Stop Drowning in Digital Chaos: My Burnout-Proof Weekly Planning Flow (Notion + Google Calendar Edition)

Look, I'll cut right to the chase—your current planning system isn't working.

How do I know? Because if it was, you wouldn't be searching for another "miracle" productivity hack while your to-do list multiplies like rabbits on fertility drugs. 🐇

Trust me, I get it. I've been there. A few years ago, I was a full-time manager juggling a 23-person team with a calendar that looked like someone played Tetris with my life. These days, I'm balancing my coaching business with a part-time gig, and while it's more manageable, the struggle to stay burnout-proof is REAL.

But here's the truth bomb you need: The answer isn't another cute planner or shiny productivity app. What you need is a system that doesn't suck—one that works with your actual life instead of making you a slave to color-coded calendar blocks.

The Weekly Reset: Where Magic Happens (Without the BS)

My weekly planning process isn't rocket science, but it's the backbone of how I've stayed burnout-proof while scaling my business. It combines two powerhouse tools—Notion and Google Calendar—to create a planning flow that actually prevents overwhelm instead of adding to it.

Here's the no-BS breakdown:

Step 1: Look Back Before Looking Forward

• Weekly reviews always start with reflection. (Skipping this part is like trying to navigate with last week's GPS data—good luck with that.)

• Start with personal check-ins: How's your energy? Weight tracking if that matters to you? Self-care habits?

• Then move to business reflections: What went well? What didn't? What needs tweaking?

I use my favorite Notion habit tracker with point values to gamify progress. This isn't just cute—it's strategic. When you quantify your habits, you can actually see your progress instead of feeling like you're spinning your wheels.

Step 2: Have an Honest Business Conversation with Yourself

This is where most people fuck up their planning. They start scheduling without getting real about what's working and what's not.

• Check your business metrics weekly: clients by status, sales by product, etc.

• Ask yourself the three reflection questions I've used for 10+ years (and no, they're not "what went well, what didn't, what's next"—that's basic).

• Look for patterns in your wins: Are you thriving with more movement? More water? Better eating?

• Be brutally honest about improvement areas: Is your morning routine actually working? Are you truly getting enough movement?

Your business needs to align with your burnout prevention systems, not work against them. If you're crushing sales but your body's sending SOS signals, that's not success—it's a ticking time bomb.

Step 3: Brain Dump → Organize → Schedule

After reflection comes the brain dump—getting everything out of your head and onto the page. This is where the real magic starts:

• Set your weekly focus (example: "get back on track with YouTube" or "prep podcast summit")

• Schedule WHITE SPACE first. I'm dead serious about this. Block your recovery time before anything else.

• Update your to-do's and assign them to specific days based on your energy levels and focus needs.

• Consider your recurring commitments (networking, writing blocks) and adjust as needed.

Your brain dump is what triggers your planning and scheduling. Without it, you're just playing calendar Tetris without knowing what pieces are coming next.

Step 4: The Notion + Google Calendar Overlay (The Secret Sauce)

Here's where my system gets powerful. I overlay my Notion tasks against my Google Calendar schedule to see the REAL capacity of my days.

This is a reality check most entrepreneurs skip, and it's costing them their sanity.

• Use themed days to batch similar work and protect your energy:

  • Monday = CEO Day (deep work, no meetings)

  • Tuesday = Client Day (calls and client work)

  • Wednesday = Client + Conversion Day (follow-ups)

  • Thursday/Friday = mixed based on weekly needs

When you see your tasks overlaid with your actual scheduled time, you can instantly spot where you're overcommitting. This isn't just about time—it's about energy. A day with 6 client calls needs a lighter task load than a no-meeting day.

For example, I recently spotted a July 4th conflict and immediately moved those tasks to the next week. Without this overlay, I would have set myself up for failure and frustration.

Why the Hybrid Approach Works When Everything Else Has Failed

Here's why this system prevents burnout when typical productivity "hacks" just add to your stress:

• It forces you to confront reality. Your calendar doesn't lie about how much time you actually have.

• It integrates all parts of your life. No more separate "personal" and "professional" calendars that inevitably clash.

• It balances structure with flexibility. You're not time-blocking every minute, but you're visualizing your true workload.

• It reveals white space vs. booked days, preventing the "how did I schedule 19 hours of work in an 8-hour day?" syndrome.

This isn't about scheduling more—it's about scheduling smarter. It's about creating a system that doesn't require superhuman discipline or an extra brain to maintain.

Here's the Hard Truth About Planning Systems

Most planning systems fail because they're built for robots, not humans. They assume you have infinite energy, perfect focus, and no life outside of work.

My Notion + Google Calendar flow works because it accounts for the messy reality of entrepreneurship. It acknowledges that you have energy peaks and valleys. It creates space for the unexpected (because life happens). And most importantly, it prevents the all-too-common trap of overcommitting and under-delivering—the express lane to burnout city.

Ready to Stop Feeling Like Your Calendar Owns Your Life?

If you're tired of finishing each week more exhausted than you started, it's time for a system reset. Your current approach isn't broken because you're broken—it's broken because it was never designed for someone with your ambition and complexity.

Here's what to do next:

1. Set aside 60-90 minutes this Sunday for your first Weekly Reset

2. Use the framework I outlined above: reflect → brain dump → overlay

3. Pay attention to how your energy feels different when you start Monday with clarity instead of chaos

And if you're ready to go deeper and build burnout-proof systems that actually stick? My Systems School gives you the exact templates, workflows, and support you need to create a business that runs without consuming your life.

Because let's be real—a business that burns you out isn't freedom. It's just a prettier prison. And you deserve better than that.

Ready to break free? Take my Burnout Quiz to discover your specific burnout type and get a customized roadmap to recovery. Because burnout isn't one-size-fits-all, and neither is the solution.

Time to reclaim your calendar—and your life.