Stress Management
Productivity Coaching, Time Management Consulting and Leadership Coaching for business and nonprofits - get your most important work done. Collaborating with leaders and their teams to become more strategic, focused and productive. Leadership and Board Coaching, Strategic Planning Facilitation, Productivity Coaching and Time Management Consulting, Professional Speaker.
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Stress Management

09 Dec

Posted at 14:51h in Focus and Prioritize, Productivity, Stress Management, Tips for Easier Living

This post is an updated twist on one of my most-loved holiday articles — because some lessons are worth serving again.

As we move into the holiday season, life can start to resemble an overfilled dinner plate. Obligations, commitments, events, expectations — we heap them on, spoonful after spoonful, often choosing things that make others happy. But when we fill our plate with everyone else’s favorites, we leave no room for the mashed potatoes or cookies we genuinely love.

And that’s when dissatisfaction creeps in. We end the holidays depleted, unfulfilled… and somehow still hunting for dessert, hoping it will fill what’s missing.

A satisfying life isn’t an accident. It’s the result of intentionally making space for what nourishes you most — those holiday cookie moments that make everything richer, sweeter, and more meaningful.

Why We Don’t Put What We Want on Our Plate

Over the last year, through my work as a Productivity Coach, I’ve noticed something consistent: most people — regardless of their role or title — struggle to make room for what truly matters. We are all leaders of our own lives, yet we often forget to lead ourselves toward what satisfies us.

Here are three common patterns I see:

  1. We Put Our Passion Projects on the Back Burner

Do you have a project that excites you, inspires you, or simply brings you joy — yet somehow never makes it onto your schedule? Between daily demands, inboxes, meetings, and the business-of-business, the work that would actually fulfill us gets pushed aside in favor of what feels urgent.

There is a way to change this. You must plan for your satisfying work.

    • Break your project into small, doable steps
    • Prioritize those steps
    • Move them from the “when I have time” list to your Important or Hot list
    • Protect short blocks of time and work on it consistently

Progress is built one spoonful at a time. Think of it like the old saying: How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time. Big, meaningful work doesn’t happen in one push — it happens in a series of intentional, bite-sized actions. Each spoonful counts. Each bite adds up. Before you know it, what once felt overwhelming becomes something you’ve already begun — and something you can absolutely finish.

  1. We Get Lost in Perfection

Do you hesitate to send something out because it isn’t “perfect”? Do you spend excessive time polishing work that is already more than good enough? Perfection is seductive — and it’s a brilliant disguise for procrastination. Here’s the truth: very good is often more valuable than perfect.

The difference between the two usually lives in the last 20% of effort — effort that rarely delivers meaningful return. Think of every tech company you know: they release imperfect updates all the time, because momentum matters more than flawlessness.

Excellence moves you forward. Perfection keeps you stuck.

  1. We Don’t Know How to Relax

For years, culture rewarded constant motion. Busy equaled important. If we weren’t doing, we weren’t valuable. Thankfully, that narrative is shifting — but we’re not sure what to replace it with. When I ask clients what they do to relax, I often hear a list of tasks:

    • I should read more
    • I should exercise more
    • I should organize the house

Those are activities, not rest. They’re doing, not being.

Real restoration happens when we quiet the shoulds and reconnect with what soothes us. Ask yourself:

    • What restores me?
    • What helps me exhale?
    • When do I feel like myself again?

For some it’s journaling. For others, it’s music, nature, or yes — a bubble bath. Relaxation is not a reward you earn. It’s a requirement you deserve.

Your Holiday Plate, Your Rules

These are trying times. The world is loud. Expectations are high. But satisfaction shows up when we choose — deliberately — what belongs on our plate.

So this season, ask yourself:

  • What nourishes me?
  • What satisfies me?
  • What deserves space on my plate?

My wish for you is simple: may you fill your holiday plate with what feeds your soul — not just your schedule.

