Let’s be honest — some weeks feel like a never-ending list of things you “should” be doing.

You’ve got customer messages to answer, content to create, orders to fulfill, admin tasks, invoices, and if you’re lucky, an hour to actually think about what you wanted to do this week.

That’s the reality for a lot of small business owners. You’re not lazy. You’re not behind.

You’re just carrying too much.

And if your brain is spinning with all the things, I want to share how I’ve found focus again after a pretty chaotic season of life.

Start with the list

I make lists. Always have. But when I was rebuilding my focus, I gave my list a job: keep me steady.

Every week, I map out:

• What I want to get done this week

• What I’ll do next week

• What’s on the “I’ve thought of it but I’m not dealing with it yet” list

That last one? Vital. It’s where I put ideas that pop up mid-task. Things I want to try. Thoughts that would usually distract me.

Instead of stopping what I’m doing, I park them — and get back to them when I’ve finished what I started.

Ticking things off is underrated

At the end of the day, I check my list.

And I take a moment to enjoy the tick.

It’s satisfying. It’s grounding. It reminds me I am making progress, even if it’s slower than I’d like.

And if something didn’t get done?

I don’t beat myself up. I look at whether it still matters — and if it does, I reschedule it.

No drama. No guilt.

Know what actually matters

The reason I don’t get thrown off by unfinished tasks anymore is this:

I know what my priorities are.

The important stuff gets done. Every time. Because I choose it on purpose.

That’s the difference between having a to-do list and having a plan.

One keeps you busy.

The other keeps you moving forward.

Get your energy back by simplifying

This one took me a while to learn:

The goal isn’t to get everything done. The goal is to do the right things — and make peace with the rest.

If that means cutting back on consulting to create space for marketing? Do it.

If that means saying no to someone so you can finally launch that idea you’ve been sitting on for two years? Do it.

Focus is a practice.

And every small decision you make in service of that focus is progress.

Want to try this?

This week, try this:

1. Write out your to-do list — don’t filter, just get it all out.

2. Pick 3 things that really matter this week.

3. Put the rest in a “later” list — and trust that you’ll come back to it.

Then?

Tick things off. Move the rest. No guilt required.

Want help planning the week in a calm, clear way?

I’m building tools that support you where you are — not where some guru thinks you should be.

Planning tools, weekly templates, and a structure that flexes with your real life (not against it).

If that sounds like what you need, keep an eye on The Freedom Formula. It’s growing as I go — and you’re welcome anytime.

👉 See what’s inside so far — and grab whatever helps you take the next step, one calm week at a time.