The Bright Method Podcast: Realistic Time Management and Productivity for Working Women & Working Moms

141. ~3 Years, ~140 Episodes, and a Decision to Take a Break

30 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

After almost three years (!), I'm taking a break from the podcast. From the realities of summer schedules to a desire to infuse seasonality into the p...

140. Stop Bargaining with Reality (And What to Do Instead)

23 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Bargaining with reality just leads to frustration, wasted energy, and missed opportunities to do something about it. Let's dig into what it can actual...

138. What you bring to the table is more than always being at the table

16 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Responsiveness is something that has taken over American work culture. Between email, Teams/Slack, and more, there can be an assumption everyone is av...

[Bonus!] All about the 10-week Bright Method program

11 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

In case you've been considering the Bright Method program, and because enrollment closes on March 18 until September, here's an episode all about it!J...

137. If I wanted more breathing room THIS week...

09 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

If I were an exhausted woman in my 30s-50s who wanted more breathing room this week, here's what I would do.Here's the PDF mentioned in the episode co...

136. 10 Time Habits that can Quietly Wreck Your Day

02 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Thought it would be fun to go through 10 things that can wreck your day – sometimes, without you realizing it. ✨ The full Bright Method™️ prog...

135. Messy homes during work hours

23 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Let's talk about messy homes during work hours. Enjoy!Links you might enjoy:🌿 Free 5-Day Time Management Program Get five short, practical video le...

134. When your work culture isn't the right fit for you

16 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

This one got a bit more personal than I intended when I went in, but here we go! Hope it's helpful if you're in this spot!And heads up: Enrollment for...

133. The goal isn't "I wish I had no more to-do's"

09 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Sometimes, I think our goals around time management are just wrong. Let's talk about it. Links you might enjoy:🌿 Free 5-Day Time Management Program...

132. So, can we multi-task?

02 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

One of my first clients told me she listens to podcasts while she works. Let's dig into multi-tasking – when we can, and when we can't.Links you mig...

131. 3 Tips for When You're Exhausted But Your Calendar Looks Fine

26 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Grab the guide here!Episodes mentioned: About general energy > Episode 9.About mistakes people understandably make time blocking > Ep. 22Links y...

130. People-Pleasing & Realizing You Can't Say Yes to Everything

21 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

I hear variations of "I'm a people pleaser" as people join a Bright Method program or, once they're in the program, variations of "I'm realizing I can...

129. Why traditional time management advice doesn't work for many professional working women (and why I focus my work on those women)

12 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

When I was struggling with time management, I had a lightbulb moment that traditional time management advice wasn't built for me. And the Bright Metho...

128. "I'd rather be special than happy": Egos don't always lead us to happiness

05 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

A few years ago, I listened to this podcast episode from the Atlantic, How to Spend Time on What You Value, after a client sent it to me. You can list...

127. Practical Tips for Friendship with Danielle Bayard Jackson

29 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

It is a true honor to have Danielle Bayard Jackson on today's podcast to dig into friendship as a busy working woman – from how to make time for it,...

126. How to Practically Build Peace With The Effort Required For or Given To A Result

22 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

I loved this lightbulb moment/articulation by Oonagh Duncan, shared on Eleanor Beaton's podcast. Let's dig into it! ✨ The full Bright Method™️...

125. Answering 3 Questions: Isn't calendaring like this overwhelming?

15 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

I recently got three questions that share common thread: isn't calendaring like we do in the Bright Method overwhelming? Summarized in my words: Is t...

124. How to get more strategic, creative ideas

08 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

When I went to a curriculum presentation at my 2nd grader's school, I didn't expect for a podcast episode to come out if it. But here we go! ✨ The...

124. A Lightbulb Moment: Empowerment Without A System Leads to Overcommitment (idea from Eleanor Beaton)

01 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

I recently listened to a podcast episode that blew my mind because it connected dots and made points that resonated so deeply for me – in business a...

123. Your Capacity & Your Capability Are Different Things (Talking About Suzy Reading's Amazing Quote)

24 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

A few weeks ago, someone sent me a quote on Instagram that knocked my socks off. Let's dig into it. Links you might enjoy: 🌿 Free 5-Day Time Manag...

