107. Making Back-to-School Less Scramble-y & Enjoying the Rest of Summer
Click here to get the free back-to-school guide! Note: The Bright Method is not just for moms, and I try to have most episodes of this podcast apply to everyone – regardless of whether they have kids. But sometimes, the time management challenges associated with kids need to be addressed, so this is one of those episodes. If you are kid-free, feel free to skip this one and tune back in for the next! Back-to-school season is coming—whether your kids are starting in early August or later (and feel free to save this one for later if you're not ready to think about it yet). In this episode, I'll walk you through how to make the transition into the school year less stressful, less scramble-y, and more calm. Plus, it'll help you get back to enjoying the rest of your summer knowing you're on top of the upcoming back-to-school season. Whether you’re already feeling the low hum of logistical stress about supply lists, new routines, haircuts, and first-day emotions—or you’re someone who doesn’t think about it and then ends up scrambling later—this episode will help. I walk through: Why calendaring back-to-school tasks now will help you actually enjoy the rest of your summer more Why it’s worth starting with a blank sheet of paper before diving into the guide The benefit of calendaring out emotions around transitions (with a powerful story from a client about how it helped her stay calm during a kindergartner meltdown) What to do if you already feel like you’ve “missed the boat” on something like a haircut (hint: how to make sure it doesn’t happen again next year) A super practical tip from a fellow mom on what to do if a behavior or concern is bothering you now (but may resolve itself soon) How to use your calendar to help you have important conversations with your kids—and remember to actually follow through All of this is a small peek into how the Bright Method works: making the invisible visible, creating clarity through realistic planning, and helping you enjoy the now without dropping the ball later. → Grab the free back-to-school calendar guide I mention in this episode: https://kellynolan.com/back-to-school → Try the free five-day program (Reset & Refresh): https://kellynolan.com/refresh → Explore the full Bright Method program or join the waitlist for September enrollment: https://kellynolan.com/the-bright-method-time-management-course-with-kelly-nolan Links you might enjoy: 🌿 Free 5-Day Time Management Program Get five short, practical video lessons packed with realistic strategies to help you manage your personal and professional life with more clarity and calm. 📱 Follow me on Instagram Get bite-sized, real-life time management tips for working women—like reminders to set mail holds before travel, anonymous day-in-the-life calendars from other professional women, and behind-the-scenes looks at how I manage my own time. ✨ The full Bright Method™️ program If you're ready for a full time management system that's realistic, sustainable, and dare I say… fun, check out the Bright Method program. It's helped hundreds of professional women take back control of their time—and their peace of mind.
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106. Protecting Strategy / Big-Picture Time From the Urgent: A Potentially Novel Way to Do It
In this episode, let's discuss what to do when everyone wants your time, so you struggle to find time to dig into the strategic, big-picture work that you know is important. We talk about: Some of my more standard advice—like shutting your door for a focus block or going dark on Slack What to try if those tactics aren't working for you Why it might make sense to “take a day off” (or 1/2 or 3/4 day off) ... and then not actually take it off & use it for strategic work. If you’re in a leadership role and feel like you're constantly putting out fires but never getting to that higher-level strategic thinking, I really hope this helps. This episode is designed to help you protect time for that work—so your time use actually matches the leadership role you're in. Links you might enjoy: 🌿 Free 5-Day Time Management Program Get five short, practical video lessons packed with realistic strategies to help you manage your personal and professional life with more clarity and calm. 📱 Follow me on Instagram Get bite-sized, real-life time management tips for working women—like reminders to set mail holds before travel, anonymous day-in-the-life calendars from other professional women, and behind-the-scenes looks at how I manage my own time. ✨ The full Bright Method™️ program If you're ready for a full time management system that's realistic, sustainable, and dare I say… fun, check out the Bright Method program. It's helped hundreds of professional women take back control of their time—and their peace of mind.
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105. The Diderot Effect of Time Management
Ever say yes to something—like a board role, a volunteer opportunity, or a work project—only to find yourself totally overrun with email, meetings, travel, and curveballs that just keep on coming? Today, I’m talking about how something called the “Diderot Effect” can help us understand time management challenges like this. Originally coined in the consumerism space, the Diderot Effect refers to the domino effect that can happen when one new purchase leads to another and another—like a new dressing gown triggering a living room makeover or a new iPhone triggering all the accessories. When it comes to time, we do something similar. We say yes to one thing—and suddenly find ourselves buried in the cascade of responsibilities that come with it. In short, it’s the Diderot Effect of time management. And in this episode, I share how you can use this idea to: More realistically estimate the true time cost of a new commitment Say yes with eyes wide open—and with more informed consent Own your decision (and ride the curveballs more steadily) And as a corollary, reduce the curveballs in your life Plus, I touch on the distinction between maker and manager roles, why I think a lot of this comes back to workload, and a great place to start if your days are full of firefighting. It’s a short episode—but I think it packs a punch. Resources mentioned: Listen to Episode 23 for more on the maker vs. manager distinction Thanks for being here! Links you might enjoy: 🌿 Free 5-Day Time Management Program Get five short, practical video lessons packed with realistic strategies to help you manage your personal and professional life with more clarity and calm. 📱 Follow me on Instagram Get bite-sized, real-life time management tips for working women—like reminders to set mail holds before travel, anonymous day-in-the-life calendars from other professional women, and behind-the-scenes looks at how I manage my own time. ✨ The full Bright Method™️ program If you're ready for a full time management system that's realistic, sustainable, and dare I say… fun, check out the Bright Method program. It's helped hundreds of professional women take back control of their time—and their peace of mind.
