Amanda Nowak built a seven-figure interior design business—and still found herself absolutely miserable. In this raw, real conversation, Amanda (burnout coach and Reiki master) sits down with Ellyn to unpack the "million dollar wake-up call" that changed everything: success metrics don't equal fulfillment, and burnout doesn't care how passionate you are about your work.
If you've ever felt like you're doing everything "right" but still burning out, this episode is your permission slip to redefine success on your own terms.
What You'll Learn:
👉🏻Why hitting revenue milestones won't automatically fix burnout (and what will)
👉🏻The dangerous myth that "passion prevents burnout" (spoiler: it doesn't)
👉🏻How to spot the difference between building the business you should have vs. the one you actually want
👉🏻Small, sustainable self-care changes that actually work (no week-long spa retreats required)
👉🏻Why high achievers are most at risk for severe burnout—and how to break the cycle
👉🏻The "self-care snack" concept: bite-sized practices for busy entrepreneurs
👉🏻How to set boundaries with yourself (not just with clients)
Key Takeaways:
📊 Vanity metrics don't equal success: Million-dollar revenue, big teams, and office space sound impressive—but do they align with your values of peace and freedom?
🔥 Burnout is a "you" problem: High achievers burn out because we're perfectionists who say yes to everything. Lazy people don't get burnt out—they say no.
🧘 Start small, stay sustainable: One glass of water in the morning. Ten minutes of meditation at lunch. Micro-changes create lasting transformation.
🚫 Stop "just-ing" yourself: "Just hire someone" or "just do this" minimizes the 20 steps involved in any business decision. Give yourself grace.
💡 Self-care isn't always spa days: Watching a YouTube video during your break instead of checking email? That's self-care. Slow mornings? Self-care.
About Amanda Nowak:
Amanda is a burnout coach specializing in helping high-achieving women entrepreneurs who look successful on the outside but feel miserable on the inside. After exiting her seven-figure interior design business in 2023, she launched Elements 8 Coaching, combining traditional coaching with Reiki and energy work to address burnout at multiple levels.
Resources Mentioned:
👉🏻The Gap and the Gain (book) - Click Here
Amanda's "What Do I Really Want?" workbook (free download) - Click Here
Entrepreneurs Retreat at Home kit - Click Here
Connect with Amanda:
Instagram: @element.eight.coaching
Website: element-8.com
Keywords: burnout recovery, entrepreneur burnout, high achiever burnout, work-life balance, business boundaries, self-care for entrepreneurs, seven-figure burnout, burnout coach, sustainable success, redefining success
Ruthless self-awareness isn't about beating yourself up—it's about getting brutally honest with yourself so you can actually do something about burnout before it takes you down. In this episode, we're breaking down the foundation of burnout prevention: the ability to see yourself clearly—your patterns, your triggers, your limits—without sugarcoating or denial.
If you're a high achiever who's constantly pushing through, ignoring warning signs, and wondering why you're always exhausted, this episode is for you. You'll learn the seven key areas where ruthless self-awareness shows up, the practices that build it, and why awareness alone isn't enough—you need action.
In This Episode, You'll Discover:
— What ruthless self-awareness actually means (and why high achievers need it most)
— The 7 key areas of self-awareness that prevent burnout: values clarity, capacity awareness, energy audits, emotional honesty, pattern recognition, identity vs. output, and shame vs. guilt
— Practical self-awareness practices: meditation, journaling, spending time alone, and the 3-step weekly review framework
— Why self-awareness without action keeps you stuck in burnout
— Common self-awareness traps that high achievers fall into (and how to avoid them)
— Action steps you can implement this week to start building ruthless self-awareness
Key Takeaways:
— You can't change what you won't acknowledge—ruthless self-awareness is the first step to burnout-proofing your life
— High achievers are experts at pushing through, which means they often ignore burnout warning signs until it's too late
— Self-awareness isn't about self-criticism—it's about getting honest with yourself so you can course-correct
— The 3-step weekly review framework: What's working? What's not working? What's stressing me out?
