Work + Life Harmony | Time Management, Organization and Planning for Overwhelmed Women

Are you constantly interrupted by household stuff all week long? The emails from school, the forms that need signing, the bills that aren't on autopay, the portals that need checking. For years, I was handling these things every single day, either stopping what I was doing or carving out time each afternoon to stay on top of it all. But here's what I finally figured out: most of that stuff didn't actually need to be done that day. It just felt urgent because I didn't have a system for it.
Today I'm breaking down what I call my Household COO time. It's a dedicated block of time (usually about two hours) that I schedule once a week to handle all the household coordination stuff that piled up during the week. This one shift has changed my stress levels, my focus during the week, and honestly got rid of a ton of resentment I didn't even realize I was carrying.
In This Episode, I'll Cover:
What Household COO time is and what goes into it
How to decide what needs handling now versus later
The three places to collect everything that piles up
Why making this work visible changed everything for my family
How batching saves time and reduces daily interruptions
Join the FREE One Notebook Challenge
and Kiss your Notebook Clutter Goodbye
February 2-6, 2026
www.megansumrell.com/onenotebook
________________________________

💻 Free Training
Overwhelmed? Frazzled? Tired of your calendar controlling you?
You’re in the right place. Sign up for my free, on-demand training and learn how to take control of your time—no matter what life throws at you.
👉 https://www.megansumrell.com/freetraining
________________________________
📱 Get The Pink Bee App
Access planning tools, trainings, and support all in one place.
👉 https://www.onelink.to/qxdcwu
________________________________

Thanks for tuning in!
Megan 🩷🐝

www.megansumrell.com
www.instagram.com/megansumrell
www.youtube.com/@the_pink_bee
www.facebook.com/megansumrell

There's this weird pressure to go fully digital with your planning and note-taking, like using paper somehow means you're falling behind. But despite spending over 20 years working in tech and running a digital business, the two most critical tools for staying on top of time and maximizing productivity are actually paper and pencil. It's not about being old-school or resistant to technology. There's actual neuroscience behind why your brain works differently when you write things down versus typing them out.
Today, you'll discover the three brain benefits that make paper planning superior for retention, memory formation, and focus. You'll also learn when digital tools are the better choice and how to use a hybrid approach that gives you the best of both worlds. If you've been trying to force yourself to go fully digital but something just isn't working, you're about to understand exactly why.

In This Episode, I'll Cover:
The neuroscience behind why handwriting creates deeper retention than typing
How motor memory and spatial anchoring help you remember better
Why paper reduces distractions and helps you prioritize information
When digital tools actually win and when to use them strategically
The hybrid approach that combines the brain benefits of both methods
Join the FREE One Notebook Challenge
and Kiss your Notebook Clutter Goodbye
February 2-6, 2026
www.megansumrell.com/onenotebook
________________________________

💻 Free Training
Overwhelmed? Frazzled? Tired of your calendar controlling you?
You’re in the right place. Sign up for my free, on-demand training and learn how to take control of your time—no matter what life throws at you.
👉 https://www.megansumrell.com/freetraining
________________________________
📱 Get The Pink Bee App
Access planning tools, trainings, and support all in one place.
👉 https://www.onelink.to/qxdcwu
________________________________

Thanks for tuning in!
Megan 🩷🐝

www.megansumrell.com
www.instagram.com/megansumrell
www.youtube.com/@the_pink_bee
www.facebook.com/megansumrell

Your boss just dropped three more projects on your already overflowing desk. When you express concern, you're told to "just be grateful for the opportunity." 
Your to-do list would take 42 hours to complete, but you only have 20 hours available this week. A productivity guru tells you "you can do anything if you just stay positive" and that positive thinking will make everything magically fall into place. 
You're drowning in overwhelm, but everyone around you keeps saying you just need to "choose joy" and "focus on abundance."
This isn't a mindset problem. It's a math problem. And toxic positivity in productivity culture is gaslighting you into thinking you're failing when the real issue is that you've been handed an impossible equation to solve. 

