Can I just finish one thing before 10 more land on my plate?

You finally sit down, coffee in hand, ready to knock one thing off your list.

It’s the task you’ve been meaning to get to for days.

You open your laptop and … ping!

Five emails, a Slack notification, and two “hey, got a minute?” messages. Suddenly, the thing you were doing disappears behind a fresh pile of new demands.

In a small business, it’s even trickier to multitask because everything feels urgent.

But if everything’s urgent, nothing gets done properly.

Here’s some tips for cutting through the noise, and putting the ‘pro’ in productivity.

Tip: Make a “must-do today” list

Notice I didn’t say a “wouldn’t it be lovely if I had 14 extra hours” list?

Keep it short. Think like 3 to 5 key tasks, max. 

These should be the non-negotiable things that would make you feel like the day wasn’t a complete blur. Bonus points if they’re things that are the foundation for future tasks.

Tackling those items gives you clarity and momentum, instead of that eternal game of whack-a-mole with your inbox.

Tip: Use a priority filter

Before you dive into any new task, take a moment to run it through a mental filter: is this actually urgent and important? Or just loud and flashy? 

Not everything needs an instant response. I keep a sticky note on my desk with two questions: “Does this move the needle?” and “Will the world explode if this waits?”

It keeps me honest, but more importantly? It works.

Tip: Blocking out time in your calendar works 

Time-blocking isn’t revolutionary, it’s just effective. 

Set aside chunks of time where you focus on a single task and don’t touch anything else. Seriously, no peeking at email, no clicking that “just for a second” tab.

Lock your phone away if you have to. 

I’ve started treating time blocks like meetings. Would I check Instagram in a meeting with a client?

Nope.

Would I answer a phone call during a presentation? Of course not. 

Tip: Minimize distractions

Notifications are productivity vampires (the worst kind of vampire). 

They suck your focus dry, one ping at a time. 

Silence your phone, mute Slack, close tabs you’re not using and make yourself unavailable to anything detracting from your goal. 

It might feel weird at first, but I promise that you won’t miss anything life-changing in 45 minutes, or even an hour. Plus, isn’t life nicer without the incessant noise of your smartphone or tablet? 

Tip: Say “not now” without guilt

We promise: you are allowed to say “not now.” 

It doesn’t make you rude, lazy, or unhelpful. Remember what we said earlier about boundaries? It works here, too.

Boundaries don’t make you the bad guy, they help you actually get things done.

One thing I’ve practiced is answering interruptions with, “I’d love to, but can we look at this at 2 p.m.?” It lets you protect your mindset of the current task and still be supportive of others. 

Wrap Up

When everything comes flying at you at once, it’s easy to feel like you’re falling behind. Trying to do it all at once just leaves you drained and scattered. 

The real win is in doing fewer things with more focus. It’s not about being everywhere, it’s about being effective somewhere. You’d be surprised at the sense of accomplishment.

And let’s be honest … most of what’s screaming for your attention can probably wait. 

Setting boundaries around your time isn’t selfish, it’s smart. And just like people, tasks need boundaries too. Not everything deserves a front-row seat in your day.

If you’re looking for some great tips on how to prioritize yourself and your time, I recommend the following blogs:

Why working harder is not productive 

5 micro changes you can make in your business

Final nudge

Fewer spinning plates = fewer dropped ones.

That’s the truth.

Focus on what matters, shut out the noise when you can and give yourself permission to do one thing at a time. 

It might not feel heroic in the moment, but it’s how the real work gets done.