The Lazy Genius Podcast - #273 - How to Cross the Summer Finish Line

Episode Date: August 1, 2022

The summer-to-fall transition can feel murky, especially if you have kids or work in education. There’s not a clean mark between the end of this and the start of that. Which means it feels like we��re neither beginning nor ending anything. We are not crossing finish lines or hearing starting guns. We’re just running around like headless chickens. Let’s talk about how to finish summer in this super short little summer episode.   Helpful Companion Links Emily P. Freeman on finishing regular An Instagram recap on my brain dump method The Next Right Thing Guided Journal (by our beloved EPF) 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

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you be a genius about the things that matter and lazy about the things that don't. Today is episode 273, How to Cross the Summer Finish Line. At first, I had titled it How to Cross the Summer finish line strong because that's how we usually think about crossing finish lines. But then I found myself echoing words. I've heard from voices like Emily P. Freeman and Kate Bowler about all. how we can just be regular, right? We can just finish. We don't have to finish strong. We can just finish.

So today, that's what we're talking about, how to cross the summer finish line in a very summer-summery little short episode. One of the challenges, I think, with crossing the summer finish line, especially if you have kids or are in education, is that the end of summer and the beginning of fall bleed together.

There's not a clean mark between the end of this and the start of that, which means it feels like we're neither beginning nor ending anything. We are not crossing finish lines or hearing starting guns at all. We're just running around like headless chickens. So I think that's an important energy to name. It's hard to feel like you're ending something when something else begins before the ending is complete. And I think that's true of a lot of seasons of life, right? Very few things have clean starts and stops without overlap. So maybe, maybe we need a different measurement. Yes, we for sure want to cross the summer finish line,

but I think we need to be gentler about how we label our seasons and how finite and linear we make them. If very few things have standard stops and starts, why do we work so hard to force our seasons into that We waste a lot of effort trying to make things binary, like a light switch, right? Summer is on or it's off. School is on or it's off. Anything is on or it's off. We try to create systems to support that structure, that on-off structure, when that structure isn't even a thing. If you're a certain kind of person listening to me talking right now, you're going to want to throw your phone across the room as I encourage you to relax and not make life so structured. But I'm still going to do it. You don't have to make everything so structured and linear. Sometimes it's not even possible. And one of those times is in

this muddy place of seasonal transitions. So if the transition is murky and there really isn't a summer finish line in the way we wish there was, what can we do to finish well or finish at all? my guess is that one of the biggest reasons you're feeling like you have to finish well or that you feel the finish threatened is because you have things you haven't done during the summer that you wanted to and you're anticipating all the things you need to do to get ready for the next season basically there are just too many things to do that's usually where stress comes from there's too many things to do so let's address that problem this is a super simple idea here I've already shared before my to-do list strategy when I'm feeling crazy in my brain.

I do a brain dump of literally all the things in my head. And then I categorize those things into four categories. Now, soon, later, and never mind. And I put those items on my list and that brain dump list into those four categories based on what matters most about my life. right then. That is super super important. If you don't name what matters, you'll stay overwhelmed as you try and do everything. So categorize based on what matters most. Once all the things are out of my head in one list and I give myself the space to name what matters, it's easier to prioritize. I can see what

needs to be done now, right? Like right now, right? I can see what needs to be done soon but isn't as urgent. what can be done later. And what I was worried about, that after seeing it in the context of everything else, it doesn't really matter anymore. That goes in the nevermind column. Once the list is broken down into those four categories, I deal with the now list. I make a plan for that, and I get that stuff done. And then I can move on too soon and then later. It's just mental triage. That's it. We'll be right back. 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. I encourage you to do this brain dump strategy for your own life right now, especially if you saw the title of this episode and you're like, oh, I really want to do that. I really want to cross the summer finish line. If you want to finish summer well, what are you wanting to happen to make that a reality? What do you hope to do that hasn't made it into your day yet? Write it down. What do you want to do to prepare for the next season? What is a overwhelming your brain about the school year, probably a lot. Write it down, write down literally

