Chapter 1: The Challenge of Change

Adopting new, more effective systems can be quite a task. Often, it feels simpler to maintain your existing workflow, even if it results in reduced efficiency later on. This mindset is similar to the reluctance many feel about delegating tasks, as the time spent teaching someone else can seem daunting.

In a moment of self-encouragement, I decided that I was no longer willing to sacrifice productivity for short-term comfort.

A bit of background: I work as a solopreneur, primarily as a freelance journalist and content creator. For years, I relied on Trello for project management, Google for scheduling, and email to coordinate meeting times, accepting the inevitable back-and-forth communication that came with it.

Recently, I shared a post on LinkedIn, and one comment particularly caught my attention: “Have you tried Motion?” from Daan van Rossum, a connection and CEO of the future-of-work platform FlexOS. Intrigued, I quickly researched Motion. I discovered that it might resolve three of my main issues at once: offering a superior calendar, a project management tool, and a booking link. I decided to take the plunge with a seven-day free trial, marking my calendar to avoid unwanted charges once the trial ended.

Chapter 2: Diving into Integration

Seven days is not a long period to familiarize yourself with new software, especially one designed to enhance your scheduling efficiency. Acknowledging this, I realized I needed to dedicate time to integrate my workflow effectively to truly assess the software's impact.

However, I was quite busy when my trial began, which made things challenging. To get organized, I dedicated time to migrate my ongoing projects from Trello. Each client had their own board in Trello, with projects represented as cards. I was accustomed to its visual layout, complete with unique images for each client and a Kanban-style organization.

Transitioning to Motion, I opted to create a workspace for each client and designated tasks for individual or ongoing projects. I spent around five hours on this integration, wanting to ensure everything was set up correctly from the start. I figured the last thing I wanted was to mess up the organization while adapting to a new system.

Here are some initial observations I had with Motion:

📝 It defaults to a list view for projects and tasks, which was a bit surprising given my familiarity with Kanban boards. Although you can switch to Kanban, it doesn’t always stay that way, which was puzzling. Eventually, I adapted and now prefer the list view.

💸 I usually invoice all my clients on the first day of the month to streamline administrative tasks. To avoid cluttering my schedule with multiple invoice reminders, I set these tasks as recurring events on my calendar instead of auto-scheduling them.

⌚ I spent significant time configuring the auto-sync calendar to meet my needs. I value flexibility in my workday, often choosing to use free hours for personal errands or relaxation rather than work. Motion emphasizes productivity, yet productivity varies for everyone. Balancing personal tasks, mental health, pet care, hobbies, and social engagements is essential for me, and it took some time to arrange my tasks accordingly.

Chapter 3: Evaluating My Experience

After the trial, I realized I required more time to truly understand Motion's capabilities. Unintentionally, I had signed up for an annual membership, but I decided to switch to a monthly plan. This would allow me sufficient time to explore whether I wanted to replace Trello, Google Calendar, and email coordination with Motion.

I reached out to Motion's chatbot for guidance on changing my subscription. To my surprise, the generative AI handled the modification for me—something I found incredibly impressive!

Now, a few weeks into my monthly subscription, I'm seriously contemplating sticking with Motion.

Chapter 4: Weighing Pros and Cons

Initially, it took me a while to adjust to Motion's interface, especially since Trello’s visual setup offers certain advantages that Motion lacks.

For instance, Motion does not allow editing or removing comments on project cards, so accuracy is critical from the outset. Additionally, I cannot upload PDF documents directly into my projects. I usually attach PDFs to Trello cards, but in Motion, I've had to leave comments indicating where to find these documents in my OneDrive.

Moreover, I cannot simply drag and drop Google Docs into a project. Instead, I must hyperlink text to the document, which I find to be a significant drawback.

Interestingly, while I have grown fond of the list view, it occasionally reverts to the Kanban view without my input—quite odd!

However, the seamless transition from tasks to calendar is a major advantage for me, genuinely saving time and mental effort. I find myself rearranging my calendar less often, although I still manually adjust my schedule occasionally—something I suspect is just my preference.

The integrated booking link is another feature I anticipate utilizing. Unlike previous experiences with Calendly, which lacked necessary integration without premium payment, this built-in feature promises to be beneficial.

While I’ve suggested a few additional features, I’ll need to navigate the notable downsides if I decide to continue beyond this month.

In closing, what project management tools do you utilize as a solopreneur? How do you streamline your systems? Do you think there are better alternatives, and what are the advantages and disadvantages of your chosen method?