Planning During Grief and Major Life Changes

When you're navigating grief, job loss, divorce, or any major life disruption, the last thing you need is pressure to maintain your normal productivity levels. Yet so many women beat themselves up because they "just can't get it all done anymore" during these difficult seasons. The truth is, you're not supposed to be getting it all done right now, and it's time to completely rewrite the rules of how you manage your time during grief and major life changes.Society subtly tries to time-box our grief with limited bereavement policies and expectations to "bounce back" after a week or two. But grief doesn't work on anyone else's timeline, and your planning system needs to flex with your reality, not fight against it. In this episode, I share the simple three-step approach I used during my own season of profound grief, plus practical strategies for honoring your energy levels while letting go of perfectionist expectations.In This Episode, I'll Cover:Why you're not supposed to "get it all done" during griefThe three-step weekly planning process for difficult seasonsHow to assess commitments honestly without guiltWhy you can't go back to your "old normal" (and why that's okay)Practical ways to lower the bar and ask for help________________________________💻 Free Training Overwhelmed? Frazzled? Tired of your calendar controlling you? You’re in the right place. Sign up for my free, on-demand training and learn how to take control of your time—no matter what life throws at you. 👉 https://www.megansumrell.com/freetraining ________________________________ 📱 Get The Pink Bee App Access planning tools, trainings, and support all in one place. 👉 https://www.onelink.to/qxdcwu ________________________________Thanks for tuning in!Megan 🩷🐝www.megansumrell.comwww.instagram.com/megansumrellwww.youtube.com/@the_pink_beewww.facebook.com/megansumrell

Picture this: it's a random Tuesday in July, Christmas music is blasting, and you're spending the entire day baking holiday cookies with your kids. Sounds crazy? This simple tradition has become one of my most effective holiday stress-busting strategies. If December always feels like a chaotic scramble of baking, crafting, and endless to-dos, you're going to love this completely unserious approach to a very serious problem.What started as a way to bring back the joy in holiday traditions has transformed into a strategic planning method that saves me hours during the busy holiday season. By doing holiday prep work when I actually have time and mental space, I've turned stressful December obligations back into the fun family activities they were meant to be. This isn't just about cookies. It's about thinking strategically and giving your future self the gift of a more relaxed holiday season.In This Episode, I'll Cover:Why December traditions become overwhelming (and how to fix it)How to choose which holiday activities work best for summer prepStrategic freezing and storage tips for holiday bakingThe planning mindset that prevents reactive holiday scramblingHow this approach breaks up summer monotony while solving December stress________________________________💻 Free Training Overwhelmed? Frazzled? Tired of your calendar controlling you? You’re in the right place. Sign up for my free, on-demand training and learn how to take control of your time—no matter what life throws at you. 👉 https://www.megansumrell.com/freetraining ________________________________ 📱 Get The Pink Bee App Access planning tools, trainings, and support all in one place. 👉 https://www.onelink.to/qxdcwu ________________________________Thanks for tuning in!Megan 🩷🐝www.megansumrell.comwww.instagram.com/megansumrellwww.youtube.com/@the_pink_beewww.facebook.com/megansumrell

Picture this: It's Sunday night, you're winding down from dinner, and your teen casually mentions they need supplies for a project due tomorrow. Sound familiar?If you've been frustrated watching your capable kid struggle to stay on top of their school schedule, here's some relief: it's not because they're lazy or procrastinating. The transition from elementary school's single-teacher environment to juggling seven different teachers is like going from having one boss to managing seven different jobs with seven different communication styles - and no one teaches them how to handle this massive shift.Add in extracurriculars, family time, and basic teenage needs for downtime, and it's no wonder our kids feel overwhelmed. The good news? There's a planning approach specifically designed for students that actually works.In This Episode, I'll Cover:Why the transition to multiple teachers creates planning chaos for studentsThe two major mistakes most student planners makeHow to reduce friction at home around homework and deadlinesThe four essential planning levels every student needs to masterA new solution specifically designed for overwhelmed students and familiesMentioned In The Episode:TOP Student Planner: https://www.megansumrell.com/student________________________________💻 Free Training Overwhelmed? Frazzled? Tired of your calendar controlling you? You’re in the right place. Sign up for my free, on-demand training and learn how to take control of your time—no matter what life throws at you. 👉 https://www.megansumrell.com/freetraining ________________________________ 📱 Get The Pink Bee App Access planning tools, trainings, and support all in one place. 👉 https://www.onelink.to/qxdcwu ________________________________Thanks for tuning in!Megan 🩷🐝www.megansumrell.comwww.instagram.com/megansumrellwww.youtube.com/@the_pink_beewww.facebook.com/megansumrell