🎁 A Gift That Brings More Joy Than Stuff

My book Productivity for How You’re Wired  makes a thoughtful, meaningful holiday gift — for a friend, a colleague, a family member, or for yourself. It helps readers understand their personal productivity wiring and create systems that actually work for them. Give a gift that lasts longer than the holiday season — one that creates clarity, confidence, and ease. Available on Amazon in print, eBook, and audio.

Ready to Begin the New Year Feeling Satisfied? January is my busiest coaching season, and a powerful time to reset your habits, clarify your priorities, and build systems that support who you want to be. I’d love to support you. Schedule a January Discover Call spot now — before they’re gone.

05 Nov

Posted at 09:35h in Change, Leadership, Productivity, Stress Management

Let’s flip the script on AI. Instead of using it to cut staff, let’s use it to make work more human — to reduce burnout, lift engagement, and help people do their best work sustainably.

One Person Doing the Work of Many

In the U.S., productivity has skyrocketed – output per hour is up over 60% since 2000, while total hours worked have barely increased. That means today, one person is often expected to do the work of several people from a generation ago. And while technology has helped, it’s also pushed us past the point of human capacity. We’ve normalized 60-hour weeks, overloaded inboxes, and burnout as a badge of honor. It doesn’t have to be that way.

What I Learned Running a Hotel Front Desk

When I was a hotel front office manager, I knew exactly how many people it took to run the front desk well. If I needed ten clerks, I fought for eleven – because someone was always out. But even with that planning, I regularly worked 90+ hour weeks. When a clerk called out, I was the one behind the desk. That meant I wasn’t leading, improving service, or making strategic decisions – I was filling shifts. The company only cared about payroll. They didn’t see the cost of the work not getting done – the missed opportunities, the lack of leadership, the fatigue that spread through the team. That experience shaped how I think about leadership today. Cutting people to save money in the short term often costs far more in the long run.  “When leaders focus only on costs, they lose sight of capability. When they focus on people, both quality and profit improve.”

AI Could Change This — If We Let It

We now have tools that can automate the repetitive work that eats up our days. If we use them thoughtfully, AI can give people time back: time to think, plan, connect, and create. But if we treat AI as just another cost-cutting measure, we’ll repeat the same mistake: expecting one person to do the work of five, only faster this time. Let’s use AI to make work better!

A Challenge to Leaders: Use AI to improve the quality of work, not just the quantity.

  1. Automate the busywork. Let AI handle meeting notes, scheduling, expense reports, and data entry – the tasks that drain energy but don’t require human insight.
  2. Protect the time that’s saved. Don’t fill it with more work. Use it to have better conversations, mentor your team, and think strategically. AI should buy back human connection.
  3. Redefine productivity. If one person can now do the work of two, don’t double their workload. Let them do that work well – thoughtfully, creatively, and sustainably. AND LET’S IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF WHAT WE DELIVER! (I’m so frustrated that mediocre is now the acceptable norm!)
  4. Focus on engagement, not headcount. Retention and burnout are expensive. A burned-out employee isn’t productive – they’re exhausted. A supported employee does better work and stays longer.
  5. Measure leadership by human impact. Track turnover, engagement, feedback, and growth -not just output. Ask: Is my team thriving?  Is my team doing it’s best work?

The Long View

Yes, short-term profits matter. But when the people doing the work are burned out and disengaged, those profits won’t last. Leaders who invest in sustainable workloads and supportive cultures outperform in the long run. The data already shows that engaged employees deliver higher quality, better customer service, and stronger results. AI can make that easier — if we lead with intention.

From “Do More” to “Do Better”

We don’t need to glorify overwork or expect humans to operate like machines. We need to build systems where people can do fewer things better – where the hours we do work are meaningful and manageable.

“If we keep using AI to squeeze every drop of efficiency out of people, we’ll keep getting mediocre results from exhausted humans.” But if we use AI to free people up to think, connect, and create, we’ll get excellence. And that excellence…that’s what leads to success.

