Your Productivity System is Broken Because You're Using Mine

💡 This post is part of my ongoing Paradoxical Productivity series. (If you missed the earlier ones, you can catch them here.)

Without any delay, let's get into it!

I spent three years consuming every productivity book, YouTube video, and "morning routine of billionaires" thread I could find.

And you know what happened?

I became less productive.

Not because the advice was wrong, it's just that Tim Ferriss's 4-Hour Workweek doesn't translate when you're building a Salesforce consulting practice with demanding clients. Cal Newport's deep work blocks sound great until you're managing Field Service implementations across three time zones.

And those CEO morning routines? Yeah, they don't account for actual human life.

Here's what I finally figured out: productivity isn't about finding THE system. It's about building YOUR system.

And that system needs to embrace some seriously uncomfortable contradictions.

The Paradox Problem about THE SYSTEM

We're taught to think in binaries. You're either structured OR flexible. You work hard OR rest. You're disciplined OR free.

But that's bullshit.

The most productive people I know, the ones shipping Agentforce implementations while writing newsletters and still making it to their kids' soccer games—they've figured out something crucial: opposing ideas can work together.

I call it the productivity paradox, and once you see it, you can't unsee it.

Balancing chaos and control - The Productivity Paradox visualised through real, everyday moments of work, rest, and rhythm.

Seven Paradoxes I Actually Use

Let me be straight with you. These aren't theories. These are the contradictions I've built into my actual workflow:

1. Flexible Structure: I block my calendar religiously (Structure), but I constantly adjust the blocks (flexibility). Monday's deep work might become Tuesday's if a client emergency hits. The Structure exists so I can flex without guilt.

   
   

2. Work-Rest Synergy: I work intensely in 90-minute blocks, then completely disconnect. No "checking Slack real quick." When I'm working, I'm all in; when I'm resting, the same energy is present. It turns out that working half the day is the real productivity killer.

   
   

3. Process Over Outcome: I stopped setting "launch X by Y date" goals. Now I commit to processes: "Build for 2 hours every Tuesday/Thursday." The launches happen anyway, but I'm not constantly stressed about the finish line.

   
   

4. Discipline = Freedom: This one initially gave me a headache. However, establishing strict morning habits (the same wake time and review routine) eliminated decision fatigue. Now I have MORE freedom because I'm not constantly deciding what to do next.

   
   

5. Less is More: I cut my active projects from 8 to 3. My output quality doubled. I'm saying no to 60% of opportunities now, and it's the best decision I've made.

   
   

6. Embrace Contradiction: When I'm torn between sticking with what works and trying something new, I do both, just in smaller doses. Keep 80% of the existing system, experiment with 20% new. This killed my analysis paralysis.

   
   

7. Consistency Over Perfection: Showing up at 70% every day beats waiting for perfect conditions that never come. My newsletter isn't always brilliant, but it ships every week. That consistency compounds.

How to Build Your Own Formula (The 8-Step Process)

Okay, so how do you actually implement this without another "I'll start Monday" false start?

Here's what worked for me:

Step 1: Self-Audit (Brutal Honesty Required): List everything you do in a typical week. Mark what actually moves the needle vs. what feels productive. I discovered I was spending 12 hours/week in meetings that could've been async updates.

Step 2: Pick 2-3 Focus Areas - Don't try to fix everything. I started with: (1) Better work-rest boundaries, (2) Process over outcome mindset, (3) Cutting projects.

Step 3: Design Small Experiments - Not "I'll completely overhaul my life." Try: "For the next 2 weeks, I'll stop work at 6 pm and observe if my next-day output changes." Make it specific and time-boxed.

Step 4: Track Results - I keep a stupid-simple notes file: Date → What I tried → How I felt → What happened. After two weeks, patterns emerge. (Spoiler: I was more creative after enforcing hard stops.)

Step 5: Iterate - Keep what works, modify what doesn't. My initial "no meetings Wednesdays" was too ambitious, so I scaled to "no meetings Wednesday afternoons." Still helpful, actually sustainable.

Step 6: Find Your People - I began sharing experiments with two fellow members. We compare notes monthly. Having witnesses makes you more likely to follow through.

Step 7: Solidify What Sticks - After three months, some experiments have become habits. The 90-minute work blocks? Now automatic via calendar blocking.

Step 8: Schedule Maintenance - Every quarter, I re-audit the process to ensure it remains effective. Life changes. Your system should, too. When I started managing a team, I needed to add new paradoxes (hands-on vs. delegating).

The Real Shift

Here's the thing nobody tells you: the goal isn't finding the perfect productivity system. It's developing the skill of adaptation.

Once you internalise that contradictions can coexist, you stop looking for THE answer. You start asking better questions:

• "What's working this month?"

• "What needs adjustment?"

• "Which paradox am I ignoring?"

I've been in this practice for three years now. My system today bears little resemblance to the one I had in 2022. And that's precisely the point.

Your Move

Verify: Productivity research evolves constantly; check for updated studies on deep work, rest cycles, and cognitive load if implementing these principles.

Start small. Pick ONE paradox that resonates. Design a 2-week experiment. Track what happens.

I'm genuinely curious—which paradox are you most sceptical about? Drop a comment. I love hearing what sounds like complete nonsense to people before they try it.

TL;DR: Stop following productivity gurus. Build your own system by embracing paradoxes, running small experiments, and iterating based on what actually works for YOUR life. Structure + flexibility + discipline + rest + fewer projects done better = a formula you'll actually stick to.

P.S. If you found this helpful, I write about Salesforce, AI tools, and productivity stuff that actually works: no fluff, no generic advice, just real experiences from the trenches. For more information, please visit my website's home page and subscribe. Thank you for reading this.

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