Easily the best habit I’ve ever started was to use a productivity system.The idea is simple:organizing all the stuff you need to do (and how you’re going to do it) prevents a lot of internal struggle to get things done.
无疑，我曾经建立过的最好的习惯就是使用一个生产力系统。想法很简单:把所有你需要做的事情(以及你准备如何做)系统化，可以避免许多内心的纠结，从而完成事情。
There’s a ton of system out there.Some are elaborate, like Getting Things Done.Others are dead-simple, such as simply using a prioritized daily to-do list.Some require software.Many you can do with just pen and paper.
存在无数生产力系统。有些复杂详尽，例如尽管去做(GTD)方法;另一些十分简单，例如只用一个经过优先级排序的每天待做事项列表。有些需要软件的辅助，也有许多只要纸笔就可以进行。
Being successful with a long-term system is hard.Here are just a few common problems:
成功地长期使用一个生产力系统是很难的，以下仅列出一些常见的问题:
You have no idea which system to pick, or when you do pick something you constantly second-guess yourself that you’re “doing it right”
你不知道应该选择哪个系统，或者当你选定了一个系统之后，会不断猜测自己是否“做对了”。
You get a burst of enthusiasm each time you try it , are productive for about two weeks, then you start to slack off and eventually abandon it.
每次刚开始时，你都满腔热情，高效地坚持了差不多两个星期，然后你就开始松懈，最后干脆放弃。
The system never seems to “fit right” for your life, yet you’re convinced the problem is that you don’t know how to work within it.
这个系统从来没有“适合”过你的生活，而你却认为，问题在于你不知道如何在它的要求下工作。
The system you’ve chosen feels like a slowly constricting prison you’ve made for yourself, choking off your will to do meaningful work and turning you into a robot.
你选择的系统就好像是你为自己制作了一个缓慢收紧的监狱，扼杀了你想要做有意义工作的意愿，而把你变成了一个机器人。
These problems can be avoided, but it takes a little thinking about what the point of having a system is and what it can and cannot do for you.
这些问题是可以避免的，但需要思考一下，拥有一个生产力系统的意义是什么，它能为你做什么、不能做什么。

Why Use a System at All?
究竟为什么要用生产力系统？
Ultimately, everybody has a system for productivity.There are really only three different kinds:
归根结底，每个人都有一套生产力系统。其实只有三种不同的类型:
The system of other people.You simply respond to the pressures put on you by colleagues, clients, bosses or family members.Big deadline tomorrow?I guess you’re working late on it.
依靠别人的系统。你只是在对同事、客户、老板或家人给你的压力做出反应。明天是大限?我猜你要加班了。
The system of feelings and moods.Feeling creative today?You might get a loft of work done.Does that thing that seemed interesting before now seem dull?I guess you’re not working on it .At its best, this can be fun and spontaneous.At its worst it can be soul-crushing to see you never make more than fleeting progress on anything with an ounce of frustration.
感受和情绪的系统。今天感觉很有创造力?你或许可以完成很多工作。此前看起来很有趣的事,现在是不是显得很沉闷?我猜你没有在做它。在最好的情况下，这可能是有趣且自发的;但在最坏的情况下，看到你从未在任何令人感到有点挫败的事情上取得超过昙花一现的进展，那简直令人心碎。
A system of your own design.In this case, you create guidelines for yourself that structure your efforts.Moods and outside pressures still matter, but they’re no longer the only guiding factor about what to work on, how much and how often.
你自己设计的系统。在这种情况下，你为自己制定规则，组织你的行动。情绪和外界压力仍然重要，但它们不再是指导你做什么、怎么做，以及多久做一次的因素。
Building the habit of a productivity system is about self-consciously creating a buffer between you and temporary emotions or external agents.You still need to respond to deadlines and listen to your emotions, but those aren’t the only things you heed when planning your day.
建立生产力系统的习惯，就是有意识地在你自己和暂时的情绪或外部力量之间建立一个缓冲区。你仍然需要回应最后期限、要倾听自己的情绪，但它们不再是你规划一天时唯一考虑的事情。