You're doing everything "right" with your calendar. You've left white space, you're not booking every minute from sunup to sundown, and you're following all the expert advice about avoiding overcommitment. So why do you still feel like you never have any time for yourself?If this sounds painfully familiar, you're not alone. The truth is, most women are unknowingly lumping four completely different types of time into their "white space," and it's sabotaging any chance of actually having guilt-free downtime. Today, I'm breaking down exactly what's happening and how to fix it so your white space can finally work the way it's supposed to.In This Episode, I'll Cover:The 4 hidden time categories secretly living in your white spaceWhy buffer time isn't actually free time (and how to plan for it properly)How to protect your personal time from being hijacked by productivity modeThe "uncertainty budget" concept that prevents last-minute chaosSimple planning strategies that create real, guilt-free downtime________________________________💻 Free Training Overwhelmed? Frazzled? Tired of your calendar controlling you? You’re in the right place. Sign up for my free, on-demand training and learn how to take control of your time—no matter what life throws at you. 👉 https://www.megansumrell.com/freetraining ________________________________ 📱 Get The Pink Bee App Access planning tools, trainings, and support all in one place. 👉 https://www.onelink.to/qxdcwu ________________________________Thanks for tuning in!Megan 🩷🐝www.megansumrell.comwww.instagram.com/megansumrellwww.youtube.com/@the_pink_beewww.facebook.com/megansumrell

If you’ve ever said yes to something you didn’t want to do just to avoid disappointing someone, this episode is for you.I’m joined by Michelle Gauthier, a life coach and host of the Overwhelmed Working Woman podcast, for a real conversation about people pleasing. We talk about why it’s so hard to say no, how it shows up in ways you might not even notice, and what to do when you’re tired of stretching yourself too thin.Michelle shares her Love and Fit Test, a simple two-question tool you can use anytime to check in with yourself before committing to something. If you’re ready to protect your time and energy without the guilt, this is the mindset shift you’ve been looking for.In This Episode, We Talk About:What people pleasing really looks likeThe two-question Love and Fit Test you can use right awayHow to say no without overexplainingWhy shorter responses are often more respectfulWhat starts to change when you make choices that actually fit your lifeConnect with Michelle Gauthier:Website: www.michellegauthier.comInstagram: @michellegauthiercoachingOverwhelmed Working Woman Podcast: www.michellegauthier.com/podcast ________________________________💻 Free Training Overwhelmed? Frazzled? Tired of your calendar controlling you? You’re in the right place. Sign up for my free, on-demand training and learn how to take control of your time—no matter what life throws at you. 👉 https://www.megansumrell.com/freetraining ________________________________ 📱 Get The Pink Bee App Access planning tools, trainings, and support all in one place. 👉 https://www.onelink.to/qxdcwu ________________________________Thanks for tuning in!Megan 🩷🐝www.megansumrell.comwww.instagram.com/megansumrellwww.youtube.com/@the_pink_beewww.facebook.com/megansumrell

Ever scroll through social media and feel like you're already behind before 8 AM because some successful "guru" claims they've already crushed half a day's work? Well, I'm about to pull back the curtain on one of these claims. There's a specific productivity claim making the rounds from speaker Ed Mylett that he swears by: fitting three full days into one 24-hour period.Sounds too good to be true? That's because it is. Today I'm breaking down why this approach (and others like it) might actually be working against you, and what you should focus on instead.In This Episode, I'll Cover:Why Ed Mylett's "three days in one" approach isn't realistic for most womenThe real math behind popular "time manipulation" claimsWhy certain productivity hacks ignore how women's bodies actually workWhat to do when you feel behind because of social media productivity pressureA better approach to managing your time and energy________________________________💻 Free Training Overwhelmed? Frazzled? Tired of your calendar controlling you? You’re in the right place. Sign up for my free, on-demand training and learn how to take control of your time—no matter what life throws at you. 👉 https://www.megansumrell.com/freetraining ________________________________ 📱 Get The Pink Bee App Access planning tools, trainings, and support all in one place. 👉 https://www.onelink.to/qxdcwu ________________________________Thanks for tuning in!Megan 🩷🐝www.megansumrell.comwww.instagram.com/megansumrellwww.youtube.com/@the_pink_beewww.facebook.com/megansumrell

If you feel like you can’t get through a single task without being interrupted, you are not imagining it. Whether it is your phone lighting up, your kids asking for something the moment you sit down, or your brain suddenly reminding you of a dozen random things, interruptions are everywhere.In this episode, I am breaking down the two biggest types of interruptions that derail your day. One comes from the outside, the other from inside your own head. I will walk you through how to identify both and share practical, easy-to-use strategies to help you finally create space for focused work time.In This Episode, I’ll Cover:The difference between external and internal interruptionsWhy women are interrupted more often, both at home and at workA simple visual cue that helps reduce interruptions instantlyA two-minute brain-clearing technique that helps quiet mental clutterMentioned In The Episode:The One Note Challenge: www.megansumrell.com/notebook________________________________💻 Free Training Overwhelmed? Frazzled? Tired of your calendar controlling you? You’re in the right place. Sign up for my free, on-demand training and learn how to take control of your time—no matter what life throws at you. 👉 https://www.megansumrell.com/freetraining ________________________________ 📱 Get The Pink Bee App Access planning tools, trainings, and support all in one place. 👉 https://www.onelink.to/qxdcwu ________________________________Thanks for tuning in!Megan 🩷🐝www.megansumrell.comwww.instagram.com/megansumrellwww.youtube.com/@the_pink_beewww.facebook.com/megansumrell

