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Comment by helboi4 | Hacker News Reader

The most consistently productive I've been was using the most stripped down physical bullet journal I could. I needed to write things to organise my thoughts a bit but other than that, anything else was literally a distraction and not a system. Basic, basic, bullet journalling and google calendar reminding me of events. That's all I actually need. The only thing holding me back is my brain refusing to use these things consistently these days and avoiding work.

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> That's all I actually need.

This is key; understand what works for you personally. There's plenty of workflows and frameworks out there that would rather tell you what they think you need, which is the trap most of us end up falling into.

Good on you for listening to yourself.

If your brain is refusing, maybe they aren't all you actually need? There are processes and systems that help me, as an ADHD individual, trick my brain into not refusing.

It worked for like a year. What stopped the streak was COVID. I also recently got an ADHD diagnosis. Things that help with that thus far is morning excercise, cold showers, a deadly cocktail of caffiene and nicotine, and yeah bullet journalling was literally made by an ADHD guy. The system only works if you use it. And the only issue with bullet journalling is keeping the habit of using it. I don't see how that would be easier with any other system. If anything, the simplicity of it allows it to be less overwhelming to force myself to do. My other tactic is forcing myself to only care about work and have no hobbies. That really works and is the only way for me to unlock hyperfocus on work activities, because usually I cannot stand work in any form. But just doesn't seem healthy. Either way, there ain't no app that can help the fact that I am pathologically adverse to habits and consistent work on one thing. But we'll see when I get coaching if they come up with anything magical. All I'm hoping from coaching is that I feel accountability from discussing my systems to keep my systems (bujo and excercising pretty much) running. I don't want app recommendations.

I certainly wasn't going to offer any app recommendations. Honestly, I don't use any apps either. Other than a very strict calendar overall. I don't bullet journal explicitly, but I do something similar. I use built-in notes that sync to the cloud, nothing special. A paper notebook would work equally well.

So yeah I think we're on the same page - simple notes is best. Anything else is overwhelming and triggers that ADHD urge to plan and fantasise and make overly large perfectionist plans without following through.

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