Overcoming Shiny Object Syndrome: My Toolkit for Focus

For years, I suffered from "Shiny Object Syndrome." I would start a project, get excited about the setup, and then abandon it the moment a new framework or library caught my eye. I had a graveyard of half-finished repos and a lot of guilt.

Recently, I've managed to break that cycle. The secret wasn't more willpower; it was a better system. I'm currently committed and focused, and I rely on a specific set of tools to keep me organized and accountable.

My Productivity Stack

1. GitHub: The Commit Streak

I made a simple rule: Commit every day.

It doesn't have to be a major feature. It could be a bug fix, a documentation update, or a refactor. The green contribution graph on GitHub is a powerful gamification tool. Seeing that streak grow motivates me to open my IDE even when I'm tired. It forces me to make incremental progress rather than waiting for "perfect" chunks of time.

2. Notion: The Second Brain

I use Notion for everything that isn't code.

• Documentation: I document my learning (like my recent deep dive into React Portals).
• Brainstorms: When I have a new idea that threatens to distract me, I dump it into Notion. This acknowledges the idea without letting it derail my current task.
• Project Wiki: Keeping specifications and assets in one place prevents the mental friction of searching for files.

3. Linear: Issue Tracking for One

Jira felt too heavy, and Trello felt too loose. Linear is the perfect middle ground. It's fast, keyboard-centric, and designed for software builders.

I treat my personal projects like professional products. I create "Cycles" (sprints), break down features into issues, and track my velocity. Moving a ticket to "Done" provides a dopamine hit that replaces the cheap thrill of starting something new.

4. Activepieces: Automating the Boring Stuff

To keep my focus on coding, I need to minimize administrative overhead. That's where Activepieces comes in. It's an open-source automation tool (similar to Zapier) that I self-host.

I use it to glue my life together:

• Social Ops: When I publish a new blog post, Activepieces automatically shares it to my social channels.
• Sync: It syncs high-priority Linear issues to my daily To-Do list.
• Notifications: It alerts me if a build fails or if a server goes down.

By automating these routine tasks, I protect my "flow state" for the work that actually matters: coding.

Conclusion

Tools don't do the work for you, but the right tools remove the friction that leads to procrastination. By sticking to GitHub, Notion, Linear, and Activepieces, I've built a scaffolding that supports my focus rather than distracting from it.