everything that comes to mind. That's why it's called a brain dump. And then go through your giant list and categorize those things into now, soon, later, and never mind. Now, if you have been influenced by me and you have gotten the mild liner highlighters, you could use a couple of different colors for, or like four different colors and highlight things that are now soon, later and never mind. you know, you could use it that way. You could use two colors and you could highlight things that feel like finishing summer. That's one color is finishing summer. And then the things that are moving into fall are another color. That'll kind of help you see where your energy is too. Are you focused more on what you've missed in the summer? Are you focused more on what is coming? Once you see your stuff

broken down, make a plan. Put certain things on the calendar. See where you need help. Notice where you're overwhelmed and you need to schedule rest. Name what you can. can let go. And as for as many days as you remember, I want you to keep looking at that list. Reassess your priorities. Be kind to yourself as you transition in these seasons. When we get overwhelmed, we are not kind. We are not focused or lucid. We are stressed out. And when we get stressed out, we think that everything has to change and we're mad at ourselves that we don't do it fast enough. our summer rhythms, how we plan for school, what we're doing to care for our own bodies, everything having to do with food, everything is under a microscope, followed by a sledgehammer, basically.

Let's not do that. Let's not do that. Instead, name what's on your mind and on your plate. Think about what matters most in this transitional season. Then just triage your stuff. If you need some categories, you can use mine. Now, soon, later, and never mind. or you can use something else that makes sense for you. You don't have to use that.

And then you just keep doing that kindly, day after day, as you move towards the end of summer. You're not the only one who feels behind, who feels like you haven't made memories this summer, who feels like everything is loosely falling apart. We all feel that way a little bit because time is strange and being a person is like a whole thing. So perhaps too, as you look ahead at your brain dump list and the things you're hoping to do or that you're choosing to let go, look back to reflect. You can follow our favorite reflection guru, Emily P. Freeman for that. She has a seasonal reflections journal called The Next Right Thing guided journal, which is hugely helpful. And it lets you reflect simply and at your own pace. But don't forget to look back to.

not just at what was working for the sake of future productivity. Notice how you've been a person. Look at what you've enjoyed. What made you laugh. What you miss. What made your people come alive. Looking back is an equally important part of effectively looking forward. So it's the end of July and we're all feeling all kinds of things.

So I hope that these short few minutes have just been a quick encouragement to you. Just do your brain dump. Name what matters. triage and don't forget to look back to. Before we go, let's celebrate the lazy genius of the week. This week it's Kristen Finn, who shared about a little caddy she uses to make her life outside easier. Any catty will do made of any material that you like, but here is what Kristen says about

hers. This handy item has made it much easier for me to utilize our patio in the backyard. For a barbecue, I use it to hold silverware, fun napkins, a bottle opener, and a condiment too. For heading outside with the kids, I use it to hold water bottles, sunscreen, sunglasses, and a snack. For sitting outside with my husband after the kids go to bed, I use it to hold beer or water, a bottle opener, and a baby monitor. You can see it all, can't you? Like, you just have like a little basket or a caddy or something that is the place for anything you need outside. And that helps you have what you need and use what you have. We love the principle of

putting everything in its place around here. And sometimes those things need to move for from room to room. So the caddy is a great place. It's like a transitional place. And remember, the caddy itself isn't magical. That's why I'm not telling you what she uses, you guys. The catty is not magical. You can use literally anything, but it's the idea I want you to think about. Don't spend your energy trying to find a magical calendar or magical recipe or magical catty or anything magical. The magic is rarely in the thing. It's almost always in the practice. So just try the practice if this sounds interesting to you. So thanks for you. for this idea, Kristen, and congratulations on being the lazy genius of the week. All right, guys,

that's it for today. Thanks so much for being here. 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. 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.