If you’re like me, you read a lot of article and books, watch a lot of videos, and try out a lot of apps, looking for the Holy Grail of productivity.
Even when things are working smoothly, you continue looking for ways to improve.
I think that’s fine. Wherever you are in life, you always want to do better. As long as you don’t spend more time searching and tinkering with your system than using it and getting things done, continually seeking improvement is a good thing.
But have you ever asked yourself how you can tell when you’ve found the right tool or method?
As I see it, there are two ways to tell.
The first way is quantitative. You track your results and establish a baseline. Then, you change something and compare those results. Are you getting more done with the second method? Is the other tool helping you to accomplish more important goals? Are you able save time or money or energy using one method versus the other?
Unfortunately, these questions are often difficult to answer.
You may not be able to measure accurately. Outside factors or timing may affect results. The new system may help you in some areas but hurt performance in others.
Like relationships, it’s complicated. Which leads to the other way to know you’ve found the right method.
You’re probably thinking I’m going to say something like “trust your gut” and you’re right. But I won’t leave you hanging. I’ll offer you some words of guidance I heard David Allen use to describe the objective of every productivity system or method.
He said that no matter what you use, the objective is to help you feel “relaxed, focused, and in control”. So ask yourself if your current method or system does that.
If it does, don’t throw out the baby with the bathwater. Keep doing what you’re doing but be open to incremental improvements.
If your current method doesn’t help you to consistently feel “relaxed, focused, and in control,” however, your next project should probably be to find something that does.
