Workflow is Practice
Speaking of knowing process, an excerpt from Zen Mind, Beginner’s Mind, which I’ve found some intriguing ideas in:
There is no particular way in true practice. You should find your own way, and you should know what kind of practice you have right now. Knowing both the advantages and disadvantages of some special practice, you can practice that special way without danger. But if you have a one-sided attitude, you will ignore the disadvantage of the practice, emphasizing only its good part. Eventually you will discover the worst side of the practice, and become discouraged when it is too late.
“Workflow” is a vague term because it has to be. Like “practice”, it’s more about doing what works for the work at hand rather than what some blog suggests. The hard part about workflow (and why we all go to these blogs to find tips) is because there aren’t right answers. There are good parts and things with advantages and disadvantages. An advantage, like OmniFocus’ Perspectives can be a disadvantage in some places because of the learning curve.
Workflow takes practice and workflow is practice.
The practice starts with being mindful that there are better ways to do your work and improve your life and then choosing a place to begin making progress.