when chaos strikes, do you have a system to rely on?

I was once working on an SAP ERP project across two regions - supporting a go-live in Far East Asia while simultaneously handling user testing phase in Southeast Asia. Those who worked with me knew how intense the workload was, how high the stakes were, and how long the days stretched. It remains one of the most memorable periods of my career.

At the end of that go-live week, I discovered I had received around 1,500 emails. More than half were CCs, but the rest required action, responses, or delegation - all while managing meetings, escalations, and on-site issues that come with such a critical phase.

It could have been overwhelming. But what kept me in control was the personal productivity system I had built over time.

Through trial, error, and refinement, I had come to rely on three core pillars:

1. Email management - A clear process to handle incoming messages, separate the urgent from the noise, and keep communication flowing smoothly.

2. Note-taking & information capture - A reliable way to capture, process, and retrieve information from meetings, discussions, and everywhere else so nothing slips through the cracks.

3. Task management - A structured approach to ensure priorities are clear and what needs to be done actually gets done, even under pressure.

These weren’t abstract theories - they were practices that allowed me to remain calm, focused, and effective during one of the most demanding weeks of my journey.

If I hadn’t built a system early on - or waited until things got overwhelming - I would have been heading straight for failure. The biggest lesson? When the pressure is at its peak, you don’t rise to the occasion - you fall back on your systems.

If you don’t have one yet, start building it. If you need guidance, let's connect. Because in moments of chaos, your system is what carries you through.