I am a perfect example of type A. Calendars, to-do lists and any form of organization brings out this strange excitement in me. If you too get excited by new day planners and schedules then this blog will probably resonate with you. If you’re reading this and already think I am crazy, I am sorry, it gets worse before it gets better.

The other day I was browsing through one of my Facebook groups and saw a thread about people’s favorite project management and organization apps/programs. Of course, I excitedly read through all the comments and looked up all the different platforms.

I started downloading them and trying them and realized, I am doing it again. I am making the planning more complicated then the task. Don’t get me wrong, organization is extremely necessary in a business but sometimes these platforms can actually overcomplicate things rather than simplify.

I tend to go through this endless cycle of downloading and purchasing programs, organizing everything in it and then eventually getting tired of spending the time using the program and going back to my old school method of a prioritized pen and paper to-do list.

There is something so satisfying about physically writing down a task and crossing it off when it’s done. And yes, I am one of those people who writes the task down after it’s done just so I can cross it off.

So what am I trying to say?

Don’t over complicate and overwhelm yourself. Entrepreneurs are constantly being marketed to for the next greatest productivity tool. Yes, they can be helpful but majority of the time they are not needed. I have tried countless platforms myself and usually don’t stick with them because in reality there are very few that actually make my life easier, which is the whole purpose of them, right?

Time is money and everything you do and put in to your business should be maximizing your time (and money). Staying organized is important but shouldn’t cost you either one of these things. The most effective way that I stay organized is truly a simple to do list. I have one master to do list with all my tasks and each day I write down a separate list of prioritized tasks so I stay on track and meet deadlines. That’s it.

This concept doesn’t just apply to productivity and organization but it applies to everything, especially in business. Keep it simple. It is so easy to over complicate things with all of the platforms, products and tools out there but in my opinion, the more basic and simple you stay, the more productive you will actually be!