I think the author is trying highlight that one doesn't necessarily fancy tools. The productivity space has so many options that it's easy for one to get overwhelmed with settling on the "best" option.
My partner relies on a Leuchtturm weekly planner; my father bought into the whole Stephen Covey system; a coworker has a stack of Post-its, and I use a hodgepodge of Google Calendar (far off single events), Apple Notes (weekly tasks for work) + Reminders (medium-term todos).
The whole point is not to rely on one's (aging) memory to keep track of stuff. As long as tasks aren't falling between the cracks, keep doing what you're doing.
I agree with the parent comment, but I would phrase it as:
This article feels so foreign to me because I’m not trying to be productive. I don’t have a productively system, because I’m not.
I complete my works tasks. Those usually have lists.
After work and on the weekends, I spend time with friends and family, and do hobbies as I enjoy them.
Beyond that, I don’t try to remember things. I let stuff slip through the cracks (ok, I have a planner for birthdays). I don’t try to get things done.
For what it’s worth, if you looked at my life on the outside, you’d probably think I was “productive”. I can speak multiple languages, I make music, I play sports, and I have various programming projects going.
But I don’t do any of those things because they are productive. Every day after work, I spend an hour or two doing whatever I enjoy in a completely non-systemic manner. And I find that over a multi-year time span you actually can accomplish a great deal with this “non-system”
You don't use productivity systems for planning your leisure time and hanging out, you use them to free more time and to let the things go your way at the same time. I can compare myself to my wife, who is not able to plan anything properly, and it is fascinating. She lets thing slip through the cracks, often small things which have no big consequences, but once in a while they snowball. A recent anecdote: a cabriolet she ordered gets cancelled, because she left the order unfinished for 3 months by not checking the order status and the model is not produced anymore. All easily avoidable with a proper organization. Her life mostly runs smooth only because I (and my productivity system) keep track of all the administrative stuff, otherwise things would bite her every other day.
No disrespect, but having / performing hobbies doesn't fall under "being productive" for me. You're just spending time randomly however you see fit (and seem to be happy with the outcome). Which is a nice thing, but probably the exact opposite of what is discussed here.
Sure, if you wander around, you can see nice places. But planning a trip, because you want to see specific sights, is something different. Both are nice ways, depending on what you want from life.
My partner relies on a Leuchtturm weekly planner; my father bought into the whole Stephen Covey system; a coworker has a stack of Post-its, and I use a hodgepodge of Google Calendar (far off single events), Apple Notes (weekly tasks for work) + Reminders (medium-term todos).
The whole point is not to rely on one's (aging) memory to keep track of stuff. As long as tasks aren't falling between the cracks, keep doing what you're doing.