Analog by Ugmonk: my year of tangible productivity

Analog is a system made of paper cards and a wooden stand. You write your tasks by hand—daily on “Today” cards, longer-term ones on “Next” or “Someday” cards. There’s no app, no syncing. Just paper, structure, and intention. You move the cards around to reflect focus, progress, or priority.

I know how this sounds. Productivity has been stretched in all directions by apps and people trying to sell you a concept, framework, or magic trick. And while we’re too often pushed toward shortcuts instead of doing the actual work, it wouldn’t be fair to say this little walnut card holder and the system behind it hasn’t helped me achieve what I did this past year. I think that’s thanks to three things: tangibility, constraints, and craft.

The power of tangibility

No magic here—just science. The involvement of multiple senses¹ helps anchor you in the present. To this day, marking a task as complete in an app has never felt as good as crossing it off on paper.

As the weeks go by, the used cards start piling up. And to be honest, that pile feels good to look at. Not because of its size, but because when I counted it, I realized I only skipped 11 days out of the 365+ I’ve been using it. Discipline, made visible.

Motivation through constraints

One underrated benefit of a physical system is the literal limits: you only have so much room to write. That’s good. It forces you to focus. You can’t overload the card, and that’s the point. The finite width pushes you to write more clearly and starting with a verb helps.

The 3-dot system at the top of each card? I use it as a simple challenge. One dot for personal projects. Two dots for Linear work. Three dots means I completed everything. It’s a small game, but it works for me.

Something I didn’t expect: making mistakes on paper feels okay. Scribbling something out, correcting the date, deciding not to do a task after all—these aren’t failures. They’re small decisions, reminders that the point isn’t perfection. The point is doing the work.

Workspace, elevated

Let’s be honest: Jeff Sheldon and the Ugmonk team have done exceptional work. The walnut base feels great in the hand. Sliding cards in and out is satisfying. Even the boxes that hold the refills are nicely considered. Each card type has a slightly different texture, subtle, but appreciated.

Combined with other well-designed tools, Analog elevates the feel of my workspace. It becomes part of an atmosphere that encourages better work. I can’t recommend Gather² enough. it’s a great complement. Whether it’s LEGO figures, HMM pens or scissors, or metal puzzles, what matters is surrounding yourself with objects that motivate you to do what you love.

How I use it

Before I open a single tab or check a single notification, I reach for the stack. Writing the day’s intentions by hand — no distractions, no tabs, is a small but powerful reset.

Every Monday, I use a “Next” card to set the week’s focus. While Ugmonk offers a dedicated Weekly card, I prefer the format of the “Next” one, and I didn’t want two holders on my desk. I place the “Next” card just behind my “Today” card. Each morning, I set a fresh card on top and write while glancing at the weekly focus.

I don’t use the “Someday” cards (yet), but I’m considering it for monthly themes.

When I skip the ritual, it shows. I scroll more. I check email for no reason. I chase shallow tasks. And it feels like my attention is being pulled instead of directed.