Contributed by SBOC Member:
Founder of the Small Business Owners Community
Let’s get real for a second:
Your memory is not a productivity tool.
Right now, you’re walking through your day with a fog of half-finished thoughts and “don’t forget” whispers clouding your focus.
Three fires to put out.
A client you still haven’t called back.
A dozen half-done tasks.
And no idea what day it is.
This isn’t ambition.
This is anxiety.
And you’re doing it wrong.
Success doesn’t come from remembering everything. It comes from building a system—
so you can forget everything and still get the right things done.
Grab a notebook. Write everything down:
Big or small. Urgent or silly. Get it out of your head.
Because if it lives in your brain, it owns you.
Here’s where it gets good.
Your list is full of “shoulds” and legacy clutter from 2017. Time to Marie Kondo that junk.
Ask these two questions:
Whole categories of work can be offloaded to virtual assistants. Here are a few options trusted by our community:
UpWork – Mixed experiences, but lots of options
Doerly Works – Chicago-based, $13–$16/hr
Empower Virtually – U.S.-based executive assistants
CRDLE – “Choose Africa” initiative, elite global talent
This move alone can get you back 5+ hours a week. No joke.
Last question: Can AI help?
Yes. From graphics to writing to idea generation, tools like ChatGPT are small business cheat codes. Lean into them and you’ll win back another 30 minutes a day.
After this purge, your list should be at least 50% smaller.
Now scan your new, cleaner list. Highlight anything that repeats:
We’re going to put these on autopilot so they don’t rent space in your head.
Here’s a secret: your calendar is lying to you.
Don’t list when something is due.
List when you need to start working on it.
If a slide deck is due Tuesday, plug in the task for the Thursday before—so you’ve got space to create it without the scramble.
This trick gives you back your peace of mind and your weekends.
Now that you’ve tamed the chaos, bring in the tech.
Todoist is my go-to. It’s simple, clean, and powerful.
Install it on your desktop and phone. You’ll thank me later.
Inside Todoist:
Then use this flag system:
🔴 Red = Urgent. Only you can do it.
🔵 Blue = Delegated. Someone else owns it.
🟡 Yellow = Waiting on someone.
⚪ White = Nice-to-have, not must-do.
One glance and you’ll know exactly where your energy should go.
If it’s not on the list, it doesn’t exist.
Walk the dog? On the list.
Call the bank? On the list.
Review Q2 numbers? You guessed it—on the list.
When your list runs your day, you stop wasting time on guesswork, guilt, or garbage.
That cloud of mental clutter? Gone.
You wake up. Check your list. See 4–6 clear, doable tasks.
That’s it.
You don’t wonder what you’re forgetting. You don’t carry the weight of 50 undone things.
You just do the work—and then you’re done.
No guilt. No “oh crap” moments at midnight. No stress.
Just freedom.
This is just one of the tools I use to run a business, plan national conferences, and still have a life.
If you liked this, you’ll love The Small Business Summary—a free, weekly hit of practical insights to help you quit the chaos and work like a pro.
And if you’re ready to build smarter, not harder?
Come hang out inside the Small Business Owners Community—a real-deal network of people who get it.
It’s your dream.
Don’t Grow It Alone®.
Pat spent two decades in broadcasting management and hosting. After leaving the radio industry, he spent time consulting small businesses and realized the support system for entrepreneurs was broken. Where could you find help for improving small businesses and building real connections with other like-minded people. In June of 2020, the Idea Collective Small Business Community was born.
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