The Holy Grail of Productivity And Why I

The Holy Grail of Productivity And Why It Doesn't Exist

No single tool is a key to productivity. Searching for the perfect tool is, well, counterproductive. To achieve any meaningful long-term effect, you need to have a system reinforced by habit.

Many people have asked me for productivity help, only to inform me later they no longer needed it – they’ve found an app and are now all set.

FACTS:

There are now 132 to-do app on the market on last count from CNET.
Most to-do apps are very similar.
The time you spend on searching for “the perfect app”, you could have gotten a 30% productivity boost just by looking at a few of my infographics or scheduling a 15-min free call on my online calendar.

While an app might be a good tool, it doesn’t solve your problems merely by being installed on your device. The tools you have now are already a foundation for what you are seeking. You might need to change some settings, and you definitely need to wrap some habits around them.

Just like high-end golf clubs won’t make you a PGA golfer, an app won’t make you more productive. Build and implement a system that works for you.

SOLUTION

The tools you have are probably fine, but you need to:

Wrap a habit (or habits) around them.
Integrate them into a customized process.
Optimize them by customizing their layout or changing their settings.

Add habits with Cue, Action, and Reward to incorporate your tools into your normal routine, and take willpower out of the equation. This way you can get things done without being overwhelmed.

“App switching is killing your productivity”

– Cal Newport, PhD