121. Slow-Rolling Tasks & Shiny Object Syndrome Bosses (or Selves)

17 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Ever keep rolling the same task week after week? You see it on your list or flagged in your inbox, and every time you look at it, you feel that little...

120. Time Zones: My Achilles' Heel

10 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Time zones – they seem like such a simple concept and one that's almost an after-thought, tiny detail when scheduling... and yet, messing them up ca...

119. Theme Days: Why I don't do them, but it's a personal call!

03 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

I get asked a few times a year whether I theme my workdays – e.g., Marketing Mondays, Admin Tuesdays, Finances on Wednesdays. While I'm sure this wo...

118. Why I don't let AI make my time management decisions

27 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

I see more and more people using or discussing using AI to make decisions around how they spend their time. Let's talk about it. Links you might enjoy...

117. For my All-or-Nothing Thinkers (🙋🏻‍♀️)

20 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

This one is for my all-or-nothing thinkers. The ones who think, "If I can't do it exactly like I think I should, then what's even the point??" Been th...

116. Flexibility & Accountability: Owning what we really want our time to look like

13 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

When I used to think about time management, Past Me assumed, on some level, that the goal was to keep work in work hours and personal life in personal...

115. Apple Reminders & Google Tasks: Why I Don't Recommend Managing Tasks with Them

06 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Today I'm digging into why I don't recommend managing your to-dos inside Google Tasks or Apple Reminders—even though they're handy and even show up ...

114. An Example of Saying No When You Want to Say Yes

29 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Saying no is rarely easy — especially when the opportunity is something you really want to say yes to. In this episode, I share a personal example o...

113. Halloween: A great example of mental load & how calendars help

22 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Halloween is such a great example of how something that sounds like one event/evening of events has a broader scope than we often realize and a lot of...

112. Three work challenges: getting interrupted on in office days, too ambitious when planning, long commutes that feel like wasted time

15 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Women on Instagram shared their biggest work time management pain points with me. Let's cover three of them today! Links you might enjoy: 🌿 Free 5...

111. Getting Less Stress In Your Life Isn't Always Efficient – And We Need To Own That

01 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

When US society talks about time management, the conversation often assumes the goals of productivity and efficiency. Do more in less time. Move faste...

110. Career Shifts with Your Whole Person in Mind with Career Coach Sarah Wagoner

25 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Career transitions aren't just about the potential new job — they ripple into every part of your life. In this episode, I sit down with Sarah Wagone...

109. "Brain thinks I need an hour chunk to start. Such a loss."

11 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

On Instagram, someone shared that their biggest work time management painpoint was this: "Hard time focusing during short periods. Brain thinks I need...

108. Business Owner Finances with Shanna Skimore

28 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

This episode is geared toward the business owner (e.g., attorneys running their own firms, physicians or therapists running their own practices, archi...

107. Making Back-to-School Less Scramble-y & Enjoying the Rest of Summer

08 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Click here to get the free back-to-school guide! Note: The Bright Method is not just for moms, and I try to have most episodes of this podcast apply t...

106. Protecting Strategy / Big-Picture Time From the Urgent: A Potentially Novel Way to Do It

30 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode, let's discuss what to do when everyone wants your time, so you struggle to find time to dig into the strategic, big-picture work tha...

105. The Diderot Effect of Time Management

16 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Ever say yes to something—like a board role, a volunteer opportunity, or a work project—only to find yourself totally overrun with email, meetings...

104. Checking the "Success" Boxes & Still Feeling Unfulfilled? Finding Yourself & Joy with Heather Hubbard about What to Do.

02 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode, I'm talking with Heather Hubbard, a former Big Law partner who now leads transformational retreats to help women hear and reconnect w...

103. Finding the "Living Up to Your Potential" Concept Troubling

26 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Today's episode is a little different. I've been turning over the idea of "living up to your potential" for years, and I'm finally putting words to wh...

102. Improving Sleep with Dr. Funke Afolabi-Brown, triple board-certified sleep physician

19 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Let's talk about sleep. If you've listened to this podcast for a while, you know I'm pretty obsessed with sleep. I talked about it during my Year of E...

101. Meal Planning & Prep Tips with Prep Dish founder Allison Schaaf

12 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Meal planning and meal prep come up again and again as one of the top time management challenges professional working women face on the personal side ...

