Written on September 22, 2025

atomic tasks (why you don't need a complex task planning system)

the problem

A few months ago I needed to study for my Baccalaureate exam and university admission exam. I fell into a rabbit hole looking for "productivity systems" online. Most of my time went to searching for "the best system" instead of actually getting things done.

the solution

After exploring every possible mobile app, I got fed up with all the searching. No system worked and time was running out. Then I had a simple idea: "What if I just write down what I need to do and then do it?" This might seem obvious, but when you're stressed about big exams, you overthink everything instead of focusing on the basics.

To stay organized, I write my current tasks on sticky notes. Each task gets split into multiple atomic tasks, and as I make progress I fill each little square. This gives me built-in progress tracking, and filling each box provides a small dopamine boost. It turns work into a game: "How many boxes can I check today?"

conclusion

By stopping the search for the perfect system and just writing things down on paper, I could focus on actually getting things done.