Start doing the obvious work

We're drowning in productivity advice these days.

Five-step morning routines. Complicated time-management systems. And apps that promise to revolutionize how we work.

But here's what I think.

The most productive people aren't following complex systems. They're doing something much simpler, but harder.

They're showing up every day to tackle the obvious work that moves their businesses forward.

Just scroll through social media to see what we're fighting against:

• Morning routines that promise to "10x your output" (but mostly just sell journals)
• Productivity hacks that overcomplicate simple tasks (and make you feel productive about being unproductive)
• Mental models that turn basic decision-making into complex flowcharts (when your gut usually knows the answer)
• Human optimization techniques that treat you like a machine (instead of a person who needs to just do the work)

On the surface, there's nothing wrong with concepts that might boost productivity. And sure, it’s helpful to have routines and to aim to be more efficient. The problem isn't that these “tricks” exist or that people talk about them a lot.

The problem comes when people substitute these busy-feeling productivity exercises for what they should actually be doing:

Sitting down and doing the work.

What Actually Works

Last month, I spent quality time with some of my most successful students. I wanted to learn more about their journeys and I expected to uncover some unique business systems and clever processes in these conversations.

But instead, I found something simple yet surprising. Something I could very much relate to. I just hadn’t given it much thought myself.

These people sit down at their desks every day and consider some version of this simple question:

"What are the one or two most obvious things I need to do today to serve my customers better and, in turn, grow my business?"

Then they do those things.

Wild, huh?

Sometimes accomplishing those goals relies on a framework or a system, sure. But the end goal is always to move the needle forward with the actual work that matters. To attack the tasks of the day with laser focus.

This observation got me thinking back to when I started my own business. I obsessed over productivity systems because they gave me the feeling of progress without the discomfort of doing actual work.

Just think about it. Reading about productivity feels productive. Creating elaborate systems feels productive. Color-coding your calendar feels productive.

But none of it really moves your business forward.

The Simple Path Forward

Here's what happened when I stripped away the productivity noise and focused on simple execution:

My whole business “system” became this:

• Wake up and drink coffee
• Spend 45 minutes on social media
• Exercise
• Eat lunch
• Spend 3-4 hours on the most important work
• Let everything else fill in around those priorities

These days, I don’t use any complicated apps. I do have some basic workflows but no elaborate frameworks.

In the end, my “secret” is just doing the obvious work that needs to be done. I now know that I have this in common with my most successful students.

The result is that my business revenue (and profit) continues to grow. Not because I discovered a productivity hack. I just stopped hiding behind complex systems and started executing on what matters.

So, if you want to get more of your important work done, consider this simple routine:

Each morning, before you open apps and check messages, write down the answer to this question:

"What's the most obvious thing I could do today to make my business better?"

Then dedicate the appropriate time to doing that thing. No distractions. No complications. No excuses.

That's it. That's the system.

The Bottom Line

Your answer to "What's the most obvious thing I could do today to make my business better?" might be "Write that sales page" or "Call those potential clients" or "Fix that product issue."

It's usually obvious. We just avoid the writing on the wall by overcomplicating things.

So, I want you to be aware of this trick we play on ourselves. Awareness is the first step, after all.

Stop searching for the perfect productivity system, waiting to uncover your magic morning routine, or thinking you need another framework, app, book, or podcast to be productive.

Instead, just show up every day to do the obvious work that's probably right in front of you.

Because at the end of the day, your business won’t care about your morning routine or your time-blocking system. It cares about whether you:

• Show up for your customers
• Deliver what you promise
• Build something worth talking about

Everything else is just procrastination dressed up as productivity.

I know self-reflection is difficult, so I don’t mean to make it sound easy. But I promise your business results will thank you for it.

If you're interested in building a lean, profitable, one-person business in 2025 consider watching my flagship video course, The Creator MBA. 111 step-by-step lessons to building a lean, healthy, profitable online business.

That's all for this week.

See you next Saturday.