— Awareness alone isn't enough—you need systems, self-care, and mindset shifts to make it stick
Who This Episode Is For:
— High-achieving entrepreneurs, corporate professionals, and leaders experiencing burnout or chronic stress
— Anyone who feels stuck in survival mode and ready to shift into thriving mode
— Ambitious professionals who want to prevent burnout before it destroys their health, relationships, or career
— Leaders who are tired of being the bottleneck and want to reclaim their time and energy
Resources Mentioned:
— The High Achiever Burnout Cycle (6 stages) - Check out the old podcast
— Old Podcast "How to Find your Worth Outside of Your Work" - Click Here >>
— Values Mini-Course - Click Here
— Burnout-Proof Business - Click Here— Work Well HQ Membership - Click Here
Connect With Ellyn:
— Instagram: @coachellyn
— Website: coachellyn.com
Keywords: burnout prevention, self-awareness, high achievers, prevent burnout, burnout recovery, self-awareness practices, burnout symptoms, high-performing professionals, how to prevent burnout, building self-awareness, ruthless self-awareness, burnout-proof, corporate burnout, entrepreneur burnout, sustainable success
Closing: If this episode resonated with you, subscribe to the Burnout-Proof Podcast and leave a review—it helps other high achievers find the support they need. And remember: ruthless self-awareness isn't about being hard on yourself—it's about being honest with yourself. Because you deserve a life where you're not just surviving—you're thriving.
Stay relentless, achiever!
You’ve got tools. You’ve got automations. You’ve got dashboards.
But are your systems helping you — or burning you out?
In this episode of The Burnout-Proof Podcast, burnout coach + systems strategist Ellyn Schinke shares five powerful questions every entrepreneur and solopreneur should ask before consolidating, automating, or switching platforms.
Learn how to:
– Simplify your business systems without breaking your backend
– Save money by cutting tool bloat
– Build ease and automation into your daily operations
– Choose systems that scale your growth instead of your stress
Burnout-proof systems aren’t built by accident — they’re built with intention.
🔗 Join The Solopreneur Systems Summit (Click Here) this week and grab your All-Access Pass for the C-Suite AI Agent Documentation — Ellyn’s exact framework for training AI to help you work less and earn more.
Keywords / Tags: burnout, burnout-proof systems, solopreneur burnout, systems for entrepreneurs, simplify your tech, automation tips, business productivity, entrepreneur stress, sustainable success
Let's be real—Notion can feel like a digital playground one minute and a hot mess the next. You're spending hours setting up databases, only to end up with a system that leaves you more stressed than when you started. Sound familiar? Yeah, I thought so.
Here's the deal: Notion isn't the problem. It's how we're using it. And after working with hundreds of high-achieving solopreneurs, I've spotted three major mistakes that are keeping your Notion setup from actually working for you instead of against you.
Whether you're feeling overwhelmed by your current setup or wondering why your productivity is still stuck in the mud despite that shiny new template, this episode breaks down the most common Notion pitfalls and gives you actionable fixes to transform your workspace from digital chaos to burnout-proof brilliance.
So grab your coffee (or wine, no judgment here), and let's turn your Notion frustrations into systems that actually support your ambition—without burning you out in the process.
Episode Highlights:🚨 Why complexity is killing your productivity and the counterintuitive power of simplification [6:25]
🛠️ How to properly customize templates instead of drowning in someone else's system [12:18]
💡 The truth about what Notion can (and absolutely cannot) fix in your business [21:57]
⚡ Actionable frameworks to transform your relationship with Notion and build systems that don't suck [27:44]
RESOURCES MENTIONED:
🔗 Solopreneur System Summit: http://www.coachellyn.com/summit - Register for free!
🔗 All-Access Pass to the Systems Summit - Click here
🔗 Check out Burnout-Proof Business - Click Here
Connect With Ellyn:
🔗 Instagram: @CoachEllyn
🔗 Website: coachellen.com
If this episode helped you rethink your relationship with Notion, please take a moment to rate, review, and follow the show! Your support helps other ambitious high-achievers find their way to burnout-proof productivity.
