What if the system you need is already working somewhere in your life?
You already have systems that work. You just haven’t spotted them yet.
Think of a system as a routine. It’s something you put into action without much thought. That doesn’t mean you don’t think about what you are doing, just that the system takes you through.
Your morning routine, for example, is a system that takes you from waking to arriving at work. It happens. Every day.
If you are struggling with your side hustle or making progress with your business, it is unlikely that you need to learn something new. You can create systems. You can get other things done. The solution is in transferring something you already know.
I spent years thinking I needed more discipline, better habits, a new approach. Maybe it was motivation. Or willpower?
It turns out I already had a system that worked. I just hadn’t recognised it.
When the penny drops
I love systems. I love routine. I also love flexibility. And spontaneity. Am I a contradiction? I don’t think so. I think they can co-exist happily. A system creates space for spontaneity.
The trick is to create (or find) systems that work. A good system will kick into action when you need it. Minimal thought required. It doesn’t drain your energy, it protects your energy.
I didn’t know this for a long time. I struggled. I beat myself up. I quit. But quitting something that fundamentally feels right, doesn’t last. So, I tried again. And again.
Then I discovered the concept of systems. Then I discovered that three questions were all I needed to ask myself. The answers set me up for success.
The first question felt ridiculously simple.
1. Where am I already consistent without forcing it?
Consistent. Not motivated. Not focused. Definitely not disciplined. Consistency happens naturally in so many situations. Consistency often reveals itself when you stop negotiating with yourself.
What time will I get up tomorrow? What time do I feel like getting up? Well, if I get up at X time I could do Y. But, do I want to do Y? What if I got up later and just did Y later? Round and round you go. Negotiating. Circling. Draining.
What if you just got up at the same time every day? Or the same time every weekday? Wouldn’t that be simpler? There’s science behind this, but my point is the simplicity. The lack of thinking. The amount of energy you save.
I run every day. No days off. Through injury, illness, travel, chaos. No matter what. For almost 1800 days. People think it’s about discipline. It’s not. It’s about mindset. And having a system. Running exposed my biggest energy mistakes, and taught me how to fix them.
What this revealed: Running wasn’t something I forced. It was something that happened because the question had changed from ‘will I run today’ to ‘when will I run today?’ The decision is made. Running is not negotiable, when I run is. Because my run is not negotiable it makes it much easier to schedule in my day. That’s what made it easier.
What decisions have you already made? Or what decisions could you already make?
2. What’s making it work?
Once you’ve spotted something you’re consistent at, consider why this is happening. Is there something that triggers it? Is there something non-negotiable about it? Has something changed? What was it? Reflect. Analyse. Review.
I was inconsistent at running until I discovered the concept of streaking. Then I got consistent. I didn’t stop to think about it, it just did it. It wasn’t until I became frustrated at my lack of consistency in my side hustle that I realised I had nailed it in my running.
For me, my streak creates structure. Waking up asking ‘when will I run today?’ means the decision is already made. It frees up mental space for other decisions. But it’s more than that. I track my runs. I have a visual means of recording my daily run. I’ve had various trackers over the years, some manual, some digital. It makes no difference. The act of tracking is what makes it stick. The data exists outside my head. It holds me accountable.
Add to this my minimum viable action and I’ve got everything I need to keep my system running. My minimum is 5K. Some days that’s all I do. Some days I put in minimal effort. I don’t care about pace or time. I just want to get the distance done. That’s OK. I’m recognising what I’m capable of. Or what I need that day. Minimum effort on low-energy days is all I need.
What this revealed: Three things make my running work. 1. the decision was pre-made. 2. there was external visibility. 3. there was a floor (not a ceiling). I wasn’t relying on motivation. The system carried me.
3. What’s the equivalent for my side hustle?
This is where the transfer happens. It’s not about copying a system, it’s about learning what works and adapting it to a new situation.
Pre-made decisions
I’ve created daily non-negotiables. I have a sit-down-at-my-desk routine that gets my daily tasks done. The decision is made. I just get on with it.
In my side hustle this routine would start the first time in the day I sat down with the intention of working on my side hustle. On a day I wasn’t feeling it, this sequence of tasks would be all I got done. Before I implemented this system I could go days and get nothing done.
Now my side hustle is my main hustle, I’m adapting this approach to have multiple sequences of tasks that I execute at different times of the day. It’s a work in progress but its already got me through some difficult days. Refining a system is OK. In fact, it’s essential. Just don’t spend all your time refining. That’s counterproductive.
External tracking
I started tracking what I planned to do v what I did. Not to judge myself. To spot patterns. I had lists with items that carried over time after time. Tracking let me stop and consider why. Was it because they weren’t important? Ditch them. Was it because I didn’t want to do them? Why not?
This also helped me get the most out of my day. I was concerned about my lack of focus at times. My doom scrolling. Sitting staring at my screen. I tracked each day for a week. Noted the time I started a task and what the task was. Noted when I was distracted. Time stamps for that time too. I spotted patterns. I haven’t got it all figured out yet, but I’m in a much better place. Awareness is often the hardest but most effective part of the process.
Minimum viable action
Some days I do the bare minimum. That’s not failure. That’s working with my energy, not against it. I have to be careful that I’m being honest with myself. Am I procrastinating? Avoiding? Sometimes I am. But this is happening less often now. I’m more intentional about my time. And, if I decide to take a few hours off, I schedule the time back later in the week. I do that as part of my decision-making process. I consider whether I can schedule the time later. I consider any implications.
What changed: I could be infuriating here and say ‘everything’. But that wouldn’t be true. I don’t think anything is that simple. But I did notice small shifts. Changes in how I think. Changes in focus. More awareness of how I spend my time. I have 3 things I get done each day. I write them down first before I do anything else. Then I tick them off as I achieve them. Is there any work task more satisfying than ticking something off on a list?
My side hustle is my main hustle, so the stakes are higher. The principles are the same. The process is the same. As I transition, I’m confident I have the system I need to make it work.
Your system is already there
Despite my best efforts to overcomplicate things, it turns out I didn’t need to build a business system from scratch. I just needed to look at what was already working. Find the system(s) in my life that worked. Then adjust and adapt and transfer it to my side hustle. Now I’m adjusting, adapting and transferring it to my main hustle. But this time it’s much easier.
You have systems working somewhere too. Career. Fitness. Relationships. Hobbies. Something. Mine was running, what is yours?
Ask yourself these three questions:
- Where am I already consistent without forcing it?
- What’s actually making it work?
- What’s the equivalent for my side hustle?
Analyse your answers. Create new systems. Adapt. Adjust. Evolve.
Your system is already there. Sometimes you just need someone to help you see it. Book a free discovery call.
