Top Tasks Entrepreneurs Forget About (& how to automate them)
Last updated March 26, 2025
Looking for the Online Business Admin Checklist?
You’re not missing anything—this post now walks you through the full system directly. I’ve phased out freebies and opt-ins to align with my anti-hustle philosophy. No downloads, no funnels—just real strategies you can use right now to streamline your business behind the scenes.
No one told you just how many behind-the-scenes tasks come with running your own business, did they?
It’s easy to get buried in client work, content creation, or your inbox—only to realize you haven’t updated your website plugins in six months or checked your payment systems in longer than that.
These seemingly small tasks stack up fast, turning into a giant blob of “I have so much stuff to do.” And when that mental clutter piles on, it creates anxiety, distraction, and overwhelm that pulls you away from the work that actually matters.
I’ve been there—more than once.
That’s why I created a recurring system to stay on top of the essential (but often forgotten) tasks that keep my business running smoothly. It’s not about doing more—it’s about giving these tasks a place to live outside of your brain so you can stop carrying them around.
In this post, I’m breaking down the admin categories I use (weekly, monthly, quarterly, yearly), how I schedule them into my Ideal Work Week, and how I use tools like Notion and Google Calendar to automate the whole thing.
Let’s calm the chaos in your admin—starting now.
Why Admin Overwhelm Sneaks Up on Entrepreneurs
If you’ve ever thought, “I know I’m forgetting something,” this section is for you.
Running an online business comes with way more responsibility than most people realize—especially the recurring admin tasks that aren’t part of your day-to-day work. These are the things that don’t directly generate revenue but can cause big problems if you ignore them for too long.
I’m talking about stuff like:
Checking on support inquiries
Testing opt-in forms
Reviewing SEO research
Updating plugins
Reconciling transactions
Making sure your copyright notice is up to date
None of these things feel urgent in the moment, but let them pile up and suddenly your “I should really get to that” list becomes a swirling cloud of mental chaos.
I’ve gone down that path plenty of times—barely getting the essentials done, constantly reacting instead of leading. That’s why I knew I needed a better way to keep the admin side of my business from falling through the cracks. I wasn’t looking for another tool or rigid productivity hack. I needed a system that worked with my brain, not against it.
That started with recognizing these small, easily forgotten tasks weren’t optional—they were foundational. Once I saw them as part of my role as the CEO (even when I was the only one on the team), I could build a system that kept them from owning mental real estate.
The Ultimate Admin Checklist for Entrepreneurs: What to Do Weekly, Monthly, Quarterly, and Yearly
Once I realized these tasks weren’t going away—and ignoring them only made things worse—I stopped trying to remember everything and started organizing them into four key categories: weekly, monthly, quarterly, and yearly.
This simple breakdown helped me build a recurring admin system I could actually stick to. It works because it matches how most online business operations flow—some things truly do need to happen weekly, while others only show up once a quarter or once a year.
Below is a streamlined version of what I track. These are the kinds of tasks that easily slip through the cracks but have a big impact when they’re handled consistently.
Weekly Tasks
These are the admin things I touch base with every single week to keep the wheels turning smoothly:
Reviewing client invoices and recurring payments
Checking in on support inquiries
Making sure team members (or just me!) are aligned on the week’s priorities
Giving a little extra TLC to any client relationships that need it
I schedule this during my Friday Theme Day, which I reserve for back office and financials inside my Ideal Work Week. That structure helps me stay focused and avoid multitasking all over the place.
Monthly Tasks
The behind-the-scenes cleanup that keeps systems and finances running right:
Updating website plugins and themes
Reviewing top content and traffic sources in Google Analytics
Reconciling transactions and reviewing expenses
Backing up my website
Setting aside tax money
Reviewing SEO and keyword plans
Checking software/app subscriptions
Quarterly Tasks
These deeper check-ins help me zoom out and refine what’s working:
Testing all website forms (yes, even the ones you haven’t touched in ages)
Reviewing and updating social profiles for consistency
Auditing subcontractor access and W9s
Cleaning up email inboxes and cold subscribers
Updating 90-day goals and content plans
Yearly Tasks
Think of these as your “reset and protect” tasks—easy to forget, but mission critical:
Updating copyright notices and legal pages
Checking domain and hosting renewals
Filing taxes and 1099s
Changing passwords (and having your team do the same)
Sending client thank-you notes or satisfaction surveys
Reviewing your org chart or responsibilities list
This high-level checklist came from years of trial, error, and way too many “oh crap, I forgot to do that” moments. You don’t need a perfect system—just one that makes sure these tasks don’t live in your brain anymore.
In the next section, I’ll walk you through exactly how I automate all of this inside my calendar and Notion setup (without overcomplicating it).
How to Automate Recurring Business Tasks Without Getting Overwhelmed
Now that you’ve seen what kinds of admin tasks need attention throughout the year, the next step is building a system that doesn’t rely on your brain to remember them.
Here’s exactly how I do that—without overcomplicating things or adding more noise to my week.
Step 1: Create Your Master Task List
I started by listing out every admin task I knew I was either forgetting or always scrambling to finish—everything from updating plugins to sending thank-you cards. These were the kinds of things that weren’t urgent, but were essential to keeping my business running smoothly.
Once I had it all down, I organized them into weekly, monthly, quarterly, and yearly categories. (Exactly like what I shared above.)
This gave me a clear, realistic picture of what needed to happen—and how often—so I could stop carrying it all in my head.
Step 2: Schedule It
I’m a firm believer that what gets scheduled gets managed.
Instead of relying on a printed checklist, I blocked time on my calendar for these tasks and set them to repeat on the right cadence—weekly, monthly, etc. That way, I could see them before they snuck up on me.
I use my Ideal Work Week to theme my days (Fridays are my back-office and financials day), so I batch all recurring admin work into that block. This helps me focus and keeps these tasks from bleeding into other areas of my week.
Step 3: Automate with Tools You Already Use
You don’t need a new app to automate admin. I use two tools I already rely on: Google Calendar and Notion.
Google Calendar is where I set recurring appointments for tasks I personally handle. They pop up, I get them done, and I move on.
Notion is where I document and assign recurring tasks for my team. For anything I’ve delegated, I don’t want to think about it unless there’s an issue—so these live in my Notion dashboard with automations and reminders built in.
Bonus tip: If you work with a team, have a weekly check-in or Slack thread where they confirm completed recurring tasks. That way, you’re not micromanaging, but you’re still staying in the loop.
The goal here isn’t to do more—it’s to remove mental clutter and make sure the important stuff gets handled before it becomes a problem. Once these admin tasks have a home in your system, you’ll be shocked how much brain space opens up.
Conclusion: Build a Simple Admin System That Supports Your Business Growth
Keeping up with recurring business tasks doesn’t have to be overwhelming. By organizing your admin to-dos into weekly, monthly, quarterly, and yearly categories—and automating them with simple tools—you can stay on top of everything without burning out.
Whether you're a solopreneur or leading a small team, a solid admin system protects your time, your energy, and your ability to focus on what actually moves the needle. Forgetting to back up your site, follow up on invoices, or review your SEO plan might not hurt you today, but over time, those small misses add up.
This kind of behind-the-scenes structure is what helps entrepreneurs avoid chaos and stay in control. It’s not about perfection—it’s about having a clear, flexible system you can trust.
If you're ready to stop juggling admin tasks in your head, this checklist approach is your first step toward a more organized, intentional business.
