The One Productivity System That Actually Works
After twenty years of high-output work across two continents, here's what I've learned about staying effective.
I’ve tried most systems. GTD, time-blocking, Pomodoro, Eat the Frog, second brain, Notion databases, plain notebooks. Some helped. Most added overhead without adding clarity.
What I’ve landed on is simpler than any of them.
The core idea
There are only three things worth tracking:
- What must happen this week — not a wish list, a commitment list. Short. Five items maximum.
- What I’m thinking about — running notes on anything that’s in my head but doesn’t have a home yet.
- What I’ve decided — a log of decisions made, with the reasoning. This one is underrated.
That’s it. Everything else is noise.
Why decisions matter
Most productivity systems are about capturing tasks. Fewer are about capturing thinking. The decision log changes that.
When you write down what you decided and why, three things happen. You think more carefully before deciding. You stop relitigating settled questions. And you build a record you can actually learn from.
In complex transformation programs — the kind that run for years across large organisations — the decision log is often the only artefact that tells the true story of what happened and why.
What I’ve cut
- Daily to-do lists (they become anxiety lists)
- Inbox zero as a goal (the goal is responded to what matters, not empty)
- Calendar blocking for creative work (I work better with open time and clear intent)
The tool doesn’t matter much
I’ve used Notion, Bear, plain markdown files and paper notebooks. Right now it’s a combination of markdown and a physical notebook. The system works because of the discipline, not the software.
Curious what other people have landed on — happy to compare notes.