100(!). The 100th episode: A message I have not said enough – you can do this.

05 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

In this 100th episode of the Bright Method podcast, I'm sharing something I haven't said enough: I believe you can do this. Yes, time management is ha...

99. Career Changes with Career Coach Julia Lynch (of @smarterinasec)

28 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Today, we're talking about career transitions and job searches—and I'm excited to bring on a guest to help us with it: career coach Julia Lynch. Ins...

98. Your Boss Has No Idea What's on Your Plate Today – and 5 Things that Means

21 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode of the Bright Method Podcast, I dig into something I wish I'd fully appreciated earlier in my career: your boss likely has no idea wha...

97. People Pleasing with Michelle Gauthier

14 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode of the Bright Method Podcast, I'm joined by professional life coach Michelle Gauthier to explore a topic that deeply affects how we sp...

96. Part 2: The Heavy-Before / Lighter-After Adulting Stuff (Wills & Trusts, Healthcare Proxies, House Furniture Inventory, etc.)

07 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Click here for the list. Recently, I shared on Instagram that I re-did our wills, trusts, etc. in Minnesota. We'd done it in California, where we li...

95. The Heavy-Before / Lighter-After Adulting Stuff (Wills & Trusts, Healthcare Proxies, House Furniture Inventory, etc.)

31 Mar 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Click here for the list. Recently, I shared on Instagram that I re-did our wills, trusts, etc. in Minnesota. We'd done it in California, where we li...

94. Newborn Life & Time Management

24 Mar 2025

Contributed by Lukas

I've had a few people ask me recently about time management during the newborn baby phase. Here are my random tips – take them or leave them!  A f...

93. Finances & Calendars with Emilie Dayan Hill

17 Mar 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Finances can be so tricky. I anticipate more conversations around budgeting, etc. (just like time, how we spend money matters just as much as what we ...

92. Why plan when nothing goes to plan?!

10 Mar 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Coming out of January and February, months when lots of curveballs hit, it's hard to motivate to plan after likely weeks of plans getting derailed. Le...

91. The Good News about Realizing You're Choking Yourself Up with Deadlines

03 Mar 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Sometimes, we realize we're the ones giving ourselves too-tight deadlines – either out of a desire to show how eager we are or because the sense of...

90. How to Handle Scheduled Kid Days Off (e.g., Holidays, Teacher Professional Development Days)

24 Feb 2025

Contributed by Lukas

We've talked about how to handle sick kids at home (resources on that below), but what about all of the scheduled days off of school. Someone asked me...

89. When You Feel Resistance to Calendaring Your Activities, Projects, etc.

17 Feb 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Often, women I work with or talk to online share that, while they want to use the Bright Method, they resist implementation because of, what I can see...

88. An Example of a Work Flow: Personal Travel

10 Feb 2025

Contributed by Lukas

So often, we calendar a deadline or an event and think either there's not much that goes into it or we'll just remember what do to for it. But when yo...

87. The Power of the Long-Term Play (vs. Getting Hung Up On Short-Term Timelines)

03 Feb 2025

Contributed by Lukas

This is definitely not my most articulate, succinct podcast, but I think there's something here that's worth sharing – and it'll continue to evolve....

86. How to Handle Surprise 15-Min Windows at Work – And Time Management Tips of Physicians

27 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

So often, when we get free 15-minute windows we didn't anticipate during work hours, we spend too much time deciding what to do and/or fritter them aw...

85. Home Organization: Making Time for & How to Do It with Laura Kinsella of Urban OrgaNYze

20 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Decluttering and home organization projects can be a major time management painpoint for people on the home front. To help with that, I'm thrilled to ...

84. When Email/Slack/Teams Interrupt Your Focus Time

13 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Email and/or Slack/Teams can often interrupt the time we've set aside and protected for focused, heads-down work. Let's dig into some strategies to he...

83. When You Have No Energy After Work For "Productive" Things

06 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

I hear from many women that they have no energy after work to do "productive" things. Let's talk about what to do about that.  A full transcript of ...

82. Protecting Time for Your Health

30 Dec 2024

Contributed by Lukas

One of the most common time management pain points many women experience is trying to find time (and energy) for their own health, whether that's work...

