The Lazy Genius Podcast

When your days are all reaction and no intention, especially with kids, stress tends to take the wheel. In this episode, we’re talking about how a loose plan can help you live with more joy and less chaos.

Helpful Companion Links

Order my new book The PLAN or ask your library to consider carrying a copy.

Episode #419: 5 Things To Do Before Summer Begins

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Today is Memorial Day in the US, so pools are opening, school is starting to slow down or finish completely, and we are entering the abyss, I mean, beauty of the summer season. 

Any time we move from one season to another, whether it’s a season of life or a season on the calendar, it’s good to pay attention to a couple of things so that we don’t suddenly find ourselves in the middle of a new season without the tools we need to live in it the way we hope to. I’m going to share five quick things you can do before summer begins in order to enjoy your summer in an intentional, fun way.

Helpful Companion Links

Order my new book The PLAN or ask your library to consider carrying a copy.

Learn more about The Playbooks or grab a Summer Playbook here

The Summer Docket

Summer Break Calendar from The Essential Calendar

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Download a transcript of this episode.

Kids and screen time. Kids and phones. Kids and rotting brains because that’s kind of what we’re afraid of. But also a lot of things about what comes out of screens are great. It just all feels like too much sometimes but never goes away.

Today, I’m sharing with you my personal take on kids and technology, why I think this is hard, and some ways I approach it, both philosophically and practically, that help me parent in a heavily technological world.

Helpful Companion Links

Order my new book The PLAN or ask your library to consider carrying a copy.

Some related episodes you may find helpful: #210 - How to Lazy Genius Kids’ Screen Time and #196 - How to Lazy Genius Adult Screen Time

Learn more about The Playbooks or grab a Summer Playbook here

Sign up for the Latest Lazy Listens email.

Grab a copy of my book The Lazy Genius Kitchen or The Lazy Genius Way! (Affiliate links)

Download a transcript of this episode.

I’m sharing my favorite planning tool ever, something that doesn’t start big or push perfection but instead honors your season, your energy, and what matters most today. If you’ve ever felt let down by traditional planners, this episode is for you.

Helpful Companion Links

Order my new book The PLAN or ask your library to consider carrying a copy.

How to Bullet Journal: The Absolute Ultimate Guide

Learn more about The Playbooks or grab a Summer Playbook here

Here’s a link to an Instagram Live where I talk about the Summer Playbook

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Grab a copy of my book The Lazy Genius Kitchen or The Lazy Genius Way! (Affiliate links)

Download a transcript of this episode.

If you’re new here, this is a favorite episode we do once a quarter. Barbara Brown Taylor, a fantastic author, coined this phrase years ago: what’s saving my life, and I love the regular practice of taking note of what that is for me. I’m sharing ten things that are saving my life right now in this particular season of life, and they, as always, are quite the smattering of unrelated things.

Helpful Companion Links

Order my new book The PLAN or ask your library to consider carrying a copy.

Jesus by Jon Guerra

The BEMA Podcast

RMS Coconut Cleansing Balm (affiliate link)

Caroline Girvan YouTube channel

Merlin Bird Identifier app

Get a Summer Playbook

Get the next Latest Lazy Letter that lands in inboxes on Wednesday, May 7

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Grab a copy of my book The Lazy Genius Kitchen or The Lazy Genius Way! (Affiliate links)

Download a transcript of this episode.

We spend so much time in our kitchens—making food, cleaning up food, putting away food. The mess that comes out of that room is nothing short of terrifying. In this episode, I’m sharing 10 things that help me keep my kitchen mostly clean on a fairly regular basis. Maybe you’ll find an idea or two that will work in your home or you’ll be inspired to notice the rhythms you already have in place without realizing it.

My oldest is wrapping up his freshman year of high school, and I can feel how fast it’s all going. This episode is about what I hope he—and all my kids—know before they leave home.

It’s not a checklist of adult skills (though those can be great); it’s more about the slow, everyday work of becoming. I’m sharing a few helpful categories and what falls inside them for us, but your version will look different—and that’s the point.

This isn’t about doing it all. It’s about starting small, right where you are.

Imagine if you could ask someone anything you wanted about their finances. On What We Spend, people from across the country and across the financial spectrum are opening their wallets—and their lives—to tell you everything: what they make, what they want, and—for one week—what they spend.

It’s time for another Office Hours episode! Every quarter, you send in your questions and challenges, and I offer a Lazy Genius lens to help you navigate them.

You don’t need someone else to solve your problems—you’re smart and know your life best. Sometimes just asking the question is the solution. But listening to others? It’s a powerful reminder that you’re not alone in what you’re carrying.

Naming what matters is the whole foundation of everything we do here, and I think it’s also one of the most challenging. Today, I’m going to share six common mistakes when naming what matters so that you can catch yourself when you run into one of these. Hopefully it’ll help you see with clearer vision.