How to Automate Tasks and Free Up Your Brain Space
- Kendra Woods
- Nov 11, 2024
- 4 min read
Tired of Fighting Through the Mental Clutter? Here’s How to Free Up Mental Space and Actually Breathe Again
What if every single time you had to post on social media, send an invoice, or follow up with a client, you could summon a digital assistant (or a fairy godmother) to do it for you? No more burning mental energy hyping yourself up, waiting for the motivation to tackle the growing pile of endless to-dos — just a life filled with creative freedom, ideas, and maybe even some actual restorative rest.
But since fairy godmothers are scarce and fairy dust isn’t eco-friendly, let’s talk about the next best thing: robots. More specifically, automation.
I’ve created this quick guide outlining the basic steps to automating your life so you can delegate the brain cluttering details to the robots and give yourself room to breathe.
What is Automation, and Why Should You Care?
True, automation sounds like a like a fancy buzzword thrown around by tech bros. But it’s also a real, accessible way to simplify your life. At its core, automation means setting up your processes to run on their own—freeing you from repetitive, mind-numbing tasks.
Recent studies have shown the average knowledge worker spends 28% of their work week managing emails and another 20% on administrative tasks (McKinsey, 2020). And dear friends, those are neurotypical numbers. That’s half the week gone! Imagine reclaiming those hours for more creative, strategic work (or literally ANYTHING else). Sounds amazing, right?
Step 1: Identify Your Brain Drainers
Start by identifying tasks that drain your energy and list them out. Here are some common ones that many neurodivergent creatives and entrepreneurs find mind-numbing:
Responding to routine emails
Scheduling appointments and follow-ups
Managing social media posts
Tracking expenses
Creating, sending and following-up invoices
Creating reports or compiling data
Updating spreadsheets, trackers, and records
Setting reminders for recurring tasks
Managing deadlines and due dates
Once you’ve got your list, organize these tasks by how much brainpower and time they consume for you. Everyone’s task avoidance triggers are different, so it’s important to consider what your particular pain points are, not what you think they should be. Knowing where your time leaks or where you get stuck will make it easier to see what’s ripe for automation.
Pro Tip: If you feel overwhelmed by even thinking about attempting this, try a free time tracking tool like Toggl, which tracks your activities and shows you where your time goes.
Step 2: A Short List of Tools to Automate Your Admin Tasks
Here’s where the magic happens! Tons of automation tools are out there for just about every process, but here are a few gems to get the simplification started:
Zapier – This tool connects your apps so they can “talk” to each other. Want to save new email attachments to Google Drive automatically? Zapier can do it. It can even post on social media for you.
Calendly – No more endless email ping-pong trying to set up meetings. Calendly lets people book appointments directly, in real time based on your availability.
IFTTT (If This Then That) – This one’s for the creatives! Connect apps to create chains of tasks that automatically trigger each other. You can set up reminders, control smart devices, or even track social media posts.
Trello or Asana – Organize your projects visually. These project management tools give you a “bird’s eye” view of what needs to be done and when—ideal for breaking down big tasks.
QuickBooks or FreshBooks – Make faster money moves. These platforms automate your invoicing, keep track of expenses, and even provide tax support.
Step 3: Set It and Forget It — Kind of
Once you’ve chosen your tools, it’s time to set up the automations but WOAH, THERE – hold on a second! I know the ADHD impulse is to put everything into practice, all at once, to fix your life right now BUT that’s also how we overwhelm ourselves and quickly become disinterested and abandon the endeavor all together. So - here’s how to keep it simple:
Start Small: Pick just one or two automations to begin with. Maybe start by automating your calendar or your invoice processing. Small wins build momentum!
Test and Adjust: Automations can be temperamental. Test your setups a few times to ensure they’re working as planned, and don’t hesitate to tweak them.
Check in Monthly: Once your automations are up and running, do a monthly check to see if they’re still serving you. Things change—your automations should, too!
DISCLAIMER: Automation is Not One-Size-Fits-All
As a neurodivergent creative or entrepreneur, remember that your workflow needs to fit you. Automate the things that truly drain you and interrupt your momentum and keep the stuff that gives you joy. It’s all about creating a system that works for your unique brain.
For instance, if social media posting feels like “ugh,” automate that. But if you love connecting personally with clients, keep those interactions as is.
Sounds AMAZING but Also Like A LOT? Here’s Why Hiring a Neurodivergent VA Can Be a Game-Changer
Automation is powerful, but you don’t have to do this all alone. A virtual assistant who gets the neurodivergent experience can help you set up, manage, and adjust your automations to suit your flow.
Imagine working with someone who understands the mental fatigue of constant task-switching and knows how to make life easier without needing tons of handholding. That’s ME!
Connect with me - a virtual assistant who speaks your language and can help you take automation to the next level.