In this episode, I'll cover:
3 toxic positivity messages keeping you stuck and the harm it causes 
What realistic optimism actually looks like
The difference between being realistic versus making excuses
3 self-check questions to spot when you're caught in toxic positivity thinking
Why setting boundaries based on reality isn't negative, it's honest
Join the FREE One Notebook Challenge
and Kiss your Notebook Clutter Goodbye
February 2-6, 2026
www.megansumrell.com/onenotebook
________________________________

💻 Free Training
Overwhelmed? Frazzled? Tired of your calendar controlling you?
You’re in the right place. Sign up for my free, on-demand training and learn how to take control of your time—no matter what life throws at you.
👉 https://www.megansumrell.com/freetraining
________________________________
📱 Get The Pink Bee App
Access planning tools, trainings, and support all in one place.
👉 https://www.onelink.to/qxdcwu
________________________________

Thanks for tuning in!
Megan 🩷🐝

www.megansumrell.com
www.instagram.com/megansumrell
www.youtube.com/@the_pink_bee
www.facebook.com/megansumrell

If you've ever caught yourself saying "I'm so busy" like it's some kind of achievement, this episode is calling your name. Monica Virga Alborno, founder of Wanderwild Family Retreats and former Fortune 500 energy engineer, joins me to talk about why moms tend to wear busyness as a badge of honor and what it's actually costing us. 
This isn't about adding another two-hour morning routine to your already packed schedule. Monica shares practical five-minute resets and why normalizing rest for our kids might be one of the most important things we do. Plus, you'll hear about her incredible family retreats that actually let moms vacation WITH their kids without the exhaustion that usually comes with it.

In This Episode, I'll Cover:
Why we wear busyness as a badge of honor and how to break that cycle
The difference between a "busy" day and a "full" day (and why it matters)
Practical five-minute rituals to create spaciousness in your overwhelmed life
How living abroad shifted Monica's perspective on American mom culture
Why asking for help doesn't make you lazy or less capable
What family retreats that welcome children can teach us about slowing down
Connect with Monica: 
www.wanderwildfamilyretreats.com
www.instagram.com/wanderwildfamilyretreats
www.substack.com/@wanderwildfamilyretreats
Join the FREE One Notebook Challenge
and Kiss your Notebook Clutter Goodbye
February 2-6, 2026
www.megansumrell.com/onenotebook
________________________________

💻 Free Training
Overwhelmed? Frazzled? Tired of your calendar controlling you?
You’re in the right place. Sign up for my free, on-demand training and learn how to take control of your time—no matter what life throws at you.
👉 https://www.megansumrell.com/freetraining
________________________________
📱 Get The Pink Bee App
Access planning tools, trainings, and support all in one place.
👉 https://www.onelink.to/qxdcwu
________________________________

Thanks for tuning in!
Megan 🩷🐝

www.megansumrell.com
www.instagram.com/megansumrell
www.youtube.com/@the_pink_bee
www.facebook.com/megansumrell

When did we all collectively decide that December 31st gets to define whether we succeeded or failed this year? December 31st is just a day. It's not a final exam, it's not a measure of your worth, and it definitely doesn't get to be the weapon that determines if you had a good year or not.
Right now, your inbox and social feeds are probably flooding with "finish strong" messaging. And if you're like most women I work with, you're looking at your goals, trying to enjoy the holidays, and feeling behind. But what if the problem isn't you? In this episode, I'm breaking down exactly what's happening with this toxic messaging and what you can do instead to actually feel good about your year.

In This Episode, I'll Cover:
Why December 31st isn't actually a report card for your year
The problem with "finish strong" messaging and why I refuse to participate
What steady state planning is and how it's different from sprinting to deadlines
Why moving a goal date doesn't make you a failure
How to look at your year without tying everything to one arbitrary date
Join the FREE One Notebook Challenge
and Kiss your Notebook Clutter Goodbye
February 2-6, 2026
www.megansumrell.com/onenotebook
________________________________

💻 Free Training
Overwhelmed? Frazzled? Tired of your calendar controlling you?
You’re in the right place. Sign up for my free, on-demand training and learn how to take control of your time—no matter what life throws at you.
👉 https://www.megansumrell.com/freetraining
________________________________
📱 Get The Pink Bee App
Access planning tools, trainings, and support all in one place.
👉 https://www.onelink.to/qxdcwu
________________________________

Thanks for tuning in!
Megan 🩷🐝

www.megansumrell.com
www.instagram.com/megansumrell
www.youtube.com/@the_pink_bee
www.facebook.com/megansumrell