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

The referenced article has been updated since this episode was recorded, and I highly recommend checking it out here & reading tip 1 – all about how to proactively divvy up sick kid backup time with your partner if you have one. When your child gets sick and still needs to stay home, everything—from your meetings to your sleep—can feel like it unravels. In this two-part series, I’m sharing practical, doable ways to reduce stress when your kid is sick and you're still trying to work. In this first episode, we’re focusing on what you can do ahead of time to make those inevitable sick days easier. This episode is for you if you’ve ever thought: “What can I do now to make this less stressful later?” “I can’t keep having my whole week fall apart when someone gets a fever.” “I need a better backup plan… but I don’t know where to start.” We’ll cover: Stocking up smartly – what medications, supplies, and even comfort food to have on hand before illness hits (plus a tip for actually remembering to do it!) Childcare contingency plans – how to proactively explore your options, ask the right questions, and line up sitters or backup help before you need it The sibling question – should you keep sick and healthy kids separate or just let the germs fly? What that decision means for your stress levels and timeline Your baseline matters – why your “normal” workload needs to be realistic before sick days show up, and how a system like the Bright Method can help Creating emotional reserves – how things like sleep, caffeine, and alcohol affect your ability to manage curveballs—and how I’ve started protecting my energy Whether you’re in the thick of cold and flu season or just want to be better prepared this year, this episode will help you set yourself up for a little more calm, even on chaotic days. 🎧 In Part 2, we’ll talk about what to do on the actual day when your kid is home sick and you're trying to juggle work—so be sure to tune in to that next! And if you want to read the full article this episode is based on, here's the full article these two episodes are based on. Episode 9 is the episode I mention on the Year of Ease.   Here are links for free covid tests if you want to stop up: Federal government Minnesota for those who live here, too! For others, check if your state has its own program! Note: The federal government free tests seems like a one-time offer while the MN one is a pack each month. If you're in MN or have a similar state program, use that calendar to remind yourself each month to order more! 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.

Learn the importance of managing current reality before making aspirational changes. Understand the pitfalls of trying to create a new system while injecting aspiration. Discover strategies for realistic time management and problem-solving. Emphasize the need to focus on current reality and create breathing space. Understand the importance of dealing with current reality and having a system to manage time.

Nicole Case, an executive & leadership coach, shares strategies for running effective one-on-one meetings. Topics discussed include the importance of these meetings, building trust, strategies for preparation, time management, creating a trusting environment, and ownership and delegation in 1x1 meetings.

When I first read about the manager v. maker distinction and what it means for each person's work schedule, it was a big lightbulb moment for me. Let's discuss how you can use this framework for your schedule and ensure you're not imposing, e.g., a manager's schedule on a maker to the detriment of their ability to do their maker job. In this episode, I dive into the powerful distinction between managers and makers—a concept originally explored by Paul Graham and shared by Farnam Street. Makers are the deep-focus workers who need uninterrupted time to create, draft, research, and produce. Managers, on the other hand, are tasked with team communication, meetings, and moving projects forward—often through collaborative work. And here’s the kicker: many of us are expected to do both without adjusting our schedules or workload to reflect those dual demands. We’ll explore: How these roles require entirely different schedules Why maker-heavy roles suffer when buried in meetings The challenge of being a new manager while still expected to “make” at a full-time level How to use this framework to advocate for focused time (with real examples!) How managers unintentionally undercut their maker teams by imposing collaborative schedules Why clarifying which “hat” you’re wearing—manager or maker—even at separate times if you're in a dual role, can help you reclaim control of your time I’ll also walk through how The Bright Method helps you see these patterns more clearly, so you can plan smarter, make the case for support, and stop feeling like you’re constantly failing in both roles. Whether you’re purely a maker, a manager, or wearing both hats, this episode will help you get real about what your time is currently spent on—and how to shift it toward where you add the most value, all without burning out. Referenced articles: The Farnam Street article on this topic: https://fs.blog/maker-vs-manager/  Paul Graham's original article on this topic: http://www.paulgraham.com/makersschedule.html 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.    

Discover the benefits of time-blocking and how it provides spontaneity and freedom while still following a plan. Learn about the process of breaking down tasks into smaller steps for effective time-blocking and the six-step process of the Bright Method. Explore the practical strategies of time blocking and how it can boost productivity and confidence in your work.

