Productivity tools won't save you

There’s an episode in American Dad where Roger decides to become a writer.

First, he heads to a coffee shop to write but can’t settle down. He switches tables, thinking another spot might be better for inspiration.

When that doesn’t work, he blames the computer for being too small. Then he gets a bigger computer but complains the chair is too low.

He "adjusts the chair height" to get more comfortable, sits down, and—finally ready—realizes the computer might now be too big.

The scene is a funny but painfully accurate reminder of a common issue: we often avoid doing the work by obsessing over our tools.

My obsession with productivity tools began at a young age. I was a shy, introverted kid who spent a lot of time indoors reading.

My dad had a lot of books, and eventually, I found the world of self-help books. They gave me the idea that I could take control of my life—that by improving myself, I could improve my circumstances.

Motivated by that, I pursued different goals over the years. One of those goals was to become a screenwriter.

I had spent much of my childhood writing fiction—short stories, novels, poetry, drama—but abandoned it when I went to university. Still, I felt drawn to it, so I decided to pursue it.

And, as always, I started with setting up the tools I’d need for the job.

This time, it was Notion.

I created a perfect new workspace—pages to store ideas, links to resources, and organized dashboards. It felt great to set up this system that, I believed, would finally help me achieve my screenwriting dream.

Everything was ready.

But when I sat down to write each morning, I couldn’t. I felt a nagging discomfort as I stared at the blank screen.

This pattern showed up in other areas of my life too. I’d spend hours planning, setting up tools, and optimizing my workspace.

It felt good—like I was making progress. But when it came time to actually do the work, it didn’t feel as great.

This became a recurring cycle:

• Discover a new system or tool and feel excited about the potential.
• Rearrange my setup and implement the system.
• Experience discomfort doing the actual work.
• Lose steam, blame the tool, and search for a new one.

I kept thinking, “I just haven’t found the right tool yet.”

But the real problem wasn’t the tool, it was me avoiding the discomfort of doing the work.

Planning, optimizing, and organizing can become sophisticated ways to procrastinate.

We convince ourselves we’re preparing, but we’re really avoiding the uncomfortable reality of doing the work.

This discomfort shows up in different ways, and it’s important to recognize what kind you’re facing.

Initial friction

There’s always some resistance when you start working on something. It’s like getting an object from rest into motion; it takes more effort to start, but once it’s moving, it flows.

Every morning when I sit down to write, I still feel that initial resistance. The first few lines are rough, but I keep going. Eventually, I find my flow.

This initial push is always gritty and uncomfortable, but it’s an unavoidable part of the process.

Fear of failure

Perfectionism can stop you from starting. If you’re worried your work won’t be good enough, you’ll hesitate.

The solution I’ve found is in embracing the shitty first draft.

The first version of anything will be bad—and that’s okay. Pour it out on the page without critique. You can refine it later.

Don’t procrastinate because you feel it’ll be messy, all great things start that way.

Working on the wrong thing

Not all discomfort is productive. Sometimes it’s a signal you’re working on the wrong thing.

If you’ve pushed through the initial friction and let go of perfectionism, but the discomfort still lingers, it’s often a sign you’re working on the wrong thing.

If you never reach flow state, the discomfort won’t go away—it will grow into frustration, so it’s worth taking the time to find work that puts you in flow.

Start with the work

The obsession with finding the perfect productivity system will only hold you back.

Productivity authors and influencers promise magic fixes—systems that will change your life overnight.

It’s comforting to think, “I’m not avoiding the work. I just need the right system.”

But it’s a myth.

The way out of the cycle is to start with the work itself. Don’t obsess over systems or tools. Get going—if you want to create, start creating.

The best productivity system is the one that works for you. It’s something you tape together yourself, based on how you work. It doesn’t come from forcing your workflow into someone else’s template.

When you’ve done the work long enough, you’ll start to notice patterns. You’ll naturally adapt tools and systems to make your process easier. But those systems come after doing the work, not before.

The work comes first. Everything else follows.