Rethink Time

What if making a difficult task easier has less to do with trying harder and more to do with taking some of the thinking out of your head?

In this episode of Rethink Time, we sit down with Jeff Copper, an ADHD coach and cognitive ergonomics expert, to explore how working memory, attention, task initiation, and cognitive load can affect the way we manage everyday tasks.

Jeff introduces the idea of cognitive shortcuts, practical strategies that help reduce the amount of information we have to hold in our heads. From grocery lists and visual reminders to color-coded Post-its, index cards, demonstrations, and other environmental cues, Jeff shares simple ways to externalize information and make tasks easier to navigate.

We also talk about why getting started can sometimes be the hardest part of a task, what happens when distractions interrupt our focus, and why techniques like the Pomodoro method may work well for some types of tasks but not others.

Throughout the conversation, Jeff challenges us to rethink how we approach organization, productivity, time management, and ADHD. Instead of expecting ourselves to remember everything or simply "try harder," we can design systems that work with the way our brains process information.

Whether you have ADHD, support someone with ADHD, work with students, or are simply looking for practical ways to make everyday tasks easier, this conversation offers plenty of ideas to try.

In this episode, we explore:
• ADHD and working memory
• Cognitive load and attention
• Task initiation and getting started
• Cognitive shortcuts and externalizing information
• Visual cues, lists, Post-its, and other practical tools
• How demonstrations can make learning easier
• Managing distractions and protecting focus
• When time-management techniques like Pomodoro can help
• Designing systems that make everyday tasks easier

Listen to Rethink Time wherever you get your podcasts, and subscribe for more conversations about how we teach, support, and experience time in classrooms, therapy spaces, workplaces, and everyday life.

Learn more about Time Timer at www.timetimer.com

Learn more about Jeff Copper and DIG Coaching at www.digcoaching.com

#ADHD #WorkingMemory #TaskInitiation #TimeManagement #CognitiveLoad #Neurodiversity #RethinkTime

The start of a new school year can be exciting, but for many students, teachers, and families, it can also feel overwhelming. New schedules, new routines, organizational demands, technology, activities, and expectations all arrive at once.

In this episode of Rethink Time, we talk with Erin Beers, a middle school teacher with 26 years of classroom experience, about what it really takes to make the transition back to school smoother.

Erin shares practical strategies for helping students feel connected, organized, and confident from the first day of school. We talk about establishing routines, supporting executive functioning and time-management skills, navigating technology and attention, recognizing signs of back-to-school anxiety, and strengthening communication between teachers and families.

We also dive into one of Erin's favorite classroom tools: Time Timer. She explains how she uses a visual timer to help students understand how much time they have for assignments, group work, transitions, independent work, and conferences—and why seeing time can make it easier for students to focus and manage their workload.

In this episode:

• How teachers can prepare for a new school year without overwhelming themselves
• Why connection is one of the most important priorities during the first days of school
• How routines and structure help students know what to expect
• Supporting executive functioning and time-management skills
• Helping middle school students plan ahead and take ownership of their responsibilities
• The challenges technology can create for student attention
• How teachers can adapt their approach to different groups of learners
• Building stronger home-to-school connections
• Helping families prepare children for new sleep and morning routines
• When back-to-school nervousness may signal a bigger concern
• How visual timers can support students at school and at home
• Erin's favorite ways to use Time Timer in her classroom

Whether you're heading back to the classroom, sending a child back to school, or simply trying to make the transition into a new routine easier, this conversation offers practical strategies you can put into practice right away.

Subscribe to Rethink Time for more conversations about education, neurodiversity, executive functioning, time awareness, and strategies for everyday life.

RESOURCES
Time Timer: www.timetimer.com

CONNECT WITH ERIN

https://mrsbeers.com/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/erinbeerstpt Instagram: @erinbeers

FOLLOW TIME TIMER
Instagram: @thetimetimer
Facebook: @timetimer
LinkedIn: @time-timer
TikTok: @timetimerllc

What if the best way to help children learn is to trust how they're naturally wired to grow?

