I get asked all the time, “How do you do it all?!” And while I feel that “doing it all” is relative to each person, I credit a lot of it to a mindset I adopted last year.
It’s not always a harmonious balance between personal and professional, but I’ve embraced my reality … parenting two littles (a 4-year-old son and two-year-old daughter), leading PR and communications for my employer, navigating a husband’s schedule that includes lots of travel for work and finding intentional time for family, friends and self-care.
The method to my “happy madness” isn’t perfect by any means, but I lean on my trusted circle of family and friends often (you know who you are, thank you!) and use some helpful tools to support my day-to-day:
Family Email Address | We actually created a joint email address to track vendors when we were planning our wedding, but now it’s a staple tool for us. We both have access to it and use it in the following ways:
- All of our subscriptions : YouTubeTV, Disney+, Netflix, etc.
- Any communication for our kids : daycare, school, health care, rec activities
- Calendar for all events : birthday parties, travel, early/late work, etc.
Delivery & Drive-Up Services | Famous last words, “If I only had more time.” Well, there are only so many hours in the day, so things like grocery shopping and buying household items always fall to the bottom of the list.
We lean heavily on Instacart and DoorDash delivery, as well as Target and Walmart drive-up services. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve done a Target pickup pre-daycare dropoff due to spirit days, special treats, etc., and I have no idea when I stepped foot into a grocery store … such a timesaver!
Nuuly | I’m out and about in the community for events every week, so this clothing rental service takes the guesswork out of my work attire. I not only spend less “grabbing a new outfit” for every event but I’ve also been able to streamline my morning routine and waste less time “figuring out what to wear.”
Apps & Socials | My phone is my third arm and I spend a ton of time in my car every day, so the following apps + socials are my essentials on the go:
- FollowUpThen | A colleague shared this amazing tool with me years ago to help us with productivity, and now I have a personal account to keep me on track with literally all the things. From doctor’s appointments and daycare paperwork updates to birthday reminders and travel plans, this tool is a lifesaver so I don’t forget anything important.
- Goodnote | I can’t even begin to share all of the reasons why I love this app. I use it for both work and personal and it houses my notes, to-do lists, screen grabs for inspo, etc. It updates across devices in real time, searches handwritten + typed words and can be categorized into different “notebooks” for various projects/topics.
- Audible | I love reading but can’t seem to find time to crack a book. A few years ago, I started listening to books on my commute to and from work every day. I usually have one “fun” book and one “self-development” read that I rotate through at the same time.
- Apple News+ & Podcasts | For work, I have to stay up-to-date with global, national and local trends and news. Every morning while I get ready for the day, I listen to “Apple News+ Audio” as well as a few podcasts including Up First by NPR, Axios’ 1 Big Thing, The Daily by NYT and Kansas City Today by KCUR.
- ChatGPT | I use this tool more personally than professionally. From planning menus for events I’m hosting to curating ingredient lists from multiple recipes, this tool takes away some of the “time suck” for me. I also use it to condense a lot of information into a bite-sized synopsis. In my work, I find myself needing to know a mile wide and an inch deep.
- Socials | For quick personal info / inspo, I regularly check in on content from several individuals including @KCKidsDoc, @FleurdelisSpeaks, @LoverlyGrey, @KaraandNate, @Kimchi.and.Collards, @GardenAnswer, @Steven and @Molly.McPherson.
What are some of the tools you can’t live without or tips that have helped you find a little extra time in your day?
*** note: none of these tools are sponsored. I genuinely use all of them regularly. ***
The Palm House KC 