Your Brain’s Not Broken—Your System Is: Why Asana Might Just Save Your Biz (and Your Sanity) - Carrie Wulf

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[00:00:05]: Hi there. Welcome to your brain's not broken. Your system is why Asana might just save your business and your sanity. I've got a fantastic workshop lined up for you and I am super excited to dive in. I know your time is valuable so I want you to just take a moment and close everything down and be present. I know from personal experience how tempting it is to multitask and have those extra browser tabs open, but just go ahead and take a minute and close everything out so you can be fully present. So this training is for you if you are ready to deep dive into a new way to make decisions and you're open to shifting how you've always done things. You're carrying the mental load of 17 people and you're running on fumes.

[00:01:05]: You're ready for a better way to do business. Or if you're a solopreneur or leading a small team, juggling coaching programs, client onboarding, online course launches, basically trying to have a life. This one is for you. I'm Kerri Wolf, founder of Wolff Den Professional Solutions. I help online service providers simplify their systems and get their ish together so they're more productive, happy and have time for a life outside of business. I was that kid. The one who legitimately got giddy when the school supply aisles showed up. It was like Christmas in July.

[00:01:53]: Give me all the planners, all the rainbow packs, the pens, the highlighters and enough sticky notes to wallpaper my room. Don't even get me started on labeling my stuff with my trusty Sharpie like I was branding cattle. Color coded folders. Obsessively coordinated planner layouts. Yep, that's been me since the sixth grade. That obsession with organization and all the color coded pretty things has carried over to my business. My Google Drive folders. Those colors matched the folder in my inbox that matched my toggle project colors.  

[00:02:32]: My client notebook colors matched their assigned color in my Google Drive. I really thought that I was thriving. Until one Monday morning I realized that I was not. I had a client call in 10 minutes. I had a landing page to finish by the end of the day and two new clients to onboard. My cat had just walked across my desk and spilled my coffee on the stack of color coded notebooks where I kept all of my notes for the meetings for the day. I needed a better system. One that could tame my caffeine and chaos fueled day and still let me be in my color coded happy place.  

[00:03:15]: Just minus the cat and the coffee. And that's when I found Asana. Just Say it's the best thing that has ever happened to my business. By the end of this workshop, you'll see exactly how Asana can tame your chaos and patch the cracks that those sticky notes keep falling through. I'm also going to give you a free download that will help you give your clients a high touch onboarding experience with low touch effort for you. So today I want to show you how Asana can give you clarity and focus for your day. Give you a one stop shop for everything. Your business info, your notes, your client info, all the tasks and give your brain room to breathe.  

[00:04:07]: Chaos of the small business life. You're working from home. You're trying to run your business while still having a life. If you're a struggle. Sometimes you start your day feeling like you're doing nothing but hurting caffeinated squirrels. One minute you're designing slides for your course, the next minute you are fielding a client's panicked email. And then your calendar reminds you you have a group coaching call in five minutes. It is constant context switching.  

[00:04:39]: It's not that we are unprofessional or lazy, it's just when you're juggling client work and content creation in your home life and the occasional crisis, stuff is going to slip. And that's not a flaw, it's being human. Especially when your brain is wired for ideas and not for admin. I sometimes joke that my brain is like a web browser with about 50 tabs open. Something is playing a video and I can't find it. I'm sure you know that feeling. Whether you actually have ADHD or just that entrepreneur's attention span. It's hard to stay focused.

[00:05:22]: And that used to be me until I started using Asana. And no, this is not your you need to change it at all. TED talk. But it is why I lean hard into a tool like Asana. I need a place that was going to hold onto those don't forget tasks for me so that I could chase those genius ideas and still follow through on the client stuff that pays the bills and keeps the light on. So the chaos could be costing you literally. One of the mistakes you might be making is having no work life boundary. You can't fully clock out because you're always worried that you missed something.

[00:06:10]: That nagging feeling at 10 o' clock at night. Did I forget to give my new client access to their portal? It could be what's keeping you from disconnecting and living your life in the moment. But when you learn how to confidently close that office door and shut your computer down. At the end of the day, you're going to start to experience that extra time where you can feel the sunshine on your face or spend time in the moment doing something that you love. You're allowed to be a human, not just a task robot in leggings. Another mistake that you could be making that's keeping you up at night is not having a centralized place to dump your big ideas and your brain clutter. You've got ideas at 3am You've got sticky notes in the fridge, sticky notes on your bathroom mirror, tasks on random notebook pages. Sometimes it feels like trying to run a rescue shelter for all of those stray thoughts, and the mental load of trying to remember those things is exhausting.

