Spent Wednesday night scrolling through my ClickUp tasks, then my notebook, then that random Google doc I started last week. Looking for the blog post outline I wrote down somewhere. Wanted to finish the draft I’d started. Found it twenty minutes later in my notebook from Monday morning. That moment made it clear my project management system workflow was scattered across too many places. I needed something that worked when I’m after a full workday. Something I could use when I’m wiped out that shows me where things are without making me think too hard about it.
If you want a step-by-step guide to setting up your business systems from scratch, check out my setup business systems walkthrough.
How I Built My Current System Around My Energy Patterns
Mapping My Energy Cycles
My brain doesn’t work the same at 6 AM as it does at 9 PM. Learned this the hard way after weeks of trying to force myself into some productivity guru’s ideal schedule. Monday mornings I’m still recovering from the weekend. Friday evenings my work brain is fried but my creative brain shows up. Thursday nights I can handle admin tasks but don’t ask me to write anything that requires thinking.
Spent three months tracking when different types of business tasks felt manageable versus when they made me want to quit. Most people lose about 2.5 hours per week to context switching according to RescueTime’s data. For me, it was worse. Jumping between tools when I’m already exhausted means losing entire evenings.
Creative work early mornings before my day job starts demanding attention. My mind is clear then, before the emails and meetings and decisions pile up. Planning sessions get scheduled for Saturday mornings when I can think clearly but don’t have the energy for deep work. Administrative tasks like updating project management software happen Tuesday evenings.
I built my workflow management system around these patterns instead of fighting them. ClickUp gets updated when updating feels easy, not when some schedule says it should. Task completion gets documented throughout the week as things finish, not in some perfect daily review that never happens.
Building an Effective Project Management System Works With ADHD
Creating an workflow system required understanding how my ADHD brain works. The system needed to handle my ADHD brain that jumps between multiple projects without warning. Multiple workflows running simultaneously because that’s how my mind processes complex projects. One system for client work with clear deadlines. Another for business development tasks that can stretch longer. Content creation gets a workflow because the process is completely different from everything else.
Created buffers for the weeks when work wipes me out . Built in flexibility for the days when updating project data feels impossible. Some weeks I show up for business tasks twice. Other weeks I have energy for tackling larger initiatives. The project management environment accommodates both without making me feel behind.
Working With Energy Instead of Against It
This approach means my project management tools work with my energy instead of demanding energy I don’t have. The automation handles routine tasks so I don’t have to think through the same process twice. Some weeks I’m more consistent with tracking than others. Everything stays organized when I’m inconsistent. Shows me where things stand without requiring daily maintenance.
The Project Management Tools I Use and Why They Stuck
Tried multiple management software options before settling on ClickUp. Not because it’s the best tool out there. It handles the way my brain processes multiple projects without making me learn a completely new system every time I need to check something.
ClickUp Setup and Organization
The folder structure is simple. Client work in one area. Business development tasks in another. Content creation projects get seperate space. Each project gets the same basic setup so I don’t have to figure out a new layout every time.
I created custom fields for tracking the information that matters to my business processes. Project timeline estimates get more accurate as I complete similar work. Client communication preferences listed so I don’t have to remember who prefers email versus text. Budget tracking for each project phase so I can see resource allocation.
Template Workflows
Set up template workflows for the projects that repeat. Client onboarding follows the same pattern every time, so I don’t have to rebuild the task list from scratch. Content batching has a template with all the steps I already mapped out. Website updates follow a checklist I created after forgetting important steps twice. These templates handle repetitive tasks so I can focus mental energy on the work that requires critical thinking.
The workflow management process isn’t complicated. Tasks get created when I think of them, usually during those random moments when ideas surface. Due dates get assigned based on client needs and my realistic availability, not some aspirational version of my schedule. No pointless metrics. Just enough info to know what’s next.
Calendar Integration
Integration with project management tools like Google Calendar means business time is protected like any other appointment. When I schedule two hours for working on a client project, that time appears in my calendar and is respected like a meeting. Helps create boundaries between day job and my business that survive when both demand attention.
The system tracks project’s progress without requiring daily maintenance. Task completion gets logged as work finishes. Project milestones get marked when reached. Project status gets updated in the weekly review, not as constant busywork. This approach keeps all your project data organized without turning project management into a second job.
