My Simple Planning + Productivity Toolkit for Entrepreneurs
If you’ve ever downloaded a new productivity app or went down the planner aisle on your weekly Target trip (ok, maybe that’s just me) hoping to find the ONE app or tool that would FINALLY help you stay on top of all the things you need to do…
Yeah, me too. And I see A LOT of my clients buying new tools, programs, apps, etc., hoping to find the ONE THING that will finally help them grow their business without all the overwhelm.
I’ve tried A LOT of productivity tools for entrepreneurs over the years, and I’ve narrowed down my setup to just a handful of them that work together as a system.
You don’t need anything complicated to stay organized and productive. You just need a few tools that help you plan your goals, manage your tasks + projects, protect your focus, and follow-through… even when your schedule feels full.
Here are the exact planning and time management tools I used every week to make that happen:
Why I Keep My Productivity Toolkit Small
I don’t believe in stacking tools just to feel productive. Every tool I use has a clear role, and if it doesn’t actively support my planning, focus, or follow-through, it doesn’t stay.
The biggest mistake I see entrepreneurs make is trying to solve a planning problem with more tools instead of a better structure. Tools are only powerful when they’re anchored to a system.
That’s exactly how I use mine.
The Foundation: The SYS Planner
The SYS Planner is where my week is organized. Everything is in ONE spot so it’s easy to get a bird’s eye view of my schedule, know exactly what needs to get done each week, and stay focused on the few important or urgent tasks for the day and week that need to get done.
I use it for:
Setting my 90-day goals
Weekly planning and prioritization
Identifying my top three daily priorities
Mapping my ideal week and boundaries
What makes this planner different is that it’s not about filling every hour of every day. It’s about connecting your time to what actually matters — revenue, capacity, and sustainability. It’s a simple way to keep everything together and know exactly how to focus your time and energy.
Project Management: Asana
Asana is my “holding tank” for all of my to-do’s, projects, ideas, etc. If I have anything that I do each day or each week, I need the reminder because otherwise, it won’t get done.
While I write my to-do list each week in my planner (because there is some psychology around writing things down so you remember them), Asana is where all of my tasks live.
I use Asana for:
Project-based work
Recurring business tasks
Launch planning
Team workflows and delegation
Asana is not where I decide what matters... that’s what my SYS Planner is for.
Asana is where I track my execution and follow-through.
And that distinction is important. When entrepreneurs try to use their project manager as a planning tool, they end up overwhelmed. When you use it as an execution tool instead, it becomes incredibly effective.
Time Blocking + Future Planning: Google Calendar
My calendar is where my boundaries live.
I use Google Calendar for:
Time blocking my priorities
Client calls and meetings
Buffer time and personal commitments
Future planning and visibility
I use Google Calendar as a way to know exactly what I’m doing and when I’m doing it. If I want time to do something, it needs to be blocked into my calendar so that I don’t overbook myself (or end up working 15 hours a day).
My calendar also helps me add in white space. My white space is NOT scheduled in… I don’t have any idea what I will do each day, which is the beauty of HAVING white space in your calendar.
I use Google Calendar more as a strategy tool for my time management in my business versus for my actual planning.
Focus & Breaks: Focus Keeper
There will be days when I get so hyperfocused on work that it will be 4 hours and I haven’t even gotten up from my desk to get coffee. (And we all know how important coffee is…)
When I know I have a long project that I will find ways to distract myself, I like to use the Focus Keeper app.
It helps me:
Work in short, focused sprints
Take intentional breaks
Avoid mental fatigue
This matters more than people realize. Focus isn’t about spending HOURS in front of your computer… it’s about staying on task (NOT multitasking) to get what you’ve set out to accomplish, complete. Short bursts of focused work beat long, distracted hours every time.
Remembering the Little Things: Apple Reminders
The Reminder app on my phone has been one of the biggest helps for everything else in my life. While you know that I love structure, I am also a mom in her 40s who has major brain fog and will forget EVERYTHING if she’s not reminded multiple times. (Which is why I rely heavily on my planner to keep me focused + organized.)
Setting reminders for the things that need to get done OR that haven’t quite made it into my daily or weekly routines yet has been SO helpful.
This includes:
Household tasks
Chores + errands
One-off reminders
Things I tend to procrastinate (feeding my sourdough starter or watering flowers)
I also use it for annual reminders that I tend to put off so that it’s constantly in my face (and I HATE those red little notification numbers on my phone).
If it’s not important enough for my planner or Asana, it goes here. That way, my brain isn’t trying to hold onto it.
How These Tools Work Together
All these tools not only serve a specific purpose, but they all work hand-in-hand to keep my productive and organized on a daily basis.
The SYS Planner sets my direction for the week.
Asana supports the follow-through of everything I need to accomplish.
Google Calendar protects my time and gives me white space.
FocusKeeper helps with staying focused.
Reminders protect my mental space.
This is what turns productivity tools into a productivity system.
A Note on Productivity (+ Profit)
But I want to remind you of a few things…
First, being busy doesn’t mean you're productive. I can be on calls for 4 hours a day and be more productive than a day where I have no calls because I’m just being “busy” instead of actually doing things that move my business forward.
Which brings me to the next thing…
Being productive doesn’t automatically mean you’re making progress.
What matters is whether your time + tasks are aligned with your goals.
That’s why everything I use ties back to the SYS Method™ — plan, prioritize, protect. Tools don’t create results. Structure does.
