Mandy Maid

06/02/2026

Self care days are the best days! 👌 🌼

05/23/2026

05/23/2026

I read about a working mom who organized her time so ruthlessly that she always keyed in 1:11 or 2:22 or 3:33 on the microwave rather than 1:00, 2:00 or 3:00, because she realized hitting the same number three times took less time. There is no doubt in my mind that she had a full plate. Too full. But how much time was she gaining? Instead of squeezing seconds out of a microwaved lunch, removing a nonessential item for her to-do list or asking for help on a project would have provided more relief and more of a time and energy boost. Juggling everything makes it impossible to enjoy anything.
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Pre-simplicity me would have tried to implement this strategy of 1:11 because I too was determined to fit it all in. Instead of saying, "no" more often and doing less, I'd turn to a productivity hack that I thought would allow me to do more. It became a bad habit. I kept saying yes, kept piling it on, and kept falling behind. I measured who I was by what I got done. If you've ever used your to-do list or calendar as a report card to assess your self-worth, you know what I mean. I shared this story in my first book, Soulful Simplicity because simplifying your life doesn't just mean decluttering your home. It means decluttering your to-do list, your calendar and your yeses too!