The TOOLS: Beyond the Productivity Hype

This is part two of a three-part series on the elements that make or break your creative process. Last week, we talked about THE SETUP—the physical foundation. Today, we're diving into the tools that either serve your creativity or distract from it.

The creative world has a tool problem.

Not because we don't have enough tools—we have more productivity apps, project management systems, and creative software than we could possibly use in a lifetime.

The problem is we've confused having the right tools with being the right kind of creative.

We chase the latest app, thinking it'll finally make us organized. We switch project management systems, hoping this one will be different. We collect notebooks and digital tools like they're going to magically transform our process.

But here's the truth: your tools don't define who you are as a creative. They serve to make your life more creative and more efficient.

That's it. That's their only job.

The Natural Extension Test

I've been using ASANA for years. For me, it feels completely natural—like an extension of how my brain already works. But I know I'm probably the rare artist who feels this way about project management software.

Most creatives resist it. It feels forced, like they're trying to fit their creative chaos into corporate boxes.

And you know what? That's completely okay.

Because the goal isn't to use the tools that work for everyone else. The goal is to find what works for you.

Here's how I know when a tool is right: there's little effort needed to use it, and eventually, you reach for it without realizing it.

When I first got my reMarkable tablet, it felt awkward. I had to consciously remember to use it. But now? I grab it without thinking. It's become seamless in my process.

The same thing happened with Slack. At first, it felt like just another place to check for messages. Now it's how I naturally communicate with clients and my team throughout the day.

The right tool doesn't announce itself. It just quietly becomes part of how you work.

The Shiny Object Problem

Let's talk about the biggest tool mistake I see creatives making: Shiny Object Syndrome.

Most creatives are desperate for attention, difference, and acceptance. And if they see an idea or a tool that they believe will help them be noticed, unique, or accepted, they tend to jump in without much thought.

I get it. We want to believe that this tool will be the one that finally organizes our chaos, focuses our creativity, or makes us more productive.

But here's what actually happens: we spend more time learning new tools than actually creating. We keep starting over instead of going deeper with what we already have.

The answer isn't more tools. It's being intentional about the tools you already use.

My Essential Stack (And Why Less Matters More)

When clients ask me what tools they should use, I always start by helping them simplify to the bare necessities of their work. Everything else can be eliminated or delegated.

Here's what I actually use every day:

Hardware:

• reMarkable 2 (for thinking and planning)

• MacBook Pro (for creating)

• iPhone (for capturing ideas on the go)

• Rode podcasting console (for conversations)

• Sony A6400 (for content)

Software:

• ASANA (project management)

• Slack (team communication)

• Claude.ai (processing thoughts and ideas)

That's it. And honestly, if I had to pare it down even more, I could.

Notice what's not on there? I'm not personally active too much on social media. Limiting those platforms has been one of the biggest factors in avoiding the distraction of shiny new tools.

What Actually Makes a Tool Worth Using

Over the years of working with creative professionals, I've learned that the best tools share a few key characteristics:

1. They Reduce Friction, Not Create It

If a tool requires more mental energy to use than it saves, it's not worth it. Period.

2. They Work With Your Brain, Not Against It

Some people think in lists. Others think in boards. Some need visual, others need text-based. The right tool matches how you naturally process information.

3. They're Worth the Initial Awkwardness

Some tools—like journaling—feel forced at first but are well worth the effort. The question is: does this tool serve a real need, or are you just chasing novelty?

4. They Become Invisible Over Time

The best tools disappear into your workflow. You stop thinking about the tool and just do the work.

How to Actually Find Your Tools

Here's my testing approach when I'm considering a new tool:

• Give it 7-21 days. Not just "I tried it once"—actually integrate it into your daily process for at least a week. Some tools need time to feel natural.

• Test it on yourself first. Before I recommend anything to a client, I use it myself. This helps me understand if it's genuinely useful or just cleverly marketed.

• Ask the simple question: Is this making my work more creative and more efficient? If the answer is no, move on.

The Four Tools Every Creative Actually Needs

After working with dozens of creative professionals, I've found there are really only four categories of tools that matter:

1. A Place to Process Your Thoughts

For me, that's Claude.ai. For you, it might be a journal, a voice memo app, or long walks. You need somewhere to think out loud without judgment.

2. A Place to Capture Ideas

Digital or physical doesn't matter—but you need one place where all your ideas go. Not scattered across notebooks, apps, and sticky notes. One place.

3. A Way to Manage Your Work

This could be ASANA, Trello, Notion, or a physical planner. But you need a system that helps you see what needs to happen and when.

4. A Tool for Mental Health

Journaling. Meditation apps. Therapy. Exercise tracking. Whatever helps you stay mentally healthy belongs in your essential tool stack.

Notice I didn't say "the latest AI productivity tool" or "the hottest new app." These are fundamental categories that have existed long before software made everything complicated.

The Truth About Balance

If you're tool-obsessed, chasing every new app and system, you're probably avoiding the actual work.

If you're tool-resistant, refusing to adopt anything new, you're probably making your work harder than it needs to be.

The truth is always somewhere in the middle.

Life, art, creativity—they're all about balance. Tools are no different.

You don't need to use what everyone else is using. You don't need to have the "perfect" stack. You just need tools that make your work more creative and more efficient without becoming a distraction from the work itself.

Start With What You Have

Before you download another app or buy another notebook system, ask yourself:

• What tools am I already using that actually work?

• What tools am I using out of habit rather than usefulness?

• What friction in my process actually needs a tool to solve?

Most of the time, you don't need a new tool. You need to use the tools you have more intentionally.

And when you do need something new? Give it time. Test it honestly. And be willing to walk away if it's not serving you.

Your tools should make you more creative and more efficient. If they're doing anything else, they're not tools—they're distractions.

Next week: THE RITUAL—The Rhythm That Saves Everything. Because even the best setup and the right tools won't matter if you don't have the daily, weekly, and project-based rhythms that keep you moving forward.