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August 25, 2025 15 mins

How many times have you ended the day exhausted, only to wonder what you actually accomplished? That feeling of spinning your wheels without moving forward is a signal that your workflow isn’t working for you.

At VEST, we recently explored this challenge with our members and uncovered some powerful lessons worth sharing. 

In this episode of the VEST Her Podcast, we’ll walk you through how to evaluate your current workflow, identify blockers, design a system that works for you, and reset with confidence when things go off track.

Why Evaluate Your Workflow

Most of us live on autopilot, answering emails, sitting in meetings, or reacting to client demands. Rarely do we stop to ask: Is this the best use of my time and energy? Through time audits, members discovered surprising patterns about when they feel most focused, what drains them, and how much of their time is lost to tasks that don’t actually move the needle.

What Gets in the Way

The most common culprit? A false sense of urgency. We often mistake busyness for productivity, rushing to put out fires while our real priorities sit untouched. Other blockers include living in our inbox instead of our priorities, overcommitting, and the guilt of saying no.

Designing a Better Workflow

Creating a better system isn’t about rigid control, it’s about clarity. A few simple strategies can help:

  • Time blocking: Schedule focused work, admin, and rest.
  • Priority buckets: Sort tasks into must do today, can wait, can let go.
  • Non-negotiables: Protect what fuels you, family time, exercise, quiet moments.

When members applied these approaches, they found they could finally protect what matters most and reclaim a sense of purpose in their work.

At VEST, we believe your workflow should work for you, not the other way around.

Tools and resources we discussed

Time Tracking Evaluation

Workflow Resetting Checklist

If you enjoy the episode share it with a friend, leave us a review and don't forget to hit the subscribe button.

If you are ready to take your career and business to the next level, apply to join our community of professional women, all eager to help you get there and stay there. Learn more at www.VESTHer.co

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Transcript

Episode Transcript

Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
The one thing that I consistently find myself doing
is I kind of trick myself intopretending like I was being
productive and getting my thingsdone.
So I'm really good at reframingthe stuff I actually did.
When I reflect on my day tofeel like, oh, look at all the
stuff I did and I never made anyprogress on the most important

(00:20):
things, most important things.
And so trying to remember like,hey, does this actually?
Did I actually just make adecision?
That's moving the needle onanything that's important or
impactful to my business, mylife, my family.

Speaker 2 (00:36):
Hi everyone.
This is Erica Lucas, founder ofVest and your host for today's
episode.
Have you ever ended a workdayexhausted, but wondering what
you actually accomplished thatday?
You're not alone.
Many of us build workflowsdesigned to keep up with demands
, but not necessarily to supportour own needs.
This has been the topic ofconversation for VAST members

(00:59):
this month, and today we want tobring this conversation over to
you.
In this episode.
We're going to explore whyevaluating your workflow matters
, what common obstacles get inthe way and how you can design a
workflow that works best foryou.
If you enjoy the episode, sharewith a friend and don't forget

(01:19):
to leave us a review.
And if you'd like to do morethan just listen, consider
becoming a Vest member and jointhe conversation.
Learn more about our membershipand the benefits of our
community at wwwvestherco.
Part one why evaluating yourworkflow matters.

(01:39):
Most of us operate on autopilot.
We respond to emails, we attendmeetings mostly because we have
to, not because we want to.
We jump from task to task, butwe rarely stop to ask is this
workflow actually working for me?
In our VEST session, vestmembers use a time audit
worksheet where they could trackhow they were spending their

(02:02):
day, hour by hour, where theycould track how they were
spending their day hour by hour.
We also asked about theirenergy levels during each
activity, whether that activitywas an obligation, a reactive
effort or an intentional output,and we asked them to list any
emotion or feelings surroundingthis activity.
And what they discovered wassurprising patterns.

Speaker 3 (02:25):
Here are some of the things they shared.
A lot of mine is obligated andI'd like it not to be.
I like to have a lot moreintentional time built in.

Speaker 4 (02:35):
I was struggling because it was like every five
minutes I was shifting tosomething else, which is
probably a telling sign.
Also, like I couldn't even putwhat I did for the hour.
It was like this five minutesand then this five minutes for
me.

Speaker 5 (02:49):
I think it's definitely being reactive, um.
So, especially like Mondaymornings, when I go through
emails and now I have to put outa million fires, um.
But then I also have blockedtime frames for like all of the
things that I actually have toget done and it takes me a lot
longer than the allotted timeframe.

