Planning for the unexpected. It's a topic that comes up repeatedly because as a parent, you know that things are constantly changing. Something almost always comes up. It's why one podcast listener asked, "what's the point of even planning when you have kids? If it's all going to change, isn't that just time that you wasted creating a plan?"
Read MoreLet's talk about what you get done in a day. Do you start thinking about what you need to do as soon as you wake up? I'm often mentally creating a list while I'm in the shower or drying my hair. I want to hit the ground running as soon as the kids are out the door for school.
Read MoreFor the past couple of months, I've been taking a long walk every Wednesday morning with a friend. We have a beautiful cemetery and arboretum in our neighborhood with walking paths and so we walk about 3.5 miles (or about 8,000 steps according to my watch). I'm smiling as I write that because a little over a year ago, I was barely taking 2,500 steps in a day. Now, I'm starting my day with a walk that gets me anywhere from 2,500 to 8,000. Past me would be blown away 🤯 at how much progress I've made.
Read MoreI kind of can't believe this myself, but two weeks ago I got to inbox zero for both my business and my personal email addresses. And I've managed to maintain it!!! My mind is blown 🤯! I mean, it lasted for all of 10 minutes before new emails started rolling in, but I have to admit it felt, and still feels really good. For years I've been curious about whether having a well-managed inbox would make a difference or not. My inbox wasn't necessarily out of control, but it's always been full. I've just learned to zero in on the important communications and tune out the rest.
Read MoreEvery Tuesday night for the last 6 months, I've finished my dinner, said "see ya later" to my family, and walked up to my office for 2 hours of coaching class. The program started in the middle of winter when the sky was already dark and I remember having to will myself to stay awake when all I wanted to do was curl up under a blanket and relax. Now that it's summer, I've spent the last few months sitting inside while my kids are out back playing and having fun in the warmer weather.
I'd be lying if I said it didn't feel like a pretty big sacrifice on my time.
Read MoreDo you have a garden that you're getting into this time of year? I come by my love of plants and gardening honestly. My mom has the greenest thumb of anyone I know. Her garden and landscaping at my childhood home are seriously jaw-dropping. It's magical to be there during the summer. But I always used to tease her about the pictures she would take of her landscaping.
Read MoreHow do we move stalled projects from in-process to completed? How can we focus and see something through to "done" before starting something new? And when you're a parent who's managing not just your own work and life but the lives of your family and your home, how much choice do you have in whether or not you start new things before finishing what you've already started?
Read MoreDo you sort or categorize your to-do list? Sorting is certainly not required, but it's something I want you to consider because it can make things easier when it comes time to plan. But there's one overlooked, yet particularly useful filter that can really make a difference in how efficient and effective you are with your time, especially as a parent...And that is sorting your tasks by those that are interruptible v. those that require focus.
Read MoreHow could you benefit from deciding what you're going to focus on right now? From accepting that you don't have infinite time, and instead choosing to use the time you have effectively? If you feel like you can't choose... If you aren't sure how to break things down in a way that fits with your capacity... If you feel torn between focusing on professional versus personal projects... I can help.
Read MoreDo you ever open up your inbox in the morning and vow that this is gonna be the day you get caught up Getting to inbox zero would be like sitting on top of the world. EVERYTHING else would be easier. Nothing would slip through the cracks. Your mind would finally be at ease. Let's pretend dreams do come true and you actually read, respond to, and file every email in your inbox. You get caught up! Woohoo! 🎉 But, because email is a conversation, all of those emails you send get responses. And tomorrow morning there will be more emails to read and respond to. And they'll continue coming in... today and the next day and the next. Now, this is the moment where you choose one of two camps…
Read MoreOn the surface, you want more help around the house and to share more of the mental load because you have too much on your plate. And if you could get some help, you could have the space and capacity for more. More connection, more romance, more conversations, more being partners, and less being roommates. So yes, it is about who takes out the trash, who goes to the grocery store, and who picks up and drops off at daycare. But it's also about so much more than that.
Read MoreIn the last two weeks, one or more of my kids have been home for a holiday, a cold day, a snow day, a positive strep throat test, and today, a terribly, obnoxious cough. Here's the step-by-step of how I go from receiving the phone call (or in my case today, hearing the cough) to getting things done and even having a little bit of fun on days when nothing looks like what I had planned.
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