Introduction

Bullet journal, traveller's notebook, gratitude journal, task planner, school planner, memory tracker... Notion, Obsidian, Evernote, Things 3, Todoist, Apple Notes, Roam, Logseq... These are all some of the different notebooks and apps people use to separate, organise and reflect. These may sound familiar to you and your productivity system might consist of several of these, but ask yourself, is my system effective?

This post contains

🪨 Why using different notebooks isn't effective
🪴 The benefits of having a single simple system
🌙 Conclusion

Why using different notebooks isn't effective

Nowadays, with Youtube and TikTok, people have started to share the ways they plan. Many influencers promote complex productivity systems as a way to increase efficiency and organisation. These systems often involve a combination of complex tools and techniques, including digital apps, physical journals, and other materials. This is often pretty overwhelming, but when they tell us about it, it all sounds perfect and easy.
That's why some people fall into this trap where they think they need to spend their money on the best planners and softwares and they have to follow this system where everything is perfect, so while complex productivity systems promoted by influencers may seem appealing, but don't work most of the time.
If you want to stick to a system like that, you need to have a lot of willpower, and why make things hard when the purpose of planning is to make your life easier.

The benefits of having a simple system

A simple system makes it easier to manage your tasks, events, and appointments, and reduces the risk of becoming overwhelmed or frustrated with your system.
Here are some of the benefits:

• 💻 Increased Productivity: When you have all your information organised in one place, it becomes easier to prioritise tasks and manage your time more effectively.
• 🧘🏻 Increased Clarity: A simple system provides clear and concise information, making it easier to understand what you need to do and when. You can see at a glance what you need to do and prioritise your tasks accordingly.
• ⏳Better Focus: Having a single notebook or digital software helps you stay focused on the task at hand. When you have all your notes in one place, you don't have to worry about losing track of important information or having to switch between multiple notebooks or apps, reducing friction, making it more likely you use that system.
• 🌸 Reduced Stress: Keeping your system simple can help reduce stress and anxiety. You don't have to worry about making everything look nice or having to hold yourself to a certain standard.
• 🗃 Better Record Keeping: A simple system makes it easier to keep track of important information and history. You can easily refer back to past notes, events, and appointments, making it easier to make informed decisions and track your progress over time.
• 🛖 Reduced complexity: Simple systems are often more user-friendly and easier to use, reducing the learning curve and making it easier to get started. This leads to less frustration and a more positive experience overall.

Conclusion

In conclusion, using one simple system to organise your life and plan can bring numerous benefits, including increased productivity, reduced stress, improved time management and improved decision making. Whether you use a digital tool or a paper planner, don't let yourself fall into the productivity loop. The important thing is to find a system that works for you and to stick to it, avoiding adding unnecessary features or complexities, reducing the number of systems you have to manage.