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One of the best productivity tools is not looking for a tool to make you more productive. Productive people create productivity tools to make them more product

by kawfey 9y ago

One of the best productivity tools is not looking for a tool to make you more productive. Productive people create productivity tools to make them more productive. Unproductive people think those same productivity tools will magically make them work better, but most of the problem lies in a lack of self-discipline, rather than lack of a magic tool.

pythonick 9y ago
Wise words. Productivity comes from within. Not from external tools.
- iceprey 9y ago
  I think this is true to an extent. Thinking you need external tools to make you more productive and spending too much time looking at new tools does the opposite. However, deciding on some tools that are good enough for you and actually using them can be a large boon. I have been more productive than ever in 2018 and it's partially because I established a system in Todoist and Trello. Of course, actually building the momentum on top of that system was the more important part, but I really don't think I could have done it without the organization.
ebiester 9y ago
The problem is the right productivity system is contextual. I have my homegrown software based on Autofocus, which as a system is enough for 95% of senior engineers. However, I've just added some additional responsibilities that draw me from a "maker" schedule more and more. My problem isn't that I'm not productive in terms of an hours worked perspective -- my problem is that I need help focusing on the right things in the face of competing requests. GTD, for example, is fantastic for that. It's terrible for the average developer. Most developers can rely on their bug tracking software as their "productivity software" with a simple todo list and calendar reminders for due dates of non-code requirements. (e.g. HR paperwork) I don't need a magic tool to make me productive; I need a tool to function as a priority queue. If you want a tool to make you productive, you're looking at the wrong tool.

by kawfey 9y ago

pythonick 9y ago

Wise words. Productivity comes from within. Not from external tools.

iceprey 9y ago
I think this is true to an extent. Thinking you need external tools to make you more productive and spending too much time looking at new tools does the opposite. However, deciding on some tools that are good enough for you and actually using them can be a large boon. I have been more productive than ever in 2018 and it's partially because I established a system in Todoist and Trello. Of course, actually building the momentum on top of that system was the more important part, but I really don't think I could have done it without the organization.

ebiester 9y ago

The problem is the right productivity system is contextual. I have my homegrown software based on Autofocus, which as a system is enough for 95% of senior engineers. However, I've just added some additional responsibilities that draw me from a "maker" schedule more and more. My problem isn't that I'm not productive in terms of an hours worked perspective -- my problem is that I need help focusing on the right things in the face of competing requests. GTD, for example, is fantastic for that. It's terrible for the average developer. Most developers can rely on their bug tracking software as their "productivity software" with a simple todo list and calendar reminders for due dates of non-code requirements. (e.g. HR paperwork) I don't need a magic tool to make me productive; I need a tool to function as a priority queue. If you want a tool to make you productive, you're looking at the wrong tool.