Managing Creative Chaos
- Brianna Wall
- Jul 9
- 5 min read
Updated: Sep 25
three ways to stay organized and sane amidst endless projects
If you're a communicator, marketer, or creative strategist, chances are you’re not managing just one project at a time. You're likely juggling a dozen: a podcast outline here, a campaign launch there, a quarterly newsletter in review, and—somewhere in the back of your mind—a vague memory that you’re also supposed to update the website copy... eventually.
It can start to feel like chaos very quickly.
You’re not alone. And more importantly, you’re not failing—you're just operating without a system that matches the complexity of your work.
After years of leading multiple creative projects at once, I’ve found a few project management tools and simple hacks that keep me sane, focused, and actually finishing what I start.
Would you rather listen on-the-go? Check out the corresponding podcast episode for bonus tips! ⤵️
I can say I've learned the hard way that having a lot of plates in the air at once is overwhelming and altogether terrifying. One (or more) inevitably crashes to the ground in the form of missed deadlines, forgotten emails and sleepless nights wondering what else I'm forgetting.
That's no way to live, which is why I'm sharing three tools and habits that I trust to make my day, inbox and project list manageable.
1. Use Asana to See the Big Picture and the Next Step
If you’re managing several creative projects at once, you don’t just need a to-do list—you need a workflow. That’s where Asana comes in. (*Disclaimer: I am not being paid to market this product. It's simply a tool I use to organize all the things — I encourage you to research it or another project management tool like Monday.com or Trello until you find something that works for you.)
Asana acts like a digital project manager. It holds the big-picture campaign plans, but it also tracks the daily nuts and bolts—down to the caption you still need to write or the approval you're waiting on.
Here’s how I use it:
Project Templates: I’ve built templates for content campaigns, podcast production, email series, and more. Every time I start a new project, I just duplicate and adapt.
Sections for Workflow Phases: For most creative work, I break it down into “Planning → Drafting → Editing → Design → Final Review → Scheduled/Published.” This keeps me from bouncing between stages or losing track of what’s done.
Due Dates + Dependencies: Tasks don’t exist in a vacuum. I set dependencies to ensure nothing gets stuck waiting on something else. For example, a social post can’t be scheduled until copy is finalized and design is approved.
Custom Fields: I tag tasks by content type (blog, podcast, internal, external) and by priority so I can filter quickly and focus only on what matters today.
Why it works:
Asana helps me visually manage the chaos. Whether I’m juggling 3 projects or 13, I can see what’s active, what’s due, and what’s waiting—without relying on my brain to store it all.
2. Time-Block Your Week (and Leave Margin on Purpose)
If you've read any of these blog posts, you know time-blocking is one of my favorite time management secrets. I also go into depth on this podcast episode — it's a tried and true practice that I continue to swear by.
Once I’ve planned my work in Asana, the next step is making time for it—which is where time-blocking saves the day. For those who dive deeper in my blog posts, I complete this in my Weekly Forecast section.
First, what is time-blocking? Time-blocking is the practice of assigning specific blocks of time in your calendar to specific types of tasks or work. It’s less about scheduling down to the minute and more about giving structure and intention to your hours. If your calendar is anything like mine (accessible to others), you know how quickly it fills up with meetings. This practice ensures I prioritize time each week, month or quarter to complete the projects and tasks I need to.
For example:
First day of the month: I block two hours to reconcile our budget for the prior month.
Last day of the month: An hour or two to finalize designs and distribution of the following month's digital ad campaign.
Mondays 11 a.m.–3 p.m. → Deep work: writing, editing, creative development
Fridays 3–4 p.m. → Planning and prep for the next week
Why it works:
It turns your calendar into a priority map, not just a meeting tracker.
It protects your most productive hours for your most important work.
It gives you permission to stop—because every task has a place, and you’re not trying to do it all at once.
Bonus tip: I block out 30 minutes every Friday to review my next week and rearrange time blocks as needed. It’s one of the most helpful rituals I’ve added to my workflow.
3. Create a “Quarterly Dashboard” to Stay Oriented
Even with great tools and good habits, creative work can start to feel overwhelming—especially when you’re deep in the weeds. That’s why I build a simple quarterly dashboard to help me zoom out and refocus.
Think of it like a command center: a single place where you can glance at all your major projects, deadlines, and priorities for the next 90 days.
How to build one:
Use whatever tool works for you: Notion, Google Sheets, Asana, even a whiteboard or, my personal favorite, a good old-fashioned planner.
Create categories like:
Active Projects – What’s in motion right now?
Upcoming Work – What’s on deck next month or quarter?
Pending/Paused – What’s waiting on input or intentionally on hold?
Deadlines or Launch Dates – Highlight anything time-sensitive.
Why it works:
A dashboard creates clarity at a glance. You don’t have to open five tabs or dig through folders to figure out what’s going on. You can quickly refocus and make sure your daily work lines up with your big-picture goals.
Being a graphic designer, I created a dashboard for my planner that fits my needs, but I also use versions in Asana. The format isn’t what matters—the visibility is.
Final Thoughts: Clarity Fuels Creativity
If your brain feels scattered, your calendar feels full, and your task list feels like a wildfire—know this: you don’t need to do more. You need a system that supports you.
These three tools—Asana (or a project management tool), time-blocking, and a quarterly dashboard—have helped me move from scattered and reactionary to grounded and intentional. I still have busy weeks. I still pivot when plans change. But I no longer feel buried by the work.
Because once you create margin and clarity, you create space for the work that actually matters—and the energy to enjoy your life outside of it.
You don’t have to choose between creativity and structure. With the right systems, you can have both.
Want to see how I set up my dashboard or get a peek at my weekly calendar blocks? Reach out—I’d be happy to share!
If you're looking for more time management tips, check out the below blog posts and podcast episodes. Be sure to subscribe to be the first to know when new content is posted.
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