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

Jodi Flynn, CEO of Women Taking the Lead, discusses leadership mindset shifts and the challenges of transitioning to a leadership role. They explore the concept of busyness and identify saboteurs that contribute to the feeling of busyness. The importance of aligning goals and values when making decisions is also emphasized.

If you’ve ever had your workday derailed by a coworker who “just swings by” your office or pings you for a “quick call” that turns into 20–30 minutes, this episode is for you. In this episode of the Bright Method Podcast, I’m diving into how to handle interruptions from those well-meaning—but time-consuming—colleagues I call “swingerbyers.” We’ll cover simple, practical strategies you can implement to both prevent and manage these interruptions. From setting standing meetings and communication boundaries to using visual cues like door signs and headphones, you’ll leave with actionable tools to protect your time and focus. We’ll also talk about how, as women in the workplace, we're often the “safe space” person in the office, and how to handle emotional unloads from coworkers. And we'll talk about how to gracefully exit conversations that are dragging on too long and how to use friendly phrases and even movement (like getting up to grab coffee) to signal wrap-up time. If you’re a hybrid employee, I share tips to help you match your work environment to the type of work you need to get done—so you can optimize your productivity whether you're at home or in the office. Whether you love your coworkers but need more focused time or you're drowning in daily interruptions, this episode gives you realistic ways to take back some control. Let’s help you stay on track, get your deep work done, and still be the kind, approachable colleague you want to be—just with a few more boundaries that work for you. 🎧 Mentioned in this episode: – Episode 12: The Manager-Maker Schedule (for matching work type to work environment) 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.  

Explore the challenges of outsourcing tasks at home and the concept of valuing time over money. Learn about the trade-off between saving money on gas and the cost of time and fuel consumption. Discover the importance of outsourcing tasks to create more breathing space and how to effectively hire a house manager or virtual assistant for time management.

Learn three effective strategies for managing workloads that involve depending on others, including starting project planning early and prioritizing tasks. Discover the importance of delegating tasks and involving others from the beginning. Discuss the value of getting started on a project early and setting clear deadlines. Learn about the significance of having a system in place to manage tasks and deadlines. Explore the importance of meeting deadlines and the upcoming Bright Method program for realistic time management strategies.

Once your child is home sick, the day you had planned often goes out the window. In this episode, we discuss how you can navigate your days and weeks once illness strikes—from recalibrating your calendar to finding focused work time amidst naps and screen time. This episode is the second part of a two-part series (so if you haven’t listened to Part 1 yet, check that out—it’s all about prepping in advance before illness hits). In this episode, I walk through nine strategies for navigating the chaos once you’re in it. We cover: Why phase-based planning—immediate fires vs. longer-term rearranging—matters Creative ways to find (and protect) small pockets of focused time How to use screen time, naps, walks, and your environment to your advantage The value of to-do lists in this specific context, and how to make them actually helpful A strong reminder to prioritize your own rest and mental well-being Mental mindset shifts that help when you feel like you’re barely holding it together I also share tips from fellow parents who generously shared their own strategies, from asking for grace to reminding yourself that this phase is temporary. Whether you're knee-deep in a sick-kid week now or want to be better prepared for the next one, this episode is here to give you a practical, realistic approach that helps you feel just a little more grounded and in control. Here's the full article these two episodes are based on. 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.

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.