#NotionTips #ProductivityTips #SolopreneurSystems #BurnoutProofBusiness #NotionForBusiness #DigitalOrganization #ProductivityHacks #SystemsAndProcesses
Join Ellyn and 20+ experts at the Solopreneur System Summit in just under two weeks! Register for your free ticket at coachellyn.com/summit.
In this episode, Ellyn explores how small, intentional systems can create massive shifts in your productivity and prevent burnout. She breaks down three powerful micro-systems that are easy to implement but deliver outsized results.
Key Points:
Episode Highlights:
🧠 Learn why having multiple capture systems creates unnecessary cognitive load
⏱️ Discover how the two-minute rule keeps both your digital and physical spaces organized
🔍 Understand the four questions of the Intentional Systems Filter:
Resources Mentioned:
System School - https://www.coachellyn.com/systems
Burnout-Proof Business - https://www.coachellyn.com/bpb
Connect With Ellyn:
Instagram: @coachellyn
Website: coachellyn.com
Free Training: coachellyn.com/summit - Solar Primer System Summit
Join Ellyn and 20+ experts at the Solopreneur System Summit in just under two weeks! Register for your free ticket at coachellyn.com/summit.
Pick ONE of these tiny systems to implement for the next seven days, then tag Ellyn on Instagram @coachellyn to share your experience. For personalized help building these systems, visit coachellyn.com/services.
Join us at the Solopreneur Systems Summit - click here
In this eye-opening episode of The Burnout-Proof Podcast, I dive into why most productivity tools fail to deliver and how to transform them into complete systems that prevent burnout and maximize efficiency. If you've ever downloaded a new app hoping it would fix your workflow issues, only to find yourself with the same problems (and another subscription fee), this episode is for you.
What You'll Learn
Key Takeaways
Resources Mentioned
Connect with Ellyn:
Perfect for high-achieving entrepreneurs and solopreneurs who want to create sustainable systems that prevent burnout and increase productivity without adding more digital clutter to their lives.
Ever sit down to rest and your brain won’t shut off? Instead of calm, you get hit with a flood of reminders—emails, groceries, to-dos, Zoom links. That’s not distraction—it’s your nervous system showing you exactly where you’re missing systems.
In this episode of the Burnout-Proof Podcast, burnout coach + systems strategist Ellyn Schinke kicks off a 3-part series on creating burnout-proof systems that actually support your brain, your business, and your life.
What you’ll learn today:
Why stillness acts like a “check-engine light” for your productivity and mental health.
How to reframe racing thoughts as clues about missing systems.
Real examples: meal planning, follow-ups, launch checklists, and more.
A simple practice for capturing these distractions and turning them into system priorities.
👉 This is Part 1 of a 3-part mini-series on building systems that prevent burnout:
Next week: Do You Have a System… or Just a Tool?
Week 3: Tiny Systems, Big Shifts.
🎟️ Register now for the Solopreneur Systems Summit → coachellyn.com/summit. It’s where we’re building nervous-system-friendly systems together.
Because success shouldn’t suck—and burnout isn’t the price you have to pay.
How many times have you skipped a workout, shut your laptop early, or rescheduled a commitment—and immediately judged yourself for “making excuses”?
Here’s the truth: not everything is an excuse. Sometimes, it’s a reason. And knowing the difference can be the thing that saves you from endless guilt and burnout.
In this episode of the Burnout-Proof Podcast, I’m pulling straight from a chapter of my upcoming book to break down:
The real difference between an excuse and a reason (and why it matters)
Why high-achievers confuse rest or imperfection with failure
Everyday examples that show you how to tell the difference
How self-compassion flips the script so you stop shaming yourself and start trusting yourself
Simple mindset shifts—like “I have to” → “I choose to”—that anchor you back in choice and alignment
If you’re tired of beating yourself up for every no, every boundary, or every skipped task, this episode will help you finally see the truth: excuses drain you, reasons empower you.