If you’re a mom who’s ever found yourself wondering, “Why am I doing all the things and still feeling stuck?”, this episode is for you.I’m joined by Dr. Anne Welsh, a therapist and executive coach who works with working mothers navigating the identity shift that happens when your ambition meets the reality of motherhood. We’re digging into something she calls the ambition paradox—that feeling when you’re chasing all the right goals but still don’t feel fulfilled.This conversation is packed with validation, practical insight, and one of the best analogies I’ve ever heard for how to clean out all the “shoulds” and expectations we carry as women and moms.In This Episode, We Talk About:What the ambition paradox is and why so many mothers fall into itThe invisible identity shift that happens when you become a momWhy chasing “success” can sometimes pull you further from what mattersHow to figure out what’s truly yours and what’s been put on youWhat can shift when you start living from a place of alignment, not fearConnect with Dr. Anne Welsh:Website: drannewelsh.comInstagram: www.instagram.com/drannewelshLinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/drannewelsh ________________________________💻 Free Training Overwhelmed? Frazzled? Tired of your calendar controlling you? You’re in the right place. Sign up for my free, on-demand training and learn how to take control of your time—no matter what life throws at you. 👉 https://www.megansumrell.com/freetraining ________________________________ 📱 Get The Pink Bee App Access planning tools, trainings, and support all in one place. 👉 https://www.onelink.to/qxdcwu ________________________________Thanks for tuning in!Megan 🩷🐝www.megansumrell.comwww.instagram.com/megansumrellwww.youtube.com/@the_pink_beewww.facebook.com/megansumrell

If summer has ever left you feeling torn between being the “fun mom” and the “productive mom,” you are not alone. That internal tug-of-war between enjoying the moment and keeping your life on track can quickly turn summer into a season of guilt, stress, and burnout.In this episode, I’m sharing one of my favorite seasonal strategies, A Days and B Days, to help you enjoy summer and stay on top of what matters most. This simple system gives you a way to be fully present with your family without letting your priorities slip through the cracks.Whether you’re running a business, managing a household, or both, this episode will show you how to approach summer with intention, so you can enjoy it as much as your kids do.In This Episode, I’ll Walk You Through:What A Days, B Days, and even C Days actually areWhy this system helps reduce guilt, stress, and resentmentHow to customize your summer schedule to fit your family and your responsibilitiesHow communication and rhythm make this work (and keep it sustainable all summer)A few examples from my own summer planning that might inspire your own________________________________💻 Free Training Overwhelmed? Frazzled? Tired of your calendar controlling you? You’re in the right place. Sign up for my free, on-demand training and learn how to take control of your time—no matter what life throws at you. 👉 https://www.megansumrell.com/freetraining ________________________________ 📱 Get The Pink Bee App Access planning tools, trainings, and support all in one place. 👉 https://www.onelink.to/qxdcwu ________________________________Thanks for tuning in!Megan 🩷🐝www.megansumrell.comwww.instagram.com/megansumrellwww.youtube.com/@the_pink_beewww.facebook.com/megansumrell

I’ll be the first to tell you, I love AI. I use it almost every day to support my work and personal life. But when it comes to planning your time, it is important to know where AI fits and where it doesn't.After diving deep into several popular AI planning platforms, I am sharing the five major pitfalls I uncovered. These challenges are especially important to understand if you are balancing work, family, caregiving, and the realities of daily life. In this episode, you will hear why AI planning tools can actually create more overwhelm and where AI can truly support your planning in a helpful way.In This Episode, We’ll Cover:Why your digital calendar will never be "smart enough" to run your lifeHow AI planning tools make decisions without understanding what actually mattersThe danger of letting a tool prioritize your time without your inputWhy unpredictability and real-life pivots break AI’s logicThe one way I do recommend using AI to support your planning ________________________________💻 Free Training Overwhelmed? Frazzled? Tired of your calendar controlling you? You’re in the right place. Sign up for my free, on-demand training and learn how to take control of your time—no matter what life throws at you. 👉 https://www.megansumrell.com/freetraining ________________________________ 📱 Get The Pink Bee App Access planning tools, trainings, and support all in one place. 👉 https://www.onelink.to/qxdcwu ________________________________Thanks for tuning in!Megan 🩷🐝www.megansumrell.comwww.instagram.com/megansumrellwww.youtube.com/@the_pink_beewww.facebook.com/megansumrell