Don't design the perfect system before using it

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Response to @Yard, My Perspective of the New Note-Taking Software

Context: working on Notion and doing more 'systems building' and dashboard customization than actually working or writing in it.

"But I got caught just consuming content about the app and customizing my dashboard. It distracted me from doing actual work."

Designing the perfect system

I previously wrote about trying to get the perfect system up before using it here.

Likewise, I once fell into this trap as well. I took time to build a complex system and over time found that it did not necessarily fulfil all of my current needs, and the complexity added extra friction to my use of the system. It eventually got to the point where I stopped using it as it was getting in the way of me getting stuff done.

What I find works best is to keep it simple and expand or modify your system as required. Our needs and wants are ever-changing and past self can never predict what future self wants a week, month, or year later. Less time spent now building a “perfect” system that future self finds problematic is time saved. What's more important is that you're using it consistently and that it brings values to your life.