Get Organized at Work | Career, Leadership, Project Management, Productivity, Time Management

You Know What Matters. So Why Are You Still Reactive?
The Missing Link Between Reactive and Proactive Leadership
Most leaders know what matters.

They know their priorities.
They know they should review their goals.
They know they should proactively plan their week.

So why do so many leaders still feel overwhelmed, reactive, and stuck in firefighting mode?

In this episode of Get Organized at Work, Kayla Fahey-Ahrndt shares a powerful shift in her leadership philosophy after reviewing results from the new Leadership Operating Score Audit.

For years, she believed:

Awareness + Intention = Proactive Leadership with drives Strategic Results

But after working with leaders and analyzing assessment results, she discovered a missing ingredient: readiness.

You'll learn:

Why awareness alone doesn't create change

Why leaders stay reactive even when they know what matters

The hidden cost of constant busyness

Why slowing down feels uncomfortable (but is often the key to moving faster)

How to build evidence that creates lasting behavior change

The connection between weekly planning, goal reviews, and proactive leadership

If you're struggling with overwhelm, productivity, time management, leadership effectiveness, project organization, or staying focused on strategic priorities, this episode will help you understand what's really keeping you stuck.

🎯 Take the free Leadership Operating System Audit and calculate your Leadership Operating Score—a simple assessment designed to help you identify strengths, uncover gaps, and pinpoint where your current systems may be creating friction.

CONNECT WITH KAYLA:
📱Join My Podcast Community and App for Professionals

Follow me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kaylafaheyahrndt/

Subscribe to my LinkedIn Newsletter: https://www.linkedin.com/build-relation/newsletter-follow?entityUrn=7459643636083896320

Follow the podcast on Instagram: Get Organized At Work Podcast (@getorganizedatwork) • Instagram photos and videos

 

Additional Resources:
🎯 Free Resource:
Download the Simple Task System Template to start organizing your tasks today: https://kayla-fahey-ahrndt.myflodesk.com/simpletasklist

📓Get the OneNote Hub template I use to organize my work and leadership systems:
https://kayla-fahey-ahrndt.myflodesk.com/ultimateonenotetemplate

🎥If you want to watch my OneNote Hub tutorial, it's here on YouTube: https://youtu.be/Co83sC_qovw?si=nQtnaV3EQiqaQKas

Microsoft Planner: 4 Kanban Boards Every Leader Should Build: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QH0etm9NgkI

📖 Want the full Microsoft Planner Kanban system? Check-out my e-book: https://kayla-fahey-ahrndt.myflodesk.com/microsoft-planner-kanban-boards

🎥Watch the Active Projects List walkthrough in my OneNote Hub: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tEDJl9M7178

🎥Watch the Daily & Weekly Dashboard tutorial in my OneNote Hub: https://youtu.be/nWgmoIJBCPc

🎥 Watch the Leader Standard Work and Weekly Reflections Questions tutorial in my OneNote Hub: https://youtu.be/JQ4IFTDQV9Y

🎥Watch the Goal Setting for Professionals in OneNote | Annual Goals + Self-Assessment tutorial in my OneNote Hub: https://youtu.be/wf7qvyBNK5o

Keywords:
Leadership, Productivity, Time Management, Leadership Development, Project Management, Goal Setting, Weekly Planning, Proactive Leadership, Organizational Systems, Leadership Operating System

Most Leaders Don't Need Better Time Management. They Need These 5 Systems.
Are you struggling to stay organized at work despite trying every productivity tip and time management hack?

In this episode of Get Organized at Work, we're taking a different approach.

Instead of focusing on time management, we're exploring the five core systems every leader needs to operate proactively, reduce overwhelm, and stay focused on what matters most.

You'll also complete the Leadership Operating System Audit and calculate your Leadership Operating Score—a simple assessment designed to help you identify strengths, uncover gaps, and pinpoint where your current systems may be creating friction.

In this episode, you'll learn:

✅ The difference between a time management/discipline problem and a systems problem

✅ The 5 core leadership systems every professional needs

✅ How to improve project management, task management, and information organization

✅ Why leadership management is different from productivity management

✅ How proactive leaders consistently plan, review, and improve

✅ The simple formula behind proactive leadership

The 5 Core Systems Covered
📌 Information Management System

📌 Project Management System

📌 Task Management System

📌 Leadership Management System

📌 Strategic Planning System

If you've ever felt overwhelmed by competing priorities, scattered information, forgotten follow-ups, or constant firefighting, this episode will help you identify where your Leadership Operating System needs support.

