The Lazy Genius Podcast - #200 - The Lazy Genius Starter Kit: 20 Episodes That Will Immediately Change Your Life

Episode Date: March 8, 2021

Two hundred episodes is a lot, and it’s likely you haven’t listened to every single one. Or maybe you have but it’s been a while and you need a brush-up. Whatever it is, I went through the entire archive and hand-picked the 20 episodes that will absolutely have the biggest broadest impact on your regular life.  Helpful Companion Links Get The Lazy Genius Way (affiliate link) and have all 13 principles on hand at a moment’s notice. Episode #17: The Lazy Genius Cleans the House and episode #60: The Lazy Genius Cleaning Routine Episode #19: The Lazy Genius Gets Dressed Episode #21: The Lazy Genius Does Laundry Episode #32: The Lazy Genius Cleans the Kitchen Episode #34: The Lazy Genius Organizes a Home Episode #37: The Lazy Genius Budgets (Pro tip - check out Chelsea Brennan over at the Smart Money Mamas, too) Episode #40: The Lazy Genius Navigates Family Tension Episode #48: The Lazy Genius and Time Management Episode #51: The Lazy Genius Cleans the Bathroom (Pro tip - follow @gocleanco on Instagram) Episode #76 - The Lazy Genius Meal Plan Episode #77: The Lazy Genius Rests Episode #80: The Lazy Genius Daily Act of Kindness Episode #91: The Lazy Genius Organizes Paper Episode #119: Plan Your Opening Ceremony Episode #124: The Lazy Genius Weekly Plan Episode #142: Living Without Food Rules Episode #143: Your Body Is Not Flawed Episode #160: Wear Makeup Like a Lazy Genius Episode #196: How to Lazy Genius Adult Screen Time Episode #198: How to Lazy Genius Your To-Do List 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. This podcast is hosted by Kendra Adachi and executive produced by Kendra Adachi, Jenna Fischer and Angela Kinsey. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Hey there, you're listening to The Lazy Genius Podcast. I'm Kendra Adachi, and I'm here to help you be a genius about the things that matter and lazy about the things that don't. You guys, this is our 200th episode. And while a three single episode is important and lovely, we all know there's some like extra value or sentimentality attached to, you know, big round numbers like 200. And since we could all use more practice at us, celebrating our lives. We are going to do that today by celebrating that this podcast has 200 episodes. Thank you for coming to the party. Welcome. Some of you have been here since the podcast launched back in May of 2016. Some of you might be listening to your very first episode like right now. And some of you might be like Liz, a listener from New Zealand, who has been binging the podcast for the last few months and she just caught up. She's been sending me DMs. It's the best. Or you might be like, my real life buddy Don, who is a man with grown children. So like not my target demo. And he's been listening to this podcast from the beginning very slowly. He will stop me at church and say, I just listen to the one

about making Change Your Life Chicken. And then he'll go home and he and his wife, Amy, will make change your life chicken. It's the best. Don, you probably won't hear this for a few months, but I think you're super great. Okay. So no matter your lazy genius podcast origin story, I'm so glad you listen. And as I thought about what to do for this, episode and as I read through your ideas, many of which were fantastic. You shared those with me on Instagram. I landed here on the lazy genius starter kit, 20 episodes that will immediately change your life. 200 is a lot, right? It's a lot of episodes. And it's likely you have not listened to every single one. Or maybe you have, but it's been a while since you listen to something that was really

helpful. Maybe you need a brush up. Whatever it is, I went through the entire archive and I handpicked the 20 episodes that will absolutely have the biggest, broadest impact on your regular life. They're kind of like the foundation of living the lazy genius way. Minus actually reading my book, The Lazy Genius Way. In case you're new, just to distinguish between this list of episodes and that particular book, they are very much not the same. I will explain why. The Lazy Genius Way, the book, it is 13 lazy genius.