[00:07:20]: And that could be what's keeping you from working fewer hours but making more money. When you learn how to leave your ideas on the back burner to simmer, you're going to start to experience that magical mix of focus and freedom where your brain stops racing, your to do list actually gets done, and your best ideas show up fully cooked right when you are ready for them. You might have a to do list that is longer than your CVS receipt and things are falling through the cracks. You're not unprofessional or disorganized because you're doing the work of five people. You are overwhelmed. Mistaking those really long to do lists and being busy for productivity might be what's keeping you from the peace of mind, knowing that nothing has been overlooked. When you learn to start delegating and tracking who's doing what, you're going to experience that sense of calm. Like wait, did I actually finish everything today? Kind of calm.  

[00:08:36]: Because suddenly tasks are not living wrench free in your head anymore and you can finally trust that nothing is slipping through the cracks. The chaos that I had before Three years ago I was booked entirely full of clients, which could be a good thing. I had a wait list of people who wanted to work with me as soon as I had an opening. But when that opening came, I was scrambling to keep up with my retainer clients and onboard new clients. I started to lose track of due dates and projects. I lost where I was at in getting those new clients onboarded, and I missed several key items, giving both the new client and my current clients the impression that I really didn't know what I was doing and I didn't have the time to give them the attention I promised. I was stressing out and not sleeping because I just could not disconnect at the end of the day I was constantly worried if I missed something. Then I started thinking about that list for the next day.  

[00:09:50]: And at that point I realized I need a repeatable system. Especially because I was months away from being on an assistant. In fact, the thought of handing tasks over to an assistant was scary. It was hard to think about trusting someone else with my baby because I kept thinking, I can do this. No one else can do this as well as I can, so I might as well just do it myself. But in fact, that was one of the most painful lies I was telling myself, that no one could do it better than me, so I might as well do it. And if you don't have a VA or a team, and even if you do, you need a tool. You need something that's going to hold all those bits and pieces of ideas and worries and steps so that you don't forget and you don't have to worry about keeping all of that inside.

[00:10:52]: So let's talk about the shifts that I made. I did a lot of free trials, a lot of hair pulling, a lot of testing, a lot of timeouts for the computer, and I finally landed on that one tool that gives me the peace of mind. At the end of the day, I can confidently shut my office door and shut down my computer. And I know that all my bases are covered and there are no squirrels slipping through those cracks. With this tool, I've been able to create a template for high touch client onboarding experience that requires a very low energy output. For me, all of the steps are outlined with a clear language and I can see who is responsible for each step and where the client's at in their onboarding journey. And the best part is that it's automated and it's repeatable. I've also streamlined many other aspects of my business that now run on autopilot.

[00:11:53]: And the best part is, is that I can map out new projects or templates in a way that makes sense to me. It doesn't have to be a one size fits all cookie cutter. And if you are more of a list lover than a visual planner, this tool works for you too. Asana is really my one stop shop for all of my client notes and workflows and ideas that have to be written down and given time to grow. This tool shows up for me like my best friend with a hot coffee and a game plan for the week because I can sit down, open my computer and I have exactly the prioritized list I need for that day. No more wasted time stuck in analysis, paralysis, trying to figure out what has to be done right away and what can wait. So what does my day look like now? Well, my to do list lives in a place that prioritizes things for me. My clients feel seen and heard and not like an afterthought.

[00:13:03]: At the end of the day, I'm no longer doing the work of five people because I'm leveraging Asana to track my projects and my tasks. I have a place to brain dump when I need to because Asano holds all my thoughts and ideas whether I use them right away or whether I let them simmer on the back burner for a month. I am not exhausted from trying to remember everything or look for that sticky note or the envelope where I drew out a sales funnel three weeks ago. I closed my door and I actually shut down my computer when I'm done for the day. I no longer worry about what I might have forgotten because I know that a son has got my back. I can completely disconnect and spend time being fully present in the moment. Now you might be thinking, I've already tried Trello or ClickUp or Notion or Basecamp. You know, none of them stuck.  

[00:14:05]: Maybe you're thinking, what's the point? I'm just going to fall off after a week and not use it anyway. I really empathize that you could have been burned out on using a tool like this before, but let me say this, you did not fail those tools. Those tools just did not fit how your brain or your business actually works. Here's the thing most platforms don't tell you. Trello is cute, but unless you wanted to pay for the subscription based power up features, it's pretty limited in what it can actually do. ClickUp is robust, it's powerful, but if you're not super techie, it can feel like you're trying to fly a spaceship when you really just needed a scooter. And Notion. Notion can be gorgeous, but it starts off as a total blank slate.

