Early in my career, I fell for the same trap that many builders, makers, and creatives do. I thought if I could just find the right system—the perfect productivity method, the best note-taking framework, the ultimate project management tool—I could finally get a handle on the chaos.
Instead, what I found was this: most systems promised clarity, but delivered maintenance work. I was doing more to keep the system running than I was to move my projects forward.
The harder I worked to stay organized, the more I felt like I was just reorganizing deck chairs on the Titanic.
Today, I don’t struggle with that problem as much.
Here are 5 hard-won lessons that I’ve learned about using systems to stay organized while making and building things—and what I use now to stay focused and make progress on what matters most.
The Illusion of Control
For me, breaking the cycle started with asking myself a direct question: As a maker and creative, what drove me to create and use these elaborate, counterproductive systems in the first place?
In a word: clarity.
I want peace of mind, confidence, and a sense of direction. A good system should give me those things—a calm clarity about what matters, where my work is headed, and how to get there.
But in practice, many systems only simulate control. They give me a framework, a taxonomy, a dashboard—but they don’t help me actually prioritize, reflect, or navigate.
I used PARA. I tried Zettelkasten. I even implemented Agile-style backlogs for personal projects. What I found, over and over again, was that I was structuring my work around the needs of the system, instead of the needs of the project. And while it felt good to get organized, it didn’t get me closer to meaningful outcomes.
Lesson 1
The sign of how well a system works is not how it makes me feel when I’m setting it up, it’s how it makes me feel when I’m using it day to day.
The System Became the Work
A few months into using Zettelkasten, I realized I couldn’t find anything. Not because the notes weren’t there, but because the relationships between them were so abstract that I had to build “maps” just to navigate my own archive.
Then I had to maintain those maps.
And suddenly, I’d built a second-order system just to use the first.
With PARA, the line between “Projects” and “Areas” never made intuitive sense to me. Every time I wanted to file something, I found myself interpreting—and reinterpreting—the system’s logic.
It was no longer a tool—it was a puzzle.
And with to-do lists and apps? I would regularly find buried task groups or forgotten notes weeks later, full of good ideas that now felt disconnected from the work. Reinventing the wheel became a common theme. The system wasn’t saving me time—it was hiding the work I’d already done.
Lesson 2
If I have to start hacking a system to make it work, maybe that’s not the best sign.
Tool Churn and Setup Obsession
I didn’t just switch tools because I was bored. I switched tools because I sensed—accurately—that the current one wasn’t doing the job. But instead of adjusting my goals or my approach, I rebuilt. I optimized. I tinkered.
There’s a kind of emotional payoff to setting up the “perfect” system. It feels productive. It feels like I’m getting organized, preparing to do great things. But often, it’s just procrastination in disguise.
True systems don’t need constant updates. Think of a nail. The design hasn’t changed in centuries because it just works. My system doesn’t have to be clever—it has to be invisible.
The moment I’m maintaining my tools more than I’m using them, I’ve lost the plot.
Lesson 3
If the system really worked, I wouldn’t need a new one.
False Signals of Progress
There’s a particular kind of satisfaction that comes from checking off tasks. But not all tasks are created equal.
Organizing your project isn’t the same as doing your project. Meetings about work aren’t the same as actual work. Labeling, color-coding, refiling—these can all be useful in moderation. But they can also become a form of productivity theater.
The difference? Simple: Did this task move me closer to my stated goal?
That’s the question I return to constantly. If the answer is no, then it might not have been real progress. It might have just been motion.
Lesson 4
Productivity only equals progress if it moves me towards my stated goal. Otherwise, it’s theater.
Pressure to Be Productive
Hustle culture has convinced us that every hour must be productive. That if you’re not always busy, you’re falling behind.
I’ve learned that being constantly busy doesn’t guarantee I’m actually achieving anything. It just means I’m running.
I had to learn that free time wasn’t a failure—it was a signal that the system was working. That my tools, my processes, and my attention were aligned enough to give me time back.
Over time, I started to think of work more like fitness. I need a balance of tension and rest. Overtraining—whether it’s in the gym or in my productivity system—just leads to breakdown and burnout.
Lesson 5
If I complete all my work faster than I thought I could (and get time back) that means my system actually did its job.
A More Human(e) System
The system I ended up building from these lessons is called The Drift Method (or just ~drift) and it works with my momentum, not against it.
At any given moment, I’m channeling energy into a “flow”—a focused effort with a specific direction. Each flow has:
- Steps (tasks and actions)
- Notes (ideas, jots, and logs)
- Kits (tools and resources)
- Views (reflection points)
The core idea is this: First, get your orientation right. Then build and trust in the momentum.
It’s like launching a satellite or sailing a ship. So long as you’re pointed in the right direction, reaching your destination becomes an eventuality given sufficient effort. Even if you need to dial back the engines for a bit (and go with the flow) you’re still drifting towards your goal.
Drift isn’t about being a machine. It’s about being human, doing meaningful work, and then going and enjoying my life.
99.9% of the time it’s just enough scaffolding to keep me moving without slowing me down.
Conclusion: Your Turn
If you’re stuck in productivity mode, try this.
For the next few days, every time you start a task, ask yourself:
Is this moving me toward my stated goal?
If you don’t have a clear goal yet, great—you’ve found the first step.
Refine your goals. Reorient yourself. Let the rest fall away. You’ll be surprised how much of your “productivity” was just spinning your wheels.
Make fewer moves. Make better moves. And then go do whatever you want with the time you get back.
Try The Drift Method
The Drift Method is open and adaptable. There’s no one way to use it—just principles and a system to help you move forward.
🔹 Learn more — Take a look at the Drift Method resources on the website.
🔹 Start using The Drift Method today — Get the free Starter Guide, or set up in minutes with the Notion Kit.
Here’s to letting your work flow.