This simple but powerful analog method will rocket your productivity
Over the span of thirty years, Niklas Luhmann published more than 70 books and nearly 400 academic articles—a measure of productivity that would make Stephen King blush (and George R.R. Martin cringe). As a sociologist, Luhmann’s interests ranged from law to mass media, religion to economics, but no matter the subject, even his critics agreed: the man knew what he was talking about.
So how did a brewer’s son churn out work after work of such consistently high quality? By pioneering a productivity system he called Zettelkasten—German for “slip box.” Luhmann claimed that his Zettelkasten became a conversational partner, constantly challenging him and prodding him on to greater productivity. And thanks to its power and simplicity, today the Zettelkasten method has been adapted to fit the workflow and information management of any creative pro or knowledge worker.
Published in Fast Company on August 2, 2020