In this episode of Rethink Time, host Christen Barbercheck sits down with Montessori educator Anita Calo to explore the principles behind Montessori education and how they can help children become more independent, confident, and engaged learners.

Drawing on more than two decades of experience, Anita explains why Montessori is about far more than specialized classrooms or learning materials. It's an approach rooted in respecting the child, observing their development, and creating environments that support curiosity, focus, and meaningful learning.

Together, they discuss how adults can better understand children's developmental stages, why making abstract concepts like time more concrete matters, and simple ways families and educators can bring Montessori principles into everyday life.

In this episode:

• What Montessori really means—and what it doesn't
• Why respecting the child changes the way we teach and parent
• How environment shapes behavior and learning
• The importance of observation before intervention
• Why concrete experiences build stronger understanding
• Practical Montessori-inspired strategies for home and school
• How adults influence children's emotional regulation
• Why visual tools like Time Timer support independence and time awareness

Whether you're an educator, parent, therapist, or simply curious about Montessori, this conversation offers thoughtful insights and practical ideas for helping children thrive.

Follow Rethink Time for more conversations exploring education, neurodiversity, executive functioning, time awareness, and practical strategies that make everyday life a little easier.

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RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE

- The Heart of the Guide: https://www.theheartoftheguide.com/

- Time Timer: https://www.timetimer.com

- Montessori: The Science Behind the Genius by Angeline Stoll Lillard: https://a.co/d/015KXeVE

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CONNECT WITH ANITA CALO

- Website: https://www.theheartoftheguide.com/

- Email: [email protected]

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FOLLOW TIME TIMER

Website: https://www.timetimer.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thetimetimer

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/timetimer

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/time-timer

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@timetimerllc

How do we teach kids emotional regulation before they actually need it?

In this episode of Rethink Time, Sarah Habib from The Calm Caterpillar shares research-informed and practical approaches for helping children build mindfulness and self-regulation skills through play, breathing, movement, and modeling.

From rethinking calm corners to understanding behavior as communication, this episode explores how educators and parents can create environments that help kids manage big feelings—not suppress them.

If you’ve ever wondered:
• How early can kids learn mindfulness?
• What should a calm corner actually look like?
• How do adults model regulation for children?
• What helps kids move from reaction to self-awareness?

This conversation is for you.

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RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE

- The Calm Caterpillar: https://thecalmcaterpillar.com/

- Time Timer: https://www.timetimer.com

- Free Parenting Class: https://thecalmcaterpillar.com/pages/calm-caterpillar-free-parent-class

- Mindfulness Guide for Neurodivergent Learners by Sarah Habib and Tara Phillips: https://thecalmcaterpillar.com/products/mindfulness-guide

- Joining Forces for Children: https://joiningforcesforchildren.org/

- Learn more about the Adverse Childhood Experience (ACE) Score: https://www.cdc.gov/aces/about/index.html and https://www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/aces/about.html

- Effective School Solutions: https://effectiveschoolsolutions.com/

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CONNECT WITH SARAH HABIB & THE CALM CATERPILLAR

Website: https://thecalmcaterpillar.com/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-calm-caterpillar/

Instagram: https://instagram.com/thecalmcaterpillar

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thecalmcaterpillar

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FOLLOW TIME TIMER

Website: https://www.timetimer.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thetimetimer/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TimeTimer

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/time-timer

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@timetimerllc

In this episode of Rethink Time, we talk with Sammie Kelly, founder of Beyond Neurodiversity, about what it actually feels like to navigate work as a neurodivergent person — and what leaders, managers, and organizations can do to create more supportive, sustainable environments for every kind of mind.

Sammie shares her experience of being diagnosed with ADHD at 27, the mix of relief and self-understanding that followed, and what led her to leave a successful corporate career to start Beyond Neurodiversity, a company focused on helping organizations better support neurodivergent employees through education, coaching, and practical accommodations.