principles that you can apply to any area of your home, your life, your relationships, anything. They're like the Swiss Army knife of how to be a person. Now, while I might mention some of those principles in this episode, and definitely in the episodes in the starter kit, the starter kit, specifically that I'm going to share here, it's more about the application of those principles around certain topics. In fact, that's actually the whole point of this podcast, really, is I apply lazy genius principles to specifics so that you don't have to. And you can see how the principles work together in all kinds of scenarios,

so you can get more practice at applying them yourself in your own life. So here is the lazy genius starter kit. So all of these episodes will be listed in the show notes, so you don't need to write them down. I would very, very much like you to continue listening to this podcast for a very long time. but if you're a new listener and are just overwhelmed by the sheer number of episodes, these are the ones to choose. They are, like I said, they're broad and important for pretty much everyone, almost everyone. They are the foundation of this whole thing. So if you have these, you are in excellent, excellent shape. Okay, let's jump in. We're going to go in order from earliest episode to most recent.

Number one in the Starter Kid is episode 17. The lazy genius cleans the house. we all live somewhere, right? And we all have expectations of how it should be clean. We even have different definitions of what clean is. This is the episode that puts everything in a lazy genius perspective. A bonus episode that I will, I will already throw in a bonus episode to the starter kit is episode is episode number 60, the lazy genius cleaning routine. So as you listen to the lazy genius cleans the house and you sort of figure out what your perspective is and what your rhythm around that is, and then you kind of want to systemize that a little bit. the routine episode is waiting for you. Okay, so that's episode 17. The Lazy Genius Cleeds the house. Starter Kit episode number two is episode number 19. The lazy genius gets dressed. So you do this every single day, right? And I think we need some lazy genius direction on what that looks like.

There's style and closet organization. And should you do a capsule wardrobe? And what is clean fashion or slow fashion? And like all of these questions that we have rolling around. about getting dressed. This episode gives you a framework to decide how you can think differently every day about getting dressed. I think this is like a low-key, life-changing episode, just because you think getting dressed is fine and it doesn't need your attention, like you just do it. But when you start thinking about it, the way you want to, based on what matters to you like a lazy genius does, it impacts every single day. Starter Kit episode number three is Lazy Genius episode 21. The lazy genius does laundry. It's the laundry episode. People still write me even now,

like 180-ish episodes later, that this particular episode changed their lives. Again, laundry doesn't stop. You know, like we all have to do it. And the sooner you can lazy genius it, the more pleasant the experience will be. So that episode is absolutely a winner. Starter kit number four is episode 32. The lazy genius cleans the kitchen. This particular episode, it's kind of my pride and joy and it's one of the sneakiest life changers. So in this episode, I share with you the order that you should go in to clean up after a meal. The number of people who have listened to this thought I was mildly insane and then like humored me and tried it and then had their lives changed.

It's a lot of people. Lazy geniuses go in the right order. That is principle number 11 from the lazy genius way. And you think the order of cleaning your kitchen won't. matter, but it super does. It really, really does. So that's episode 32. The Lazy Genius cleans the kitchen. Starter Kit episode number five is episode 34. The Lazy Genius organizes a home. I share my five organizational personalities and help you find your own system to figure out what to do with your stuff, right? Remember, organizing is simply putting everything in its

place. It's just putting your stuff away. That is Lazy Genius principle number seven from the book. put everything in its place. And when you start to reframe how to organize your stuff, whether it's with matching bins or not, your whole home feels better. Starter Kid episode number six is episode 37, the lazy genius budgets. This one that people ask for all the time and they just don't scroll deep enough into the archives to know it's there. But this is where we talk about money and figuring out what to do with it. Now, I am not a money expert by Nesterich. I will point you to Chelsea Brennan over at Smart Money Mamas for that. But this episode has given so much freedom and clarity to listeners for literally years.

