Episode 485: My 3 favourite business productivity strategies

If you’re an online business owner who’s ever wondered: “How on earth does she get so much done?”—this one’s for you! There’s a big myth out there that you need to work crazy hours to be productive, and honestly… that perception has followed me for years. The truth? I’m working around 20 hours a week right now, sometimes less. People look at me, see all the content, and assume I must be hustling behind the scenes. Today on the Heart-Centred Business Podcast, I want to share exactly how I structure my business life to get more done without more hours—and actually enjoy it.

Before we dive in, I want to give a bit of context on who I am, because, let’s be real—my productivity strategies didn’t come from being naturally organised. Quite the opposite! I’m scattered, a little messy, and very much neurodivergent (hello, ADHD!). I work on the floor, surrounded by unfinished craft projects, random parcels, and art books tracking my income and podcast progress. I’ve had to build systems and routines that actually work for my wild brain—instead of fighting against it.

Why Context Is Everything

I struggled for so many years, believing everyone else just had it together—perfect workflows, fancy project management… you know, the stuff that never really worked for me. Turns out, a lot of productivity advice floats around that’s designed for different brains. Much of it comes from men, for men, and a lot is mapped onto neurotypical brains—it doesn’t always work for everyone.

So if you’re a creative, neurodivergent person, or just a bit “loosey goosey” in your approach, take heart! These strategies are here to work for you, not change you. My whole philosophy is that you don’t need to become someone else—you need structures that suit your actual life and brain.

Let’s dive in!

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My 3 Productivity Strategies That Changed Everything…

1. Get Super Clear on Your Big Picture—And Come Back to It Often

My creative brain loves leaping from idea to idea. That’s why I make my big goals—especially my income goals—front and centre, every single week. Reminding myself of my critical priorities (the ones that actually move the needle) gets me back on track fast, stopping me from getting lost in shiny distractions.

When I set a goal, I ask:

• What’s the one strategy I’m committed to right now?
• Am I working on the thing that matters most, or just keeping busy?
• Is something underneath (fear, mindset stuff) making me focus on low-impact tasks?

Coming back to this big picture again and again keeps me honest about my time and actions. Everything else? That’s for later or for fun, not for piling onto my plate right now.

2. Reduce Decision Fatigue—Seriously, It’s Life-Changing

Decision fatigue is a sneaky productivity killer, especially if you carry the mental load for your household, juggle kids, or manage all the life stuff solo. Reducing the sheer number of choices I make every day—both at work and at home—has freed up so much energy. Every quarter in my CEO review, I ask myself, “What decisions can I eliminate, batch, or hand off?”

Here’s how that looks in real life:

• Clothes: I own seven identical pairs of the same navy yoga pants (Lululemon, 31” inseam—no, not an ad!). All my socks are the same. So every morning, I put on my navy pants and grab any T-shirt I like—sometimes sporty, sometimes plain or with my favourite netball team’s logo. The little decisions disappear, but I still get enough variety to keep me happy.
• Food: I used to get asked what I wanted for dinner every day, and honestly, I couldn’t care less unless it’s a special occasion. To solve this, we switched to meal box subscriptions. I pick out the recipes once a month, and my partner (David) knows every option is a winner for me. No more daily food discussions!
• Social Media: If you decide Facebook is your main content channel, stick to it! Stop second-guessing daily. If you need to revisit, pop a review date in your calendar (I do this for big decisions all the time) and forget about it until then. No more waffling or re-deciding every week.
• Team Decisions: I don’t get involved in when my team starts working, or how they manage their hours. I trust them to deliver; inserting myself into every little decision just creates more mental workload (and frankly, my team is often more on top of deadlines than I am!).

Batching decisions also works wonders.

I do all my launch plans with Grace (my launch manager)—knocking out thirty choices in one go! My photos for social? After a shoot, I pick my favourites, resize them, and drop them in one folder for the team. No one needs to ask, and no one can fail.

Ask yourself: What choices do you make every day that secretly drain you? Ruthlessly batch or eliminate where you can. I promise, it’s a game-changer.

3. If It’s Important, Put It In Your Face—Object Permanence for the Win

My brain forgets stuff that’s out of sight. So I do NOT hide my priorities deep in apps, folders, or endless lists. Every day, I set my top four tasks for the next day—on paper, on the desk, where I see them. This means I sit down, know what matters, and get started fast.

When life gets wild (like when my dog was diagnosed with cancer and everything went out the window), I notice the difference quickly. The tasks that matter disappear when they’re out of sight—and I get busy, but not actually productive! So now, I get back to my visual top-task system as soon as possible.

For launches or busy seasons, I create a giant colour-coded task board on my office wall—sticky notes for “To Do,” “Today’s Priority,” and “Done.” I see my progress move across in real-time, stay focused, and finish every day feeling successful. This simple, tactile system makes all the difference.

Why These Strategies (Not More Hustle!) Are True Productivity

I know “productivity” can sound like a dirty word—like cramming as much as possible into your day until you crash. My definition is different. For me, being productive means hitting my goals efficiently, with time and space to breathe. If I can get it done in two hours, I won’t waste twenty. Four vital things a day is my sweet spot—less overwhelm, better results, and I actually feel successful (not just busy!) when I wrap up.

The Mindset Shift That Made All the Difference

Here’s something I say to coaching clients ALL. THE. TIME: If you’re not getting results, the thing that needs to change isn’t YOU—it’s everything around you.
Don’t waste time trying to change who you are at your core. Change the structures, systems, environment, expectations—not yourself. I tried being a morning person for a whole year, and guess what? I’m still not a morning person at heart.

Accept who you are, and build your routines, tools, and priorities around that. My planning system is designed on this principle—helping you discover what works for you, not convincing you to copy me, or anyone else. If you love online tools like Trello or Asana, use them! But if the system just isn’t supporting your brain (like showing overdue tasks in red—instant overwhelm for me), find another way. The goal is to work with your brain, not against it.

I’m not demonising particular tools—they just don’t work for me. I wanted to share my own productivity strategies and practical ways I apply them.

I have a free resource for you built on this principle. It’s my Planning and Productivity Power-Up. It’s a self-study training with a template to help you create a business plan that works for you and boosts your productivity.

Remember, our definition of productivity isn’t cramming every waking minute with tasks.

Grab that free resource at: tashcorbin.com/ppp

Until next time, I cannot WAIT to see you SHINE.