Today I want to talk to you about a topic that’s been a roller coaster in my life: personal productivity.
Between courses, books, and YouTube, we hear a thousand times about systems like GTD (Getting Things Done), PARA, Zettelkasten, Time Blocking, and many others. But the real struggle is certainly not knowing they exist, but making them work.
What are GTD and PARA, and why is everyone talking about them?
GTD, created by David Allen, is a method built on a very powerful idea:
Your mind is for having ideas, not for holding them.
In GTD, everything starts by capturing EVERYTHING outside your head—into lists, inboxes, or digital tools—and then processing and organizing it into clear actions.
PARA, by Tiago Forte, is more modern and minimalist:
Organize all your information into four areas: Projects, Areas, Resources, Archives.
This way, instead of getting lost in a sea of folders or endless lists, you know exactly where to store and where to find anything.
- Projects: everything with a goal and a deadline (e.g., launch your website, finish your thesis).
- Areas: everything you maintain continuously (e.g., health, finances, relationships).
- Resources: reference material for when you need it (e.g., articles, courses, templates).
- Archives: things completed or no longer relevant that you still want to keep.
Does real productivity come from using a perfect system?
At least in my experience, what I can tell you is no.
What makes the difference isn’t using Notion, Keep Notes, Obsidian, or the prettiest tool in the world.
What matters is having a system (even an ugly one) that gets things out of your head and lets you clearly see what to do next.
Because in the end, being productive isn’t doing more things. It’s doing better the things that truly matter.
So if you’re starting out or want to improve your workflow:
- Start small: A notebook, a simple app—whatever you can maintain.
- Refine over time: Don’t marry a method. Steal what works for you from each one.
- Remember that productivity is not an end. It’s a means to live better.
Because at the end of the day, what matters isn’t being more productive… it’s being freer.
See you in the next post!
