Declutter Your Productivity System in 2025
Alright, let’s keep it 100. My productivity system? It’s a hot mess. But that’s okay because it’s time for a serious reset, right? We’ve all been there—too many apps, too many planners, too much stuff. It’s like we get caught in the excitement of trying every new tool that promises to change our lives, but all it does is add to the chaos.
So, let’s strip it back to basics. By the end of this, you'll have a productivity system that actually works, and you won’t be drowning in a pile of apps and planners.
The Four Essentials of a Good Productivity System
Every good productivity system has four core components to keep you on top of your game:
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A place to capture ideas
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A way to manage your tasks
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A calendar
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A note-taking system
Sounds simple, right? Because it is. But let’s dig a little deeper so you can clean up that clutter and actually start crushing your to-dos.
Step 1: Make a List of All Your Tools
First, we need to get a handle on what you’re working with. I’m sure you’ve got more tools than you realize. Grab everything: planners, apps, notebooks, email inboxes—anything where you jot down stuff. This is like cleaning out your closet, babe. We’re tossing the unnecessary.
So, here’s what I’m working with:
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Learning Notebook
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Purse Planner
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Calendar App
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Notion
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Apple Notes
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Work Email Inbox
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Personal Email Inbox
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One Line a Day
Yeah, it’s a lot, right? But don’t worry—we’re gonna break it down into those four categories.
Step 2: Sort Your Tools Into Categories
Now that we know what we’re dealing with, it’s time to organize. Group your tools into four categories: capture, task manager, calendar, and notes. Some tools might fit in more than one category (mine do), but we’ll sort it out.
Here’s how I break it down:
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Planner: Capture & tasks
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Pocket Notebook: Capture & notes
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Calendar App: Calendar (duh)
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Notion: Notes and ideas
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Apple Notes: Capture & notes
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Work Email: Capture & tasks
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Personal Email: Capture & tasks
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Purse Planner: Notes and calendar
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Learning Notebook: Notes
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One Line a Day: Notes, journaling
Step 3: Clean Up Your Capture Method
Capture is all about grabbing those ideas before they vanish. Keep it quick and simple. Notebook, Notes app—whatever works in the moment. But seriously, don’t overcomplicate it with too many places to capture stuff.
For me, I stick to:
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Planner: Easy for jotting things down when I’m already using it.
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Apple Notes: Always with me, plus the search function is fire.
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Pocket Notebook: Only for journaling and personal notes when I’m out and about.
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Notion: Ideas and content creation.
So yeah, my go-to capture tools are my planner and Apple Notes. Done.
Step 4: Simplify Your Task Manager
Having your tasks spread out in 20 places? That’s where the chaos starts. Pick one place to store your tasks—everything should be in one spot. For me, it’s my planner. I brain-dump, organize, and keep it all in there. That’s how I keep my brain from losing its mind.
If you’ve got multiple roles (like work and personal), feel free to have separate task managers. But the goal is to keep it simple. Everything in one spot so you stay organized. Done.
Step 5: Keep Your Calendar Simple
Multiple calendars? Nope. Pick one system and stick with it. I use the Apple Calendar app. It syncs with everything—work, personal, Gmail. It’s my go-to for appointments, and it reminds me of everything, so I’m never late.
I also have a calendar in my planner, but it’s just a backup for reference.
Step 6: Keep Notes Simple Too
You don’t need a million places for notes. I stick with two types:
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Reference notes (Notion) – Stuff I’ll need later but not right now.
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Quick notes (Apple Notes) – Meeting notes, to-dos, things I need to check often.
Anything else? Gone. I’m moving any stray notes into Notion or Apple Notes.
Step 7: Ditch the Extras
Alright, it’s time to say goodbye to the stuff you’re not actually using. For me, that means deleting:
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Purse Planner
Less clutter = more clarity.
Step 8: Maintenance Routine
You’ve done the work, now don’t let it slide. Set a reminder to check in on your system weekly or monthly to keep it clean. This way, the weeds don’t start creeping back in.
And that’s it! Your productivity system is now sleek, simple, and ready for you to crush it.
If you’re ready to take this even further, let’s go! But for now—go crush it, and I’ll catch you in the next one. ✌️