Unplanned Work Is Stealing Your Time: How to Make It Visible with Kanban Boards
Are you constantly feeling behind at work—even when you have a plan?
Like your day gets hijacked by emails, meetings, and “urgent” requests you didn’t see coming?
👉 The problem might not be your productivity…
👉 It might be unplanned work.
In this episode of Get Organized at Work, we’re diving into how unplanned work is stealing your time—and more importantly, how to take back control using a simple, visual system: Kanban boards.
Identify and track unplanned work (the hidden time thief)Understand why you feel reactive instead of proactiveUse a Kanban board (To Do, Doing, Done) to make your work visibleCategorize your work (unplanned, maintenance, business requests, team improvements)Create better focus, prioritization, and leadership clarityIntegrate this system into your Ultimate OneNote Hub or Microsoft Teams PlannerThis episode is especially powerful for healthcare leaders, managers, and busy professionals who are juggling competing priorities and want a more proactive, organized workflow.
✨ Plus—inside my Get Organized at Work Community app, I’m sharing a plug-and-play Kanban board templates that work in Microsoft Planner and can be linked to Micorsoft OneNote, recreated in a Loop Kanban Board, or in any other kanban board app to help you implement this immediately.
🔗 Community & Kanban System Links
👉 Join the Get Organized at Work Community & get my Microsoft Planner Kanban Board e-book for free: https://leadership-unveiled-podcast-community.mn.co/landing?space_id=2638359
🔗Grab the "Get Organized at Work with Microsoft Planner: The Kanban System for Clear, Strategic, and Visible Work" E-Book: https://kayla-fahey-ahrndt.myflodesk.com/microsoft-planner-kanban-boards
👉 🎥Watch the YouTube walkthrough "Microsoft Planner Tutorial - How to Create a Kanban Board for Project Management" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NUzPfuFZsps&feature=youtu.be
📕* Making Work Visible book
🩵 Let’s Connect
If this episode helped you, share it with a colleague or leader who feels overwhelmed at work—and don’t forget to follow the podcast for weekly strategies on leadership, organization, and productivity.
Resources and next steps:
📓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 Monthly Check-In Dashboard tutorial in my OneNote Hub:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JRdFQJsa0WM
🎥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
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Keywords
unplanned work, Kanban board, productivity for leaders, time management at work, how to get organized at work, leader standard work, Microsoft Planner tips, OneNote organization system, workflow management, visual management, healthcare leadership productivity, reduce overwhelm at work, proactive leadership, work organization strategies, business productivity systems