You can CLICK HERE to listen to my full conversation with Janice in Episode 6 of the Create Some Breathing Room podcast!
In this episode of the podcast, I got to interview the amazing Janice Cook! In case you don’t know Janice yet, here’s a quick introduction:
Janice Cook is a former public school teacher turned virtual support provider who helps business owners tidy up their systems so the workweek is peaceful and productive.
She is passionate about helping business owners spend time on the tasks they love because she believes that’s a key factor in the creation of high-quality resources that make an impact for others.
In our conversation about the difference between being busy and being productive, Janice and I discussed the value and process of designing your ideal work week. Taking the lead from The Lazy Genius, Janice noted how important it is to name what matters. Identifying this for yourself and being honest about how many things you can actually get done in a day are the game changers!
With that spirit of being honest with yourself, it’s also important to allow yourself permission to have some things taken off of your plate. Does your daily schedule look different from the “normal” 9-5 work day? If so, why would you expect to get the same results from someone in that scenario? Comparison is the perfect way to zap your peace, confuse your schedule, and steal your joy.
One of my favorite things that Janice brings to the table as a fellow productivity strategist is her gracious way of pointing out that things like laundry, grocery shopping, and even just stopping to eat a meal also need to find a home on your daily schedule. We might plan out what looks like an ideal day, but then there’s that pesky fact that we need to pause for food, drink, and the occasional bathroom break. Breathing room isn’t just for a day at the spa, sis! Sometimes it’s just to leave a little space for real life to happen.
The quote that stuck with me the most from this conversation with Janice came when we were discussing the importance of naming what is important and avoiding distractions. Once you’ve created your list of tasks that need to be done, you can’t identify which ones go to the top of the list until you’ve determined what goals are most important to you! When you’ve identified the top goals and prioritized your tasks, then you just have to show up and do the things. Or as Janice so beautifully stated:
“I just have to love myself enough to trust the plan and execute it.”
If you’ve been with me long, you know I love asking others what they have found helpful in their own lives when trying to create breathing room for themselves, and Janice did not disappoint with her responses! Along with the various uses for both paper and digital planning systems, here are a few of the tools & recommendations she shared to manage capacity and create some breathing room:
- The Lazy Genius by Kendra Adachi
- The Lazy Genius podcast
- How to Keep House While Drowning by KC Davis
- Living in Sunshine podcast
- The Sunshine Squad membership with Maddy Fry
If this conversation left you feeling like Janice is a voice you need in your life, make sure you’re hanging out with her over on Instagram. Opportunities to work with her can be found over on her website, so be sure to check those out!
