System to go from overwhelmed to productive
Intro
If you’re an entrepreneur or founder you're likely working with MASSIVE amounts of information EVERY SINGLE DAY.
Tasks, resources, ideas, meetings you have to attend, projects you have to deliver, people you need to reach out to, and so on.
It’s likely that this never-ending flow of information makes you feel overwhelmed and stressed, which prevents you from working effectively and achieving the results you want.
If this sounds familiar, this article will provide insights into how I help both myself and other entrepreneurs stay organized.
Before delving into the solution, it’s essential to understand why these feelings of overwhelm occur.
Reason: You don’t have a centralized system to organize your information.
Consequently, even if you're capturing information, it's likely spread across different tools and locations. This scattering can lead to mental strain because you don't have a streamlined method for organizing and retrieving the data you need.
As a result, you’re forced to keep all of this information in your head.
However, your brain is not designed (it didn't evolve) to store and remember such enormous amounts of data.
Thus, keeping all of this information in your head leads to mental overload and stress.
Further, if your mind is cluttered with data, you can’t think clearly or have new ideas because there’s simply no space left.
It's like having a garage full of valuable things—tools, vehicles, books, souvenirs, notes, etc—all piled up on top of each other forming one overwhelming MESS. Good luck finding something you need—you'll only waste time and get frustrated trying to navigate this chaos.
In other words, you’re sitting on a pot of gold without being aware of it because all of their valuable ideas, insights, & resources are dying in the informational chaos of your mind.
Getting organized is about setting up a centralized system for seamlessly capturing and processing your work to:
Always have a clear mind to fully focus on high-leverage activities: solving hard problems, coming up with new ideas, planning, connecting dots, networking, having fun, etc.
AND have a reliable location to retrieve the information you need in seconds.
Let’s take a look at how you can become organized.
System for being organized
Being organized requires two fundamental steps: capture and process.
Below, you will find a system that includes both elements, along with practical examples using one of my free workspaces called Entrepreneur System.
Author’s note: You can get Entrepreneur System for free here (when you open the link, click “Duplicate” in the top right corner, and you’re ready to start using it). If you don’t want to use Entrepreneur System or you already have another workspace, don’t worry—these principles will work there just as well ;)
Capture
Your mind is for having ideas, not holding them. — David Allen
What
Capture any idea, task, or thought in an inbox.
Why
Closing open loops keeps your mind decluttered.
When
Anytime, all day, every day.
How
#1 Open your workspace
#2 Click the relevant button
If it’s something actionable (like “send an email”), click “New Task”
If it’s not actionable (like “Ideas for upcoming ad campaign”), click “New Resource”
If it’s a meeting, click “New Meeting”
If it’s a new connection (either network or potential client), click “New Connection”
Ease of access
The KEY to making this process as useful as possible is making capturing your ideas, tasks, and resources EASILY accessible both on the computer and on the go.
By easy, I mean a maximum of 3 actions away from the thought you want to capture.
Here’s how to do it:
Download the Notion app onto your computer and always have it open
Set up the Notion widget on mobile to display Entrepreneur Mind
Now you can quickly add thoughts, clear your mind, and enhance performance and productivity.
Process
The information you gather is only useful when you can find it and use it in the future.
What
Review your inbox and plan using the 4D framework (Delete, Define, Do, Defer).
Why
This process ensures that the information remains organized and actionable.
When
At the start or end of every workday.
How
Review the inbox: Open Tasks & Resources Inboxes, Meetings, & Connections
Apply the 4D framework (Delete, Define, Do, Defer) to each inbox item
Delete: If no longer relevant.
Define: Determine if actionable or related to a current project.
Do: If execution takes less than 2 minutes.
Defer: If longer, assign a date or backlog.
Plan the next day: Open the "Tomorrow" view of tasks, prioritize 3-8 essential tasks
Watch this video for more details.
Conclusion
Being an organized entrepreneur is about efficiently capturing and processing information using a centralized system.
This approach frees up your mind for high-value activities and transforms the flood of tasks and ideas into manageable action points.
Start implementing this system today and experience a significant boost in your productivity, clarity, and decision-making, paving the way for your venture's continued success.
Best,
Simon
P.S. If you’re an entrepreneur ready to save 10h/week, 2x output, & completely eliminate disorganization using systems, book a discovery call with me here: https://cal.com/processized/book-simon