The tools that keep me sane

Having spent most of this morning jumping between so many different systems, and tabs galore... I thought I’d share the tools I use every week, if not daily, as a small business owner.

None of these are ground-breaking, none of them are particularly fancy, but together, they make the jumping around manageable instead of chaotic. That's the reality of running a business - you’re always moving between things. Clients, files, ideas, tasks, reminders, messages… it never really sits in one neat place unless you build systems to hold it all. So here’s...

What’s in my stack

The systems and tools I rely on right now:

• WhatsApp

• Notion

• Google Drive

• Canva

• Screen recorder

• AI tools like Gemini & ChatGPT

• Meta

• Pen & paper (still undefeated)

  
  

Each one does something slightly different, but they all help keep things out of my head and somewhere structured instead - because once everything lives in your brain, that’s when overwhelm starts creeping in.

WhatsApp

Client communication.

Team communication.

...and occasionally sending myself voice notes or little reminders before I forget them.

Desktop WhatsApp is a bit of a game changer here. Being able to deal with messages properly from a computer rather than constantly switching between phone and laptop makes everything feel far less fragmented. It’s also a great way to move information quickly between devices without emailing yourself things.

Notion

This is my digital brain. It houses things like:

• CRM information

• collaborative to-do lists

• task tracking

• business notes

Basically if something relates to the running of the business, or even my general day to day, it probably ends up in Notion somewhere.

Google Drive

Files. All the files.

Client folders, shared documents, collaborative working, and most importantly being able to get to those documents from anywhere. Whether I’m on my laptop, phone, or somewhere in between, everything is accessible.

Organisation here makes a huge difference. Clear folders mean you’re not wasting time hunting for something you know you saved somewhere.

Canva

If you’ve seen any of my social posts, graphics, or branded documents, chances are they've spent some time in Canva.

It’s where I create:

• social media graphics

• branded documents

• client assets

It keeps everything visually consistent without needing complicated design software.

Screen recording

This one took me a while to get comfortable with, mostly because hearing my own voice back is… not my favourite activity. In fact I still hate it. But it’s genuinely one of the easiest ways to explain something.

Whether it’s:

• a quick how-to

• a walkthrough for a client

• tips for using a system

Recording your screen once saves explaining the same thing multiple times later.

AI tools (Gemini & ChatGPT)

These are my thinking partners more than anything else, keeping me in line and sane.

They help with things like:

• summarising ideas

• drafting content

• sense-checking wording

• finding shortcuts

• keeping the right tone across various clients

  
  

They don’t replace the thinking, but they do make the thinking process faster, and give me great peace of mind.

Meta

If you manage social media while also doing everything else in your business, scheduling tools become essential. Being able to plan and schedule posts rather than manually uploading them every day saves an enormous amount of mental energy.

The only thing I wish it could do is schedule WhatsApp messages… that would be the dream.

Pen & paper

And my forever favourite - the one reliable system that hasn’t changed much over time, and doesn't rely on a stable network connection or cloud servers to be behaving.

Pen.

Paper.

To-do list.

Often with giant paper, multiple colours, and either a wall or a door. Brain dumps when my head feels full. Writing out priorities for the day. Physically crossing things off.... There’s something very satisfying about seeing tasks disappear from a list that no digital tick box quite replicates.

None of these tools are revolutionary, but together they create something really valuable - Clarity. Running a business will always involve moving between systems, platforms and ideas. The goal isn’t to eliminate the jumping around - it’s to make that movement feel organised instead of chaotic.

When your systems are working, the admin feels lighter. The tasks feel clearer. And your brain gets a bit of breathing space back. And honestly, that’s half the battle.