In this Productivity like a Pro Podcast Episode by the Paperless Movement®, Tom Solid and Paco Cantero dive deep into one of the most common challenges faced by Busy Professionals: striking the right balance between too much and too little structure in productivity systems. Whether it’s Personal Knowledge Management or Business Knowledge Management, overly complex setups often lead to friction, confusion, and failure. This episode explores the pitfalls of rigid systems and how simplicity and clarity can transform your digital workflows.
The Trap of Over-Structuring Tools
Too often, professionals fall into the trap of thinking that a complex system equals an effective one. Tom and Paco highlight how tools like ClickUp, Asana, or Notion can become counterproductive when they’re overloaded with custom fields, automations, and rigid templates. While these setups may seem powerful in theory, they frequently break down in practice due to friction, lack of adoption, or overwhelming complexity.
They emphasize the importance of developing a flexible foundation—one that can adapt as workflows evolve—rather than chasing the “perfect structure” that becomes outdated as soon as you start using it.
Simplifying for Real-World Use
One key takeaway from the episode is the need to create systems that work under real-life pressure. Paco shares his journey of attempting to implement a digital Zettelkasten in Obsidian, only to realize it created more friction than value. The solution? A hybrid structure that supports both shallow and deep thinking—designed with common sense and adaptability in mind.
Tom reinforces this by sharing real examples from Paperless Movement®’s own ClickUp setup, where simple linking strategies outperform complex folder hierarchies. By using direct links to Dropbox, emails, or even Heptabase notes, they maintain context without relying on rigid structures.
Structure Without Friction
The conversation introduces two essential components to creating effective structure:
- A basic but flexible structure, such as the My Life framework, which is both intuitive and broad enough to handle any information.
- A workflow-to-tool connection, where each activity is directly tied to a specific tool and workflow.
This pragmatic approach is explored in depth in the Note-Taking like a Pro Course, where professionals are taught to manage knowledge through just six core workflows. By aligning with natural thinking patterns, the system becomes instinctive, reliable, and easy to use even under stress.
From Information to Action
Information Management isn’t the end goal—taking effective action is. That’s why the ICOR® framework focuses on moving information seamlessly into actionable workflows. This includes not just Personal Project Management but also Business-level coordination and team collaboration.
The Paperless Movement®’s system ensures that no matter the volume of work or chaos of daily life, your system continues to operate smoothly—because it’s based on principles, not just tools.
Independence from Tools
A standout insight from member Marco highlights the power of becoming tool-agnostic. By understanding frameworks like ICOR®, professionals are no longer at the mercy of whether a tool shuts down or changes. Migrating from one platform to another becomes less about data transfer and more about shifting essential workflows.
As Tom and Paco explain, the key is to avoid starting with tools. Instead, define your needs through workflows and structure, then choose tools that support them—not the other way around.
Building a Pro System That Works for You
Ultimately, a Pro System isn’t one that looks impressive or follows trends—it’s one that works for you every day, under any circumstance. Whether you’re capturing ideas in Heptabase, managing tasks in ClickUp, or collaborating through visual whiteboards like Mural, your setup should support focus, clarity, and trust.
This episode is a powerful reminder: simplicity is not a weakness—it’s a strategy. And when combined with a solid framework like ICOR®, it’s the key to sustainable productivity.
