The #1 Mistake People Make With Productivity Tools

Your tools are the last piece of your productivity foundation.

We don’t get tools because they’re super cool. We don’t pick them because they have flashy features. We choose tools because they support the processes we’ve already outlined for our productivity.

Why Cool Features Won’t Fix Your Process

Here’s the mistake most people make: they get excited about features instead of asking how the tool fits into their process.

If I’m editing a video, Slack isn’t going to help me. Slack could have a hundred cool new features, but none of those will make editing easier. That’s not what it was built for.

Descript, on the other hand, is. Descript has the kind of features that actually help me edit video.

The same goes for project management. If you need to align communication with specific tasks, track progress, and keep everything in one place, then you look for software that supports that process. The tool only makes sense if it fits the need.

The Question You Should Be Asking Every Day

One thing I realized I didn’t talk about when I shared the productivity foundations is what happens after you’ve built your system.

Most people stop once they’ve set it up. But you need to reassess as you go—especially while you’re doing the task itself.

Ask yourself:

• Is this an email I’ve written before? Should I make a template?
• Is this a document I write often? Should I make a reusable version?
• Is this something I do often?
• Can I hand this off?
• Can I teach it to someone?
• Can I automate it?

When you start asking these questions in real time, that’s when you begin to see how tools and systems can save you hours.

How I Saved 15 Hours With Two Tools

We talk a lot about tools and productivity, but people often miss the point: it’s not just about the tool itself—it’s about how you use tools together.

Here’s an example from my work.

NotebookLM is designed as a study tool. It pulls information from different documents so you can ask questions and learn. But learning is only one piece of a bigger process.

Let’s say I need to write a service definition document. This doc is critical—it’s used by leadership, legal, product, revenue, and delivery. It has to be super clear.

Here’s what I do:

1. I gather all my resources—slide decks, transcripts, meeting notes, research—and drop them into NotebookLM.
2. I ask NotebookLM to generate briefing docs, FAQs, and study guides—the stuff I’d normally have to create manually.
3. Then I take those outputs and feed them into ChatGPT or Gemini.
4. I say: “Hi, I’m writing a service definition doc. Here’s the template. Here’s everything NotebookLM gave me. Please draft a version.”

Just like that, I’ve saved 10–15 hours.

Do I still have to review and edit? Of course. But now I’m editing, not starting from scratch.

And this works for so much more than service docs. You can do it for:

• Lead magnets
• Client guides
• Course content
• PDFs from trainings
• Even writing a book

That’s the power of combining tools.

One Simple Habit That Buys Back Hours

Sometimes tools don’t naturally connect. That’s where Zapier or Make come in. They automate the handoffs so you don’t have to.

But you don’t start by automating everything. You start by identifying where the overlaps are:

• Where do I already need this kind of input or output?
• Which tool already provides it?
• Where am I repeating myself unnecessarily?

When you connect tools around those overlaps, you save time and improve quality.

Next time you’re working, pause and notice one thing you repeat.

Maybe it’s the same email, the same type of doc, or the same task you touch over and over. Then ask:

• Can I turn this into a template?
• Can I delegate it?
• Can I automate it?

Even one small change—like saving an email template—can buy back time immediately.

Before You Grab Another App…

Tools aren’t here to impress you. They’re here to serve you.

When you pick tools that fit your processes, and when you use them together in smart ways, you don’t just get work done faster—you get better results with less effort.

👉 Want help spotting which tools are clogging your growth? Take the [Bottleneck Quiz] to find your #1 growth block.

Closing reflection:

You don’t need more tools. You just need the right ones, placed in the right spot, supporting the work you already do.