Workflow Automation
Automation helps automate repetitive tasks that used to eat up mental bandwidth. When a client project reaches a certain stage, the next phase automatically gets created with all necessary tasks. When content gets published, follow-up tasks for promotion get added to the appropriate workflows. These automations significantly reduce manual effort for the predictable parts of business processes.
My Weekly Business Project Management Review Process
Saturday mornings with tea. Twenty minutes checking what got done versus what I thought I’d do. Without this I lose track of everything. Weeks blend and I can’t tell if the business is moving forward or just sitting there.
Saturday Review Ritual
The review process helps me track progress by covering what got completed, what got started, what didn’t happen at all. No judgment about the tasks that didn’t get touched. Just documentation of what worked with my current energy level and schedule constraints. Some weeks client work takes everything and business development gets nothing. Other weeks I have more capacity and can tackle larger projects.
Start by looking at completed tasks first. What got finished this week. Which projects moved to the next phase. What systems got improved or streamlined. This stuff doesn’t feel like much when I’m doing it. But seeing it all listed in ClickUp shows me things are getting done, even when it doesn’t feel that way.
Documenting Progress
Document the small movements that don’t feel significant in the moment. Updated project timeline for a client. Responded to three inquiry emails. Set up automation for task management saves me ten minutes each week. These microscopic steps compound over months but disappear from memory without documentation.
Review what didn’t happen and why. Not for self-criticism but for pattern recognition. Did I overestimate available energy? Was the task poorly defined? Did work demands shift unexpectedly? This information helps adjust future project planning to match reality instead of wishful thinking.
The weekly check-in also covers resource management. Where did time go this week. What drained energy unnecessarily. Which tools or processes made work easier. What project demands felt manageable versus overwhelming. This information shapes how future projects get planned and executed.
Weekly Adjustments
I adjust next week’s plan based on what worked and what didn’t. If I scheduled five hours of business work but only completed two, the problem isn’t my discipline. The problem is the schedule didn’t match my available energy. Adjust expectations, not effort levels.
Team collaboration gets reviewed. How did client communication flow? Were project expectations clear? Did external deadlines create unnecessary stress? These factors impact project execution even when you’re the only team member involved.
This weekly rhythm of checking progress helps me see patterns in my workflow management that aren’t obvious day to day. Certain types of projects take longer than estimated. Specific days of the week work better for different business processes. Energy levels fluctuate in predictable cycles can be planned around instead of fought against.
How I Track Progress Through Slow Weeks
Some weeks feel like standing still. Content gets created but no new leads come in. Systems built but revenue stays flat. Those weeks used to make me question everything about this approach to building while working.
Alternative Metrics for Consistency
I started tracking different metrics that reflect consistency over performance. Number of days I showed up to work on business tasks, not hours completed. Systems processes improved, not revenue generated. Content pieces created, not engagement numbers. This systematic approach helps me track progress even when individual days feel unproductive.
Monthly Pattern Recognition
Monthly pattern recognition helps me understand my natural work rhythms and capacity. I work better in cycles than steady daily progress. Some weeks I have energy for ambitious projects. Other weeks maintaining what already exists takes everything. Both patterns are part of the larger rhythm of building after hours.
Documenting Invisible Work
Document all the behind-the-scenes work that doesn’t show up anywhere. Time spent researching solutions to workflow bottlenecks. Energy used managing multiple projects simultaneously. Mental space dedicated to planning upcoming projects while executing current ones. This work doesn’t show up in completed task lists but it’s essential for effective project management.
The tracking system captures these behind-the-scenes efforts so they don’t disappear from the record. When I feel like nothing’s happening, the tracking shows otherwise. Small improvements in resource allocation. Gradual streamlining of repetitive tasks. Tiny steps on long-term goals that won’t be visible for months.
Saturdays I celebrate what got done. Showing up tired still counts. Updating when exhausted still happened. My metrics dashboard helps me see these small wins add up over months.
I built this management system because I was tired of losing track of where things stood. Sometimes I forget to update it for a week and have to catch up on Saturday mornings. But it’s better than scattered notes and random Google docs. Now I can find what I need in ClickUp instead of scrolling through three different apps.
