It seems that a new productivity tool comes out every other day.
Some are just a replica of another popular tool and some are completely different.
Tools that have structure remove friction and tools that have no structure allow for more creating expression.
What I have realized for myself is that tools that have no structure tend to take me down rabbit holes, as I switch from planning, and writing to working on creating structure midstream.
So after a lot of wasted hours and energy, I decided a couple of years ago that I would be using Basecamp for organizing my personal life and my professional life. That was one of the best decisions I ever made.
The structure is consistent across the tool and I don't have to think too much about where things should go.
I store less important stuff in other apps like Notion, where I could do something horribly wrong and delete everything.
I could be using Basecamp for everything but there is some friction when it comes to saving something quickly. There is no quick capture option and the process of creating a document within a project or a team takes time.
Finding the balance between continuously tweaking a tool to fit your workflow and actually using it takes some time. Also, until you start adding content and then accessing the content again, searching for it, and generally interacting with the app, you can't tell if it is the right fit.
Overall, tools that don't need much explaining and deliver on usability, speed, stability, and support, have a competitive advantage that the newest shiny thing can't compete with. I'll take that every day of the week.
Some are just a replica of another popular tool and some are completely different.
Tools that have structure remove friction and tools that have no structure allow for more creating expression.
What I have realized for myself is that tools that have no structure tend to take me down rabbit holes, as I switch from planning, and writing to working on creating structure midstream.
So after a lot of wasted hours and energy, I decided a couple of years ago that I would be using Basecamp for organizing my personal life and my professional life. That was one of the best decisions I ever made.
The structure is consistent across the tool and I don't have to think too much about where things should go.
I store less important stuff in other apps like Notion, where I could do something horribly wrong and delete everything.
I could be using Basecamp for everything but there is some friction when it comes to saving something quickly. There is no quick capture option and the process of creating a document within a project or a team takes time.
Finding the balance between continuously tweaking a tool to fit your workflow and actually using it takes some time. Also, until you start adding content and then accessing the content again, searching for it, and generally interacting with the app, you can't tell if it is the right fit.
Overall, tools that don't need much explaining and deliver on usability, speed, stability, and support, have a competitive advantage that the newest shiny thing can't compete with. I'll take that every day of the week.