There Is No Perfect App
A common feeling of those entering the productivity and organization space is the desire to find a perfect app. This feeling manifests because most of us constantly want to upgrade our tools and applications in order to improve our work and quality of life. Specifically, I believe a fear of missing out (FOMO) along with boredom and the repetitive nature of our tools pushes us to try new things when they become available. I would like to contend however, that there is no perfect app, and action along with output should be the focus of your tools, not the tools themselves.
Why Action Should Be Prioritized
Regardless of one's tools, action leads to marginal results at a minimum towards whatever goal one pursues. However, most get stuck within the analysis and planning stage, desiring the perfect scenario for accomplishing their tasks. Being stuck leads to a lack of action towards one's goals.
A simple example would be a task such as reading a book. If I wish to read a book, I can have a book planner that perfectly divides up the page amounts over a certain time frame. I can have a to-do-list, calendar, and note application to properly manage this task as well. So far, no issues have presented themselves with the current situation. The only thing to do now, is to act.
The reality is that most will believe that small actions aren't worth ones time. This notion couldn't be farther from the truth. Analysis and planning are great, but once they have been exhausted, action is now requried. There is a bottom-line truth here: marginal results are better than no results.
Why Output Should Be Prioritized
No matter your process or system, quality results need to be produced. Systems and processes should be the main focus of your work on a day-to-day basis. The quality of your process and system usually is reflected in the quality of results achieved. However, if no results are being produced, adjustments to the system and plan are necessary. These adjustments usually are delayed, as it is difficult for us to admit our deficiencies. The importance in regard to your performance should be placed in honesty. Honesty about the efficiency and performance of your system and workflow. If it isn't producing quality and sustainable results, it requires adjustment. Flat out, no negotiation.
If I wish to cook a meal, my system of organization and process is of utmost importance. Gathering all the ingredients, prepped all of them effectively, consistently cleaning the workspace, and all the techniques involved in cooking the meal are extremely important. However, if the meal quality is poor, your process is probably poor as well. A bad idea would be to continue the process even though the output is poor. A good idea would be the adjust the process in order to have a better output. A caveatte to this situation is that immediate results may take a long time. One may need to trust the process they have committed to in order to properly see results over time. A time limit for this commitment should be set beforehand in my opinion. Overall, system and process should be the main focus, but may require adjustment based on performance.
Main Takeaways
- FOMO shouldn't push us to constantly adjust our tools and processes
- Action should be prioritized over planning and analysis (finding the perfect tool for the job)
- Output should be prioritized while still taking into account the process and system one has commited to
