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+---
+template:
+slug: bujo
+title: The quest to optimize productivity
+subtitle: This blog is devolving into a techbro cliché
+date: 2021-11-04
+---
+
+Us folks in tech have this general obsession with productivity. It's all
+about getting the workflow _just right_. Or at least, that's the goal.
+Heck, there are entire companies built around optimizing productivity in
+specific workflows -- email, notes, tasks, etc. Suffice to say, there's
+a lot of activity in this space.
+
+I've heard reports of varying degrees of success with these tools, from
+"OMG it like, totally changed how I take notes!", to "I'm not sure it's
+worth paying $30 per month for a mail client" (yeah, you know the
+one)[^1]. However, I will never use these tools. Primarily because I
+don't trust them -- I don't trust them with my data; more importantly, I
+don't trust them to exist long enough before they decide to thank me for
+their incredible journey and "sunset" their product.
+
+[^1]: In case you didn't, I'm talking about Superhuman.
+
+That said, I wasn't entirely opposed to digital solutions. I tried
+a method called the OBTF, or the One Big Text File. It's what it says on
+the tin: a single text file to manage everything -- tasks, email,
+meetings, notes, habit tracking, etc. Its effectiveness relies on your
+text editor's ability to search for things. I even came up with my own
+"syntax" to help accelerate finding relevant bits. It looked like so:
+
+```
+wed, 03 nov
+
+some task here  // DONE
+another task here
+a note here
+meet foo @ 12:30  // CANCELLED
+```
+
+I don't exactly recall why I stopped doing it, but I did. Maybe because
+I tried to do way too many things all at once. It also meant I needed to
+be at my computer to update tasks -- some of which were offline/IRL.
+Yeah, you can see where this is going. You probably guessed it from the
+post slug. That's right -- bullet journaling. Well, sort of -- let me
+explain.
+
+The [bullet journal method](https://youtu.be/fm15cmYU0IM) is a somewhat
+involved process. I recommend watching the video since I'm going to skip
+explaining how bullet journaling works. The method I use draws
+inspiration from bullet journaling -- but just mostly the task symbols
+and daily/weekly logs. These are the symbols I use:
+
+- `•` is a new task
+- `×` is a completed task
+- `>` is a task that's been carried forward
+- `~strikethrough~` is a cancelled task
+- `-` represents a note
+
+And somewhat less commonly, `⊙` (a circled dot) to scribble a small note
+pertaining to that task, i.e. reason for cancellation, delegation, etc.
+Tasks are sometimes broken down into further subtasks represented as a
+checkbox `□`. Ticking off a checkbox feels great.
+
+Tasks are grouped under a weekly list, running from Monday to Sunday. I
+had previously done daily lists, but that... didn't really work out.
+Here's what happened:
+
+```
+mon, 01 nov
+> long task here
+× something else
+
+tue, 02 nov
+> long task here
+
+wed, 03 nov
+> long task here
+
+...
+```
+
+See the problem? Most often, my tasks tend to span an entire week. While
+I could theoretically break it down into subtasks, stuff like "Write an
+RFC for Foo Service" are just that. It's a big task, and I can't really
+break it down. Hence, the running weekly log.
+
+I can't go without posting what it actually looks like in my notebook;
+so here, have a FOIA-declassified-looking picture of my bullet journal.
+
+![bullet journal](https://x.icyphox.sh/QzrdK.jpeg)
+
+This was when I first attempted the weekly log. Evidently, I struggled
+to compute dates accurately.  And yes, "rice acme" was a task -- one
+that I promptly completed, I'll have you know. 
+
+I use a pencil to write.  There's no real reason for it, but I started
+the book with a pencil and I plan to continue with it until I finsh this
+notebook -- there's still about half of it left. I plan to cop a dotgrid
+notebook for my next one, and start using a pen.
+
+![notebook with sticker](https://x.icyphox.sh/0psb8.jpeg)
+
+At first I was sceptical. I didn't think I'd stick to it. But hey, looks
+like I did. I've been using my bullet journal spinoff method to great
+success for the past 6-odd months. Have I become more productive? I
+don't know, but I can confidently state that my head has become
+"lighter". I no longer have to _remember_ tasks; I can simply offload
+them to my journal.
+
+I think the key to making it work was the realization that it's not
+"perfect". I put perfect in quotes because I had this notion of an
+all-in-one, flawless productivity tool that'll take care of everything,
+from anywhere. I then embraced the fact that some tasks don't really
+need noting down and it's ok to _not follow the rules_. I guess what I'm
+trying to say is -- don't force it; use the journal loosely.
+
+No self-help-productivity-bullshit-post is complete without a list of
+tips, so here it is:
+
+- Make it your own. Don't attempt to shoehorn someone else's solution.
+- Don't try to manage everything -- that hardly ever works.
+- Don't over optimize. Task states don't need 20 different symbols. Keep
+  it simple.
+- It doesn't have to be an art project[^2]. I know mine isn't. Keep it
+  functional.
+
+[^2]: I'm looking at you,
+    [r/bulletjournal](https://old.reddit.com/r/bulletjournal).
+
+Okay, this self-help-productivity-bullshit-post is now complete.