The Bright Method Podcast: Realistic Time Management and Productivity for Working Women & Working Moms

Struggle to focus because of anxious thoughts about everything you’re not doing? This episode covers five time management strategies that help reduce anxiety around your to-do list so you can focus, follow through, and finally relax.   Do any of these phrases feel familiar: "What do I do when I get anxious about things I'm not able to do right now?" “What do I do about the anxiety caused by focusing on one thing while other things wait in line in the calendar?" "How do I overcome anxiety hindering my focus?" Women wrote in asking me to address these issues. So, let's talk about it. In this episode, I break down five practical strategies that help address the mental swirl, reduce stress, and give you more peace of mind around your time. Whether you’re a working mom constantly interrupted by kids or a professional juggling back-to-back meetings, this episode will help you: Understand why traditional time blocking may not be working for you (and how to fix it) Reduce anxiety by trusting your calendar and planning system Recognize when your workload is simply too much and how to deal with it Match the right tasks to your environment and mental state Let go of judgment when plans change (and why that’s a win) You’ll walk away with actionable ways to manage your time with more calm and clarity—even when life is unpredictable. ** Disclaimer: I address these issues from the standpoint of anxiety as used in the general, colloquial sense – not a medical one. I'm not a medical and psychology professional – I just have a time management system that works for me and many other women and talk often with women describing these feelings. All that to say, take my input with that context.  Links you might enjoy: 🌿 Free 5-Day Time Management ProgramGet 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.  

Feeling overwhelmed? This episode breaks down the 5 stages of overwhelm and helps you identify where you are—and how to move toward more clarity and control over your time. If you’re constantly juggling responsibilities and wondering why time management feels so elusive, this episode is for you. Kelly walks through the five stages of overwhelm she sees working women experience—from frozen overwhelm to firefighting to feeling empowered and calm. You’ll learn how mental freedom and realistic intentionality are the key ingredients to finally ditching the overwhelm and feeling more on top of it all. We’ll cover: What “overwhelm” really is and how it shows up for professional women The difference between feeling productive and actually being in control Why “just working harder” doesn’t solve time management stress The system you need to feel confident about your time, priorities, and boundaries Whether you're a working mom, a corporate professional, or a business owner, this episode gives you a clear roadmap for identifying where you are in the overwhelm cycle—and how The Bright Method can help you break out of it. For the chart discussed, visit this page.  Links you might enjoy: 🌿 Free 5-Day Time Management ProgramGet 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.    

If you're feeling drained—even by good things—you’re not alone. In this episode, I share how I’m creating a “Year of Ease” using realistic time management, energy protection, and intentional decision-making to create breathing room and feel more grounded in daily life. In this episode, I unpack what’s been working (and what hasn’t) in my own Year of Ease and how you can apply these strategies in your own life if you're balancing a demanding career and full personal life. You’ll learn: How to assess and reduce your activity load (even the “fun stuff” can drain you) The impact of sleep (and alcohol, caffeine, and chocolate!) on energy and emotional reserves Why reducing noise and input—even from podcasts and social media—can help calm a frantic-feeling brain How realistic planning and honest reflection on your personal bandwidth can create more ease This isn’t about perfection or a spa-day life—it’s about crafting a season of life that runs more smoothly and supports your real needs right now. Whether you’re a professional woman, a working mom, or both, tune in to explore how to realistically manage your energy, time, and life with more calm and clarity. Links you might enjoy: 🌿 Free 5-Day Time Management ProgramGet 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.

Planning isn’t just a nice-to-have—it’s the foundation of realistic time management. In this episode, I walk you through why weekly planning matters, when to do it, and how to make it easier and more effective (even if you don’t love it). If you’ve ever felt overwhelmed by your calendar, unsure how everything will get done, or stuck in a cycle of Sunday Scaries, this episode is for you. We’re diving into weekly planning—the habit that maintains your time management system, reduces stress, and gives you the clarity to move through your week with confidence. You’ll learn: Why Friday planning sessions can change your weekend and workweek How long weekly planning really takes (and why it’s worth it) How a planning agenda helps you stay focused, avoid forgotten to-dos, and plan smarter Whether you're a lawyer, physician, manager, or any busy professional or working mom, solid weekly planning is your secret weapon to stay organized, proactive, and less stressed—even when life throws you curveballs. For the Fast Company article I mention, click here.   Links you might enjoy: 🌿 Free 5-Day Time Management ProgramGet 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.