81. Too Many Meetings! Time Management Tips When You Meetings Prevent You From Doing Your Work

23 Dec 2024

Contributed by Lukas

One of the most common time management challenges working women have is that their work hours are dominated by meetings, pushing heads-down work into ...

80. Getting Clear About How You Process To-Do's & Ideas

16 Dec 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Are you clear about what you do with every to-do or idea that comes your way?  Not how you actually do the thing or use the idea – just how you pro...

79. Self-Evaluations: How to Make Your Next Performance Review A Lot Easier

09 Dec 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Regardless of when your next performance review happens, let's talk about things you can do now to make writing your self-evaluation easier – and th...

78. The "Years are Short" Spreadsheet: Long-Term Planning Snapshot

02 Dec 2024

Contributed by Lukas

While I love the Bright Method's ability to help you plan long term (e.g., calendaring when to start your passport renewal process in three years), on...

77. Logistically overwhelmed by the holidays? Let's talk about it.

25 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Around now is when the holiday logistics overwhelm can kick in. Let's talk about it! A full transcript of this episode is available on my website abou...

76. When your partner is gone a lot: How to share the home labor

18 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

While there are many great approaches for sharing the load at home with a partner, like Fair Play, for those of us with partners who aren't around con...

75. Acting (or Not Acting) Because of What Others Think (Wear the Mittens)

11 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

This time of year reminds me of a post I wrote two years ago about doing or not doing things we want to do take care of ourselves and make us happy –...

74. AI & Time Management with Woody Taylor

04 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Today, I'm joined my Woody Taylor, someone with far more knowledge about AI than me, to discuss AI applications at work and in our personal lives. I f...

73. My Time Management Journey

28 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

A few weeks ago, when I asked people on Instagram what to record a podcast episode about next, three people asked me to share about my time management...

72. Dr. Christine Koh: Micro-Decluttering, Radical Rest & More

21 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

I'm been a fan of Dr. Christine Koh and her podcast, Edit Your Life, for a long time. It's an honor to have her on the podcast today to discuss topics...

71. "How Do I Do Things Faster?"

14 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

During a presentation, someone once asked me a question: "Presentations take me too long to prep for. What do I do about that?" Let's talk about ways ...

70. Menstral Cycles & Time Management with Carmen Amador Barriero

07 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

We talk a fair bit about matchmaking your activities to your energy level patterns in a typical day or week. Let's kick this up a notch with Carmen Am...

69. How to Dig Out After a Curveball Week

30 Sep 2024

Contributed by Lukas

After those curveball weeks – whether it's an illness in the family or a work fire that puts off all other work – it can be overwhelming to look a...

68. Outsourcing the Mental Load at Home with Emily King of Faye

23 Sep 2024

Contributed by Lukas

We've talked in previous episodes about outsourcing work at home in ep. 29 (including emotional and even "moral" hangups about doing so) and, specific...

67. Listener Question: Handling Too Many Incoming Tasks to Calendar (Plus Meeting Overload)

16 Sep 2024

Contributed by Lukas

A woman on Instagram asked me to address in a podcast episode, in short, what do you do when you have too many tasks coming in from so many different ...

66. Practical Examples of How Everything Comes Back to Time

09 Sep 2024

Contributed by Lukas

You've probably heard me say (98493 times) that everything comes back to time. This explains why it's smart to streamline tasks (which all require tim...

65. When You're Anxious About the Next Calendared Entry

02 Sep 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Someone asked me if I could address what to do when you're anxious about the next calendared event, which prevents you from focusing on the current th...

64. How to get your partner to buy into a time management approach

19 Aug 2024

Contributed by Lukas

If you have a partner, getting them onboard with a time management approach can be tricky. Let's dig into some tips on how to do it. Here's the articl...

63. It's Harder Than "Just Schedule Time for Self-Care": How to Actually Enjoy Downtime

05 Aug 2024

Contributed by Lukas

It irks me when I hear people say, "Just schedule time for self-care." Many people I work with might find the time for a break, but struggle to enjoy ...

61. Goli Kalkhoran of Lessons from a Quitter & Resisting the Desire to be the "Perfect Employee"

22 Jul 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Too often, we women struggle to say no at work to keep our workload reasonable and maintain boundaries because we want to be a "good employee," which ...