Speaker 2 (03:10):
When you track your time and energy, even if it's
just for a few days, you'lluncover things you'll never
otherwise notice, like when yourenergy and focus peaks or what
drains you the most.
Don't forget to check out theshow notes for this episode,
where you'll find the timetracking evaluation worksheet to

(03:30):
help you try this exerciseyourself.
We also encourage you to dothis quick exercise.
Pause for a moment and thinkabout yesterday.
What time of the day did youfeel the most clear and focused?
What time of the day did youfeel the most clear and focused?
What time of the day did youfeel the most strained?

(03:52):
Just naming these two windowswill give you a clue as to where
your workflow may be helpingyou or hurting you.
Part two what gets in the way?

Speaker 3 (04:05):
Part two what gets in the way?
Meetings that I really, yeah,can't really get away from.
I have like picking up kids.
No one else is going to do thatbut me and my husband.

Speaker 6 (04:15):
What I've noticed is, for example, right now I
received a text message from aclient saying I can't open this
and edit it.
So I quickly go in and do itbecause I don't want that thing
on my list of to-dos.
And then I might forget,especially when I'm doing
something else, and so it's kindof like those immediate things
I want to give great customerservice, but at the same time,

(04:37):
how do I move the needle?

Speaker 2 (04:39):
The number one blocker, we heard from best
members, was a false sense ofurgency, those client
interruptions or self-imposedfires that often trick us into
feeling productive when we'rereally just busy.
Other barriers also includedliving in our own inbox instead

(05:00):
of our priorities, obligationsthat aren't really aligned with
our goals, and the guilt aroundsaying no.
Here's another exercise we wantyou to consider.
Think of one thing thatconsistently throws your day off
.
Is it email Slack?
Perhaps a client who alwaysneeds something urgent?

(05:22):
Write it down.
That is your biggest workflowblocker.
Part 3.
How to design a better workflow.
A good workflow isn't aboutrigid control.
Instead, it's about clarity andgetting to know yourself a
little bit better.
Once you try the time trackingtool and see what's really

(05:44):
getting in the way of your goals, things will start to click.
That clarity will give you thespace you need to pause and ask
yourself OK, what matters to methe most right now?
Here are some practicalstrategies you can try once you
get to this point Time blocking,schedule focus, administrative,

(06:04):
creative and resting blocks inyour calendar Priority buckets.
A simple to-do list is notenough.
Sort tasks into three differentbuckets Must do today, can't
wait, can let go or delegate.
You can also create your ownsystem.
For example, some of our VESTmembers who run businesses

(06:26):
categorize their activity byimpact, especially activities
which directly generate revenue.
This way, they're able toprioritize activity that drives
results, non-negotiables,protect whatever brings you joy
and energy.

Speaker 4 (06:43):
One thing for our group that came up with defining
your personal non-negotiablesis that we all have things that
we love, that ground us, but wedon't make them a priority and
we just like we can't.
We have to.
We have to make those things apriority because that's what
gives us joy and, you know,brings us life and and refuels
us.
So we all kind of talked aboutthose, those little things that

(07:06):
we're missing.

Speaker 1 (07:07):
Whatever that precious moment is, whether it's
kid pickup, bath time or,honestly with me, with the young
adults is like it's right,before I go to bed I get to go
give them a kiss and then theyignore me after that.
So those are thenon-negotiables.

Speaker 3 (07:23):
When I'm thinking about how to be intentional.
I want it to be that creativeside, because that's where I
find those were my high points,when I felt purposeful, when it
was me pouring into me but alsobeing able to grow in those
things.
I want more of that so that Ican be more not reactive, but
more intentional about how Ishow up, maybe even to the

(07:43):
meetings.

Speaker 2 (07:45):
We're so used to prioritizing work and meeting
the needs of others, like ourbosses, clients and investors,
that we often forget toprioritize ourselves.
Protect things like family,dinner, weekends, meditation,
exercise and quiet time foryourself.
Part four how to reset when youfall off.

(08:08):
No matter how well you designyour workflow, life will happen,
staffing changes will happen,low energy days will happen,
Family emergencies and so on.

Speaker 5 (08:20):
So I realized this past week it came time of the
month and I had zero motivation.
It must have been hormonal.
And I had zero motivation.
It must have been hormonal andI just like I had so many
meetings that I had alreadyagreed to, I had set them in a
good mood and then now I have tolike be there in person when
I'm just feeling like crying thewhole day and just like not

(08:44):
wanting to be there.
How do you guys handle likejust you know, being that day,
how do you just push throughwhen you just have all of these
responsibilities and you're notfeeling well?

