Every time a cool new device comes out, we productivity nerds look for ways it could benefit our personal workflows. Apple’s new iPad is no exception. If you’ve been following blog posts about the device at all, I’m sure you’ve seen at least one person gushing about how this sexy new tablet could be the all-in-one solution they need to get more work done.
Nothing against the iPad, but I have to call shenanigans here. A productivity tool is just that — a tool. It’s not a magic cure-all for the underlying issues and distractions that keep you from getting work done. As Merlin Mann quipped on Twitter back in May of 2009, “Seriously. Just consider how many projects you can’t even *START* until you get a tablet computer and a 32 gig cell phone. It’s crippling.”
He’s got a good point. It’s totally fine to lust after the latest gadget, but not to the detriment of the work you can already get done with the equipment you have. And, let’s be honest: none of your urgent projects and none of the things you’ve always dreamed of doing are dependent on a device that you’d never seen until a week ago.
Aside from the trap of projecting your productivity issues onto a new gadget, there’s also the question of whether the latest all-in-one super-tool is going to fit into your work life. I just read an interesting post where writer Warren Ellis outlines his writing tools, and he’s found that the all-in-one approach doesn’t work for him. He’s gone from taking calls, answering emails, and writing (via Bluetooth keyboard) all on the same smartphone to using a netbook, a separate phone, and several paper notebooks. Just because a gadget CAN do everything doesn’t mean it should.
I’m definitely as excited about the iPad as the next guy, and I could definitely see taking it to the café or library and getting some writing done remotely, but there’s nothing holding me back from doing that with my current laptop. So, by all means, buy the latest new gadgets. Just don’t let them become another source of resistance to getting things done.
Jay is a freelance writer based in Seattle, WA. He blogs about software for Download Squad and contributes interviews to The Morning News, among others. You can also find him on Twitter.
