In Defense Of Simplicity (Why To-Do Tools Suck)
“You can’t believe how hard it is for people to be simple, how much they fear being simple. They worry that if they’re simple, people will think they’re simple-minded. In reality, of course, it’s just the reverse. Clear, tough- minded people are the most simple.”
I love looking down at my brown pocket-sized book and knowing that my dreams have a plan. It gives me a quiet confidence that anything is possible. It serves as a daily visual reminder of what it is I want to accomplish that day (and with my life).
Using pen and paper is laughable in a technology-crazed society. It seems archaic and pointless when you could capture it digitally. It lacks the sexiness of a polished app and it sure as hell doesn't benefit from AI.
Yet these are all the reasons why I prefer pen and paper for my daily, weekly and quarterly planning. Complexity is the enemy of execution. The more hoops you have to jump through to do what it is you want to do, the less likely it is you'll do it.
Keep it simple. Don't start with tools, begin with ideas. Build backwards from what it is you want to create. Most of us don't need elaborate setups to control the important things in our lives. We need simplicity that keeps our priorities clear and aligned with what's most important to us.
The less is more approach feels magical. You realize that for 99% of the things you're doing on a day-to-day basis you don't need complex tools. You're not planning the colonization of Mars and a Costco run because you're running dangerously low on Cheez-It crackers. You seek out tools appropriate for the project.
Many of us struggle because we default to believing the smart decision is the technology-based one. But unless it's making our lives easier (and better), is it really the best decision?
You can jump in a 1959 Volvo or a 2021 Tesla and you're strapping yourself in with the same three-point seat belt.
Why? Because it works.
Simple things can be life-saving effective. Hell, a seat belt reduces the risk of death and serious injury by nearly half. But here's the catch (no pun intended), it only works if you use it.
I've tried every app and system imaginable for planning my life and I always come back to my trusty pocket-sized book. It's simple. And it does the job it's meant to do without all the bells and whistles that make most tools complicated and a pain in the ass to manage.
But the most important thing of all?
The simplicity of the design means I use it every damn day. After all, isn't this the only thing that matters? Tools only work if you use them.