✨ Resources + Links Mentioned in This Episode:
Take the free Burnout Quiz → coachellyn.com/quiz
Register for the Solopreneur Systems Summit (October) → coachellyn.com/summit
Join the Sunday CEO Reset → coachellyn.com/reset
Get on the waitlist for my upcoming book → coachellyn.com/book
Stay Relentless, Achievers.
I'm building You're Too Picky episodes into the Burnout-Proof podcast on FRIDAYS if and when I have something to say...like today!
Being the last single cousin comes with its own emotional Olympics. I wanna talk about driving to a family baby shower while bracing for “you’re next” comments, why “you’ll want kids when you have them” is garbage advice, and the quiet exhaustion of anticipating judgment before it even happens.
If you’ve ever felt like you’re defending your life choices—and your peace of mind—in advance, you’re not alone. I share the push-pull of liking my life, not wanting kids, still wanting partnership, and refusing to settle just to appease the family script. Consider this your reminder: different ≠ behind. Your timeline is yours.
🎧 If you’re single, I’m in the trenches with you. If you’re not, here’s insight into what your single friends are navigating.
👉 DM me your story after you listen: @coachellyn
What's coming up:
📅 Sunday CEO Reset - Join us for our first Sunday CEO Reset on September 8th - Click here to join >>
You’re not burned out because you’re too ambitious—you’re burned out because you’re still doing too much manually.
In this episode, I break down the four automations every solopreneur (and smart professional) needs to set up now so you can buy back hours each week and protect your energy:
Client Onboarding: Form → contract → invoice → welcome email → calendar…handled. No more chase-and-pray admin.
Recurring Tasks & Templates: Notion buttons/templates (or your tool of choice) to one-click spin up weekly reviews, podcast workflows, content plans, and client dashboards.
Email List & Nurture: A simple, values-driven welcome sequence that builds trust and warms leads—without turning you into a spam bot.
Scheduling: Kill the “does Tuesday at 2 work?” loop. Let people book within your boundaries and collect payments automatically.
This isn’t about being robotic—it’s about letting systems carry the mental and energetic load so you can stay in CEO mode.
Ready for the glow-up?
My Sunday CEO Reset is a monthly, behind-the-scenes session where I show you exactly how I reset my systems, schedule, and mindset for a new month. Join us here: coachellyn.com/reset
And yes—the Community just got a major upgrade. Free resources, events, challenges, and deeper support for building a burnout-proof business and life: coachellyn.com/community
If you’re done running your business on vibes and to-do lists, this episode is your starting line.
Stay relentless, achievers.
Ever have a day so stressful that even your proof can’t talk you down?
Where your nervous system just says, “Nope. We’re done here.”
Yeah… same.
In this bonus episode, I’m pulling back the curtain on one of the most overwhelming, mentally scrambled, and emotionally raw days I’ve had in a long time. Not burnout—stress. Acute, relentless, compounding stress that stacked micro-stressor after micro-stressor until I spiraled. Hard.
You’ll hear:
The full breakdown of what happened (and what I forgot 👀)
How stress hijacked my brain and body
Why even evidence couldn’t convince me I was safe
The moment my intuition screamed louder than the spiral—and was right
What this taught me about trust, systems, and supporting my brain under pressure
This is a real-time reflection, not a framework. But if you’ve ever felt like you “should be fine” and still can’t calm the chaos? This one's for you.
🎧 Listen in, and if this resonates, shoot me a DM or take the Burnout Quiz at coachellyn.com/quiz.
🧠 You’re not broken. You’re just overwhelmed. And you’re so not alone.
Are you working hard—or just trying hard? 👀
In this episode of the Burnout-Proof Podcast, I sit down with brand strategist Asia Dore to unpack one of the most overlooked truths about burnout and business: passion alone won’t save you.
