How to Run Your Business on a Low-Brain Day

You know those days when your brain says, absolutely not? We've all experienced it. You don't need to feel amazing to run a real business. On low-brain days, you can still protect your time, your money, and your sanity with a simple plan.

In this guide, you get a short, practical system to keep momentum without guilt. It is all about protecting the essentials and leaving with at least one win.

If you need someone in your corner join my Facebook group, Executive Function Support for Women. I will be your cheerleader.

Understanding Low-Brain Days

You are not broken. Your brain is signaling that capacity is low, not that you can't run your business. On days like this, give yourself a clear, simple job: lower the bar, protect the essentials, and end with a win you can feel.

Low-brain days are normal. Executive function ebbs and flows. You can still show up as the CEO of your company by deciding what actually matters today and giving yourself permission to let the rest wait. A smaller day is still a real day.

The goal is simple. You will use a short plan, make two smart moves, and leave the day having moved the needle.

What to Avoid: The Do-Not-Do List for Low-Brain Days

Protect your focus and your business by skipping the traps that drain your energy and lead to messy decisions.

• No new strategies, launches, or big decisions. Today is not the day to overhaul your offer or pivot your business. Frustration makes everything look broken. Save strategy for a higher-energy day.
• No research rabbit holes. A shiny idea can pull you into hours of reading without a useful outcome. If an idea pops up, capture it for later and return to your two tasks.
• No calendar reshuffles every hour. Changing the order will not fix low focus. You're not behind, you're just low on fuel. Pick what matters and stick to it.
• No fixing your entire system today. Rebuilding your project plan or setting up a new app is like organizing your closet to avoid homework. It feels productive, but it is not what your business needs today.

If your executive function is struggling, keep your plan tight and focused. Avoiding the things on this list will protect your time, revenue, and relationships.

Your Minimum Viable Day: A Simple 3-Part Plan to Get Started

Think of this as your 20-minute reset. It helps you get back into your body, scan for risks, and make two moves that count.

Part 1: 5-Minute Body-First Reboot

Your goal is to re-enter your body so your brain can focus. No phone scrolling. This is not phone time.

1. Take a sip of water.
2. Eat a protein-rich snack.
3. Do a light stretch.
4. Get some sunlight.
5. If possible, feel grass under your feet.

This quick reboot helps your nervous system settle so you can start.

Part 2: 7-Minute Triage of Your Calendar, Planner, and Inbox

Open your tools and scan for only two things: revenue risks and relationship risks. These are items that put money or trust at risk if ignored.

• Mark only what must happen today.
• Skip everything else for now.

Examples: An unpaid invoice, a lead waiting for a reply, a client expecting an update, or a commitment you need to acknowledge.

Part 3: Pick Your Two-Task Win

Choose one money task and one maintenance task. Then do them. That is your win.

• Money tasks: Send an invoice, reply to a lead, approve a proposal, post an offer.
• Maintenance tasks: Confirm an appointment, schedule social posts, pay a bill, hand off a task to your VA.

This duo counts as a full win. Celebrate it. You protected your business.

Beyond the Basics: Ongoing Strategies to Reset and Protect Your Energy

Use these as needed alongside your minimum plan. Mix and match based on how much energy you have.

Start Small with a 10-Minute Warm-Up

Start the easiest version of a task, not the best version. You are not writing your best sales page. You are writing three bullet points or opening a draft. Reduce decisions with templates or scripts.

Keep quick email scripts on hand:

• Hey [Name], I saw your message. I am available at these times: [X, Y, Z].
• Thanks for reaching out. I am in meetings today. I will reply by [date].

If typing feels heavy, use voice-to-text, then review for punctuation and tone. This reduces pressure and builds momentum.

Benefits:

• Cuts decision fatigue.
• Gets you moving fast.
• Creates easy wins you can bank.

Act Like a CEO: The Safety Net for Flat Executive Function

When everything feels heavy, lead like a CEO. CEOs don't worry about every little detail. Make one decision in each lane.

1. Money: What will bring in cash this week?
2. People: Who needs a reply or reassurance from you today?
3. Promise: What have you promised that you need to acknowledge?

Write one sentence per lane and then act. Honor those decisions.

Quick Energy Swaps and Focus Boosters

When your energy dips, don't wait it out. Swap the state you are in for one that helps you work.

• Move for 90 seconds, then sit back down. Jumping jacks, a short walk, or a few squats.
• Change location. Move from your desk to the couch or work outside for a bit.
• Body double. Text a friend what you will do in the next 20 minutes and ask what they are doing. Hold each other accountable.
• Play one track on loop. Your brain adapts and stops paying attention to it, which helps you focus.

These resets are small on purpose. They break the freeze without burning energy.

Triage Your Calendar and Use Micro-Sprints

When your list is overwhelming, use RNR: Reschedule, Rename, Remove.

• Reschedule anything that is not urgent.
• Rename blocks to match your energy. Instead of “write sales page,” try “admin sweep.”
• Remove filler tasks that do not protect revenue or relationships.

Switch to micro-sprints. Pomodoro is great for some brains, but it can be too long on a low day.

• Try 12 minutes on, 3 minutes off.
• If that is too long, use 7 minutes on, 3 minutes off.
• Full-screen one window. Turn off notifications and close extra tabs.

Short focus cycles beat long, unfocused attempts.

Capture Ideas and Build a Quick Wins Bank

You cannot control when ideas hit. You can control how you handle them.

Use a simple parking lot. Keep a notepad or notes app open. When a new idea pops in, write it down and go back to your task. Your brain says, “It is safe, I will handle it later.”

Build a quick wins bank. List tasks that are fast, easy, and useful. When you need a boost, grab one.

Quick win ideas:

• Send an invoice.
• Confirm a call time.
• Reply to a warm lead.
• Schedule tomorrow’s posts.
• Pay a pending bill.

Wins boost motivation, which raises momentum.

Shift Your Self-Talk: Speak Like a Leader

How you speak to yourself shapes what you do next. You are the leader of your company. Speak like it.

Old Self-Talk	Leader Language
I am so behind.	I am choosing the most important thing.
I blew it.	I paused, then moved the business forward.
I am lazy.	My capacity is low today, that is okay.
I did nothing.	I made one win happen. That counts.

You are not behind. You are prioritizing. One meaningful action moves the needle.

Low-brain days do not mean lost days. A small, focused plan protects revenue and energy while giving you a clear win. Start with your body, triage what matters, then do one money task and one maintenance task. When you need more, act like a CEO, make tiny moves, and speak to yourself like a leader. What two tasks will you finish today?