Build The Perfect Productivity System

Trying to create anything complex from scratch has a 0% chance of success.

There is even a law that addresses this. According to Gall's Law, any complex system that works evolved from a simpler system that worked first.

Trying to create a complex system from scratch is a recipe for disaster.

This pattern is especially obvious in the personal productivity space. There are a billion productivity apps. And an equal number of courses, books, and blogs outlining systems you can create by using those apps to increase your productivity. You could spend days or weeks learning about them. You might even feel like it is a productive use of time, but is it? Nope.

You spin your wheels learning and creating a system while the work that needs to get done piles up.

It is far more productive to get super clear about the goal of the system and then start small. Really, really small. Here are three quick tips you can use to shed the complexity of your productivity system and get back to work.

Determine what the goal of your system is first

Creating something without knowing what you will use it for is the #1 reason why things start out complex.

Without a clear goal, everything sounds like it could work. This app could work, that app could work, and let's throw in some habits and routines while we are at it. Sounds exhausting.

Do yourself a favor: determine what you want to achieve first, then solve for that specific goal.

Pick one tool and stick with it

Decision fatigue is real and it will zap your energy.

While there are a ton of productivity tools out there, the truth is that they all pretty much do the same thing. Pick one that you think could work for the goal you defined above and run with it. The only way to know what tool is right for you and your situation is to actually use it.

Learning about every tool first will not give you clarity. It will do the opposite.

Iterate your way to complex

Great. Now you have your goal and a tool. The only thing left to do is test it.

Get back to completing tasks and see how your new system works. Is there anything you want to add? How about anything you want to subtract? Rinse and repeat.

Now is the time when adding in some complexity makes sense as long as it stays within the parameters of your goal. But only add a little bit of complexity, then test again.

Like anything worthwhile, iterating into a functioning complex system takes time. But it is faster than trying to create one from scratch.

Spinning your wheels will always be slower than crawling. Even if it looks like the opposite.