🎁 Take the free Leadership Operating System Audit and download the Leadership Operating System Quick Start Guide:

Leadership Operating System Audit

Keywords
leadership development, leadership systems, productivity for leaders, time management, project management, leadership operating system, proactive leadership, organization at work, manager productivity, leadership skills, workplace organization, strategic planning, task management, OneNote productivity, leadership habits, work organization

 

CONNECT WITH KAYLA:
📱Join My Podcast Community and App for Professionals

Follow me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kaylafaheyahrndt/

Subscribe to my LinkedIn Newsletter: https://www.linkedin.com/build-relation/newsletter-follow?entityUrn=7459643636083896320

Follow the podcast on Instagram: Get Organized At Work Podcast (@getorganizedatwork) • Instagram photos and videos

 

Additional Resources:
🎯 Free Resource:
Download the Simple Task System Template to start organizing your tasks today: https://kayla-fahey-ahrndt.myflodesk.com/simpletasklist

📓Get the OneNote Hub template I use to organize my work and leadership systems:
https://kayla-fahey-ahrndt.myflodesk.com/ultimateonenotetemplate

🎥If you want to watch my OneNote Hub tutorial, it's here on YouTube: https://youtu.be/Co83sC_qovw?si=nQtnaV3EQiqaQKas

Microsoft Planner: 4 Kanban Boards Every Leader Should Build: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QH0etm9NgkI

📖 Want the full Microsoft Planner Kanban system? Check-out my e-book: https://kayla-fahey-ahrndt.myflodesk.com/microsoft-planner-kanban-boards

🎥Watch the Active Projects List walkthrough in my OneNote Hub: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tEDJl9M7178

🎥Watch the Daily & Weekly Dashboard tutorial in my OneNote Hub: https://youtu.be/nWgmoIJBCPc

🎥 Watch the Leader Standard Work and Weekly Reflections Questions tutorial in my OneNote Hub: https://youtu.be/JQ4IFTDQV9Y

🎥Watch the Goal Setting for Professionals in OneNote | Annual Goals + Self-Assessment tutorial in my OneNote Hub: https://youtu.be/wf7qvyBNK5o

When Life Interrupts Your Plans: The Real Purpose of a Productivity System
After breaking my toe and losing a goal I'd been working toward for months, I was reminded of something important: the best systems aren't designed for perfect weeks—they're designed for real life.

After unexpectedly breaking my toe and losing the opportunity to run a race I had been training for, I found myself reflecting on a question every leader eventually faces:

What happens when life interrupts your plans?

In this episode of the Get Organized at Work podcast, I'm sharing a personal story about disappointment, resilience, and the surprising role productivity systems play during life's unexpected detours.

Most productivity advice focuses on doing more, working faster, and staying disciplined. But the real purpose of a great system isn't helping you perform during perfect weeks—it's helping you recover when things don't go according to plan.

Whether you're navigating a project setback, a career challenge, a family obligation, burnout, or an unexpected life event, this episode will help you rethink what sustainable productivity really looks like.

In this episode, you'll learn:
• Why setbacks feel so disruptive to our goals and identity
• The difference between discipline and resilience
• How leadership systems reduce overwhelm during difficult seasons
• Why weekly planning and project management matter most when life gets messy
• How to create a productivity system that helps you get back on track faster

Resources and next steps:
🎯 Free Resource:
Download the Simple Task System Template to start organizing your tasks today: https://kayla-fahey-ahrndt.myflodesk.com/simpletasklist

📓Get the OneNote Hub template I use to organize my work and leadership systems:
https://kayla-fahey-ahrndt.myflodesk.com/ultimateonenotetemplate

🎥If you want to watch my OneNote Hub tutorial, it's here on YouTube: https://youtu.be/Co83sC_qovw?si=nQtnaV3EQiqaQKas

Microsoft Planner: 4 Kanban Boards Every Leader Should Build: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QH0etm9NgkI