But it's just, it's so deep in the archives that I don't want you to miss it. Okay, Starter Kit episode number seven is episode 40. The Lazy Genius Navigates Family Tension. I created this episode around the Thanksgiving holidays a couple years ago just because, you know, family gatherings can be, times where we're we're sort of thrown down the gauntlet of our dysfunction, right? It's a lot. But you don't have to be close to a holiday for this episode to be helpful. A listener wrote me a couple of months ago, actually, I wish I could remember her name. Whoever you are,

thank you for your DM. But about how she listens to this episode every time she has to be with a family member that she struggles with. It's like her little pep talk. And that is the most beautiful thing to me. Like, I can't. So if you have tension in one, one of your close relationships, which let's be honest, we all do to some level. This episode is key to being a person with that person. Starter Kit episode number eight is episode 48, the lazy genius and time management. This episode is the one that's foundational to all the episodes about routines and planning and all of that.

You need these pillars of time management that I share in this episode. And the perspective in here, again, it's just life-changing. It's just how you see it. It is a shift that impacts how you live today. Starter kit episode number nine is episode 51. I wish I had like a symbol crash every time I listed a new one. It's fine. It's episode 51. The lazy genius cleans the bathroom. This is definitely one that needs a simple crash. Like we have to do it, right? And this one is about order. Again, going in the right order. If you're going to clean your bathroom, which I hate and most of us think I mean yeah we should probably do it sometimes go in the right order please like don't waste your time spending longer in there than you have to so there is one tip in

this episode that alone is worth the listen I'll just tell you about it now actually it is to dust the bathroom first when you get the dust that is on the sinks and the toilet's wet and a lot of times you can't see that dust until you get it wet and it turns the dust into those linty little blue and black pieces all over the sink that make you crazy. It's dust your bathroom first. I recently, last year, during the pandemic, I started following Go Clean Co on Instagram. It's a cleaning guru who has like a cleaning business. It's like full of amazingness. It's fantastic. But she dusts or even vacuums the bathroom, like the fixtures and everything before she cleans it. She does it too. And when I saw that, I felt so validated because like, Lacey, do you just

do that. We do the same thing. So dust your bathroom first and then listen to The Lazy Genius cleans the bathroom. Starter Kit episode number 10 is episode number 76, the lazy genius meal plan. This is where I just break it down. Like so many of the meal planning concepts I use and love and share often kind of in bits and pieces on Instagram like brainless crowd pleasers and the meal matrix. It's kind of an overview of how you can lazy genius getting food on the table every day. Aw isn't something we need to travel for. It's something waiting for us in everyday life, whether in a city street or a moment with a work of art. I'm Dr. Keltner, host of the Science of Happiness podcast. Join me for Cities of Aw, a special series on how our public spaces

can spark awe, wonder, and enhance the quality of public life. You can find us wherever you listen to your podcasts. Okay, Starter Kit episode number 11. is episode 77, the lazy genius rests. Principle number 12 in the book, The Lazy Genius Way, is to schedule rest. And that is a principle because we do not know how to rest. So if you don't have the book, listen to this episode. If you have the book, read the chapter. But if you don't have the book, listen to this episode. Please, please, reframe how to rest and learn what that means for you in your life because you can't survive if you don't rest. And I don't mean sleep. That's not what I mean. I mean rest.

Starter kit episode number 12 is episode 80, the lazy genius daily act of kindness. I thought about putting a goals episode on this list, but I decided not to because I thought this one was more important. You need to treat yourself with kindness every single day based on who you are today, not on the ideal you're trying to hit with your goals and you're tracking. and the chorus of shoulds in your head. This one is important every single day. The Daily Act of Kindness. Starter Kit episode number 13 is episode 91.

