I used to think being productive meant being busy. Every minute accounted for. Every tool optimized. Every workflow streamlined.
Then I calculated how much time I spent managing my productivity tools. The answer was embarrassing.
Here's what I've learned: the laziest path is often the smartest path. Not lazy as in avoiding work—lazy as in refusing to do work that doesn't need doing.
When I stopped paying for Notion and just used a text file, nothing bad happened. When I cancelled my project management subscription and used a spreadsheet, projects still got done.
The subscription economy preys on our fear of missing out. What if I need that feature someday? What if I'm not optimizing enough?
But optimization has diminishing returns. At some point, you're just paying monthly fees to feel productive without actually producing anything.
So yes, I embrace being lazy. I embrace doing less with less. I embrace the radical act of not paying for things I don't use.
Try it. Cancel something today. See what happens. I bet nothing does.
