My brain works like an action movie with no pause button. No clear story, no control, and just when things start to make sense—BAM! A sudden cut to something completely different.

One moment, I’m focused, working hard. The next?

Oh wow, did you know ancient Romans made concrete that still exists today?
Wait, wasn’t I supposed to answer an email?
Oh, I should set a reminder for that. But which app? Maybe I should try a new one. Let me check…
Wait. What was I doing?

And just like that, 30 minutes disappear. I’m holding a coffee I don’t remember making, sitting in front of a completely different task than the one I started.

The Productivity Toolbox: Everything I Tried (and Why It Didn’t Work)

I’ve tested every productivity method I could find.

  • Post-it Notes? Great—until my desk looks like a detective’s crime board.
  • Timers? Useful—if I remember I set them.
  • To-do lists? I write them, I admire them… I never check them again.
  • Productivity apps? I collect them like Pokémon. I have five for tasks, two for time tracking, and one for notes. But guess what? None work if I forget to open them.
  • Pomodoro? Nice idea—except I either ignore the timer or focus so much I forget time exists.

I’ve heard all the usual advice:
“Just choose your priorities!” But everything feels important.
“Use reminders!” Great idea—if I remember to set them.
“Have you tried digital planners?” Yes. I lost track of them too.

It’s not that I don’t try. I do. But my brain doesn’t follow the rules.

And yet… I still get things done.

How I Actually Get Work Done

I stopped looking for one perfect system—because it doesn’t exist. Instead, I use a mix of simple tricks and mental hacks to keep myself productive.

  • One task at a time. Multitasking? I quit that. If I try doing two things at once, I end up finishing nothing.
  • Writing everything down. My memory is unreliable, so I put everything in Notion, on sticky notes, in alarms—anywhere my future self might find it.
  • The Two-Minute Rule. If something takes less than two minutes, I do it right away. Otherwise, it disappears into “I’ll do it later” (which means never).
  • Multiple timers. Since I forget I set a timer, I use two or three different ones. Sometimes, I even ask someone to remind me that I set a timer!
  • Using my deep focus. When my brain decides something is THE MOST IMPORTANT TASK IN THE WORLD, I just go with it—even if it wasn’t planned.

But the most important thing?

I Work With My Brain, Not Against It

I stopped trying to use systems made for other people. I can’t force focus, but I can catch it when it happens.

If I suddenly get super focused on a task, I don’t stop. If my brain jumps between ideas, I write them all down and organize them later.

My productivity is not straightforward. It moves in all directions. And that’s okay.

The Tools That (Sometimes) Help

  • Notion: My digital brain dump. If I don’t remember where I wrote something, it’s probably in Notion.
  • Post-it Notes: Old-school but effective. I put them on my desk, my monitor, my wallet—everywhere.
  • Timers (Lots of Them): On my phone, laptop, and smartwatch. At least one might help me.
  • Single-tasking mode: One window. One tab. One job. If I open a second tab, it means I need to do it later.
  • Solid Starts: Yes, even for feeding my son. Because focus problems don’t take a break when you’re a parent.

The Takeaway

Yes, my brain is chaotic. Yes, I sometimes open a new tab and forget why. Yes, I have a small collection of abandoned productivity tools.

But at the end of the day? I get things done.

Not in a straight line. Not in a perfect way. But in my way.

Because sometimes, thinking differently is what helps you find better solutions.

So if you ever see me staring at the screen, just know:

  • I might be solving a complicated problem…
  • …or I might have forgotten what I was doing.

Either way, I’ll figure it out.