If your brain feels like a browser with way too many tabs open...
If your to-do list keeps growing while your attention span shrinks...
If you’re juggling ideas, priorities, texts, clients, and three side projects you maybe shouldn’t have said yes to…

This one’s for you.

As a business owner who has navigated seasons of burnout, overcommitment, and messy middle growth, I’ve learned a lot about how to work with my squirrel-brain tendencies — instead of constantly fighting them.

And over the years, I’ve coached dozens of high-achieving women who feel the same way: visionary, ambitious, capable… but also scattered, overstimulated, and craving structure that actually works for them.

I’m pulling together 10 of my most-used, most-loved hacks for focus, clarity, and keeping your brain on track (without feeling like you have to become a robot to do it).

10 Game-Changing Habits to Help You Prioritize, Focus, and Move Forward

1. Keep Your Goals in Sight — Literally

Setting goals is great. But if you don’t revisit them often, they fade into the background while you spiral into a week of fire drills, client needs, and shiny new ideas.

That’s why one of the simplest (but most effective) ways to stay grounded is to see your goals — daily.

Write them on a sticky note. Create a desktop wallpaper. Hang them in your bathroom, your kitchen, or next to your coffee maker. The location doesn’t matter — the visibility does.

✨ Pro tip: Break your goals into 90-day sprints. It’s long enough to make real progress but short enough to stay flexible. Your priorities can evolve — your clarity should too.

2. Use a Simple Decision Filter for Your Yeses and Nos

High-achievers tend to be overfunctioners — we say yes quickly, often out of habit or pressure, only to regret it later.

One of the best hacks I’ve found? A post-it note on my monitor that reminds me to gut-check every new opportunity before it hijacks my time.

Ask yourself:

Am I saying yes out of excitement or obligation?
Does this align with my priorities right now, not past commitments or future guilt?
Is it a “heck yes” or just a polite maybe?

If the answer isn’t clear or aligned — it’s a no. Full stop.

You don’t need a pros/cons list. You just need a pause.

3. Skip the Fancy Software — Use What You’re Already In

You don’t need another login, another dashboard, or another tool to feel like you’re being productive.

If you’re already using Google Drive, stick with it.

In our business, we manage internal tasks, content planning, and team accountability with a shared Google Doc. It’s searchable, flexible, and doesn't require a learning curve.

✨ Less friction = more follow-through.

Your systems don’t need to impress anyone. They need to work for your brain.

4. Time Block According to Your Brain’s Best Hours

Time blocking is like creating little fences around your focus.

But it only works when you honor your energy, not someone else’s ideal schedule.

Start with:

Your top 3 priorities for the day (everything else is a bonus)
30–45 minute blocks of focused work
Matching your tasks to when your brain is most alert (for me, that’s mornings — for others, it's mid-afternoon)

And if you're feeling resistance? Gamify it.

Race the clock. Reward yourself when you check off something you've been avoiding. Think of time blocking as a challenge — not a punishment.

5. Turn Your Phone’s Notes App Into a Command Center

Your brain isn’t a filing cabinet. It’s a creative engine — full of connections, context, and “wait, don’t forget that!” thoughts that strike when you’re showering or stopped at a red light.

Instead of letting those ideas vanish, give them a home.

The pinned notes on my phone include:

Today on Tap (for immediate reminders)
Future Business Ideas
Reels + Content Prompts
Book Notes
Friday Coffee Chat with J (aka, my brain dump for convos with my husband)

They’re short, labeled, and easy to access. They save me hours of “what was that thing I thought of?” energy.

Leave yourself breadcrumbs. The future-you will be so grateful.

6. Brain Dump First, Prioritize Later

Ever feel like your brain is juggling flaming swords?

You’re trying to focus on one task, but suddenly you remember three things you forgot to do, one idea you have to launch, and that one conversation you replayed at 2am.

You don’t need to act on every thought the moment it arrives.
You just need to capture it.

📝 Create a catch-all list. Call it your Brain Dump.
Then — and this is important — walk away. Give it time to settle. Come back later with fresh eyes and a clear head.

Then ask:

What actually needs to happen now?
What can wait?
What might be an amazing idea... but not right now?

This process quiets the noise and lets the right priorities rise to the top — without discarding your creativity.

7. Remove Email From Your Phone (Yes, Really)

This one might make you sweat — but stick with me.

Email is a time thief.
You check it “just for a second” and suddenly you’re knee-deep in other people’s priorities. Again.

When I hit peak burnout, I took a radical step:
I removed my primary business email from my phone.

And guess what? The world didn’t end.
Clients were still supported. I still made money. I just wasn’t emotionally tethered to my inbox 24/7.

If that feels like too much right now, try this instead:

Turn off email notifications
Check your inbox at set times each day
Use an out-of-office on evenings/weekends
Create templates or delegate wherever possible

Boundaries in your inbox = boundaries in your brain.

8. Work in One Tab at a Time

Multitasking might feel productive. But in reality, it’s just fast-switching between distractions.

You might feel like you're getting more done — but you're actually draining more energy and making more mistakes.

If you’re writing content, write content.
If you’re answering emails, answer emails.
Don’t jump back and forth and expect your brain to keep up.

Try this:

Close tabs you’re not using
Silence notifications (including Slack, text, Voxer)
Put your phone on Do Not Disturb when doing deep work

One task. One window. One moment of actual focus.

9. Train a Team Member to Manage the Inbox

Inbox management is a huge energy suck — but it’s also one of the easiest things to start delegating when you're ready.

When I brought someone in to manage client communication and inquiries, it didn’t just save me time. It saved me from decision fatigue, emotional labor, and the constant “should I respond to this now or later?” spiral.

💡 Start by:

Letting your team member reply to low-risk messages
Creating saved templates for FAQ responses
Empowering them to protect your time (gatekeeping with love)

Eventually, they’ll learn your voice and values — and you’ll gain mental space to lead instead of react.

10. Build Systems That Fit You

The productivity world loves a one-size-fits-all approach.

Use this planner. Try this software. Follow this morning routine that involves 5 AM ice baths and green juice. 🙄

Here’s what I’ve learned:
The best system is the one that matches your brain, your lifestyle, and your season of life.

You don’t have to abandon your sticky notes, paper planner, or Google Docs.
You don’t have to master Notion just because someone on Instagram made it look pretty.

Figure out what feels easy to use — and use that.
Because consistency matters more than complexity.