Startup Parent

#153 — "Wake up everyone, it's a brand new day!" Today my children join me on this episode of the podcast to give you a snapshot of life in New York City quarantine with two working parents.

Want to know how we're breaking down our workdays and figuring out our schedules? I break down the exact schedules I'm using with my partner, who works when (and why), and how much work we're really able to get done. (Hint: not a ton.)

Also, I'll share my thoughts on equality in partnerships, why specificity is so important, and why my business is able to handle seasonal fluctuations right now, which is keeping us afloat.

Full show notes at https://startuppregnant.com/153

PS: Want to share your story on the podcast? I'm looking for the nitty-gritty details of how you're living life in quarantine and what changes you've made as working parents. Send a note to [email protected] if you're able to be interviewed by 5/15/2020. 

#152 — I don't know about you, but I'm finding it mighty hard to even get started in the morning. I know these last episodes have all been about finding patterns and rituals amidst the madness, and it's for a reason—finding my new normal (or a sense of it) is all I feel like I can do right now.

Lately the strangest thing has been happening: I'm finding myself drawn towards social media, and wanting to connect more. So every morning, I've been sharing a small snippet of my morning routine on my Facebook page, and it's turned into my virtual coffee shop. Listen in for how it all works, and why it's helping me so much right now.

SHOW NOTES: 

www.startuppregnant.com/152

#151 — Making sense of days that make no sense requires new patterns, habits, and routines. For me, trying to muddle through the cacophony of work and children and non-stop days at home is very, very challenging to my brain. So, to help, I’ve been building small rituals into the day to start to cue myself that yes, work is happening now, and yes, it’s a new day.

Some of my favorite “cues” are things that happen every day at the same time, that have a sensory component to them, and that remind me of something familiar. For this reason, perfume, coffee, candles, and lipstick all help remind me that yes, I’m a human, and yes, I might be able to do a little bit of stuff today.

SHOW NOTES 

www.startuppregnant.com/151

#150 — Every morning lately, I've been posting a selfie to my Facebook page and my Instagram page. Right now it feels like going to the coffee shop—I get to pop in, say good morning to people all around the world, check-in with my neighbors and parents and friends, and then start the day. In any other moment of my life, I would not have said that going on social media first thing would help me be more productive, but right now is not a normal time. So, from my quarantined home in New York City, I've found a new way to say hello to people in the morning, and it's making my day so much better.

In this episode, I'll share a few more tiny habits I'm using to anchor me throughout this. Would love to hear what you are up to! I've left voice notes on this episode and you can share your habits in our Startup Pregnant Facebook Group.

#149 — As we all adjust to the uncertainty and sudden shifts of what’s happening around the world with the global COVID-19 pandemic, I wanted to share a few small rituals that we’ve used in our household to find a moment of normalcy in our lives. Yes, most of our life is chaos, and much of it is very different than it was a few weeks ago. Also, one of the hardest parts of all of this is the not knowing: not knowing when things will change or what the next few weeks and months will bring.

In times of uncertainty, it's useful—and supportive—to create small moments of ritual and stability, both for ourselves and for the people around us. Here in New York City, my husband and I are leaning on a small ritual practice we usually do each night before bed. Right before we go to bed, we ask three questions:

1. What was the best part of your day?

2. What are you grateful for?

3. What are you looking forward to in our family?

In this episode, I share a few of the rituals we use and how it can serve as an anchor to help you make sense of an otherwise upside-down day. For all of you out there, consider creating small rituals that will help you get through your new normal. They don't have to be perfect, and they don't have to be forever.

Also, pick a couple of things that you have on your calendar to look forward to. Having a moment, an event, or a reason to stay positive and hopeful is also an excellent strategy. However—as I explain on the podcast—don't go too hog wild with it. Creating unreasonable expectations can set us up for disappointment, so, if you're a leader in your field, make sure to pick things to look forward to that you can be confident will come to pass. Leaders can do a disservice to the people around them by telling false stories about the future, but having something to anchor your hopes to, even if it’s small, can help boost morale during challenging times.

Whether it's for you, your family, or your company, create small rituals that help you get through your new normal. Pick a few things to look forward to, even if they are small—just make sure they are within your control and not subject to wild external forces. 

RESOURCES:

Full show notes are available at www.startuppregnant.com/149

How do you become a better listener? In this month's secret podcast, we go deep on how to ask good questions, the way I've cultivated my listening practice, and the ways I completely and utterly sucked at listening, for a long time. Lots of trial and error—and I'll share all my secrets with you. Here's a quick overview of the secret episode and how to get access to it.

To listen to this episode and all episodes of Ask Sarah: The Podcast, become a backer on Patreon to get exclusive access to this listener-backed bonus episode. To get access to this episode and every episode of the bonus podcast, go to https://www.patreon.com/sarahkpeck to become a backer. You'll get every episode we've ever made, plus a brand-new episode every month. You'll also be able to ask me any question you'd like to know more about.This is a teaser of what we talk about and why we have a bonus podcast series. Enjoy!

