The Myth of Omnifocus
I'm a writer and tech enthusiast. In one word, a nerd. I like to tinker with weird programs for fun and the dream of getting more and better work done without actually working.
Today, I want to review a product I've never actually used.
I've heard a lot about Omnifocus, and have used enough of similar programs to get the gist. (Currently I use Orgmode through Orgzly if you're curious.)
But, my boldness in reviewing a product I've never used doesn't come from my use of similar task managers. No, I'm reviewing Omnifocus purely based on its name.
Omnifocus.
Omni-focus.
There's a lot to a name. Just read The Name of the Wind. Knowing the name of something should tell you all that you need to know about its function.
Omnifocus.
The prefix 'omni' means universal. So 'omni-focus' means universal focus.
I don't buy it. (And not just cause I find the prospect of paying a subscription to make a checklist absurd.)
Omnifocus promises you universal focus.
I hope I don't need to explain why that's impossible.
Omnifocus promises to turn you into an omniscient god. Not bad for $100 a year I guess.
Except, software can't turn you into a god.
I'm being too harsh. They aren't promising to turn you into a productivity god. They are just promising to give you godlike powers.
That's the whole point of a tool isn't it? I guess it is.
Except, I don't think we can leave it there.
Sure, tools are meant to give us godlike powers. I think there's a point though where these godlike powers can interfere with our natural state of being and be harmful for us. Like a bodybuilder's increased cardiac risk or harnessing an explosion to fire projectiles, sometimes godlike powers can kill us.
Good work gets done thought deep, singular focus. Omnifocus leads to shallow work being done broadly. In our desire to do a lot of things, we miss doing anything deeply.
The myth of Omnifocus isn't its promise to give you godlike productivity. The myth is that these powers help you do anything actually deep and meaningful. All you get is busyness for busyness sake. Or is it spelled business?
Anyways, be on the lookout for my new SaaS MonoFocus! It's been vibecoded from the ground up and allows you maximum focus by only keeping track of one task at a time! MonoFocus, coming Q1 for just $29.99/m! /s
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