Let’s Make Work Human Again

This isn’t anti-AI – it’s pro-human. Leaders have a choice: You can use AI to eliminate people. Or you can use it to elevate them. Let AI take the tasks that drain us. Let people focus on the work that inspires us. Because the goal isn’t to replace humans — It’s to make it possible for humans to do their best work again.

If this idea resonates with you, stay tuned for how leadership and productivity intersect in my (hopefully) upcoming book (working title), Productivity for Leaders. Want to dive deeper into strategies for working smarter, not harder? Check out my book Productivity for How You’re Wired —available on Amazon in print, eBook, and audio.

Or learn more about my one-on-one and group coaching options for leaders who want to build teams that thrive — not just survive. Let’s connect – schedule your discovery call today.

13 Oct

Posted at 11:44h in Focus and Prioritize, Productivity, Stress Management, Task List

If your computer looks like your brain feels – 37 tabs open, all competing for attention – this one’s for you.

You start with good intentions: one quick check, one more thing to look up. Suddenly, you’ve got open tabs for work projects, travel plans, news, shopping, and maybe that recipe you’ll definitely make someday.

Each tab represents something unfinished—an open loop your brain keeps tracking. No wonder you feel distracted and overwhelmed.

Our Brains Weren’t Built for This Many Tabs

Neuroscience shows that our best thinking happens in the prefrontal cortex—the part of the brain responsible for decision-making, planning, and prioritizing. But it can only hold so much at once.

When too much comes at us—too many tabs, tasks, or worries—we overload. The thinking brain gives way to the emotional brain, triggering fight, flight, or freeze. Focus evaporates, anxiety rises, and even simple things feel hard.

When your computer crashes, you lose all those open tabs. When you crash, you lose all those thoughts and ideas. That’s why you need a system for offloading them—your task list. There’s hope (and help).

Pro Tips

  • For ideas:
    Capture them somewhere reliable—your task list, a Google Sheet shortcut, an email to yourself, or even a sticky note you’ll transfer later. Avoid random Notes apps if you never revisit them. Ideas are only useful if you’ll find them again.
  • For browser tabs:
    Add the action (and hyperlink) to your task list. Then close the tab confidently. You’ll know where to find it when you’re ready.

“Too Many Tabs” Looks Different for Everyone

Some tabs are digital. Others are mental or emotional. They sound like:

  • “I should reach out to that client.”

  • “I need to start that presentation.”

  • “I still haven’t scheduled that appointment.”

  • “I need to figure out what’s next for my business.”

Each open loop takes up mental bandwidth. The more tabs you keep open, the slower everything runs, and the more stuck you’ll be when you or your computer crashes.

Closing the Tabs

You don’t need to close every tab—just enough to free up cognitive space.

  1. Externalize what’s internal.
    Write down everything on your mind. Once it’s captured, your brain can relax. (Learn more in Chapter 9 of Productivity for How You’re Wired or search “task list” on my blog.)

  2. Decide what deserves to stay open.
    Keep what matters today; close the rest. Add hyperlinks to your task list for anything important.

  3. Match your “tab load” to your structure preference.
    If you need everything visible, organize your open tasks in one clear list. If clutter overwhelms you, pare it down to just what you need now.

  4. Give yourself permission to reboot.
    Step away, stretch, breathe, or declare “tab amnesty.” Close everything. With today’s search engines and ChatGPT, you can find it again if it’s important.

The Point Isn’t Perfection—It’s Clarity

Closing tabs isn’t about being perfectly organized. It’s about making space to think clearly and do your best work.

When you have too many tabs open—on your computer or in your mind—you’re not lazy or unmotivated. You’re simply overloaded.

Take a breath. Save what matters. Close what doesn’t. Give your brain the gift of focus.

What About You?

What’s one “tab” you can close – digitally or mentally – today to make room for focus and peace?

Feeling Overloaded? If you’ve got too many tabs open—on your screen or in your head—you’re not alone. I help leaders and professionals create clarity, structure, and focus by aligning how they work with how they’re wired.

