Stop Trying to Systemise Everything: What to Ignore First

When operators discover systems, they do what operators do:

They try to fix everything.

The mess in marketing? Needs a process.
That messy spreadsheet? Time to automate it.
The vague meeting notes? Let’s build a tracker.

Before long, you’re spending all your time building the system, instead of running the business.

Let’s reset.

Systemisation is about leverage, not control.
You don’t need to systemise everything.
You just need to systemise the right things.

Here’s how to decide what to ignore, and where to focus first.

Section 1: The Myth of Full Systemisation

Most teams think the goal is to have a system for everything.

It’s not.

Trying to systemise too much too early:

Slows decision-making
Overcomplicates workflows
Burns time on things that don’t need fixing
Makes your team resent “process” altogether

The truth?

You don’t need 100 systems.
You need 5 that actually get used.

Section 2: What to Ignore (For Now)

There are things that might feel broken, but don’t need a full system yet.

Here’s what usually falls into that trap:

Overkill System	Why You Can Ignore It
Fully mapped customer journey	If you're still tweaking your offer, this will change weekly
Automations for one-off tasks	If it’s not repeating, it doesn’t need a system
A new tool for every function	More tools = more context-switching, not more clarity
SOPs for every role	SOPs should solve real friction, not fill a folder
Documenting “future” processes	Don’t systemise what isn’t happening yet

Focus beats perfection.

Clarity beats coverage.

Section 3: What Actually Needs a System

Here’s what to systemise first — because it gives you leverage immediately:

Task Planning & Weekly Rhythm
Keeps everyone aligned on what’s important.
Try the free Weekly Operating System
Roles & Responsibilities
So everyone knows who does what.
Use the Roles & Responsibilities Matrix
Repeatable Tasks
Anything you do more than 3x should have a process.
Build with the free Quick SOP Builder
Project Tracking
A shared place for milestones and ownership.
See Core Pack 4: Project Execution Pack
Feedback & Review
Without this, you’re managing in the dark.
Use the Performance Review Template

This is your system starter pack.

If you systemise just these five, you’ll feel the difference in weeks, not months.

Section 4: The System Filter

Before you build anything, run it through this:

“Does this task repeat, cause friction, or touch multiple people?”

If yes, systemise it.
If not, leave it alone.

You don’t need process police.

You need ops discipline with a filter.

What Next?

Download the free Weekly Operating System
Why it’s the foundation of your business operating system, and how to start simple.

Read the next blog: Why Free Templates Fail
Most templates fall flat because they’re not tied to real systems. Here’s what to use instead.

Visit our full System Library
Browse the plug-and-play systems we’ve built for clarity, flow, and actual usage.

Get Started with a Free System
Choose one system that solves a real pain point, and start there.

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