
Hey {{ first name | there }}! Welcome back to The Flow by Flocus. If youโre new around here, welcome! ๐ย You can catch up on our previous editions right here.
This week: Itโs all about life admin: what it is, why it piles up, and how to wrangle this laundry list of chores, tasks, and responsibilities. Letโs jump in!
๐๏ธ Whatโs Life Admin?
How many days do you find yourself swatting away helpful but random thoughts that always pop up at the worst times? Like:
๐ โCanโt forget to fill out that insurance formโ
๐ฅผ โNeed to make that doctorโs appointmentโ
๐จ โMy inbox is so cluttered, I need to clear it outโ
๐๏ธ โI have too many apps / browser tabs open, I canโt find what I needโ
๐๏ธ โI need to pick up printer ink and finally recycle all those old electronicsโ
Life admin tasks like these donโt usually involve deep work โ but getting them off your plate clears the runway for the big stuff.
Avoiding them, or not having an efficient system for processing them, keeps you low-grade stressed and scattered constantly.
The tricky part? Everything on your life admin list almost certainly needs to get done at some point. It just may not be urgent or top priority for you in the near or immediate future.
Plus, these tiny tasks tend to pile up โ and the more of these โopen loopsโ you have, the less mental bandwidth you have for the big projects. Letโs explore why.
๐งจ Why Life Admin Piles Up
The demands are constant and never-ending
Thereโs no reward, incentive, or dopamine hit, so we put it off
Some tasks can feel emotionally loaded (managing finances, setting boundaries, etc.)
Until itโs blocking everything else, it doesnโt feel urgent
It can be hard to find โthe right timeโ to handle all these tasks
Hereโs the thing: all these reasons are totally valid.
Life admin is genuinely and objectively hard to deal with.
Especially for a go-getter like yourself, whoโs focused on your education, career, or craft. All these pursuits naturally come with more admin, paperwork, and red tape to sort through.
So, what are some effective ways to manage this constant stream of to-dos? Scroll on to find out!
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Now, hereโs how to let it be good enough!
๐งบ How to Tackle It in 4 Steps
๐ค 1. Reframe it
Life admin isnโt just self-care, itโs also self-respect.
Itโs not โbusyworkโ โ itโs energetic hygiene.
These tasks, as small, frequent, and annoying as they can be, make your big goals possible.
You canโt make your graduation, promotion, or business launch happen without filling out an application or two at some point.
So instead of viewing life admin as an extra headache on top of everything else, know itโs an important part of a productive life.
Like everything else in productivity, processing life admin effectively is a skill you can learn and improve.
๐ง๏ธ 2. Make a โmental clutterโ list
Now that youโre hopefully feeling a little more optimistic about it, you can get started.
You know we love a good list here at Flocus, but this oneโs not a to-do list. We know that sounds kinda counterintuitive, since weโre talking about actual life admin tasks here.
Remember how we said life admin can be tricky, with extra emotions, friction, and baggage attached? Itโs important to process all that, too.
Thatโs exactly what this mental clutter list is for โ it gives you a judgment-free space to set it all down and clear out any โextraโ stuff clouding your mind.
๐ช 3. Try a life admin power hour
Weโve talked about batching your tasks before. And while not all tasks are ideal for this approach, life admin stuff is perfect for batching.
Hereโs how to do it:
โฒ๏ธ Schedule a block to knock out 2 or 3 things that have been nagging you. It can be 20 minutes, an hour, or even a full day.
๐ฑ Pair up similar tasks, like dropping off your recycling and going to the bank on the same walk. Thatโs 3 tasks, including your daily walk, in 1 go!
๐ฏโโ๏ธ Grab a buddy (optional). If youโve got a friend whoโs down to hang out and just run errands with you, bring them along for some company.
๐จ 4. Add softness to reduce stress
This is genuinely something we do here to make life admin less stressful: pair it with something enjoyable or fun.
A relaxing playlist, cozy drink, ambient mode on your Flocus Dashboard โ make your environment as pleasant as possible.
If itโs something especially big, like a scary appointment, plan something fun afterward to reward yourself, like binging your favorite anime or treating yourself to a dessert at your fave cafe. Block it off your calendar and snooze notifications to make sure you stick to it.
And remember: Every single one of these tasks is temporary and finite. Once you make it through any discomfort and get it done, you can relax and shift to something else.
๐ช Flocus Picks
A curated list of things worth sharing.
Why Open Loops Are Your Enemy (The Flow Archives) โ An oldie but a goodie, this newsletter is a Flocus Team fave, with tons of tips for tackling โopen loopsโ
life admin reset with me (YouTube) โ If you donโt have a buddy to team up with IRL, throw on this 20-minute video for a life admin reset with Michelle B
lofi to clean to (playlist) โ An upbeat mix for your next deep-cleaning sesh or life admin power hour
โจ Flocus: Your Personal Productivity Dashboard
Flocus is built for seasons like this: when you want to focus deeply but stay grounded. Plan your day with a simple task list, track your progress with our customizable focus timer, and unwind in ambient mode with layerable soundscapes and themes.
๐ณ๏ธ POLL: How do you usually tackle life admin?
Life admin is, well, a part of life. It can be stressful, emotional, and tedious. Luckily, you can get better at it with some simple, intentional mindset shifts โ weโre speaking from experience on this one!
Whatโd you think of our life admin edition? Itโs been on our minds lately, so we had to share. And if youโre also in a sharing mood, weโd love to hear your thoughts. Hit reply and sound off!
Until next Sunday,
Flocus Team