60. Mistakes: How to Recover & Move Forward Using the Bright Method

08 Jul 2024

Contributed by Lukas

If you're like me, making a mistake can wash you in shame and derail you for a period of time. Let's talk about some guiding principles that have help...

59. For Parents: The One-Year Shakeup & the Divvy of Labor

24 Jun 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Without any scientific data to back me up, I believe kids push parents into traditional gender norms (at least in same-sex couples) because of legitim...

58. The Summer Episode: Three Tips about Summer Work, Travel, & Working Parent Logistics

10 Jun 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Hi there! Hopefully this is the last episode with bad sound quality. (Reminder: I'm in a rental and had to switch up my sound set-up in the move – ...

57. Ugh An Election Year: How to Protect Your Peace of Mind

03 Jun 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Just a heads up that the sound quality is worse. We're in a rental now, and I need to figure out the recording quality again. Thanks for sticking with...

56. Not Letting Overactive Loyalty Prevent Us From Drawing Boundaries at Work

27 May 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Many of us (myself included) have deep loyalty to many in our lives, and sometimes, it causes us to make decisions about work that are different than ...

55. "You waste years by not being able to waste hours": The Critical Role Planning Plays

20 May 2024

Contributed by Lukas

American culture is fixated on DOING – and those of us in it struggle to stop the doing to plan and prioritize. This quote caught my attention on th...

54. Ever-changing schedules: If you or your partner have ever-different weeks bc of your job, this one is for you

13 May 2024

Contributed by Lukas

For people with ever-different schedules, from ER physicians and nurses to pilots, this episode is for you!  A full transcript of this episode is av...

53. Commutes & Non-Commutes: Transitioning from Home to Work and Back

06 May 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Someone asked me on Instagram to address commutes from a time management perspective. So, let's dig into some strategies for traditional commutes & no...

52. [Listen before you rule it out] Hiring a House Manager with Kelly Hubbell of Sage Haus

29 Apr 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Listen to at least the first five minutes before you decide whether or not this episode is for you. And I'd love to hear your feedback.  Resources me...

51. Stop Comparing Your Tired to Other People's

22 Apr 2024

Contributed by Lukas

I recently had this breakthrough that's been very empowering and practically helpful, so I figured I'd share it here with you.  A full transcript of ...

50. An Example of Saying No: Why I'm Not Speaking This Year

15 Apr 2024

Contributed by Lukas

I personally find it fascinating to hear what people are saying "no" to and why. In addition, hearing examples helps normalize saying no and sparks id...

49. The Vacuum Effect: Context Matters When It Comes to Time Management

08 Apr 2024

Contributed by Lukas

I keep seeing a theme in my time management work I want to talk about – the Vacuum Effect. Let's dig into it. A full transcript of this episode is a...

48. Digital Spring Clean & Physical Work Environment Organization

01 Apr 2024

Contributed by Lukas

If you're ready for a digital spring clean (think: email, calendar, phone), jump into my free 5-day digital spring clean email series here! Over the c...

47. Three Email Management Tips

25 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Email can be a huge time management pain point for some of us. Let's go over three strategies we can use to help alleviate that pain. A full transcri...

46. Work Travel: Time Management Strategies for Working Women Who Travel for Work

18 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

In my most recent 8-week Bright Method program, during one of the corporate breakout sessions, work travel came up – specifically, how to leverage t...

45. Motivating to do the things you calendared

11 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

A woman emailed me asking me about having the self-discipline to do the task you calendared when the time rolls around. Let's discuss! Resources menti...

44. Dr. Sarah Hart-Unger & Paper Planners, Planning Privilege, and Digital Detox

04 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Time management is incredibly personal, and not everyone wants to go all in on a digital calendar(s) like I teach. Because of that, I'm thrilled to ha...

43. Five Strategies to Improve Your Meetings

26 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Meetings are critical for much of what we do, but they can also quickly become overused and ineffective. Let's talk through five strategies you can us...

42. Overcoming Burnout with Dr. Shanika Esparaz

19 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

So many of us have struggled with burnout – at work, at home, or because of the tension between the two. Dr. Shanika Esparaz, a double board-certifi...

41. When Your Calendar Overwhelms You

12 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Putting everything in your calendar we do in the Bright Method can be overwhelming. Let's go over reasons why it's worth playing through the discomfor...