📖 Want the full Microsoft Planner Kanban system? Check-out my e-book: https://kayla-fahey-ahrndt.myflodesk.com/microsoft-planner-kanban-boards

🎥Watch the Active Projects List walkthrough in my OneNote Hub: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tEDJl9M7178

🎥Watch the Daily & Weekly Dashboard tutorial in my OneNote Hub: https://youtu.be/nWgmoIJBCPc

🎥 Watch the Leader Standard Work and Weekly Reflections Questions tutorial in my OneNote Hub: https://youtu.be/JQ4IFTDQV9Y

🎥Watch the Goal Setting for Professionals in OneNote | Annual Goals + Self-Assessment tutorial in my OneNote Hub: https://youtu.be/wf7qvyBNK5o

 

📱Join the Get Organized at Work community for deeper system training and support (plus my OneNote Hub and my 6 module Get Organized at Work Blueprint Course is included with your membership):
https://leadership-unveiled-podcast-community.mn.co/landing?space_id=2638359

 

HOW TO SUPPORT KAYLA & GET ORGANIZED AT WORK PODCAST

Leave me a rating or review wherever you listen to podcasts! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐: Apple Podcasts Show Link

🛒Shop My Amazon Storefront

CONNECT WITH KAYLA:
📱Join My Podcast Community and App for Professionals

Follow me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kaylafaheyahrndt/

Subscribe to my LinkedIn Newsletter: https://www.linkedin.com/build-relation/newsletter-follow?entityUrn=7459643636083896320

Follow the podcast on Instagram: Get Organized At Work Podcast (@getorganizedatwork) • Instagram photos and videos

 

Keywords:
productivity system, leadership system, sustainable productivity, work organization, leadership development, project management, weekly planning, goal setting, resilience, overcoming setbacks, productivity for leaders, OneNote organization, leadership habits, work-life balance, time management, recovering from disappointment, leadership operating system, personal productivity, professional development, overwhelmed at work

Fix Your Projects: The 4 Kanban Boards Every Leader Needs
If your projects feel overwhelming, the problem may not be your workload—it may be your system.

In this episode of Get Organized at Work, I'm continuing the "Fix Your" series by tackling one of the biggest challenges leaders face: managing projects, priorities, and workflows without feeling scattered or reactive.

The truth is that not all work is the same. Strategic initiatives, individual projects, repeatable processes, and personal priorities each require a different approach. When everything lives on one giant to-do list, important work gets buried and leaders lose visibility.

In this episode, I'm walking through the four Kanban boards I use to organize work, reduce mental clutter, and lead more proactively:

✔ Program Management Board (managing multiple projects)
✔ Single Project Management Board
✔ Process Kanban Board (workflow templates and repeatable systems)
✔ Personal Kanban Board (my leadership dashboard)

You'll learn:

How to organize multiple projects without feeling overwhelmed

The difference between project management and process management

Why visibility is one of the most important leadership skills

How Kanban boards help reduce decision fatigue

Practical ways to improve project organization and workflow management

How leaders can build systems instead of relying on memory

Whether you're a healthcare leader, manager, director, project manager, or team leader, this episode will help you create a clearer system for managing your work and leading with confidence.

🎥 Watch the full tutorial:
Microsoft Planner: 4 Kanban Boards Every Leader Should Build: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QH0etm9NgkI

📖 Want the full Microsoft Planner Kanban system? Check-out my e-book: https://kayla-fahey-ahrndt.myflodesk.com/microsoft-planner-kanban-boards

Resources and next steps:
🎯 Free Resource:
Download the Simple Task System Template to start organizing your tasks today: https://kayla-fahey-ahrndt.myflodesk.com/simpletasklist

📓Get the OneNote Hub template I use to organize my work and leadership systems:
https://kayla-fahey-ahrndt.myflodesk.com/ultimateonenotetemplate

🎥If you want to watch my OneNote Hub tutorial, it's here on YouTube: https://youtu.be/Co83sC_qovw?si=nQtnaV3EQiqaQKas

 

🎥Watch the Active Projects List walkthrough in my OneNote Hub: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tEDJl9M7178

🎥Watch the Daily & Weekly Dashboard tutorial in my OneNote Hub: https://youtu.be/nWgmoIJBCPc

