Two Booked Up

“I want to read more, but I can’t find the time!”

“How do you read so many books?!”

“Is it really worth reading books when you can find the information on the interwebs when you need it…?”

These are some of the questions that have come up in our IG posts and within our respective communities since we launched the Two Booked Up Podcast.

So today, as we take a break between our featured books, we thought we’d do a minisode on how to find the time to read more — and why it’s a jolly good idea to do so!

If you’re looking to find the time and maybe the inclination — or inspiration — to read more, make sure you listen to this episode where Rowena shares some of her favourite tips and tricks for fitting more reading into your day-to-day life. We hope that it will inspire you to read more books — from thought-provoking non-fiction to page-turning beach reads!

Find us online at twobookedup.com

Connect with Rowena @rowenamabbott on IG and at rowenamabbott.com.

Connect with Shelley @shelleysmithcreative on IG. Her copywriting business is at shelleysmithcreative.com and her writing and other musings are at shelleytonkinsmith.com.

Are you facing a tricky decision? Or considering making a change that feels… BIG? If you are, then you’re probably feeling overwhelmed and under pressure to make the “right” decision.

If that’s you, then take a nice deep breath and then listen to today’s episode of Two Booked Up, where Shelley Tonkin Smith (a business owner and homeschooling mom of two kids under 10) and Rowena Mabbott (a career and life confidence coach, who has tween and teen boys) talk about the power of naming what matters and how this simple step has made their decision-making a whole lot easier.

“Naming what matters” is a core foundation from The Lazy Genius Way by Kendra Adachi, the featured book at the moment on Two Booked Up.

Shelley shares about how naming what matters has helped her combat overwhelm in homeschooling. And Rowena reflects on how her decision to retrain as a coach all started when she named what mattered.

When we name what matters, we focus on what’s important to us in the moment, and what’s aligned with our values. This provides clarity and helps us to determine what the next best step should be.

Draw inspiration from Rowena and Shelley’s personal stories of how naming what matters has helped them to move into action. And learn how you can name what matters and become a Lazy Genius in your own life.

Call of the Wild + Free by Ainsley Arment

Know your values; how to live with intention

Find us online at twobookedup.com

Connect with Rowena @rowenamabbott on IG and at rowenamabbott.com.

Connect with Shelley @shelleysmithcreative on IG. Her copywriting business is at shelleysmithcreative.com and her writing and other musings are at shelleytonkinsmith.com.

Today, Rowena and Shelley are considering where and how to use the Lazy Genius Principles in their small businesses. They’ll share where they are currently using these principles and where they could be leveraging Lazy Genius principles a little more to make their businesses simpler and also more fulfilling.

So if you’re a business owner, or you aspire to start a business sometime in the future, then listen in. There’ll also be plenty of food for thought for those of you who are in full-time employment too.

Between them, Rowena and Shelley have at least 20 years of combined experience running their own businesses alongside the journey of parenthood. Shelley has encouraged many people to take the leap into entrepreneurship and has supported them with copywriting and website development and advice.

For many years, Rowena has been committed to building a business that is simple and light (which is very lazy genius) and she’s supported many of her coaching clients to transition from a more traditional job to starting their own business. 

In this episode, they’re bringing all this experience to the table, mixing it up with the Lazy Genius Principles, and giving you a good dose of inspiration to Lazy Genius your business.

Check out Shelley’s post about tailoring your launch based on your stage of business. https://www.shelleytonkinsmith.com/launch-starting-point/ 

Rowena is reading I Owe You One by Sophie Kinsella.

Shelley is reading Raising Critical Thinkers by Julie Bogart.

Find us online at twobookedup.com

Connect with Rowena @rowenamabbott on IG and at rowenamabbott.com.

Connect with Shelley @shelleysmithcreative on IG. Her copywriting business is at shelleysmithcreative.com and her writing and other musings are at shelleytonkinsmith.com.

Last week, we gave you a rundown of the 13 Lazy Genius Principles from our featured book, The Lazy Genius Way by Kendra Adachi.

Today, we dive deeper into the 13 principles and chat about how we have used and applied them in our lives and in our parenting. With examples and stories, we flesh out the principles and share how we’re Lazy Geniusing our lives.

Listen to the podcast to hear which are our favourite principles and how we’ve adapted them for our lives.

What’s one way you plan to “Lazy Genius” your life? Snap a screenshot of the podcast or a selfie of you listening — and then tag us @rowenamabbott and @shelleysmithcreative to let us know.

Rowena is reading The Things We Keep by Australian author, Sally Hepworth.

