Hey Reader,

Over the last few weeks, I’ve been easing back into work after my mom passed in December.

And one thing has been clear to me:

It’s not “motivation” that’s making work feel doable again.

It’s the habits and rhythms.

Grief does weird things to your brain. Decision fatigue shows up fast. Even simple tasks can feel heavier than they should.

So instead of trying to force myself into productivity, I’m leaning on the habits I’ve built over years as the CEO of my business, because they reduce the mental load of figuring out:

Where do I start?
What matters most?
What can wait?

​That’s exactly what this week’s podcast episode is about.​

​In the third installment of the Run Your Business Like a CEO series, we’re talking about how to run your week like a CEO so your days don’t get swallowed by inbox, admin, and “busy-but-not-moving-the-needle” work.

Because here’s what happens to so many smart business owners:

You’re busy all week.
You’re tired by Friday.
And you realize the big rocks never made it onto the calendar.

​This episode is your reset.​

In this episode, I break down the five CEO-level habits and rhythms that keep your 90-day plan moving forward (even in seasons where your capacity is lower than usual):

1. The Model Calendar: a weekly structure that protects your time and energy
2. The Weekly CEO Date: the check-in that keeps you proactive instead of reactive
3. Calendar boundaries and batching: so you stop context switching yourself into exhaustion
4. The CEO Scorecard: a simple way to refocus on high-value work
5. A weekly review: so you learn, adjust, and keep building momentum without burnout

If you’re in a season of grief, caregiving, health challenges, or just “a lot,” I want you to hear this clearly:

You don’t need a more intense plan.

You need a weekly rhythm that tells your brain what matters and what to ignore.

And when your energy is limited, that matters even more.

Listen to the episode here:

To CEO clarity,
Racheal

PS - We’re doing a January giveaway for a full year of The CEO Planner (that’s four 90-Day Planners).

To enter:

1. Leave a rating + review for the podcast on Apple Podcasts during January
2. Screenshot it
3. Share it on Instagram and tag me @racheal.cook

We’ll pick a winner in the first week of February.

PPS - If you want help building these rhythms into your business (so you’re not trying to figure it out alone), the On-Demand CEO Retreat is available now.​

It walks you through creating a life-proof 90-day plan and the monthly, weekly, and daily practices that make implementation easier.

When you enroll, you’ll also get the Client Growth Engine training as a bonus so your plan aligns with your marketing, sales, and delivery systems.

👉 Get instant access to the On-Demand CEO Retreat​

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