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104. Checking the "Success" Boxes & Still Feeling Unfulfilled? Finding Yourself & Joy with Heather Hubbard about What to Do.
In this episode, I’m talking with Heather Hubbard, a former Big Law partner who now leads transformational retreats to help women hear and reconnect with themselves. Heather works with women who’ve done all the “right” things—built successful careers, checked all the personal boxes—and yet still feel unfulfilled or surprised by how they’re feeling. If that resonates with you, I think you’re going to really enjoy this conversation. Heather shares how a two-week unplugged vacation to Tanzania changed everything for her and why unplugging is so critical to hearing your own voice. We also dig into why many of us don’t realize how disconnected we’ve become from our real wants, how childhood versions of ourselves can serve as clues to the joy we’re missing, and why being bored can actually lead to good things. You’ll also hear us talk about: Why people-pleasing and fear are often what actually hold us back from doing what we want Why saying yes to something always means saying no to something else (and how to be more intentional about it) What comes up for high-achieving women when they finally create quiet and space for clarity—and how powerful that can be We also walk through what Heather’s retreats actually look like—from the luxury setting to the no-phones-allowed policy to the types of transformations people experience (and they’re not always what people expect when they walk in the door). Even if attending a retreat isn’t on your radar right now, Heather shares bite-sized strategies you can start using today to begin reconnecting with yourself, including how to hear yourself again even in the midst of a busy, noisy life. Resources mentioned: Heather’s retreat info and free assessment: https://www.heatherjoyhubbard.com/brightmethod Heather’s podcast: Hustle & Flow Heather on Instagram: @heatherjoyhubbard Other links you might enjoy: 🌿 Free 5-Day Time Management Program Get five short, practical video lessons packed with realistic strategies to help you manage your personal and professional life with more clarity and calm. 📱 Follow me on Instagram Get bite-sized, real-life time management tips for working women—like reminders to set mail holds before travel, anonymous day-in-the-life calendars from other professional women, and behind-the-scenes looks at how I manage my own time. ✨ The full Bright Method™️ program If you're ready for a full time management system that's realistic, sustainable, and dare I say… fun, check out the Bright Method program. It's helped hundreds of professional women take back control of their time—and their peace of mind.
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103. Finding the "Living Up to Your Potential" Concept Troubling
Today’s episode is a little different. I’ve been turning over the idea of “living up to your potential” for years, and I’m finally putting words to why it bothers me so much. If that phrase has ever driven your decision-making—or weighed on you in a way you couldn’t quite articulate—I think it's worth examining and challenging it. I’m not saying you shouldn’t want more or chase goals. But I believe this phrase often leads us away from what we actually want – to choices that are disconnected from our happiness and real desires. And ironically, it can even block us from having the real impact we might be seeking in the first place. In this episode, I share: Why the phrase “fulfilling your potential” feels made up How it shows up in conversations and decision-making, especially among ambitious women Why this framing often leads us to dismiss our own happiness, joy, and satisfaction A story about how, if I’d used “potential” as a decision-making guide, I might never have left law—and never started the business I love (and arguably is me "fulfilling my potential" "more," if that makes sense) A powerful quote from a podcast that hit me hard: “I guess I’d rather be special than happy” Why none of this is about shaming ambition—but about grounding our goals in what we want The danger of measuring life through a blurry concept that doesn’t actually have a finish line A reminder that we can want what we want—and that can be enough If you’ve internalized the "fulfilling your potential" message, I hope this episode helps you question the story behind that phrase. What if there is no fixed “potential” you have to live up to? You get to want what you want—and build your life around that. Let me know what you think. Mentioned links: The post about the Atlantic quote: “I guess I’d rather be special than happy” My earlier post about ego and decision-making Other links you might enjoy: 🌿 Free 5-Day Time Management Program Get five short, practical video lessons packed with realistic strategies to help you manage your personal and professional life with more clarity and calm. 📱 Follow me on Instagram Get bite-sized, real-life time management tips for working women—like reminders to set mail holds before travel, anonymous day-in-the-life calendars from other professional women, and behind-the-scenes looks at how I manage my own time. ✨ The full Bright Method™️ program If you're ready for a full time management system that's realistic, sustainable, and dare I say… fun, check out the Bright Method program. It's helped hundreds of professional women take back control of their time—and their peace of mind.
About The Bright Method Podcast: Realistic Time Management and Productivity for Working Women & Working Moms
Ready for a time management approach that is actually designed for professional working women – ones that help you lighten the mental load, draw boundaries with more confidence, focus on the important (not just urgent) stuff at work, and be present with friends and family?
Podcast host, Kelly Nolan, an attorney-turned-time management strategist, mom of two, and creator of the Bright Method™, delivers practical, realistic time management strategies tailored for busy professional women, working moms, and ambitious women juggling careers and home life.
We cover topics like:
How to time-block in a way that actually works and avoid common time-blocking mistakes,
How to manage the mental load around all of our roles at work and at home,
How to handle work deadlines with less stress and scramble,
How to keep distractions in check, from social media to people swinging by your office, and
How to plan in a realistic way so you can feel on top of it all and avoid overcommitment.
Whether you're a lawyer, physician, executive, woman in corporate, professor, entrepreneur, or any woman navigating a full plate, this podcast gives you tools to design a sustainable system that works for your real life—not a Pinterest-perfect version of it.
Follow now, and let's get you falling asleep proud of what you got done today and calm about what's on tap tomorrow.
Listen to The Bright Method Podcast: Realistic Time Management and Productivity for Working Women & Working Moms, The Home Service Expert Podcast and many other podcasts from around the world with the radio.net app
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