Shelley is reading the entire Ramony Quimby series to her boys. They’re currently on Ramona Quimby, Age 8 by Beverly Cleary. But in fact, at the time of publishing this episode, they’ve completed the entire 8-book series. So good! And this deal on Audible to get the entire series for just one credit has to be the best deal around!

Find us online at twobookedup.com

Connect with Rowena @rowenamabbott on IG and at rowenamabbott.com.

Connect with Shelley @shelleysmithcreative on IG. Her copywriting business is at shelleysmithcreative.com and her writing and other musings are at shelleytonkinsmith.com.

Rowena and Shelley are discussing a new book, The Lazy Genius Way by Kendra Adachi.

Being a "Lazy Genius" might conjure up images of becoming a combination of Einstein, Mary Poppins and Leslie Knope — all while you laze around on the couch eating ice cream! But in fact, as you'll learn in this episode, being a Lazy Genius is more about being yourself and connecting to what really matters to you. If you can get that right, you can become a genius about what matters and then lazy about everything else!

Does that sound good to you? Then listen in to our conversation about The Lazy Genius Way today and if you haven't read the book already, consider getting yourself a copy

The idea behind The Lazy Genius Way is to be productive without sacrificing peace of mind, using the 13 Lazy Genius principles. The principles are designed to help you focus on what really matters and let go of what doesn't.

Listen in to the podcast as we give you a quick rundown of the 13 principles and expand on what it means to be a Lazy Genius. We also share our overall impression of the book and top takeaways.

Essentialism by Greg McKeown

Do Less by Kate Northrup

The Lazy Genius Kitchen by Kendra Adachi

Less Stuff by Lindsay Miles

Find us online at twobookedup.com

Connect with Rowena @rowenamabbott on IG and at rowenamabbott.com.

Connect with Shelley @shelleysmithcreative on IG and shelleysmithcreative.com.

Today we’re getting a bit meta and doing a podcast about podcasts — specifically, your podcast listening life. Because yes, that’s a thing now!

If you’re wondering…

• When can I fit listening to podcasts into my schedule?


• What’s the best podcast player to use? And what about hardware?


• How can I keep track of great podcasts I find?


• How can I share podcasts with my friends and audience?


• How can I get maximum value out of my podcast listening time?

…then, Shelley’s got you covered in this episode!

Intentional time management is a big part of our values. It’s even a second meaning of “Two Booked Up” — we don't want you to get TOO booked up in your schedule with things that don’t matter.

So in this episode, Shelley’s going to be sharing some of her best tips for intentionally fitting podcasts into your schedule and making your podcast listening life a bit easier and more worthwhile.

Shelley’s Podcast Player/App of Choice is Overcast (only for Apple devices). Overcast draws its podcasts from Apple Podcasts, but it includes a few special features, including improved sound quality.

Otherwise, listen directly through Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, Google Podcasts, or Amazon — there are many options.

If you like what you hear on Two Booked Up and you’d like to help us reach new listeners, we’d love it if you’d leave us a review on Apple Podcasts.

This is how to leave a review:

1. Open the show in Apple Podcasts.


2. Scroll down past the episode listing to the heading “Ratings & Reviews.”


3. Leave your star rating and write a review for the show. One sentence saying what you enjoy about the show is great!

We’re trying out a new format — the miniside, which we’re endeavouring to keep under a snappy 15 minutes. We’re...

Today on Two Booked Up, Shelley and Rowena are concluding the conversation sparked by Gretchen Rubin’s book, The Four Tendencies. We’ve had great conversations about how knowing your tendency — whether you’re an Upholder, Obliger, Questioner, or Rebel — can help you in both your personal and professional life.

One of the main themes that’s come through for us is the importance of knowing yourself. But sometimes getting to know yourself can be difficult! So today, we’re going to be extending the conversation a bit wider and talking about some of the other tools and methods we’ve used to get to know ourselves better.

When people grow in their self-knowledge, they’re more productive, more confident, and happier in their careers and relationships.

So, after the episode, go on and take yourself out on a date -- seriously! -- and get to know yourself better by using one or more of the methods we talk about on the show.

[02:03] Gretchen Rubin's either-or categories for getting to know your preferences

[05:54] Finding out your Character Strengths

[08:31] How The Four Tendencies can help in getting to know yourself

[12:32] Becoming a student of yourself

[13:54] Guided Journaling

[14:38] Bullet Journaling

[16:17] Learning through parenting

[18:13] A mindset of experimentation

[22:14] Introvert vs. Extrovert (plus four other traits from the Big Five Trait Factor Theory)

[28:02] Astrology and Human Design

[30:33] Myers-Briggs and Enneagram

[33:33] What we're reading at the moment

Rowena is reading From Strength to Strength by Arthur C. Brookes.