From digital calendars to grocery list hacks, I’m sharing 7 phone apps that help me manage my time, reduce stress, and keep things running at work and home. Some are classic, some are a little unexpected, but all have earned a spot on my home screen. Looking to simplify your daily life with just your phone? In this episode, I walk you through the seven phone apps I personally use to manage both life and work—from time management staples to helpful tools for shopping, security, and capturing ideas on the fly. These apps can free up time, reduce stress, and help you stay organized. Apps discussed: Google Calendar (or your digital calendar of choice) Calalarm (to amplify calendar alerts) Reminders (for voice-captured on-the-go to-dos) ClickUp (for organizing and capturing ideas/projects) AnyList (for shared grocery/shopping lists) Instacart or Shipt (for grocery delivery) Authenticator apps & Dashlane (for secure logins and password storage) Whether you adopt all or just one, I hope something here makes your life a little easier. And I’d love to know: what app are you loving lately that I should check out?   Here are some links to some resources I mentioned: The book, Time Smart by Ashley Whillans AnyList App (I use the free version) Dashlane password manager (I'm not a cyber security expert; this is just the one I jumped to after deciding to leave LastPass after their recent breaches)   Links you might enjoy: 🌿 Free 5-Day Time Management ProgramGet 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.      

Email is necessary—but it doesn’t need to run your day. In this episode of The Bright Method Podcast, Kelly Nolan walks through three realistic, practical email strategies that help you stay on top of communication without living in your inbox. Because if you want to protect time for your higher-value work, you’ve got to take control of the reactive pull of email. Inside, you’ll learn: The mindset shift we need to make about email as we grow in our careers How to realistically plan for email time (yes, even if it takes 3+ hours a day) Why checking your inbox is different from processing it—and how to design for both A simple script to buy yourself time when you don’t want to respond in substance yet The power of scheduling emails (for your team’s sanity and your own) A trick for keeping your inbox from hijacking your weekend or vacation A heads-up for Outlook users that can save you from delayed-send fails Whether you’re a manager, an individual contributor, or juggling both work and family life, these practical strategies will help you take back control of your day—without pretending email doesn’t exist. 🎧 Press play for tools to help you get your inbox under control in a way that actually works. Links you might enjoy: 🌿 Free 5-Day Time Management ProgramGet 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.

Asking for what you need doesn’t always feel like time management—but it’s one of the most powerful (and yet, ignored) tools we have. In this episode of The Bright Method Podcast, Kelly Nolan gets personal about the fear of “inconveniencing people” and how it can quietly sabotage our time, energy, and clarity. From car repairs to calendar tweaks to microphone returns, Kelly shares how practicing the simple skill of just asking opened up time, reduced stress, and even helped her reconnect with what she actually wanted. You’ll hear: Why people-pleasing tendencies can quietly drain your time How “just asking” in small ways (like rescheduling an appointment) can give you back meaningful blocks of time The link between advocating for yourself and building a calendar that works for your real life How asking for help strengthens your boundaries and deepens your clarity on what you truly want Why building this “asking muscle” helps you spot more opportunities for ease, creativity, and better time use Whether you’re a recovering people pleaser, a working mom, or a high-achieving professional who hesitates to ask for help (or all three!), this episode will help you reframe asking as a powerful, strategic, and kind act of self-respect—and a sneaky-smart time management move. 🎧 Press play for a gentle nudge to take up space and reclaim some time. Links you might enjoy: 🌿 Free 5-Day Time Management ProgramGet 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.