In this episode we explore:

• What neurodivergent employees may be experiencing internally that others don’t always see
• Common misconceptions about ADHD, autism, and workplace productivity
• Simple, effective communication strategies that reduce confusion and overwhelm
• How managers can create more clarity, flexibility, and psychological safety
• Real accommodations that make a meaningful difference at work
• Why designing with neurodivergent needs in mind ultimately benefits everyone

Whether you’re a manager, educator, HR professional, caregiver, or someone navigating neurodivergence yourself, this episode offers practical insights and approachable strategies you can start using right away.

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RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE

Beyond Neurodiversity: https://www.beyondnd.com/

Creating Cultures of Neuroinclusion by Pasha Marlowe: https://www.amazon.com/Creating-Cultures-Neuroinclusion-Framework-Neurodiverse/dp/B0DNW94139

Seeing My Time curriculum: https://executivefunctioningsuccess.com/seeing-my-time/

Job Accommodation Network (JAN): AskJAN.org

Time Timer: https://www.timetimer.com

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CONNECT WITH SAMMIE KELLY & BEYOND NEURODIVERSITY

Website: https://www.beyondnd.com/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/beyond-neurodiversity

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/beyond_neurodiversity/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61557925839246

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FOLLOW TIME TIMER

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thetimetimer/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TimeTimer

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/time-timer

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@timetimerllc

Website: ⁠https://www.timetimer.com⁠

Are screens quietly changing how our kids think, focus, and grow?

In this episode of Rethink Time, we sit down with Kerry Brown from Beech Acres Parenting Center to unpack what’s really happening inside your child’s brain in the digital age.

From toddlers glued to tablets to teens who can’t sit through a movie, we explore how technology is reshaping attention spans, emotional regulation, and family dynamics and what parents can do about it.

Kerry shares real-world insights from years of working with families, including:

• Why kids struggle to get off screens

• How screen time impacts focus and brain development

• The surprising benefits of boredom and going analog

• How to set boundaries without constant battles

• When and how to start conversations about tech safety

• Practical ways to create a healthier balance at home

If you’ve ever wondered whether screen time is helping or hurting your child, or how to find the right balance without guilt, this episode is for you.

Episode ResourcesLearn more about Time Timer: https://www.timetimer.com/

Learn more about Beech Acres Parenting Center: https://beechacres.org/parent-connext/

The Anxious Generation: https://www.anxiousgeneration.com/book

Family Value Resource: https://beechacres.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/NSP-PCX-Starter-Kit-2025A-1.pdf

Time Value and Anxiety: https://www.timetimer.com/blogs/news/time-value-and-anxiety

What I Wish I Knew About Parenting Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@BeechAcres/podcasts

Time Timer Visual Scheduler: https://www.timetimer.com/products/time-timer-original-8-visual-scheduler and https://www.amazon.com/Visual-Schedule-Package-Whiteboard-Classroom/dp/B0GVWCC1V7

How did a simple parenting challenge turn into a tool used in classrooms, therapy practices, and homes around the world?

In the very first episode of Rethink Time, we sit down with Jan Rogers, the inventor and founder of the Time Timer, to hear the story behind one of the most recognizable visual timers ever created.

It all started with a simple question from her young daughter: “How much longer?” When traditional clocks and kitchen timers didn’t help, Jan created a new way to experience time — one you can actually see.

In this episode, Jan shares:

• The parenting moment that inspired the Time Timer
• Why traditional clocks and digital timers don’t work for many children
• How visual time helps people with ADHD, autism, and time blindness
• The paper plate prototype that started it all
• The challenges of launching a product with no engineering or business background
• How the iconic red disappearing disk became a global symbol for visual time

Today, the Time Timer is used by teachers, therapists, parents, and professionals worldwide to make time more understandable and less stressful.

If you’ve ever struggled with transitions, focus, or the feeling that time just disappears, this conversation will change how you think about time.

Rethink Time by Time Timer explores how we teach, support, and experience time in classrooms, therapy spaces, and everyday life.

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Learn more about Time Timer: https://www.timetimer.com/

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Connect with Time Timer:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/time-timer Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thetimetimer/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@timetimerllcFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/TimeTimerPinterest: https://ar.pinterest.com/timetimer/