Do Fewer Things, Do Them Well
A Room of My Own
The author reflects on the challenge of focusing on meaningful tasks instead of getting distracted by minor activities. Despite efforts to streamline their life and work, they continue to struggle with overthinking and unnecessary obligations. They question the value of blogging as a productive outlet and consider simplifying their digital life to prioritize more significant pursuits.
7 Feb 2025
At 47 years old, I still wrestle with these questions. I know people who never care about the things I obsess over—like whether to use Notion, Obsidian, or Bear for their notes. Honestly, most people don’t even talk about stuff like this.
Still, I’m fascinated by how people organize themselves. At work, I’m always curious about how others manage their notes and systems, but when I ask, people often look at me like it’s unimportant. For me, organizing information is a core part of my job as a project manager. I need to collect what’s important, retrieve it when necessary, and distribute it effectively. Yet, I see others doing fine with chaotic setups, even just using Word documents, and it makes me wonder if I’m the one overthinking.
And then there’s this quote: Do fewer things but do them well (P.M. Forni, The Thinking Life). I try to live by that, but somehow, I still end up with too many things on my plate. There’s always more—more ideas, more tasks, more distractions.