The problem with productivity apps and PKMs like Notion and Obsidian
by Parker · 43 things on Twos
- Your solution to shiny app syndrome
- Every day, a new productivity app pops up promising to make you more productive and smarter so you can work better.
- A lot of this is due to the progress of technology and the interest of people to reach peak efficiency.
- Although, there is a major problem with the productivity and the PKM ecosystem, and if you’ve ever heard of 'shiny app syndrome' you may relate.
- The current state of productivity apps and PKMs
- Fueled by the flexibility of products like Notion and Obsidian, there are endless ways for you to set up systems that are supposed to make you more productive.
- You can set up databases and dashboards, use templates and create your own, and create networks of backlinks and research.
- New tools, like Capacities, AnyType, and now Craft, use objects with parameters and have advanced filters to find things.
- Now, we sit on the horizon of artificial intelligence, where every tool tries to leverage AI in similar, and unique ways, to bring in new insights, improve our systems, and make us even more productive.
- So, what is the problem?
- The problem: is this all really necessary?
- After having been involved in this space for many years, I hear a lot of people talk about how they've tried every tool out there and how they are always searching for a better one that fits them perfectly.
- The endless options of tools create FOMO for not trying a new tool without knowing why they want to use it in the first place.
- You spend time learning new programs, setting up new systems, and transferring data between platforms, rather than doing the work the you truly care about.
- What's the solution?
- The answer to this endless search and feeling of FOMO is to understand yourself. Understand what you really want and need.
- Ask yourself: What are your goals? What matters to you? What is going to make you happy?
- I built 7 Levels Deep which helps people discover their why
- I built Müse which helps people reflect daily
- The answers to these questions probably aren't to try the newest PKM system or productivity app.
- They are tools because they help you achieve a greater goal for your life in a more efficient way.
- You probably don't need someone else's template or routine that they don't even use to live your best life.
- Step one is to get clear on your goals. You'll have an intentional direction for your life which will reduce confusion, free up time, and improve your productivity knowing what to focus on.
- What I do
- When I was in college, I spent a lot of time asking myself questions like what I care about, what my goals are, and what I want to do with my life.
- What I learned was getting clear on what I wanted and chasing my goals made me happy. Listening to what other people thought I should do and trying to make them happy made me feel sad and empty.
- So for me, productivity comes through learning about myself and the world, figuring out what I want to do, and pursuing those things.
- I tried a few tools that helped me gain clarity and stay organized like Google Docs, Trello, Apple Notes, Evernote, and notebooks, but none of them were as quick and organized as I wanted.
- I wanted a tool that would help me write and think, remember and revisit things I had learned and experienced, and also helped me share and connect with other people.
- So I built that.
- What I built
- For the past 8 years, I've been building Twos, a place to write, remember, and share *things*.
- Nothing was quick and easy enough for me to quickly capture and organize ideas so Twos has a daily list to simply to write *things* down when I learn something or have something come to mind.
- Nothing helped me revisit and find notes easily so Twos has features like memories, review, and a powerful search function to find what I am looking for in the future.
- Nothing allowed me to easily share just the *things* I was comfortable sharing, so Twos has a social side called Twos World to facilitate sharing and connecting with other people.
- Every day, this tool helps me clarify my thinking, work more efficiently, and accomplish my goals.
- What you should do
- I'm not writing this to suggest Twos is the only option for you to accomplish your goals.
- What I'm saying is rather than getting caught up in the noise of the productivity app and PKM space, get clear on what you want and what you care about.
- Once you know what you want, you can pick the tools that will help you get there rather than using tools just because you see other people using them.
- You want the simplest system to accomplish your goals so you can save your time and energy for what really matters.
- Ask yourself what you want and need and then go do it.
- Thank you for reading and Happy Twosday ✌️