work easier, it made everything more overwhelming. More tabs, more files, more “places” I had to check just to get something done. For someone who leans toward minimalism, this was exactly what I didn’t want.

Ironically, the system that worked best was the one I had been using all along—writing things down on paper. With pen and pad, I could jot it down, cross it off, toss it. Done. When I write something by hand, it stays with me longer. I remember it better. I see it in my mind.

When I use a screen, I tend to input the info, close the app, and forget it exists. Out of sight, out of mind. Then I have to go searching again. It's chaos. The same goes for books. I love audiobooks—they’re convenient and portable. But when I really want something to stick, I reach for a physical copy. I want to turn the pages. I want to feel it.

In my pursuit of “better,” I moved away from what comes naturally. And that’s okay—sometimes we need to experiment. But not every tool, app, or tactic is for everyone. The goal isn’t to try everything. It’s to find what actually works for you.

For me? It’s back to the basics. Back to pen and pad. And just like that, I’m back on track.