The Ice Box: Your Secret Weapon for Getting Unstuck in 2026
We’re deep into the final stretch of the year — colder mornings, inboxes heating up, and that oh sh*t moment when you realise the end of the year is basically here and you still have a hell of a lot of stuff, untouched on your business to do list.
If you’re anything like the founders I work with daily, you probably kicked off this year with ambitious plans, beautifully organised goal-setting templates, and a sense that this was the year everything would click.
But then life happened…
Team members changed.
Client priorities changed.
Fires needed putting out.
And so here we are…
Feeling guilty because a bunch of “we should do this” goals, haven’t even been started.
You’re not lazy.
You’re not incapable.
So, what happened?
I’ll tell you.
You were carrying too much.
And that’s exactly where the Ice Box comes in.
My Recent Ice Box Moment
A few weeks ago, I sat down with a founder whose business was growing fast, but the wheels were wobbling.
She thought her biggest problem was time.
But as we dug deeper, the real issues surfaced:
→ A wholesale deal that was mis-costed and far less profitable than she thought
→ A stock crisis that forced her to mark herself sold out during her busiest season
→ A to-do list she was trying to tackle entirely on her own
And still, her answer to “What’s the main blocker?” was:
“I don’t have enough time.”
But time wasn't the problem.
Her priorities were.
And I recognised it instantly, because I’ve been in the same place myself.
Earlier this quarter, I set three big strategic goals. They were exciting. Important. Aligned with where I want my business to go.
But two of them? Remained untouched all summer.
Every week I told myself, “I’ll get to them.”
Every week I didn’t.
Not because they weren’t valuable, but because something else mattered more.
Here’s the lesson I want you to remember.
Making everything a priority is not the fastest way to scale. It’s the fastest way to stall.
Instead, get an ice box.
What Is an Ice Box?
In software development, teams use the Ice Box to store ideas, features, or tasks that matter… just not right now.
It’s not lost.
It’s not abandoned.
It’s simply parked.
Think of it like freezing leftovers: the food is still good, you’re just saving it for when you’re actually going to eat it.
In business, an Ice Box becomes a powerful tool for clarity.
It tells your brain (and your team):
“This matters… but it’s not a priority today.”
Why the Ice Box Works (Especially for Busy Founders & Business Owners)
Whenever I introduce the Ice Box into a founder’s workflow, four things happen almost instantly:
1. Clarity snaps into place
You suddenly see the difference between what’s essential and what’s noise.
2. Focus gets sharper
Your energy goes into projects and objectives that actually move the business forward.
3. Weight is lifted
You stop trying to do “everything” - simply because it’s on the list.
4. Momentum builds
When you stop juggling 27 things, you can finally deliver on the big, meaningful ones.
This is the real work of scaling:
Not doing more.
Doing what matters.
How to Set Up an Ice Box (5-Minute Method)
You don’t need a fancy setup. Here’s the simple framework:
1️⃣ Open your project tool — Trello, Asana, Notion, ClickUp, whatever you use.
2️⃣ Create a new list/column called “Ice Box.”
3️⃣ Audit the goals and tasks. Ask one question:
Is this genuinely important right now?
4️⃣ Move anything that isn’t into the Ice Box.
5️⃣ Stop pretending it’s a priority.
6️⃣ Review it monthly or quarterly — some items will come back, others won’t.
That’s it.
It’s simple, but I promise it will make a huge impact to move your business forward in the right direction, rather than every dircetion.
Why This Matters Heading Into 2026
The founders who scale next year won’t be the ones who hustle harder or pack more into their calendar.
It will be the ones who can:
Make decisions
Set priorities
Drop distractions
Focus on the work that actually creates results
The Ice Box is the tool that makes that possible.
Final Word
If you’re staring at a bloated to-do list wondering why nothing is shifting, the issue isn’t your discipline or your calendar.
It’s that you’ve been trying to carry everything at once.
Put the non-essentials on ice.
Clear the path for what actually matters.
And watch how quickly you start moving again. 🧊