On this new episode of Chronically Automated, Meghan and Anthony unpack a conversation that hits home for founders who are done building businesses around unrealistic expectations. Broadcasting from a literal closet in Long Beach Island, Anthony shares how he’s managing to blend vacation and work, thanks to systems and automation that actually support real life, not some productivity fantasy.

The big idea in this episode is battery-based business planning. That means designing your operations, systems, and calendars around the version of yourself who isn’t operating at 100%. Most entrepreneurs build their workflows for their peak performance days, the days when everything is aligned, energy is high, focus is sharp, and motivation is overflowing. But those days are rare. And when you’re neurodivergent, chronically ill, or just a human running a business, building for your best-case scenario is a recipe for failure.

Meghan calls out what she describes as sabotage in disguise. Every time you fail to meet your perfectly structured plan, you chip away at your confidence. And then you blame yourself for not showing up, instead of questioning why the system didn’t support you on an off day. The problem isn’t your lack of discipline, it’s the rigidity of your systems. That’s why she pushes hard for building in a margin of error. Your operations should catch you when you fall, not punish you for being human.

The episode also calls out a major pitfall in small business automation: duct-taping your tech stack with tools like Zapier and Make, without a real strategy. That Frankenstein approach eventually becomes unmanageable, especially when your energy dips and you don’t have the bandwidth to fix it. If your systems only work when you’re at full capacity, they don’t actually work.

Anthony shares his journey of being skeptical at first, even with an IT background, because he simply didn’t realize what was possible. Once he saw that everything from lead gen to follow-ups to landing pages could run from a single platform with built-in automations, it was game-changing. He went from disbelief to full buy-in, and it’s clear he’s not looking back.

This episode doesn’t sugarcoat the reality of being a business owner with inconsistent energy. It’s not about pushing harder, it’s about building smarter. Megan and Anthony give listeners permission to build systems that don’t rely on their best selves, and instead, support them through the messy, real-world ups and downs of entrepreneurship.

Chronically Automated continues to serve as the go-to resource for business owners who want to blend smart tech, sustainable growth, and real-life rhythms, without pretending it’s always perfect. This one’s a must-listen.