You'd think that with all the iPad productivity apps, smartphone productivity apps, productivity blogs and techniques and discussions… that we'd be more productive as a result.

Are you more productive? How much more?

I wonder how much productivity comes from new techniques, and how much comes from merely getting sick of non-productivity and deciding to do something that matters, right now.

Isaac Asimov wrote more than 400 books, on a manual typewriter, with no access to modern productivity tools. I find it hard to imagine they would have helped him write 400 more.

Sure, habits matter. So does getting out of your way. But if you want to hide, really want to hide, you'll find a way.

The instinct to produce great work doesn't require a fancy notebook.