🎥 Watch the Leader Standard Work and Weekly Reflections Questions tutorial in my OneNote Hub: https://youtu.be/JQ4IFTDQV9Y

🎥Watch the Goal Setting for Professionals in OneNote | Annual Goals + Self-Assessment tutorial in my OneNote Hub: https://youtu.be/wf7qvyBNK5o

📱Join the Get Organized at Work community for deeper system training and support (plus my OneNote Hub and my 6 module Get Organized at Work Blueprint Course is included with your membership):
https://leadership-unveiled-podcast-community.mn.co/landing?space_id=2638359

 

HOW TO SUPPORT KAYLA & GET ORGANIZED AT WORK PODCAST

Leave me a rating or review wherever you listen to podcasts! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐: Apple Podcasts Show Link

🛒Shop My Amazon Storefront

CONNECT WITH KAYLA:
📱Join My Podcast Community and App for Professionals

Follow me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kaylafaheyahrndt/

Subscribe to my LinkedIn Newsletter: https://www.linkedin.com/build-relation/newsletter-follow?entityUrn=7459643636083896320

Follow the podcast on Instagram: Get Organized At Work Podcast (@getorganizedatwork) • Instagram photos and videos

 

Keywords:

Project Management, Kanban Board, Leadership Development, Microsoft Planner, Productivity Systems, Leadership Operating System,   Workflow Management, Get Organized At Work, Healthcare Leadership, Time Management, Leadership Skills, Project Organization, Leadership Dashboard

5 Signs You Need Better Organizational Systems at Work - Which One is Holding You Back?
If your workday feels reactive, chaotic, mentally cluttered, or like you’re constantly trying to “catch up,” this episode is for you.

In this rerun of one of the most impactful episodes of the Get Organized at Work podcast, Kayla Fahey-Ahrndt breaks down the hidden signs that your organizational systems at work may not actually be supporting you — even if you’re high-performing, motivated, and capable.

You’ll learn how to recognize:

cognitive overload at work

invisible work and mental clutter

why your to-do list never feels done

the real cost of reactive workflows

signs your leadership systems are breaking down

how disorganization impacts stress, energy, and productivity

practical ways to create systems that actually reduce overwhelm

Whether you’re a healthcare leader, manager, working professional, entrepreneur, or busy working mom trying to stay organized, this episode will help you identify where the friction is happening — and how to build systems that create clarity, calm, and momentum.

If you’ve ever thought:
“I’m working hard… so why does everything still feel messy?”
this episode will help you understand why.

🎧 Listen in for practical strategies around:

organizational systems

leadership systems

time management

task management

productivity for leaders

reducing overwhelm at work

proactive planning

workflow organization

leader standard work

creating structure that supports your brain

Resources and next steps:
🎯 Free Resource:
Download the Simple Task System Template to start organizing your tasks today: https://kayla-fahey-ahrndt.myflodesk.com/simpletasklist

📓Get the OneNote Hub template I use to organize my work and leadership systems:
https://kayla-fahey-ahrndt.myflodesk.com/ultimateonenotetemplate

🎥If you want to watch my OneNote Hub tutorial, it's here on YouTube: https://youtu.be/Co83sC_qovw?si=nQtnaV3EQiqaQKas

🎥Watch the Active Projects List walkthrough in my OneNote Hub: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tEDJl9M7178

🎥Watch the Daily & Weekly Dashboard tutorial in my OneNote Hub: https://youtu.be/nWgmoIJBCPc

🎥 Watch the Leader Standard Work and Weekly Reflections Questions tutorial in my OneNote Hub: https://youtu.be/JQ4IFTDQV9Y

🎥Watch the Goal Setting for Professionals in OneNote | Annual Goals + Self-Assessment tutorial in my OneNote Hub: https://youtu.be/wf7qvyBNK5o

📱Join the Get Organized at Work community for deeper system training and support (plus my OneNote Hub and my 6 module Get Organized at Work Blueprint Course is included with your membership):
https://leadership-unveiled-podcast-community.mn.co/landing?space_id=2638359

 

Keywords: organizational systems at work, productivity systems, overwhelmed at work, leadership organization, time management for leaders, reduce overwhelm, mental clutter, workflow systems, organization for professionals, proactive leadership, leader standard work, task management systems, working mom productivity, healthcare leadership, OneNote organization