Last Updated: May, 2025
My Mission
SmartUseCase.com is dedicated to helping everyday people work smarter, not harder.
In a world overflowing with productivity advice that feels designed for CEOs and tech entrepreneurs, we focus on practical solutions for regular folks. No million-dollar systems or life-altering career changes required—just actionable strategies that fit into your actual life.
Meet Dan Wilson: The Person Behind SmartUseCase
Hi, I’m Dan Wilson—a 9-5 knowledge worker by day and a productivity geek by… well, also day (and sometimes evening, but I believe in work-life boundaries).
My Productivity Journey
My obsession with productivity systems didn’t start because I’m naturally organized. It’s mainly because I often rely too much on my memory to manage the day-to-days goings on in my life and realized I need to find tools and systems to get things out of my head and into my environment where I can be more productive.
Why I Started This Site
After years of trial and error, I realized something important: most productivity advice is written by productivity “experts” who haven’t worked in a traditional job in years. Their systems often don’t account for:
- Rigid work schedules
- Limited control over your workload
- Office politics and collaboration challenges
- The realities of commuting and family responsibilities
I created SmartUseCase.com to share real-world productivity strategies that work for people with normal jobs, normal constraints, and normal lives. The things that I’ve found that work for me, and might work for you.
My Approach to Productivity
I believe that productivity isn’t about doing more—it’s about deciding what matters and making time for it. Every article on this site is guided by these principles:
- Simplicity wins. If a system requires two weeks to set up, you’ll abandon it within a month.
- Technology should reduce friction, not create it. The best tool is the one you’ll actually use.
- Small, consistent improvements outperform massive overhauls. Start where you are.
- Your system must adapt to your life, not the other way around. Cookie-cutter approaches rarely work long-term.
My Testing Methodology
When I review tools or systems on SmartUseCase.com, I don’t just skim the surface. Every recommendation comes from personal experience over at least 30 days of real-world use. Here’s my process:
- Implementation: I integrate the tool/system into my actual workflow.
- Documentation: I track specific metrics before and after adoption.
- Real-world stress testing: I evaluate performance during both normal weeks and high-pressure periods.
- Long-term assessment: I check back after 3+ months to see if I’m still using it (most productivity tools fail this test).
I only recommend what has genuinely improved my own productivity—no affiliate-driven recommendations or paid promotions.
My Professional Background
In my day job, I work as a Business Systems Analyst for a mid-sized financial services company. This role requires me to:
- Manage multiple concurrent projects with strict deadlines
- Coordinate between technical and non-technical stakeholders
- Document complex processes and requirements
- Balance immediate requests with long-term objectives
This work environment serves as the perfect testing ground for productivity systems that need to function in the real world.