This podcast discusses the challenge of saying no to things you actually want to do, finding balance and avoiding overcommitment, using an Excel sheet for long-term goal planning, having an abundance mindset, and exploring a time management system with personalized support.

I used and loved a paper planner through law school. But many of us reach tipping points where paper planners just can't keep up with our ever-more-complicated lives. If that you still use a paper planner (at least in part) and that sounds like it might be the case, here are nine reasons you might want to consider going all-in on a digital calendar.    Note: This does not mean I'm for going all digital on everything (e.g., note-taking). I still take notes on a legal pad with a pen. I just then bridge any action items to a digital calendar to make sure my plans are realistic, see how they all interact, and to help me share the load with others.  You’ll learn how digital calendars help you: ✅ Capture your invisible to-do list (think: making dinner, getting ready, kid routines) ✅ Quickly rearrange when curveballs strike—without crossing out and rewriting ✅ Communicate clearly with partners, family, and support teams ✅ Plan months (and years) ahead with recurring events and reminders ✅ Reduce mental load and stay on top of tasks without constantly checking a notebook ✅ Integrate seamlessly with email, Calendly, and tools you already use ✅ Always have your schedule with you—and backed up safely in the cloud ✅ Block time for priorities and realistically plan your day (instead of hoping it works out) Kelly also shares ideas for how to bridge your love of paper with the practical power of a digital calendar—plus a bonus tip for using scheduling tools like Acuity and Calendly. ✨ If you’ve been wondering whether The Bright Method could work for you—even as a paper planner lover—this episode will help you see how and why going digital can reduce stress, boost clarity, and create the calm you’re craving. 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.  

Learn practical tips for preparing and managing busy periods in work and personal life. Anticipate and plan ahead, schedule assistance, and establish clear deadlines. Utilize your calendar to plan and recover from a busy season. Set yourself up for success with the Bright Method program for effective time management.

🔗 Grab the holiday guide for less stress here: https://kellynolan.com/holiday-guide  The holidays are coming—and with them, a lot of stress. In this episode, Kelly walks you through how to start holiday prep now (including managing work around the holidays), so you can enjoy more peace and less scramble this season. We're not aiming for a Pinterest-perfect season but to reduce mental load, plan realistically, and reclaim your ability to enjoy the holidays. In terms of the holidays, think: the Jewish high holidays (Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur), Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas and the winter holidays (including things like holiday cards). You’ll learn: Why starting now isn’t about doing more—it’s about spreading things out and reducing stress How to manage work around these holidays so you can enjoy them more How to pick and choose what actually matters to you from the to-do list of holiday options How to calendar holiday prep over time so you can let it go until you actually need to do it Tips for navigating shared decision-making with partners or extended family Ways to lighten your load by visualizing the work and delegating more of it How to stop managing everything in your head (and stop waking up at 3am thinking about it) Why calendaring holiday steps now will benefit you every year going forward Kelly also shares details on the free companion guide, The Working Professional's Guide to Making Your Fall & Winter Holidays Less Frantic & More Enjoyable, packed with action items for Halloween, Thanksgiving, winter holidays, gift giving, cards, travel, guests, and more. Pick what you want, ignore what you don't want, and calendar it all out so you can enjoy the season and the lead-up to it. ✨ If you’ve ever felt like the holidays were more work than fun, this episode is for you. 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.    

We've traditionally strived for white space in our calendar because we think it will get us more breathing space, but that's not an effective strategy – it's not getting you the breathing space you crave. In this episode of The Bright Method Podcast, Kelly Nolan breaks down why white space often leads to stress, confusion, and overcommitment—and what to focus on instead. You’ll learn: Why “white space” is easy to give away—and hard to protect How white space can trick your brain into thinking you have more time than you actually do What we actually want when we say we want white space  How to use visual calendar strategies to intentionally create and protect time for rest, joy, and unstructured space Why blocking time for freedom or rest doesn’t suck the joy out of it—and can actually make it more likely you’ll get it How using your calendar differently can calm your mind, help you set boundaries, and reduce stress Kelly also tackles the common resistance to scheduling free time—and shares how reframing your calendar as a life design tool can help you better protect what matters most. ✨ If you feel like your calendar is always packed or that “free” time keeps slipping through your fingers, this episode is a must-listen. Related episodes to check out: Episode 1 Episode 9 (I discuss getting more ease in your life by protecting breathing space in your schedule) Episode 13 (Negative space) 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.