Thread by @rjnestor

Twice in my life I’ve SUDDENLY started getting more work accomplished:

First was 2014 when I read #GTD and implemented it in @todoist.

Second was 2020 when I moved into my Tool for Thought (TfT) of choice, @RoamResearch.

Here’s why I use a TfT as the spine of my work:

1. You have to explore a project before you can list its tasks

—and that’s far easier to do in your TfT than in a dedicated task app.

You have to know the territory before you draw up the map, and you can do BOTH in a TfT.

2. It’s easier to timeblock clusters of related tasks

Some task apps allow this. But TfTs give you far more flexibility in how you structure those clusters.

My Agenda is the “last mile” from HAVING a list to EXECUTING it, and that’s effortless in my TfT.

3. I can link my tasks to related work

Task apps let me list tasks, maybe add a comment here or there.

But TfTs give me the power to interweave tasks with links to related work—or even to the work itself! That makes it far easier to gather materials and find past work.

4. You can build your kitchen AND cook your meal

Task apps let you cook your productivity meal.

TfTs let you customize the kitchen, too. Choose your appliances, cookware, knives, recipes, ingredients. Everything.

It’s more work at first, but the investment pays off BIG time.

“Invest time & effort up front to make future work easier”
—Me

I once spent 50+ hours building a music-practicing site for my church choir—but in the 13 years since, I’ve saved THOUSANDS of hours not having to make weekly recordings.

If that sounds like something YOU would do…

Cohort Five of AP Productivity launches July 8!

Over eight weeks, I’ll help you build a reliable, tailormade productivity system using your favorite TfT (@RoamResearch, @obsdmd, @amplenote, etc.) as the spine.

The 15% Early Bird discount still applies!

rjn.st/ap-productivit…