Hey hey, I’m Kathleen Stewart—your host and resident weirdo. Welcome back to The Digital Junk Drawer—the podcast for creative service providers who are building businesses that actually work for their brains.

In this episode, we’re diving into what it really means to create systems that flex with your energy instead of forcing you into a “one-size-fits-none” framework. Spoiler alert: you’re not bad at business—you’ve just been trying to use systems that were never designed for you.

We’ll break down my own flexible process, why it works for neurodivergent creatives, and how you can adapt it to support your workflow and capacity.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

Why rigid systems and step-by-step frameworks fail creative and neurodivergent entrepreneurs

The real reason you’ve abandoned every planner, template, and productivity hack (spoiler: it’s not a discipline issue)

How to create structure that flexes with your energy, brain, and workflow

Simple strategies to reduce overwhelm—like buffer days, batching, and mixing analog with digital tools

How to stop fighting your natural work rhythm and start designing processes you’ll actually use

Want to Ditch Rigid Systems Forever?

✨ Inside Ink to Income, we design luxury-level client experiences for creatives who crave flexibility, not hustle. You’ll learn how to create workflows that serve your clients and support your energy. Join the movement: themainstage.ca/inktoincome

Let’s Chat

What’s one rule in your business that needs to bend (or break)?
DM me on IG @themainstage.ca or find me in the chaos on Threads.

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Send it to a biz bestie. Leave a review. Share it on Threads. Let’s help more creative weirdos build unfuckwithable businesses.