Asia and I dig into the messy middle of pivots, why identity gets so tangled up in our work, and how a clear brand strategy can actually burnout-proof your business. Whether you’re a solopreneur, side-hustler, or corporate professional building your thought leadership, this conversation will give you the clarity and tools you need to stop spinning your wheels and start leading with intention.
✨ What you’ll learn in this episode:
The difference between working hard (fulfillment + flow) vs. trying hard (exhaustion + performance).
Why passion doesn’t protect you from burnout—and what actually does.
How brand strategy acts as your North Star for pivots, decisions, and growth.
The power of saying “no” when opportunities don’t align with your brand.
Why everyone has a brand—even if you’re not an entrepreneur.
If you’ve ever felt like you’re chasing your tail in business, drowning in comparison, or questioning whether you’re “flaky” for pivoting, this episode is your permission slip to rethink it all.
🔗 Links + Resources:
Join my Reset Challenge this week → [Click Here]
Connect with Asia Dore + grab her free masterclass: asiadore.com/masterclass (use code burnoutproof)
Follow me on Instagram → @coachellyn
🎧 Listen now and learn how to burnout-proof your business by owning your brand and working hard—with intention.
Let’s be real: you don’t struggle to rest just because you love working. You struggle to rest because your brain is stuck in fight-or-flight mode—and your environment is keeping you there.
Every sticky note in your line of sight, every ping, every messy desktop tab? They’re all screaming, “We’re not done yet!” And your high-achiever brain believes it—so even when you try to unplug, you can’t.
In this episode of The Burnout-Proof Podcast, I’m pulling back the curtain on the three layers of clutter—mental, digital, and physical—that sabotage your ability to rest. And I’m sharing the exact strategies I’ve been using to reset my environment, calm my nervous system, and finally give my brain permission to turn off at the end of the day.
Here’s what we cover:
🧠 Mental Clutter: why systems matter more than willpower when your brain won’t shut up.
💻 Digital Clutter: my go-to hacks with Chrome tab groups, second brains in Notion, and automation that cuts the chaos.
🏠 Physical Clutter: clear surfaces, the one-touch rule, and how small resets = big peace.
⚡ Why your environment might be the real reason burnout keeps sneaking back in.
Because here’s the truth: you cannot be burnout-proof if your environment is keeping you in survival mode.
🚀 Resources + Links
✨ Join the Workspace Reset Challenge → coachellyn.com/challenge
✨ DM me CHALLENGE on Instagram → @coachellyn and I’ll send you all the details.
✨ Subscribe to the podcast → coachellyn.com/podcast
🔑 Key Quote"You don’t have a rest problem—you have a clutter problem. And your brain won’t relax until it believes the work is done."
If you’ve ever been told to slow down and immediately rolled your eyes—this one’s for you.
Hustle isn’t the problem. It’s the source of your hustle that makes or breaks you. In this episode, I’m breaking down the difference between purpose-driven hustle (that fuels you) and pressure-driven hustle (that drains you), and how to shift your energy toward the kind of hustle that actually sustains your success.
We’ll cover:
Why hustle gets such a bad rap (and why it shouldn’t)
The real markers of purpose-driven work vs. pressure-driven work
How to spot subtle pressure-driven traps before they burn you out
Three powerful filter questions that instantly shift you from reactive to intentional
How purpose-driven hustle makes ambition and sustainability work together instead of against each other
Plus: I’m giving you a sneak peek into a chapter from the book I’m writing, The No Bullshit Burnout Book, and sharing why this topic has been hitting close to home lately.
Join the Burnout-Proof Community: coachellyn.com/community
Sunday CEO Monthly Reset: coachellyn.com/reset
Workspace Reset Challenge (Aug 25–29): coachellyn.com/challenge
Let’s connect:
Instagram: @coachellyn
Website: coachellyn.com
If you’ve ever rage-quit a ChatGPT convo, this one’s for you. Ellyn Schinke breaks down exactly why your AI outputs are falling flat—and how to fix it using her 3 C’s Framework: Context, Conversation, and Continuity.