The Lazy Genius organizes paper. You guys, please listen to this episode and have your life changed. We all have paper and none of us really know what to do with it. The bills, you know, the art from the kids, the catalogs, the permissions, lives, like all the things. So this episode breaks it down. you will learn about zones. It will literally change your life. I promise this with my whole heart that it will change your life. Starter kit episode number 14 is episode 119. Plan your opening ceremony. So opening and closing ceremonies are, they're kind of like the aunt and uncle at your big family

reunion that you really, really love. They don't really say much, you know. They don't try to grab the spotlight. But when they aren't there, you're really sad because they're kind of your favorite like they just are game changers with the vibe opening and closing ceremonies are are that okay they are a way to live in the season which is a lazy genius principle number four from the lazy genius way they are pivotal and having a rhythm in your life that supports what matters they are the thing that when they're gone you're like oh i wish they were here like that favorite aunt uncle now your ceremonies can be fun celebratory quiet personal silly it doesn't matter they can be anything i love them so much and if you don't know about them i think you will too

so listen to that episode starter kid episode number 15 remember we're doing 20 of these is episode one 24 the lazy genius weekly plan so we all we all live weeks we all have the same time that we deal with and we all might want a little plan on how those weeks are going to go I think there are going to be a tough tension between productivity and letting things go, right? Obviously. That's why we're trying to be a genius about what matters and lazy about the rest. This episode holds hands with the one about time management, but it's more specific and that it's literally about like the boots on the ground living that we do week after week

with what we need to get done, but also what we need to let go. Starter Kid episode number 16 is episode. 142, living without food rules. Okay, so I have done a few episodes about diets and exercise and body and all the things. And this episode is one of the most important, I think, which is obviously why it's on this list. You might be new to this concept of like living your life without food rules. And if you are, this episode will likely blow your mind. It might make you uncomfortable, actually. I did not come up with this whole thing, by the way. People way smarter than me have been doing this work for years and years. But it has been one of the most transformational messages

of my life. And I think it can be for yours as well. Which leads us to Starter Kit episode number 17, episode 143, which is the one right after living without food rules. Your body is not flawed. So that last one is about food and this one is about your body. And your body is not flawed. It does not need fixing. There are a lot of powerful voices working really hard to make you think that it does, to make you think it needs fixing. But this episode is full of truth about your body and how you see it that I again think will change your life. Starter Kit episode number 18 is episode 160. Wear makeup like a lazy genius. Now Don might skip this one, my buddy. We'll see. I get this one is not as relevant to every single listener, right? But I think it's relevant to most of you. And I also think it's something that we need to talk about. It's something that has like a lot of nuance, right? I talk about this in the lazy genius way. But we've sort of been taught a message that wearing makeup, it means you're fake or you're trying too hard or you're not humble, you're bragging, you're not modest. Like there are tons of things about it. And I just don't think that's true. Now, do you have to wear makeup to feel beautiful? I hope not.

can you wear makeup and also feel beautiful? Absolutely. But this episode isn't just a soapbox on that. I actually lazy geniused my makeup by deciding once, which is lazy genius principle number one from the book, how I do my makeup every day based on three main faces. There's a fourth in there too, but it's like special. Three main faces so that I don't have to think about like, what am I going to do with my makeup? It's just, it's really fun. I think it's super helpful. And it's one that has a lot of bang for your buck, but it gets skipped a lot because of all the junk attached to this idea of makeup in the first place. So I promise you that this one is worth a listen. Starter Kid episode number 19 is episode 196. How to Lazy Genius Adult Screen Time. This was just a few weeks ago.

And I think, and I think you think this as well, that this was a, really helpful episode. Like we all use phones and we all have expectations around how much time we should spend on it. And I wanted to talk about this because it feels important, but I wanted to talk about it in a helpful way that that had zero shaming, like literally zero. And I am so grateful for your feedback because that is exactly what your feedback was, is that it was really helpful, but you didn't feel shamed. So I'm just, I'm so glad. I just think this is a really solid, helpful episode that again will transform your life like a today. And the last one is Starter Kid episode number 20.