[00:15:06]: Which is great if you're a designer or an architect, but if you're not, you've got a blank slate. Asana hits that rear sweet spot between structured enough to hold it all together and flexible enough that you can really make it your own. You don't need a master's degree in workflow architecture to make it work. You just need to know what you're actually trying to keep track of. And once you do, Asana lets you organize it and automate it and thank goodness, not have to hold it all in your brain anymore. Here's what made it stick for me? I didn't try to make it perfect. I started with one project, that was it. Just one.  

[00:15:56]: I use it the way I think. Sometimes that's with a checklist, sometimes that's with a board, sometimes it's both. I've created templates for projects that are repeatable. I set it up once and now it runs the show while I actually have time to do things that I love. And the flying unicorns and narwhals. When you check, a task off complete is absolute serotonin. So I want you to close your eyes and just imagine having the time to do those things that you love. Maybe it's spending time with your family or traveling or immersing yourself and getting lost in a hobby or a project.

[00:16:43]: You could work fewer hours but still make more money. Embrace your distracted brain. Embrace all the squirrels. Because Asana will give you that structure without stifling your creativity. It is not about turning you into a rigid robot. It's about offloading that mental load so your brain can breathe or hyper focus when it needs to. So I have a gift for you. I have an Asana client onboarding template.

[00:17:20]: I want to help you make those. Oops, I forgot to send a welcome email. A thing of the past. You can use the QR code that's up on your screen. Grab the free Asana client onboarding template. It's the exact one that I use to onboard my clients without dropping the ball, missing a step or losing my mind. It's plug and play, it's ADHD friendly and it's designed for real life entrepreneurs who have zero time for the fluff and stuff. Inside this template you're going to get a step by step onboarding checklist.  

[00:18:00]: It's already built in there for you. You're going to get preloaded task reminders so nothing slips through the crack and I've even built in breathing room in between the steps. Because you are not a rigid task completing robot. So use the code, download it and start onboarding like the pro you already are. Because you can be that person who has their ish together and this is how. So let's zoom back out. Remember the client onboarding kerfuffle I talked about? That was me living in a reactive mode. I was forgetting things, I was stressed out, the mental load was just unbearable and I was always working late to catch up.

[00:18:51]: Now I run my business and my client projects and I still have time to walk my dogs in the afternoon and watch Netflix before dinner because I lean on A sauna to help me hold it all together. Imagine a day when you close that laptop at one or two in the afternoon and you're not worried about dropping the ball. You know exactly what got done today, what's on tap for tomorrow, and that there's nothing crucial hiding under a pile of papers or lost in the back of your memory. That day can be tomorrow. I'm not special. If I can do it, you definitely can. So just start small. Start with one thing and build on that before you go to bed.  

[00:19:39]: Tonight, I challenge you to do that one thing. Jot down three tasks, get them off your mind, put them into asana and set the due dates for it. That's it. Three. Three tasks. And then tomorrow morning, check asana. Complete those tasks and you'll get a taste of how it feels to have that weight off your brain. I promise.  Kerri Wolf [00:20:05]: It's going to feel different, it's going to feel lighter. And that lightness gets addictive. Running a business is always going to be chaotic, but it can be an organized chaos. Asana is my secret weapon to wrangle that chaos. And I truly hope it becomes yours too. Because you deserve to run your business without losing your mind and maybe even free up some mental space to enjoy a cup of coffee while it's still hot for once. I know it sounds like a lot, but at the end of the day, it's really about one thing, and that's your peace of mind. So here's your nudge.

[00:20:46]: Where is your brain dump? Does it exist? Where does it live? Does it work? Or are you maybe one accidental coffee spill away from chaos? If you're already using asana and you want some help to figure out where it's breaking down, or maybe how you can structure it for a bit more efficiency, I've got your back. I'm offering a complimentary 15 minute live call with me to review your asana workspace. There are no strings, no sales pitch. It's just you and me and a cup of tea. We can walk through your setup and you'll leave with some real actionable suggestions that you can use immediately. There is no judgment, there is no shame. And there is no need to clean it up before I have a look. Trust me, I've seen worse and I've been worse.  

[00:21:46]: So use that QR code, grab you a 15 minute spot on my calendar, and let's talk the share.