Whether you're using AI for content creation, client work, or scaling your backend, this episode is your no-fluff guide to getting responses that actually work. Bonus? Real-life examples, a little sass, and a whole lot of strategy.
What You’ll Learn in This Episode:
Why dropping a link into ChatGPT isn’t enough context (and what to do instead)
The wild (and creepy-accurate) way AI learns your voice over time
The difference between commanding and collaborating with your AI
How to train your GPTs like real team members (and yes, you should name them)
The one reason you should stop starting fresh chats every time
Links & Resources:
🧠 Ellyn’s AI Hub — Free tools, AI agents, and more
💬 DM Ellyn your ChatGPT questions on Instagram @coachellyn
Liked this episode?
Subscribe + leave a 5-star review so more high-achievers can build burnout-proof systems using AI.
Want to join this week's Podcast Summit? Click here >>
Sick of feeling like marketing is just another thing draining your energy? You’re not alone—and this episode is a must-listen.
I’m joined by Stephanie Munson of Moxie Creative Solutions, a marketing pro on a mission to make marketing simple, sustainable, and actually feel good again. We talk burnout, boundaries, and why everyone seems so damn tired of social media (especially Instagram 👀).
Here’s what we cover:
What marketing burnout really looks like for small biz owners
Why simplicity > strategy when you’re already overwhelmed
The unexpected power of Threads (and why we’re both lowkey obsessed)
Why Google My Business might be your secret visibility weapon
A spicy rant about cold DMs, AI art, and showing up where you actually like being
If marketing feels more like a mental load than a creative outlet lately, this convo will help you take a deep breath, simplify the chaos, and reconnect with your “why” for showing up in the first place.
✨ PS — Stephanie also drops a Google visibility tip that could change your local SEO game, and I may have given her homework to write a whole blog on it. See below... 👀
Follow Stephanie: Website | Instagram | LinkedIn |
Tired of chasing trends and feeling like marketing is just another full-time job? You’re not alone. In this episode, I’m joined by Stephanie Munson of Moxie Creative Solutions to talk about marketing burnout, sustainable visibility, and why simplicity is the secret sauce. We dive into social media overwhelm, the unexpected magic of Threads, and why Google My Business and Apple Maps might be your most powerful (and most ignored) tools for getting found.
📍 Want to level up your local SEO without losing your mind?
Check out Stephanie’s blog posts:
→ How to Set Up Apple Maps
→ How to Get Google Reviews + Boost Local SEO
🔗 Links + Resources:
Stephanie's Website: https://www.needmoxie.com
Connect with Stephanie on Threads, Instagram, and more via her website
Want to be part of my upcoming Podcast Summit? Details below!
Ever sit down at your desk and think, “What the hell do I actually need to do today?” Same. That’s why I built systems that make that never a problem anymore. This episode is the final piece of the Burnout-Proof CEO series—and it’s where it all comes together.
We’re talking:
How I use my Notion systems to plan each week like a boss
My daily check-in rituals to get focused (without overloading myself)
The priority matrix I swear by (aka how I stop spinning out over my to-do list)
Real talk on overwhelm, white space, and knowing what matters
How I use my AI C-Suite GPT to audit my tasks and actually figure out what’s worth my time
Basically: This is how I show up every week clear, calm, and ready to execute—no chaos, no burnout, no wasted time.
⚡ Heads up: If you want to see this in action, the YouTube version of this episode is a full walkthrough. And if you're ready to build your own burnout-proof systems? Check the resources below 👇
🔗 Resources Mentioned:
My $25 CEO Systems Mini-Course: coachellyn.com
The AI C-Suite GPT (for streamlining your task list): Available in my shop
Podcast Summit (July 28–Aug 1): Sign up for free at coachellyn.com/summit
DM me “SUMMIT” on IG to join the fun: @coachellyn
🔥 Want More?
