I recently got a programmable pressure cooker.
You set the program, set the timer however long in advance, toss in the ingredients (shops now cut and wash everything), and that’s basically it.
I forget it exists until it’s time to eat.
It still feels like magic every time I glance at the clock around 5 p.m. and realize - dinner’s ready.
No extra thinking. No interruptions.
My food system works. Once-a-week groceries, the rest is automated.
The main benefit isn’t just saving time (or health and fitness) - it’s emptying the mind so it can think better about better things.
Most business owners and leaders I coach don’t struggle because they’re lazy. They struggle because their minds are overflooding. They try to carry everything in their heads instead of creating reliable systems to hold it for them.
"Your head is a crappy office" - trademarked line by David Allen, Get Things Done author.
Overwhelm is nothing more than trying to keep in mind more than your mind is designed to handle.
The right systems let you let go to dive deeper into what truly matters, where you want to go/grow.
Another system.
Every Friday, I go on an “entrepreneurial hike.”
I wake up, take an Uber, show up, and everything else unfolds. Over time, that one simple ritual built a network of peers who carry me through tough moments and share lessons that help me grow.
To level up, whether in life, business, or health, you can't keep adding more.
You need systems that make more feel like less - so your thinking stays free for what’s essential.
So if you’re feeling overwhelmed, stretched too thin, operating at your full capacity but not your full potential - at work, in your health, or relationships, ask yourself:
Where do I need better systems so my mind lets go and can finally focus on what really matters? Everyone can accomplish more but not by doing more and more.
Just like the pressure cooker, a good system hums quietly in the background while your best work gets done.