Want to dive deeper into strategies for working smarter, not harder? Check out my book Productivity for How You’re Wired —available now on Amazon in print, eBook, and audio.

Or, if you’re ready for personalized support, let’s talk. Together we’ll design systems that actually stick and create a sustainable rhythm that works for you. Let’s connect – schedule your discovery call today.

 

28 Aug

Posted at 10:31h in Productivity, Stress Management

I’m noticing more than ever how hard we are on ourselves. My clients, my colleagues, even myself—we all tend to expect more of ourselves than is appropriate, healthy, or even humanly possible. When we fall short, instead of extending grace, we turn inward with harsh judgment. We criticize. We attack. And in doing so, we undermine our ability to be effective.

Dr. Kristin Neff, a pioneering researcher in self-compassion, alongside Dr. Chris Germer of the Center for Mindful Self-Compassion, has shown us a different way. Their model identifies three key elements of self-compassion: self-kindness, common humanity, and mindfulness. These concepts have deeply influenced me, yet when I share them, people often resist. It’s as if self-compassion is something that should apply to everyone else—but not to them.

Why is that? Is it our fast-paced, high-demand culture? The belief that constant self-criticism is the only way to succeed? Or is it simply easier to overwork than to pause and take care of ourselves? Whatever the reason, the truth is this: being hard on yourself doesn’t make you more productive—it makes you less.

The Three Tenets of Self-Compassion

When I only have a minute with clients, I break Dr. Neff’s framework down like this:

  1. Self-Kindness
    Treat yourself the way you’d treat your best friend. When you’re stuck in self-criticism, ask: What would I say to my best friend in this situation? Chances are, you’d respond with encouragement—not with the harsh words you use on yourself.
  2. Common Humanity
    Struggle is part of the human condition. Everyone wrestles with some form of self-doubt. Recognizing this can help us see our challenges as normal, not evidence of inadequacy. When we know we’re not alone, it’s easier to be generous with ourselves.
  3. Mindfulness
    Mindfulness means noticing what we’re feeling without ignoring it—or drowning in it. Saying, This is hard. I feel disappointed. I feel anxious, creates space to respond with clarity instead of reacting with judgment.

Why Self-Criticism Derails Productivity

Neff makes a powerful point: “Today most of our threat is to our self-concept. When we fail and feel inadequate, we are fighting ourselves. We are the attacker and the attacked.”

When we’re hard on ourselves, we don’t just bruise our feelings—we hijack our brains. Instead of staying in problem-solving mode, we flip into fight, flight, or freeze. Stress hormones like cortisol and adrenaline flood our system, and suddenly the “danger” isn’t out there—it’s inside us.

And when you feel under attack, your emotional brain overrides your thinking brain, making it physiologically impossible to focus on your work.

The Science of Self-Compassion

Research shows that people who practice self-compassion aren’t weak or indulgent. In fact, they’re more resilient, motivated, and accountable.

  • They feel less anxiety, stress, and burnout.
  • They report more optimism, gratitude, and life satisfaction.
  • They keep high standards, but bounce back quickly when they fall short.
  • They take responsibility for mistakes and make amends without spiraling into shame.

In short: self-criticism sabotages, while self-compassion empowers. Giving ourselves grace—not beating ourselves up—is what helps us be our best selves.

Practicing Self-Compassion in Real Life

So what does this look like in practice? It’s not about lowering the bar. It’s about changing how you treat yourself when things get tough.

Next time that inner critic pipes up, pause and ask yourself:

  • What do I need right now?
  • What would I say to a good friend in this situation?
  • What if this challenge is just part of being human—not proof that I’m failing?

Sometimes the most productive thing you can do is step back and pause. Sometimes it’s giving yourself permission to do less. And sometimes it’s simply saying: This is hard—and that’s okay.

The Path to Flow

At the end of the day, productivity isn’t about pushing harder—it’s about creating the conditions where you can do your best work. And self-compassion is a condition.

When you stop beating yourself up and start having your own back, you clear the way for focus, creativity, and growth.