Find all the past episodes at https://startupparent.com/ask-sarah-podcast/

#148 — During times of stress, everyone responds differently. Some of us laugh, some of us go into denial, some of us get agitated, some of us panic, some of us get to work. If you’re feeling a bit all over the place, I want to talk about how stress affects each of us differently and why these reactions are coming up. As you start to see how we each respond to stress, you can also start to see how the weird ways your coworkers and partners are reacting might actually be a perfectly normal response… it’s just different than how you respond to stress.

This is another brief(ish) episode recorded from our studio in New York City during the March 2020 COVID-19 pandemic. At the time of this recording, my family and I are in self-isolation in New York City and we have not left the apartment in 14 days. It’s been interesting, to say the least! You will hear noises of my children in the background, and yes, there are times when I completely lose my train of thought. This is the new normal right now, and I’m right there alongside all of you.

If you’re feeling stressed, anxious, overwhelmed, fatigued, panicked, irritated, inspired, or like you need to crack inappropriate jokes, you’re not alone. Feelings are big right now and get magnified during times of stress. A few tips on dealing with feelings are:

Most of all, know that your feelings are a normal reaction to stress and that you don’t have to DO anything right now to get rid of them. You can simply feel them and seek to understand them.

RESOURCES:

Show notes for this episode can be found at startuppregnant.com/148 

Beautiful and important article on grief and discomfort from Harvard Business Review: That Discomfort You're Feeling Is Grief.

#147 — Don't forget to exhale through all of this. If you're tired, scared, stressed, overworked, or feeling all the feelings, this episode is for every one of us. It's a short method to help catch your breath, tap into your body, and exhale away some of the tension.

This episode was recorded on Saturday, March 21st 2020 in New York City in the midst of the coronavirus and COVID-19 pandemic happening around the world. But that's not the focus of the episode—the point of. this short moment is to breathe, together. I'll walk you through one of my favorite practices that I use when I'm tired, anxious, or stressed. It's a pattern of breath called 4-7-8. Please note: if you're currently pregnant or think you might be, be mindful to do the breath work without the retention (holding), and tune into your body as you do it to see how it feels for you.

Sending you all a big, virtual hug. 

SHOW NOTES and other resources can be found at startuppregnant.com/147

#146 — The next few days, weeks, and months are going to challenge us—a lot. Actually, the next twelve to eighteen months are going to be quite the ride, but let's just start here with where we are, today. Having everything suddenly shift and having our lives disrupted this much is a huge deal. How can we process and deal with it? In this episode I go over seven things to keep your mental sanity amidst all of this. This is just a starting point; feel free to write your own list, and stay kind, stay compassionate, and stay sane—as much as possible. Thinking about all of you amidst this.

1. Take it one day at a time. Things are changing a lot, but they will happen one day at a time. Take today and breathe, and make sure you’re doing things for yourself today, right now, too. Take a minute to rest, take a hot bath, let your eyes close at the end of the day. Pay attention to what’s going right.

2. Limit your time on the news. Staying glued to the television screens or digital devices won’t help. Pick a time to check in—maybe even a few times per day—and then pick times to put your phone down, put your computer away, and to let yourself do something other than pay attention to the news.

Staying informed is important, getting stressed and worked up is not helpful. Things will change every 24 hours, but within those 24 hours, you can set time aside to work, to sleep, to exercise, and to care for yourself. Being on social media or new every moment will add more stress.

3. Keep working. The world needs you, your work, and your creative energy. Yes, we need to adapt and shift and be flexible. You can do this. Remind yourself that you are brilliant, wise, creative, and strong. Don’t stop working because we’re in crisis; know that each day you’re able to show up means you can help that many more people.

4. Take action. Taking action helps. Take action for yourself, for your loved ones, and for the people you aren’t yet connected to. The ripple effects are real, and they are important.

5. Focus on what you can do. Spend time on the areas that you can control, and the part of your world where you can make a difference. Tiny actions, done collectively, make a huge difference for everyone. If all you can do today is drink eight glasses of water and go to sleep, you are helping everyone else by taking care of yourself. Keep going. Drink water!

6. Know that you are resilient and adaptive. You will find ways through this, and you will tap into a strength you might not have experienced yet. When you fall down or feel frustrated, reach out to a friend. Our power is in our interconnectedness and our strength of spirit. You can do this. Remind yourself that you are brilliant, wise, creative, and strong.

7. There will still be moments of beauty in crisis. We will witness some of the most beautiful acts of kindness and humanity amidst this. Here for you. We can get through this together.

RESOURCES

Share this episode and get show notes at startuppregnant.com/146

Coronavirus, COVID-19, Pregnancy, Parenting, Birth — find all of our resources on our online resource hub: startuppregnant.com/coronavirus

Free webinar for pregnant and birthing moms: navigating the uncertainty. startuppregnant.com/webinar

#145 — Hey everyone, my family is staying home now for a while, and that means we are working from home with two kids and two parents no longer in school or at work. We're preparing for the coming weeks and the disruptions that are already happening in light of the spread of Coronavirus. In this episode, I'll share what we're doing to prepare for Coronavirus, what social distancing is and why it's important, and a few steps you can take to help not just yourselves, but your community. If you have any questions, email us at hello (at) startup pregnant (dot) com.

RESOURCES MENTIONED:

Coronavirus: an overview of what we are dealing with.

Complete episode show notes can be found at www.startuppregnant.com/145