the missing piece in most productivity systems

Hey You,

In the last couple of emails, I shared how Tiago Forte’s work helped me build a “Second Brain” and organize the chaos using the PARA method.

But there’s another layer I’ve found just as important — maybe even more so.

It’s not about tools, systems, or even notes.

It’s about how you relate to your work — the rhythms, the decisions, the moods, and the patterns that shape your day.

That’s what Tiago explores in Design Your Work, the first volume of his Praxis series. It’s a collection of reflections on how to make work more aligned with how we actually function as humans.

Here are three takeaways that shifted things for me:

1. Work Is a Vehicle for Personal Growth

We often see personal growth and productivity as separate — like one happens after hours.

But what if your everyday work was the training ground?

It made me rethink how I approach difficult tasks, long projects, or even resistance.

They’re not just things to “get through” — they’re part of becoming more capable.

2. Mood Is a Productivity Signal

One of the most underrated essays in the book is Productivity for Precious Snowflakes, where Tiago argues that mood is not noise — it’s data.

Trying to push through complex, creative work when you’re low-energy often backfires. Instead, design your workflow to adapt to your energy, not fight it.

• Need focus? Use high-energy time for deep work.

• Feeling flat? Batch admin, catch up on reading, or archive old notes.

• Burned out? Review, reflect, or go analog for a bit.

Mood-based productivity isn’t flaky. It’s sustainable.

3. You Can Design Your Own Systems

The bigger idea in Design Your Work is this:

Everything about how we work — from inbox habits to project structure to attention management — was invented at some point.

Which means it can be re-invented.

Tiago gives permission (and a subtle challenge) to step back from inherited workflows and ask:

What would make work feel more meaningful, creative, or energizing for me?

That might look like:

• Shorter work sprints with clearer finishes

• Rethinking how you use your inbox

• Creating space for experimentation inside your week

• Structuring your digital tools around your actual brain, not someone else’s productivity app

This isn’t about perfection or optimization for its own sake.

It’s about making work fit better — so it doesn’t leak into every corner of your life.

And to me, that’s the real endgame of productivity: not to do more, but to feel more in control, and more alive, while doing what matters.

Until next time,
Piotr

P.S. If you want one small step: ask yourself what part of your current workflow feels off. You don’t have to fix it today — but noticing it is the start.