Because the truth is, you’ll never criticize yourself into greatness. But you can support yourself there.

Want to dive deeper into strategies for working smarter, not harder? Check out my book Productivity for How You’re Wired —available now on Amazon in print, eBook, and audio.

Feeling overwhelmed by too much to do and not enough time to do it? You’re not alone—and you don’t have to stay stuck in that cycle. Through one-on-one coaching, I help professionals and leaders like you cut through the noise, ditch the never-ending to-do lists, and align your productivity with how you’re wired—so you can finally create systems that actually stick.

 

05 Aug

Posted at 14:01h in Envision Possibilities, Procrastination, Productivity, Stress Management, Tips for Easier Living

It’s August. It’s hot. Everyone’s either on vacation or thinking about it. You might be wishing you had more time to rest, slow down, and escape the heat—but somehow, the work still needs to get done.

That’s why how you spend your work time really matters. You don’t need more hours—you need more impact from the hours you already have.

Here’s something I often share: “One unit of focused time is equal to four units of broken focus.” — American Academy of Family Physicians

In other words, ten focused minutes can be as productive as forty minutes of distracted, fragmented effort. The math is simple—and persuasive. Especially in a season when we’re all craving more time off the clock.

Start with Clarity: What Matters Most?

Before we dive into distractions, let’s talk about focus. You can’t focus effectively if you don’t know what you’re focusing on. Each morning, take a moment to clarify your most important priorities for the day. I like to jot mine down on a simple sticky note—just a few key tasks that, if completed, will let me feel good about calling it a day.

This doesn’t mean creating a massive to-do list. In fact, it means the opposite.

As Lin Yutang wisely said: “Besides the noble art of getting things done, there is the noble art of leaving things undone. The wisdom of life consists in the elimination of nonessentials.”

Letting go of the nonessentials is an act of leadership. You protect your time by honoring what matters most—and letting the rest wait.

Eliminate Distractions: Your Phone Isn’t Helping

One of the biggest threats to focused work? The small device that’s always within reach. Our phones—helpful, powerful, and endlessly distracting—can derail even the best-laid plans for a focused work session.

Want to tap into the power of those “ten focused minutes”? Start by putting your phone in another room. Seriously. Airplane mode is great. Do Not Disturb works too. But if it’s physically out of sight, you’re less likely to reach for it out of habit.

Consider turning off all but the most essential notifications. For me, that’s calls and text messages—nothing else. During focused work sessions, even a single ping can break your concentration and cost you more than just a few seconds. Research suggests it can take 20+ minutes to fully recover from an interruption. Multiply that over a few distractions, and you’ve just lost your entire work block.

Plan for the Ramp-Up: Flow Takes Time

Here’s something we don’t talk about enough: it takes time to settle in and focus. So don’t expect to sit down and immediately start cranking out brilliant work. That’s not how human brains operate.

Instead, plan for ramp-up time before you dive into focused work. Do a quick check of your email or messages, respond to anything urgent, and then intentionally clear the decks. Grab water. Take a bio break. Cue up music that helps you concentrate. Close the extra browser tabs. Then give yourself permission to go deep.

This preparation isn’t procrastination—it’s setting the stage for high-quality work. It’s part of what turns ten minutes into something powerful.

Work Smarter, Rest Better

In this summer heat, when our energy can feel low and our motivation stretched thin, we don’t need more hours—we need more impact from the hours we do have. That starts with focus, clarity, and protecting our attention like the limited resource it is.

So before you burn out trying to push through an endless list, stop.

  • Write down your essentials.
  • Silence the noise.
  • Create the conditions for deep work.
  • And remember: ten focused minutes might be all you need to make real progress today.

Want more practical strategies like this? Chapter 11: Time Matters in my book Productivity for How You’re Wired dives deeper into how to plan your day, manage your time, and get the right things done without the overwhelm. It’s available now on Amazon—in print, eBook, and audio.