Tired of being told to “just prioritize” with no real explanation of how? In this episode, Kelly Nolan breaks down five clear, realistic steps to help working women prioritize what matters—without color-coding, overthinking, or trying to fit 10 projects into a day with carry-on level capacity. Prioritization sounds simple… until everything on your list feels important. In this episode of The Bright Method Podcast, time management strategist Kelly Nolan offers a realistic take on how to actually prioritize—especially when your to-do list is overflowing and the traditional “rank everything high/medium/low” approach just doesn’t cut it. You’ll learn: Why most prioritization systems fall short for working women How to get clear on your true capacity (and why it’s the #1 step everyone skips) Why invisible to-dos like “make dinner” and “prep for meetings” matter more than you might think or traditional prioritization systems account for The critical (and often ignored) role of eliminating and punting work that doesn’t fit How to align your calendar with one personal goal and one career goal at a time Why prioritizing tasks side-by-side (not in isolation) leads to clearer, faster decisions This episode is for busy professional women who want to stop overcommitting, start saying no with confidence, and finally create realistic game plans that honor their actual time, energy, and season of life. 🎧 Listen in for practical strategies that feel just as empowering as they are doable. 📩 Then share this with a friend—because this is the kind of prioritization talk we all deserve. Links you might enjoy: 🌿 Free 5-Day Time Management ProgramGet 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.

Love social media and low-key resent how much time you spend on it? Same.  In this episode of The Bright Method Podcast, time management strategist Kelly Nolan explores how professional women can use social media intentionally—without the all-or-nothing guilt spiral or rigid rules. If you find yourself mindlessly scrolling Instagram, wondering where your evening went (again), this episode offers practical, realistic strategies to help you take back control of your time—without giving up social media altogether. You’ll learn: How to decide how much time you actually want to spend on social media (and drop the guilt) Why deleting apps during certain days or times can free up space for rest, connection, or just doing nothing How to spot emotional triggers that send you to scroll (think: boredom or stress avoidance) What to do instead of scrolling—especially during those “I’m too tired to think” moments Why social media can emotionally hijack your focus—and how to protect your headspace when you need to stay grounded Plus, Kelly shares the power of: ✔️ Creating a “menu” of options to replace the scroll ✔️ Muting or unfollowing accounts that drain you ✔️ Getting comfortable with boredom (yes, really) This episode is for working moms, professionals, and ambitious women who want to stop wasting time on their phones—and start spending time more intentionally, without shame or overwhelm. 🎧 Tune in for judgment-free strategies that work in real life. 📱 And if you liked this episode, send it to a friend—because we all deserve to feel better about how we spend our time. A full transcript of this episode is available on my website about two weeks after the episode is published. To find it, click here and select the episode. Links you might enjoy: 🌿 Free 5-Day Time Management ProgramGet 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.

Struggling to stick to your calendar because everything takes longer than you thought it would? You’re not alone—and there’s nothing wrong with you. In this episode of The Bright Method Podcast, Kelly Nolan, time management strategist and former patent litigator, breaks down one of the most common challenges professional women face when time blocking: underestimating how long things take. You’ll learn: Why underestimating is totally normal (and not a personal flaw) How to be realistic—not aspirational—when estimating time What to do when you’re new to time blocking and still figuring it out A simple strategy to break down projects into bite-sized steps for more accurate planning Why doubling or tripling your time estimate is often the smartest move Whether you’re a busy working mom, corporate professional, lawyer, physician, or entrepreneur, these practical strategies will help you create a calendar you can actually stick to—without the stress, shame, or decision fatigue. Plus, Kelly shares how the Bright Method helps you: ✔️ Embrace flexibility while still sticking to a plan ✔️ Adjust and experiment without self-judgment ✔️ Plan your time with confidence—even when the task is new or unfamiliar 🎧 Tune in to learn how to stop feeling defeated by your calendar and start using it as a tool to design a life that actually works for you. And if this episode resonated with you, please share it with a friend! It’s how more women can discover a calmer, more realistic way to manage their time. A full transcript of this episode is available on my website about two weeks after the episode is published. To find it, click here and select the episode. -- Links you might enjoy: 🌿 Free 5-Day Time Management ProgramGet 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.