#### Productivity tools are a crutch for those lacking skill in the work to feel as if they are achieving results rather than just playing with kanban cards --- A good analogy would be a brawler and an *aikido* master. The brawler just launches at the master with abandon and 'maximum pressure' where as the aikido master calmly relies on skill to know where and when to strike with the appropriate amount of pressure for maximum effect with minimal effort. Many believe that you need a lot of bells & whistles to achieve results and complete work under conditions of **Maximum Productivity** but in reality you could just as easily get more done with a simpler and less distracting and involved method such as a paper check list written in pencil than a super involved kanban board / Gantt chart system. > The tools we use shape our thinking > -- [[@Nick Milo]] Many use tools to overcome their shortcomings in skill, when in reality what they need is to master their craft and use only the most essential things that have measurable results and no more. Applied to my own habits and practices, i strive to use software and tools that help me make measurable progress and produce output. If something is just a shiny new tool/workflow and doesn't help me actually achieve results then it is a useless distraction to me. Just like how i couldn't get into Notion as it was just a distraction with its configuration. The tool needs to inspire actual results from its uses like [[Z/Obsidian]]. --- Tags: [[Productivity]] - [[Task Management]] - [[Skill]] - [[Expertise]] - [[Knowledge]] - [[Efficiency]] References: [[( 2020-10-11 Why your productivity tools are making you less productive]] Related: - [[Simplicity of structure allows complexity of content]] - [[A well established environment makes reliance on self control discipline and willpower unnecessary]]