Find What Works for You

There's quite an industry these days telling us the systems and processes we must use to be efficient, productive, happier, and I'm sure a bunch of other things that aren't going to actually happen. I think my real internet journey began around 2004 when I started learning about productivity tools, lifehacks, and more.

For years, I tried different systems recomended by the so-called experts and thought leaders, before they all became influencers. I'll admit I never was able to fully implement the systems I tried and would give up. I only recently realized it's because the systems didn't work for me and I'm allowed to figure out my own process and what works for me.

I'll still look at some different things and read about different systems, but ultimately I'm not going to subscribe to arbitrary rules made up by other humans. I'm finding what works for me. How my brain operates and the type of tools that work best for me.

Also, we each need to decide what's most important to us in the tools we do us. For me privacy, security, and portability are critical for any writing or note-taking application. A few years ago portability wouldn't have been on the list but I've learned that I like my notes to be in some standardized format like text or Markdown files that I can bring into another app.

I also want to know, as best as possible, that the company has a long-term plan. There's no 100% guarantee for that of course, but I need to feel it's likely. Also, that if the company does disappear I'll have access to my data.

I know it still seems like we need permission to do these things. That we need to follow the rules of some system but that isn't the reality. We can each mix-and-match, try things out, abandon those that don't work for you, and just do what makes you happy, not what someone else thinks you must do.

It's been working for me. I've been getting more creative output than I ever have.