

The Bright Method Podcast: Realistic Time Management and Productivity for Working Women & Working Moms
Kelly Nolan
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.
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.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Feb 12, 2024 • 18min
41. When Your Calendar Overwhelms You
Putting everything in your calendar we do in the Bright Method can be overwhelming. Let's go over reasons why it's worth playing through the discomfort. 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 then select the episode. -- To take my free 5-day program, the Reset and Refresh, click here: https://kellynolan.com/reset-refresh.

Feb 5, 2024 • 26min
40. When is Hard Work Worth It?
This is a little outside my lane but relevant to many women I work with, so let's discuss when hard work is worth it – and when it's not. Resources mentioned: Years are Short spreadsheet Career coach/consultant recommendations (recommended by others; I have not worked with any of these people) 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 then select the episode. -- To take my free 5-day program, the Reset and Refresh, click here: https://kellynolan.com/reset-refresh.

Jan 29, 2024 • 43min
39. Dr. Chelsea Pierotti on Managing Stressful & High-Pressure Situations
Dr. Chelsea Pierotti, social psychology professor and mental performance coach, shares strategies for managing stress in high-pressure situations. She discusses the importance of self-awareness, effort, and separating success from outcome. The podcast also explores practical strategies for enhancing performance, finding work-life balance, and aligning goals with values.

Jan 22, 2024 • 23min
38. Limited time is frustrating – How to feel more empowered
Explore the frustration and challenges of managing limited time, and learn how to embrace it and use time management systems effectively. Discover strategies for making intentional decisions, taking control of projects and personal life, and prioritizing tasks to maximize productivity and create growth opportunities.

Jan 15, 2024 • 13min
37. Time Management is a System Failure – Not a Character Flaw
If you're struggling with time management, a critical thing to realize is that your time management struggles are not a character flaw – they're just symptoms of you using a system you likely learned around middle school to manage your ever-more-complicated life. Let's talk about it – and what to do about it. To jump into a Bright Method program, click here. 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 then select the episode.

Jan 8, 2024 • 20min
36. Deadlines: How to avoid choking yourself up on your deadlines
Learn strategies for avoiding overwhelming deadlines, including negotiation tactics and assessing task duration. Understand the importance of visualizing capacity and workload for effective time management. Discover practical challenges of implementing strategies and enroll in the life-changing Bright Method program.

Jan 1, 2024 • 28min
35. How to work with your energy when it comes to time management
Learn how to work with your energy patterns for effective time management. Discover strategies for managing energy levels and matching tasks, and understand the importance of aligning tasks with suitable energy levels. Embrace reality and work with your energy using the Bright Method program.

Dec 18, 2023 • 25min
34. Friendships: Using your calendar to help you show up as the friend you want to be
If you're like most of the women I work with, your relationships, including your friendships, are the most important parts of your life – more important than work or home logistics. Even when friendships are a top priority, it can be hard to consistently show up the way we want to. Life gets busy, and despite our best intentions, remembering to call a friend or text them during a tough or joyful moment often slips through the cracks. If that resonates with you, you’re not alone—and it doesn’t mean you’re a bad friend. It just means your brain can’t do it all on its own. In this episode, I share calendar-based time management strategies that help me and many of my clients be the kinds of friends we truly want to be, especially during busy or emotionally draining seasons of life. We talk about: Why expecting your brain to remember it all is unrealistic How to use your digital calendar to show up consistently in your friendships What "friendship maintenance" looks like and how to calendar it in a flexible, non-overwhelming way How to support a friend going through a hard time (or a celebratory one!) with intention Why this isn’t about “shoulds”—but about showing up in the ways you genuinely want to The power of adjusting your expectations to match reality without guilt If you want to feel confident and proud of how you show up in your relationships—without expecting your brain to carry the full load—I hope this episode gives you practical tools to do that. 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 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.

Dec 11, 2023 • 23min
33. Long-Term Planning: How to feel like YOU & create long-term plans
Explore the benefits of setting goals at a different time of year, perspectives on long-term planning, setting goals based on personal desires, choosing one goal at a time, and the introduction of an eight-week time management program.

Dec 4, 2023 • 17min
32. How to Capture To-Do's in a Realistic Way
The podcast discusses realistic methods for capturing tasks and ideas, including using a calendar, paper and pen, and online tools. It explores practical techniques for managing tasks, utilizing downtime, and keeping a bedside notebook. It emphasizes the importance of writing down and tracking action items in various places. The podcast also offers insights on making time management strategies realistic and motivating.