Issue #185 | March 10th, 2026

Presented by HighLevel​

Hi, it's Pat!

You know that feeling when you sit down at your desk in the morning, look at everything you need to do, and immediately feel like you're drowning?

The emails that multiplied overnight. The project deadlines are creeping closer. The client requests piling up. The personal stuff you've been putting off for weeks.

It's that suffocating weight of being behind on everything, where every task feels urgent, and you don't even know where to start.

I've been there. We all have.

Today, I want to share the practical strategies that have helped me climb out of that overwhelm and get back on top of my work — and my life.

Let's get unstuck.

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Leads in one place.

Emails in another.

Bookings, payments, and follow-ups scattered everywhere.

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Story of the Week

The Overwhelm Spiral

When you're behind on everything, your brain goes into panic mode. You start jumping from task to task, never finishing anything, which only makes you feel even more behind.

Sound familiar?

This creates what I call the "Overwhelm Spiral". The more behind you feel, the less productive you become, which makes you fall further behind.

The good news? There's a way out.

The Brain Dump Method

Step 1: Get everything out of your head

Grab a piece of paper (or open a document) and write down every single thing on your mind. Work tasks, personal errands, that thing you promised to do three weeks ago. All of it.

Don't organize. Don't prioritize. Just dump it all out.

Step 2: Categorize ruthlessly

Go through your list and put each item into one of four buckets:

• Do: Must be done by you, soon
• Delegate: Can someone else handle this?
• Defer: Important but not urgent. Schedule for later
• Delete: Honestly, does this really need to happen?

Step 3: Pick your three

From your "Do" list, choose only three things to focus on today.

Not five, not ten.

Three.

The Power of "Good Enough"

When you're already behind, perfectionism becomes your enemy.

That email doesn't need to be perfectly crafted; it just needs to be sent.

That presentation doesn't need to be flawless; it needs to be finished.

That project doesn't need to be perfect; it needs to be done.

Progress beats perfection every time.

Creating Breathing Room

Batch similar tasks: Answer all emails at once. Make all your calls in one block. Grouping similar work reduces the mental cost of constantly switching between different types of tasks.

Use your "no" muscle: Every new request gets the same question: "If I say yes to this, what am I saying no to?" Protect your time like the valuable resource it is.

Build in buffer time: Avoid scheduling back-to-back meetings. Give yourself 15-minute buffers to process and transition.

Your Turn: The Reset Plan

Right now, before you do anything else:

1. Do a 10-minute brain dump of everything on your mind
2. Categorize using the four buckets (Do, Delegate, Defer, Delete)
3. Choose your three priorities for today
4. Block time for each priority on your calendar

Remember: You don't have to do everything today. You just have to do the next right thing.

Quote of the Week

"You don't have to see the whole staircase, just take the first step."

—Martin Luther King Jr.

SPI News and Notes

Your email list is one of your most valuable business assets, but only if people actually open, read, and buy from your emails. Join me and email strategist and keynote speaker Liz Wilcox on Tuesday, March 17th, for a power-packed workshop to help you turn passive subscribers into raving fans who can’t wait to hear from you. In this session, Liz will share her Fresh Steps Framework to help you untangle the email “knot,” write emails people actually want to read, and create a list that drives engagement and sales. Learn more here!​

What does it feel like to let go of a business you love, especially one you started with a close friend? In this episode of The Smart Passive Income Podcast, I’m joined by my friend, SPI CEO, and business partner Caleb Wojcik as we officially announce the sale of our company, SwitchPod. From rough prototypes and trips to China to crowdfunding success and beyond, we share the story behind the product and everything that led up to the big sale. Tune in here!​ Want to get an email from me every time I release a new podcast episode? Click here, and I’ll make sure you never miss out!

Ready to expand beyond digital products? Join Caleb Wojcik and me on Thursday, March 26th, for a free live workshop where we’ll give you an honest, behind-the-scenes look at what it really takes to build a successful physical product business. We’ll walk through our complete product development process, share the platforms we use to sell, and break down our biggest wins (and failures), along with the “never again” moments that taught us the most. Click here to automatically secure your spot!​

Cheers,

Pat Flynn

Co-founder, SPI Media

Dad Joke of the Week

Boarding a submarine is dangerous…

It can result in serious injury, or even depth.