Shelley is reading Think Again by Adam Grant.

Gretchen Rubin’s article, Setting New Year's Resolutions that are right for YOU.

VIA Strengths Institute — take the free assessment to find out your signature strengths.

Get your free daily journal prompts from Rowena.

Shelley's article on

We’re continuing the conversation about Gretchen Rubin’s book, The Four Tendencies, which we started in our last two episodes. Today, we’re focusing on BUSINESS and how knowing your tendency can support you as a business owner.

We’re going to be covering the full gambit of what it takes to run a business — from crafting an offer, to marketing and messaging, then sales, delivery, and the day-to-day running in between. And we’re going to apply the Four Tendencies to each of those aspects of entrepreneurship.

Whatever your tendency — Upholder, Obliger, Rebel or Questioner — it’s our aim to help you harness your tendency’s strengths to be a successful and happy business owner.

[06:54] What does it take to run a business?
[08:51] Offering
[15:56] Marketing and Messaging
[21:25] Sales
[26:00] Delivery
[30:44] Admin and Day-to-Day

Rowena has just finished Digital Minimalism by Cal Newport.

Shelley is re-reading The Call of the Wild and Free by Ainsley Arment.

Shelley's "Launch and Love It" approach to Sales Funnels and the customer journey.

Rowena's Career, Business and Life Coaching Programme

Shelley's article, Launching a coaching package or a service-based offer? Here’s what you’ve got to know before you start

We talk about Rowena's consistency in publishing helpful educational content each month. Read her posts here, and sign up to her email list to be alerted to her monthly posts and get another email with a list of curated articles of interest. 

Find us at twobookedup.com.

Connect with Rowena @rowenamabbott on IG and at rowenamabbott.com.

Connect with Shelley @shelleysmithcreative on IG and shelleysmithcreative.com.

We live in a world where we are constantly under pressure to “get things done!” But what makes us “get things done”? What makes us act or not act? In last week’s episode, Shelley and Rowena discussed the book The Four Tendencies by Gretchen Rubin. 

The book offered an answer to this question: why do we act? And the answer is not is not the same for all of us. Depending on how you respond to outer and inner expectations, you’ll act or choose not to act. And that’ll put you into one of four groups: an Upholder, Questioner, Obliger, or Rebel.

Today on the Two Booked Up Podcast, we’re going to be talking about how knowing our tendencies has helped us as parents — and as human beings. As we do so, you’ll learn:

• How to harness the strengths of your tendency in daily life.


• How knowing your tendency can support you in your relationship with your partner.


• How knowing your tendency can support you as a parent.


• Tips to talk to your children in a way that appeals to their particular tendency. Or better yet, appealing to all four tendencies at the same time.


• What is Obliger Rebellion? And how can we all deal with it?

[02:39] How the four tendencies show up in family life

[08:21] The four tendencies in partnerships

[10:22] How the four tendencies influence parenting

[16:30] Knowing your kids' tendencies and playing to their strengths

[20:47] Why a (loose) schedule can be helpful, even for Rebels

[23:19] Appealing to all four tendencies

[26:13] Obliger rebellion

[31:59] Give people what they need, not what we would need

Find us online at twobookedup.com

Connect with Rowena @rowenamabbott on IG and at rowenamabbott.com.

Connect with Shelley @shelleysmithcreative on IG and shelleysmithcreative.com.

Today, Shelley and Rowena are going to be talking about The Four Tendencies by Gretchen Rubin. This book has been a game changer for both of us -- in the way we run our businesses and understand ourselves.

Are you like Rowena? You’re quite self-directed and don’t have too much trouble keeping to deadlines or managing your tasks. But, you get the jitters when your plans change or can’t understand why it’s so hard for someone to keep their promises.

Or are you more like Shelley? You’re spontaneous and boldly face up to challenges, but you feel constrained by schedules and rules. When you find something you love, you pursue it with all your heart, but if there’s something that has to be done, it’s just SO. HARD. TO. DO…

According to Gretchen Rubin, these behaviours occur as a result of our tendencies — whether you’re an Upholder, Obliger, Questioner, or Rebel.

[02:09] Background to The Four Tendencies
[03:27] What are the Four Tendencies? And how can you find yours? Do the quiz at: quiz.gretchenrubin.com
[08:39] Structure of the Book
[10:54] What did we enjoy about the book?
[17:52] Strengths and weaknesses of each tendency
[21:57] Top Takeaways
[26:08] We can all create the life we want, but we must do it in a way that is right for us.

Find us online at twobookedup.com

Connect with Rowena @rowenamabbott on IG and at rowenamabbott.com.

Connect with Shelley @shelleysmithcreative on IG and shelleysmithcreative.com.