It was just two episodes ago. 198. How to Lazy Genius Your To Do List? In the same way that the adult screen time was not about shaming, this episode about your to do list isn't just about productivity. I mean, it is in part, but we need a better way to talk about how we decide what to do and then what steps we take to do them.

again we all have stuff to do every day even if it's the single intention of taking a shower because like you're taking care of a tiny baby we all have stuff to do so what a gift to lazy genius it right and that's your starter kit that's your starter kid think about it all those things like you're getting dressed you're maybe wearing makeup you're eating and you're in your body but now you have new ways to think about them both you're learning to rest and you're being kind to yourself every single day you're paying attention to tense relationships and trying to love well. You're cleaning the house in the kitchen and the bathroom. You're organizing your house. You're doing laundry. You're planning meals. You're dealing with paper that comes in the door every

day. You're budgeting your money. You're planning your week. You're making your list. You're using your phone. You're trying to just figure out how to manage your time in general. If you listen to all these, even if you've already listened to them and just get a refresher, there are so many tidbits in here that will immediately change your life into more of what you want it to be. And that is the lazy, genius kid. I'm so glad that you listen today and any day, as we have made 200 episodes, so much fun. One of the ideas I got from Instagram, from a lot of you actually, was for you guys to share with me through like audio messages, like actual voice recordings, how different principles or lazy genius tips have impacted your life. I love that idea so much. It would have taken

too much time to produce based on when I asked for ideas, which was literally like a few days ago. it would just take too much time to kind of put that editing together. So we are going to save that idea for episode 250, right, to mark that milestone. We'll be able to plan for it. That way, like, you guys can have plenty of time to gather your words. And I will have time to honor those words with an episode that is thoughtful and not rushed. But I also want to share more of the ways that you are lazy genius in your life. On Instagram, I think we're going to maybe try to move into that a little bit more where we're kind of crowdsourcing ideas. So if you don't already follow me on Instagram, be sure you are. I'm at The Lazy Genius. Now that I have turned in the

manuscript for my second book, The Lazy Genius Kitchen, hooray! It comes out March 22. I have more time and energy to think about what I share with you and how I share with you, both here and on Instagram. So I think we're just going to have some really great opportunities to keep connecting and sharing in these coming months. I'm really excited. Also, one final housekeeping note, we have joined a podcast network. You guys, this is seriously so exciting. It's kind of big time for our show that is steadily grown over these last five years. It's so fun. So if you're wondering, a podcast network, this is a great definition. A podcast network is kind of like a friend that you have who like knows people, like knows a lot of people and then connects you with those people. But you pay them to do that. So I

guess they're not really a friend. I don't know. Basically, there are brands that are bigger than I could talk to myself, right, but that would love to share their products with you. They would love to tell you about, you know, it's ads, it's commercials, but they would love to put them in front of the right people. And a network is basically like a brand podcast matchmaker, right? So we just joined our network called ACAST, like a couple weeks ago. Last week was the first week that we had our ads through ACAST. We're still in the early stages of figuring out, like, how that will sound, how and where the ads are going to be added. If it's like always going to be my voice sharing ads or occasionally, will it be someone else's? Like, this is kind of a new

thing for us. So I'm grateful for your patience as we figure it out. And also it's like super exciting. So yeah, I'm just really excited. So again, ACAST is our network. Another show that you might love Pantsuit Politics is with ACAST. So it's like joining like a fun, uh, podcast. cast family. There is no way. There is absolutely no way that we could have had the chance to work with ACAST if not for your faithful listening or release last 200 episodes. I mean, really, like, it's a really big deal. You guys are the reason that we can do this. So thank you so much. And cheers to this like really fun new thing we get to celebrate. All right. Thank you so much for listening, for celebrating these 200 episodes with me. And until next time, be a genius about the things that matter

and lazy about the things that don't. I'm Kendra, and I'll see you next week. Have you ever felt like you were living just a B or B plus life? It's so dangerous to live that. More dangerous than a B minus or a C plus life, because when you're living a B or B plus life, you don't change it. You think it's good enough.

Is it? I'm Susie Welch. I host a podcast called Becoming You. People think, okay, an A plus life is not available to me, but there is a way. We are all in the process of becoming ourselves. Listen to becoming you wherever you get your podcasts.