Ever wondered how someone with a gazillion day job responsibilities and a bad habit of monetizing every hobby they touch manages to keep their sanity? I get asked this quite a bit and figured it was time to share my process. Welcome to my series on Weekly Resets, a practice that keeps me hustling without losing my mind.
The Toolbelt and the Playground
I didn’t invent this practice overnight. Before discovering Notion, my systems cycled about every six months. I would start any new job with a notebook. When the notebook got to be too much to manage, I would maintain things via a meticulously managed email inbox and a Notepad++ page for meeting topics. Evernote was my go-to for resource management.
Eventually, Evernote started charging more than I was willing (or able) to pay, so I started exploring other options. OneNote checked many of the boxes I needed, but it was slow to update my notes between devices. I needed something instant. I explored Obsidian, Asana, Monday, and a handful of other project management solutions. They were either too rigid of systems to work with my personal life too, or didn’t sync between devices.
Enter Smartsheet — finally, a project management solution that could house everything I was working on with automations and the ability to keep (mostly) everything in one spot. Two huge problems loomed though: I couldn’t use it for my personal life, and if I left the company I was with, it would likely be an uphill battle getting it onboarded if it wasn’t already in use.
I can’t tell you exactly how I found Notion, but I can tell you that it basically changed my life. By adopting a “Second Brain,” I pretty much foolproofed my ADHD disorganization and found an actual hack for focused productivity. I have no idea how I managed my life before without it.
I’ve been using Notion for well over a year now, and my current system is a cocktail mix of GTD & PARA, all neatly organized. My template? A customized brainchild inspired by Thomas Franks’ Second Brain.
Why Do a Weekly Reset?
Look, in the fast-paced world of [insert whatever industry you’re in because #hustleculture], there’s no room for willful disorganization. Taking the side hustles out of the equation, chaos is still a massive part of the game. That’s where a Weekly Reset really does come in clutch. Once complete, I have full command of my calendar, tasks, and well… life.
What’s Coming Next
This series will dissect every facet of my Weekly Reset:
- PARK: Not working on it right now? Park it.
- PROCESS: Sifting through the madness.
- PLOT: Two words: Time Block.
Plus, a variety of insightful tips to keep yourself and your team on task and moving forward.
This is not just another productivity series; this is a VIP pass into how I manage everything without letting my projects manage me.