How to Organise Your Business When You Feel Overwhelmed (My Simple Trello System)
TL;DR: Feeling overwhelmed running your business? I finally found a simple Trello system that keeps everything in one place - you can check it out here.
If your business feels a bit… everywhere right now, I get it.
Maybe you’ve got notes in your phone along with half-finished to-do lists and ideas that pop into your head at the worst possible moment and then disappear just as quickly.
You sit down to work and can’t decide what to do that actually matters, you plug away and somehow you end the day busy, but not really moved forward.
That was me for a long time.
Why running a business can feel so chaotic
When you run your own business, you’re holding everything: client work, marketing, admin, big plans, growth and allll the ideas.
There isn’t a ‘neat’ job description because it’s all yours!
So things end up scattered - a bit in your notes app, a scribble in a notebook and a lot in your head. Your brain never really switches off, because it’s trying to remember everything at once.
I think that’s the part people don’t talk about enough - it’s not just disorganised, it’s absolutely bloody exhausting.
Why I could never stick to a system
For years I was frustrated - I LOVE systems and the idea of being organised. I love a fresh planner, I love setting everything up. But sticking to it is what’s always been the issue.
I’d use something consistently for a few weeks, maybe even a couple of months and then I’d stop opening it. It just stopped working for my brain.
As someone who last year was diagnosed with both Autism and ADHD it all makes a lot of sense now.
I need something that’s simple enough to use daily, flexible enough to evolve and clear enough that I don’t avoid it - anything too complicated, or too rigid and I’m out.
The moment I realised something had to change
At one point, I realised I was spending more time trying to organise my work than actually doing it.
I was constantly:
rewriting lists
checking different places for information
worrying I’d forgotten something
It felt like I was always catching up, and if I’m honest, it made me question whether I was actually good at running a business… or just good at being busy.
The simple system that changed everything
A couple of years ago, I bought a course that teaches you how to set up your business in one place using Trello. If I’m completely honest, I didn’t go into it expecting much, I just wanted things to feel calmer.
But once I set it up, something clicked. Instead of juggling everything, I had one central place for:
my tasks
client projects
content plans
ideas
goals
Literally everything. Not spread across five different tools or half in my head, just in one simple place.
How I use Trello to organise my business
I don’t use it in a complicated way (that’s kind of the point!) I have boards for the main areas of my business, and within those, clear lists that show me:
what needs to happen
what I’m working on now
what’s done
So when I sit down at my desk, I don’t have to think where do I start? - I open Trello and it tells me. At the end of the day, I update it so tomorrow feels easier.
And that’s it.
What actually changed (this is the important part)
It wasn’t just about being more organised (even though I am, now). My whole relationship with my business shifted.
I feel calmer, I’m not constantly holding everything in my head and I certainly don’t worry about forgetting things anymore.
And maybe the biggest thing… I’m not just doing tasks to keep things going, I’m doing the right tasks - you know, the ones that actually move my business forward.
Why this works for my brain (and might for yours too)
I think this system works because it removes friction - there’s no overthinking or jumping between tools - everything is visible.
(And for an AuDHD brain, that matters!)
If something is out of sight, it’s very quickly out of mind and this system keeps everything in sight, but not in an overwhelming way.
The course I used to set this up
The system I use came from a course called Organise Your Business with Trello.
It basically gives you the structure and templates, so you’re not trying to build a system from scratch. You set it up in a couple of hours, and then adapt it as your business grows.
I’ve been using it for nearly two years now (which honestly feels like the HUGEST endorsement I could give because I don’t stick to things unless they actually work for my brain!)
If your business feels overwhelming right now
You don’t need more motivation or to try harder - you probably just need a system that actually works for your brain. Something that holds everything for you, so you don’t have to carry it all yourself.
Want to try the system I use?
If you want to have a look at the course I used, you can find it here:
(This is an affiliate link, just to be transparent, but I paid for the course myself, and I’d still recommend it regardless. It genuinely changed how I run my business.)
Final thought
You’re not disorganised.
You’ve just never had the right system - once you do, everything feels a bit lighter!
