There is certainly some frustration with productivity tools that feel more like a burden than a boost. During my career I’ve tried different digital planners, time-blocking apps, task managers, only to find myself overhelmed by their complexity and not really matching my personal workflow. The truth is, the tools are not the problem: it’s how we use them. Instead of adopting new tools, one should first come up with a strategy/workflow that respects the need for focus and creativity. Whether it’s mapping out a week in a Frankenlog or capturing spontaneous ideas in my (analogue) notebook, the goal is always the same: To stay intentional (aka focused) and to not get lost in items/tasks.

Multi-Scale planning

Planning is not just about scheduling - it’s about creating a framework to move through time with clarity. I break down my goals into three layers: Yearly, quaterly and weekly.

💡 Fresh reminder what multi-scale planning is about (see multi scale planning):

Concepts:

• Multiscale Time Planning

  • The concept involves planning at multiple time scales, including monthly/quarterly, weekly, and daily
  • This approach helps to increase the level of detail as you move from larger to smaller scales, which is essential for effective time management.

• Flexibility and Adaptability

  • A crucial principle of multiscale planning is the understanding that plans are not static
  • They should be flexible and adaptable to changes
  • Adjusting plans as needed is expected, not a deviation from the strategy.
  • You don’t get extra points for sticking to the plan

• Monthly/Quarterly Planning

  • This scale is vital for avoiding deadline-driven chaos
  • It allows for advanced preparation and scheduling to meet major deadlines and handle significant tasks efficiently.
  • It involves breaking down tasks week by week and maintaining a freestyle format for each week’s notes, focusing on the big picture and major upcoming events or deadlines.

• Weekly and Daily Planning

  • These scales involve more detailed planning
  • Weekly plans describe scheduled commitments and tasks for each day of the week
  • Daily planning is the most detailed, assigning specific tasks to each hour of the day, thus providing control over daily activities

I rely on digital tools like text files, Github issues, Jira tickets, calenders to track deadlines and milestones. But for the daily rhythm, analogue methods are just better suited. My notebook becomes my anchor, where I capture thoughts, notes (from meetings), reflect on progress and let ideas flow freely (e.g. sketching the IT architecture for a new service). This dual approach ensures I’m not lost in the noise of digital overload, while still maintaining a sense of direction.

The Frankenlog

The Frankenlog iy my go-to system for visualizing my week. My approach to weekly planning is a hybrid of analog and digital: A paper calendar where I sketch out time blocks for work, rest and creative projects, paired with a digital version which includes appointments (personal and work related), reminders. For me it serves like a balance between structure and flexibility because I like to know what needs to be done that week.

As for the digital side of things: The image below displays a structured Org mode file in Emacs, organized into hierarchical headings for multi-scale planning:

• 2025 (yearly)
  • 2025-Q1 (quarterly)
    • wk01, wk02, wk03 (weekly)
  • 2025-Q2 (quarterly)
    • wk20, wk21 (weekly)

This layout integrates work-related and personal goals, enabling layered planning across yearly, quarterly, and weekly scales. The structure reflects a hybrid digital-analog workflow, with Emacs serving as a central hub for organizing tasks, deadlines, and reflections—supporting both professional and personal productivity.

The Frankenlog helps me track weekly goals, but I also need a clear view of daily tasks. In Emacs, the org-super-agenda view organizes my TODOs by project and priority, showing both overarching workweek goals and specific tasks for each project. This keeps me focused on what matters most without getting lost in details.

Time blocking

Time blocking is not about filing every minute with TODOs and use every single possible time gap to do something “productive” (for me this is busyness where people suffer from way to ambitious timelines and poorly managed workloads). For me it’s more about managing my available time but also my mental capacity to do cognitively demanding tasks. Therefore I prioritize deep work, rest, sports but also some recreational time where I can take a break from everything and let my mind just relax (see Stolen Focus why this is important).

My goal is to create capacity rather than load. For instance, I migh block off a 90-minute slot for deep work but afterwards I make sure my brain gets enough time to recover from that intense session. I might then go for a walk, cook or play an instrument. While time blocking visually shows how I plan my day, it’s definitely not static. Some important meetings might fly in so the whole day schedule has to be rearranged.

The power of handwriting

There are still many reaons why people didn’t abandon handwriting completely. There is some sort of magic in writing by hand that digital notes can’t replicate. My analogue notebook is my primaray tool for capturing ideas, tasks and reflections. I use it to brainstorm future blog posts (like this one 😎), list TODOs for projects (e.g. “gardening tasks” or “balcony redesign”) and even sketch out quick visual ideas. It’s also part of my daily routine where I take 10 minutes to visually plan and block my day, revisit my quarterly/weekly goals and think about what else I need to accomplish on that day.

The act of writing not only forces me to slow down but it also gives me enough room for creativity flows without interruption. Opening my laptop always felt for me like a disruption especially because you have to log in, find your notetaking tool, type in etc. In contrast, when I write by hand I’m fully engaged (aka focused!) with the moment. My notebook becomes like a tactile extension of my mind, where ideas feel more real and actionable. That said, I’m not anti-digital! I still don’t want to miss it for scheduling, searching through hundreds of files or for backing up my notes. As always, key is balance: Let analog tools handle the creative and reflective work, use digital tools for further enhancing that workflow.

My notebook is where I brainstorm and reflect, but I also use digital tools to organize these ideas. For example, my PARA.org (Building a Second Brain - PARA Method) file in Emacs acts as a place to collect web articles, notes, and ideas. It’s organized under Areas (like Blog, Consultancy, Health) and Resources (like AI, Architecture, Golang). This helps me keep track of information I might need later, blending creative thinking with structured planning.

Conclusion

The beauty of this approach is that it respects both my need for structure and my creative freedom. I’ve also learned that productivity isn’t about completely eliminating distractions - it’s more about creating systems that support my unique rhythm and flow. Whether it’s a Frankenlog for weekly planning or a notebook for spontaneous ideas, my goal is to stay intentional about my goals without being lost in TODO items.