Feeling overwhelmed by too much to do and not enough time to do it? You’re not alone—and you don’t have to stay stuck in that cycle. Through one-on-one coaching, I help professionals and leaders like you cut through the noise, ditch the never-ending to-do lists, and align your productivity with how you’re wired—so you can finally create systems that actually stick.

 

30 Jun

Posted at 11:24h in Planning Tools, Productivity, Stress Management, Time Management, Tips for Easier Living

Ever stand in front of the fridge wondering what to make for dinner, only to give up and snack on crackers? Or scroll Netflix for so long you run out of time to actually watch something? It’s frustrating—and oddly common.

Here’s why: it’s not that you’re indecisive or lazy. It’s decision fatigue, and it’s draining your brainpower, making even the smallest choices feel surprisingly difficult.

One of my high-performing clients—smart, successful, and productive—once told me that the thing he and his partner argued about most wasn’t money or chores. It was what to order in for dinner.

At the end of the day, they were both exhausted. They’d scroll through endless restaurant options, debate what sounded good, get frustrated, and end up ordering late—or worse, not eating at all. That small daily choice became a major source of friction.

I suggested they make a simple list: five favorite takeout places and their top two orders from each. The result? Instant relief. They ordered faster, ate earlier, weren’t hangry, and most importantly, enjoyed their evenings together instead of wasting time figuring out what to eat. One little system turned a daily pain point into something easy—and even enjoyable.

That’s the magic of simplifying small decisions.

Decision Fatigue Is Real

Some studies estimate we make over 35,000 decisions a day—most of them small and forgettable. What to wear. What to eat. What to tackle first. Each one chips away at your mental energy.

And when your brain is tired, even “easy” decisions feel hard. You overthink. You second-guess. You procrastinate. Or you avoid the choice altogether and just do nothing (hello, standing in front of the fridge again).

The problem? All of that mental clutter spills into your personal time. You end up feeling frazzled, behind, and drained—even when nothing major went wrong.

Make the Easy Decisions Easy

You don’t have to overhaul your life. Just start by creating defaults—shortlists of pre-approved, go-to options that remove friction from your day.

Here are four areas where this can make a big difference:

1. What to Make for Dinner

Instead of reinventing the wheel every night, build your own personal menu of favorite meals. Keep your two go-to recipes from key categories—like poultry, seafood, vegetarian, meat, entrée salads, and hearty soups—in a folder, binder, or electronic file. That way, when it’s time to plan dinner, you can flip through your curated favorites and quickly pick something you’ll actually enjoy cooking and eating.

You don’t need a hundred recipes—just a dozen or so that you know and love. This makes meal planning easier and helps you avoid that overwhelmed, “I don’t know what I feel like” feeling at the end of a long day.

2.  Ordering In

Like my client, make a list of your favorite delivery spots and go-to orders. Save them in your food delivery app, jot them in your notes, or put them on the fridge. When you’re tired and hungry, this saves time, energy, and potential tension.

 3. What to Watch

Keep a “watch next” list in your streaming app or phone. When you finally sit down to relax, you don’t want to waste half the evening browsing. Make the decision once, and keep a short list ready to go.

 4. What to Read

Create a running to-read list so that when you finish one book, the next one is already lined up. You’ll read more, feel less decision fatigue, and avoid the rabbit hole of reviews and recommendations when you just want to enjoy a story.

 This Isn’t About Being Rigid

You can still try new restaurants, cook new meals, and discover new shows. But when you’re tired or low on brainpower, your defaults have your back. Think of these lists as your brain’s personal assistant—quietly saving you from unnecessary stress. Let’s keep the easy decisions easy… and free up your energy for what matters most.

Ready to Simplify More? If you’re feeling stuck in the weeds of daily decision-making, I can help. Through one-on-one coaching, I work with professionals and leaders like you to cut through the clutter, align your productivity with how you’re wired, and create systems that actually stick. Want more strategies like this? My book,  Productivity for How You’re Wired, is packed with real-life tools and ideas—and it’s available now on Amazon.