The 30-Minute Ritual That Saved My Sanity (and My Coaching Practice)
It started with a sticky note on my fridge that said:
“Call Sam – hot lead from Facebook DM.”
I stared at it for a full minute, confused.
Sam who? Prospect for what? Why was the note in all caps?
That’s when it hit me: I was running my business like a squirrel with a caffeine problem.
My brain was a cluttered desktop of half-baked plans, half-remembered goals, and half-drunk coffee. I was doing things—but I wasn’t getting anywhere.
Like a lot of solo founders and builders, I’d reached peak task panic. I had a full calendar, a color-coded Notion setup, and 87 open tabs—but somehow I still felt behind on everything. Sound familiar?
I tried fixing it the usual ways:
New tools
More lists
“Vision” boards
But what finally worked? Prompts.
Not productivity porn. Not a new app. Just… questions.
On Sunday night. For 30 minutes.
💡 The Shift
I started asking myself:
What actually worked last week?
What completely fell through?
If I only get 3 things done this week, what really matters?
I’d write them down. Then open my calendar and assign time to those 3 things. Like actual time blocks. With breathing room. With focus.
The result?
I was still busy. But the right kind of busy.
I stopped fake-working on fake-priorities.
I stopped letting other people’s urgency hijack my week.
And I started moving real projects forward.
My head was clear. My inbox didn’t scare me.
And Sam? I figured out who he was, closed the deal, and followed up on time. (For once.)
🤯 Why This Works
Planning with prompts shifts your mindset from “What should I do?” to “What actually matters?”
It breaks the loop of reactive chaos.
It brings focus to the front of the week.
It helps you zoom out—just enough—to stop drowning in the day-to-day.
Think of it like prepping your brain’s GPS. Without prompts, you’re just rerouting around other people’s requests all day.
With prompts, you’re setting the destination first.
🚀 Want to Try It?
Here’s what I do every week (takes 30 minutes max) Usually Sunday night…….
Reflect – What worked, what didn’t.
Set 3 Outcomes – Not 10. Just 3.
Break Down the Steps – Keep it simple.
Calendar It – Block time before it gets eaten alive.
I’ll drop my full prompt sheet and calendar template below!
📈 From Planning to Growth
In The Idea Lab, planning is just the start. Want to take this further?
Host your own “Prompt Planning Sprint” with a friend or accountability buddy.
Share your top 3 outcomes in the comments and tag fellow builders.
Build a Notion template and gift it to your audience.
Run a weekly prompt review and track what’s actually moving your business.
The tools don’t build the business. But the habits? They do.
Planning is your weekly investment. And intention is compound interest.
Spend 30 minutes like it matters—because it does.
📝 Weekly Planning Prompt Sheet
Step 1: Reflect (5 min)
What worked well last week—and why?
What didn’t work—and why?
What’s one lesson I want to carry forward?
Step 2: Set Top 3 Priorities (5 min)
If I only accomplish 3 things this week, which would matter most?
What would make this week feel like a win?
How do these tie to long-term goals?
Step 3: Break Them Down (8 min)
For each priority:
What are 2–3 key action steps?
Who/what do I depend on to complete this?
What’s the ideal order to do them in?
Step 4: Block It (10 min)
What’s already scheduled? (meetings, appointments, fixed events)
Where’s my deep work window?
When can I do admin, outreach, creative tasks?
Step 5: Buffer & Review (2 min)
Did I overpack the week?
Do I have at least one break + one flex block?
Am I making space for energy (not just output)?