Subscribe to the Burnout-Proof Podcast wherever you listen, and don’t forget to leave a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts! It helps more badass high-achievers like you find this show.
👉 And if you're done with systems that suck and to-do lists that spiral, check out the Systems School and finally create systems that work as hard as you do.
—
Stay relentless, achievers.
—Ellyn
What happens when you build a badass CEO schedule—but your systems aren’t set up to support it? You burn out trying to white-knuckle your way through it every week.
Been there. Done that.
In this episode of the Burnout-Proof Podcast, I’m showing you how I fixed that problem once and for all—by designing my Notion systems to reflect and reinforce my schedule (instead of working against it).
I’m walking you through:
How I theme my workdays to reduce decision fatigue (for the full breakdown, check out this episode)
What my daily Notion pages look like—and how I set them up
The process I used to align my systems with my energy, habits, and schedule
Real-time shifts I made while recording (yes, literally while I was talking to you)
Whether you’re a Notion nerd, a system newbie, or a CEO sick of feeling like your schedule is made of Jenga blocks—this one’s for you.
🎥 Want the full visual walkthrough?
Check out the YouTube version of this episode to see my Notion setup in real time. Link below ⬇
👩🏻💻 Wanna steal my setup (and get support building your own)?
Join Burnout-Proof Business and get:
Access to my full Systems Vault
Weekly implementation labs
Strategic support for designing burnout-proof systems that scale
Founding Member rate is still available—but not for long. 👉 https://www.coachellyn.com/bpb
Also, check out:
📺 Watch on YouTube: [Insert Link]
🎯 Take the Burnout Type Quiz: https://www.coachellyn.com/quiz
📌 Join the Community + Ask Questions: https://www.coachellyn.com/community
🛠 Check out the Systems Vault: https://www.coachellyn.com/vault
—
🔥 Favorite Moments in This Episode:
01:20 – What I realized about my CEO schedule not working
03:15 – The game-changing mindset shift I made
06:00 – What each of my themed days looks like
10:30 – My Notion daily page walk-through
16:45 – Real-time system changes I made mid-recording
19:40 – Why this system has saved me from task list shame + calendar dread
21:00 – How I use my daily pages to simplify everything
—
You’re not failing at productivity—you just need systems that actually support the way you work.
Let’s build them.
Stay relentless, achievers. 💥
Feeling like your to-do list runs your day? In this episode, we kick off a three-part series on building a CEO schedule that prioritizes your time, sanity, and the success of your business—without burning you out in the process.
Part 1 of the series dives into the concept of theme days—a strategy that lets you group tasks by their type rather than time-blocking your schedule into rigid hours. Whether you're a solopreneur or a corporate employee, this method can help you take back control of your day without feeling overwhelmed by a packed calendar.
In this episode, we cover:
Why theme days are the key to creating a schedule that supports your brain and energy.
How I personally structure my week to maximize productivity while maintaining mental clarity.
Why traditional time-blocking just doesn’t work for a CEO’s mindset—and what to do instead.
Actionable steps to audit your to-do list and create a custom CEO schedule that aligns with your life.
Stay tuned for the next two episodes, where we'll dive deeper into using systems (like Notion) to support your schedule and how to know exactly what to work on every single day. This is about creating a flow that gives you time freedom, mental clarity, and sustainable success.
Links Mentioned:
Don’t forget to like, subscribe, and share if this episode resonates with you! 🔥
In this episode, I share a powerful mindset shift about dopamine that can transform how you approach burnout recovery and daily routines.
After returning from my epic two-week cross-country adventure (Hawaii → Pacific Northwest → New Orleans → Seattle), I found myself struggling to get back into healthy routines. My sleep, nutrition, hydration, and especially movement all went downhill—a common pattern for high achievers.
The game-changer? Discovering the concept of "cheap dopamine" versus "earned dopamine" and how this distinction can help you break free from dopamine addiction without giving up the rewards your brain needs.
Key Takeaways:
Resources Mentioned:
Connect with Ellyn!