Speaker 2 (08:58):
This best member was sharing how she overcommitted at
a time when her energy levelswere up.
She then had a bad day whereshe wasn't feeling 100% and had
to deal with all of thosecommitments.
Give yourself the permission toreset, and sometimes resetting
could mean you reset andreschedule meetings you had

(09:22):
already committed to.
Unless you're a doctor or asurgeon or a lawyer or another
essential profession, it is veryunlikely that somebody will die
from you rescheduling a meetingor asking for time off.
Don't push yourself toexhaustion.
It's better to take a break andrest than to try to push

(09:46):
through when your energy levelsare low.
Break and rest than to try topush through when your energy
levels are low.
It is unlikely that you willclose a deal or an investor when
your energy levels are low andyou're just not feeling it.
If you don't feel 100%, it'sokay to ask for time to reset.

Speaker 7 (10:03):
I guess for me, what comes to mind is when change
comes.
For me, what comes to mind iswhen change comes, like we just
had an overwhelming change withstaffing and you know, just
things that required a lot of me, and I have noticed that I took
my priority away from myphysical health, whereas I had a
regimen every week.

(10:25):
It's just not been that for thelast month and I guess the cue
I mean you really hit the nailon the head when you said that
you're noticing that you'remissing certain things that were
in your regimen that can be acue to me because I'm finding
myself kind of like, okay, Idon't know where to land my feet

(10:47):
right now, and that can feelquite uncomfortable because
there's still tasks that have tobe done.
So this is really great thismorning.
I want to say thank you firstand foremost for that.
But to take the time and blockout and really when I guess I
guess what I'm taking away fromthis is when you see those
things.
What I'm taking away from thisis when you see those things

(11:08):
then you need to step back andtake time to blackout and say,
okay, these are the things thatare not, they can't move, and so
how do you move this around?
And in our breakout group andI'll be quick One thing I said
is I took a day and said, okay,this is a day.
Nobody touched it.
Don't, nobody call me anythingso that I can do this admin.
But Angela brought up a point.

(11:30):
She was like you get a wholeday.
And I told her well, I'm tryingit, I don't know if it's going
to work and so, but that thatcut the light bulb on for me,
cause I was like, well, maybe,cause I'll go one extreme, like
I need a whole day, but maybe Idon't, maybe I can just divvy it
out between the week.
So this group is becoming veryvaluable to me with knowledge,

(11:53):
and so that's my answer withthat.

Speaker 2 (11:56):
Remember that we're not striving for perfection.
Rather, we're giving ourselvespermission to hit the reset
button.
Here are other reset strategiesfrom our best group Block 20
minutes of CEO time to decidewhat to focus on next.
Ask yourself who or what do Ineed to say no to right now in

(12:17):
order to protect my time thenext time your day goes sideways
maybe a meeting ran long or youjust lost your steam Instead of
powering through, pause forfive minutes and ask yourself
what is the single mostimportant thing I can still do
today, and let that be yourreset point In closing.

(12:39):
Your workflow should work foryou, not the other way around.
By auditing your time,identifying your blockers,
designing around yournon-negotiables and practicing
the reset, you can create asystem that works both for
productivity and well-being.
So here's your challenge forthis week Protect one

(13:01):
non-negotiable in your calendarand let go of one false urgency
that doesn't deserve your energythis week.
For inspiration, here are someexamples of what our best
members are letting go andprotecting after this session.

Speaker 8 (13:18):
I shared this in our breakout group, but the one
thing that I'm going to get ridof this week well, not fully,
I'm going to certainly try totamper down on is my screen time
.
On my phone, I find myselfspending hours scrolling instead
of doing the things that I needto do and, ironically, I'm not
on any social media.
It's literally just likePinterest and LinkedIn.

(13:39):
That that's it.
So I'm really going to do mybest to cut my screen time in
half, because it's that bad.
So that's my goal for this week.

Speaker 9 (13:49):
I have been in a bad habit of coming to the office
even when I know I would bebetter at home, because I feel
like the optics of everybodyseeing me are important, and I
don't even work in a culturewhere that is important.
So I could absolutely beworking from home and rotating
laundry and throwing thedishwasher or the dishes in the
dishwasher and be moreproductive and not have so many

(14:12):
things I feel like I have to doat the end of the day.
So I'm going to give myselfpermission to take that and run
with it.

Speaker 10 (14:20):
I need to allow others to help me and I live in
a multi-generational household,like my mother-in-law and my
great aunt live with me and myhusband lives with me and I have
a 16-year-old, so a lot of itis control of my household and
so I need to give that controlaway so I don't have to feel
certain.

(14:40):
You know, feel bad about notdoing A, b and C.

Speaker 2 (14:46):
If you enjoyed this episode, share it with a friend
and don't forget to leave us areview.
And if you're ready to takeyour career to the next level,
consider joining our communityof women professionals.
Go to wwwvestherco to learnmore.
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