I’d like to share a story with you about a client of mine. Names and identifying details have been changed – the moral of the story stays the same.
Tom owned a clinic in his home town. He had a small team but he still felt like he was on his own. His diary was packed which looked great from the outside but his head was scrambled. Every day felt like firefighting: chasing invoices, treating clients, managing team, trying to keep up with marketing.
By 9pm, he was exhausted, yet somehow, the important things never got done.
Tom was well and truly in the cycle of overwhelm. His mindset had slipped into survival mode. He told himself he was “too busy” to plan, too busy to reflect, too busy to prioritise. He lived in the land of reacting, not responding – he certainly wasn’t being directed by his values, goals or vision.
He ended up completely drained, frustrated, and secretly questioning whether business ownership was worth it.
The turning point came one Sunday morning, he realised he’d not finished his accounts. He had planned to do them in the week but had been so distracted just staying afloat with the daily jobs, he hadn’t done it. His accountant needed it done by Monday. He had to tell his wife that he wouldn’t be joining her on their planned family day out. As you can imagine, she wasn’t pleased. Neither were his children and Tom certainly wasn’t.
Something had to change. He wasn’t running his business; his business was running him.
He booked a session with me later that week (after his accounts were done) and I asked him one simple question: “What are your top three priorities today?”
Tom paused. He didn’t know.
Together, we created a habit: every morning, Tom wrote down his top three tasks.
Only three.
Not thirty.
These tasks were the ones that moved his business forward, not just kept it treading water.
He asked himself: “What matters most today?”
Over time, Tom noticed:
- He stopped saying “yes” to every request.
- He felt more in control of his time.
- He had energy left at the end of the day.
Clients noticed his renewed focus. His team felt clearer because he was clearer. Even his family noticed he was more present.
Tom hadn’t magically gained more hours. What changed was his mindset. He’d shifted from “busy for busy’s sake” to “intentional with priorities.”
Tom learned that prioritising tasks wasn’t just about productivity; it was about direction. By asking, “What matters most today?” he reconnected with why he started his clinic in the first place: to make a difference, not just to tick boxes.
He realised that chasing every email wasn’t leadership. Leadership was making conscious choices, even if that meant leaving some tasks undone.
You too can apply Tom’s lesson in your business. Here’s what you need to do:
- Use the 3-task rule. Each morning, pick the three most important things.
- Differentiate urgent vs important. Not every ping on your phone deserves a reaction.
- Check alignment. Do your tasks connect to your bigger why and your direction, or are they just busy work?
Like Tom, many business owners confuse activity with progress. The real growth happens when you pause, prioritise, and act with clarity.
If you’d like support in learning how to prioritise your time and tasks with confidence, email me philippa@holdmyhandcoaching.com and let’s chat about 1:1 coaching.
Until next time,
Best wishes
Philippa x