The Lazy Genius Podcast

What do we do when we’re hit with something out of our control within our own bodies, in the bodies of people we love and live with, or from the world itself? What do we do when we are forced to pivot away from what we planned because our energy or our attention can’t function the way they were when we made that plan? That’s what I want to consider today. Spoiler: I don’t have an answer, not a con...

Simpsons fans —THE VAULT IS OPEN!  I’m Nancy Cartwright, the voice of Bart Simpson for 35+ years, and I’m finally taking you inside Springfield. Simpsons Declassified is your all-access pass to the world’s most iconic, animated  series.   Each week, we crack open wild predictions, eerie coincidences and fan conspiracies and stories  from 36 seasons (that’s 800+ episodes!) behind-the-scenes with wr...

October through December sometimes feels like a really fun roller coaster but you don’t always feel like you have time to buckle your seatbelt. This episode is going to help you not just survive a busy season but really enjoy it. Helpful Companion Links Order my new book The PLAN or ask your library to consider carrying a copy. Our digital products are going into retirement. Grab them now (at a di...

I get this question a lot, “How do you figure out what makes you feel like yourself? Is it even possible when you’re wearing all the hats and pulled in all the directions?” I’ve always said yes it is. You just have to find the things that make you feel like you. Well, when I started working on this episode and made my list of things, I found a level of nuance I’ve never really named before. Essent...

In today’s episode, I’m giving you five questions to ask to help you get your to-do list in a place that feels way more doable. It’s a simple process you can follow that takes less than five minutes, and I promise it’ll help. Then I’m sharing what my own personal to-do list routine looks like because sometimes hearing ideas from other people helps us find our own. Helpful Companion Links Order my...

We have been a genius about the things that matter and lazy about the things that don’t for an entire decade! We are a fourth grader. It’s amazing. Today, I’m celebrating this ten year mark with a top ten list of things I’ve learned along the way. uld I Read Next podcast Get on the Latest Lazy Letter list to get the newsletter once a month! Sign up for our every-other-week podcast recap email call...

August is in full swing, and for many of you, that means your lives are, too. You might have some itchy planning energy or feel like you should have planned more by now. Either way, I’m going to share with you five things to avoid when planning a busy season. That way you can get the right things done, enjoy where you are, and not feel like you need a vacation before your busy season has even star...

I love these episodes, and y’all do, too. If you’re new here, this is a question created awhile back by Barbara Brown Taylor, and it’s such a lovely way to be where you are, note what’s giving you joy, and mark the goodness of the season, no matter what’s happening. Here’s my list! I hope it inspires you to make your own.  Helpful Companion Links Order my new book The PLAN or ask your library to c...

Summer is by no means over, but as Lazy Geniuses, we do care about living in our season and marking moments well. One of my favorite ways to do this is with opening and closing ceremonies. So today, I’m simply going to share a bunch of my favorite ideas that came from y’all about how to end the summer. Helpful Companion Links Order my new book The PLAN or ask your library to consider carrying a co...

It’s the last Monday of July, so the energy is about to shift to getting back to school. August is a vibe. Even our Lazy Genius of the Week this week is about August, and she calls the month “one long Sunday night.” That tracks for a lot of people, whether you have kids in school, whether you’re an educator yourself, or whether you’re just officially winding down your summer. August has some big t...

On the average day, we’re already at least a little bit overwhelmed by our personal problems, and what I’m going to share today will actually apply to that pretty effectively. But what about when we’re dealing with the world at large, with the news and the onslaught of information and the desire to do what we can? I want to take our tried and true thirteen Lazy Genius principles and apply them to...

These are quarterly episodes where I take the questions y’all shared with me on Instagram and answer them here. Today, we’re talking about resetting after a weekend away, using patios more, deciding what wellness trends to try, meal planning with different family preferences, solo parenting while a partner is away, morning sickness while parenting two other kids, setting new expectations around ho...

Is anyone else feeling blurry? I’m feeling surprisingly exhausted and a little slower than usual. The summer stretch is lovely in its spaciousness but can feel oppressive on a dime because it’s a blur that will never end. So today I want to remind you of a few things that will hopefully help your middle of the year blur. Helpful Companion Links Share your thoughts with us via our 2025 Listener Sur...

It’s the end of June which means we’re halfway through the year, so I want to share with you my favorite books of the year so far! Maybe you’ll hear about something that is a great fit for your own reading right now. Helpful Companion Links Order my new book The PLAN or ask your library to consider carrying a copy. Kindle Paperwhite Kindle Page Turner Remote Book of the Month Aardvark Book Club Li...

People create a mess, and chances are you have more people in your home right now than usual. Obviously that’s not true for everyone, but I’m talking to you at the end of June. June is full of hot weather, bored children, abandoned projects, and therefore almost certainly a mess. Today, let’s take a few minutes to pep talk ourselves into getting unstuck when your space is a mess. Helpful Companion...

Naming the small things is so important and a practice I’ll continue long after this podcast is over, and today’s episode is in the same spirit. I want to share with you six small things I’m currently doing every day that are making a big difference. And all of these things are particular to this season I’m in and haven’t really been mentioned in other places, save one. I hope it’s a list that giv...

We're excited to bring you a hilarious and heartwarming episode of The Moth, A Family Circus. On this episode, you’ll hear two stories all about the hectic, maddening, hair-pulling side of raising kids. Mary Lea Carroll tries to figure out how her mom raised so many children without absolutely losing it. PT Smith learns the true meaning of fatherhood. Every week, The Moth’s podcast feed presents e...

Bad moods run rampant in unusual seasons, and for many of you, summer definitely is. Kids are home, temperatures and tempers are high, proximity is constant, and bad moods are inevitable. This episode is definitely not kid-centric because bad moods transcend kids, but many of you will be glad to have this episode as it relates to your occasionally whiny offspring. Regardless, this episode is here...

When your days are all reaction and no intention, especially with kids, stress tends to take the wheel. In this episode, we’re talking about how a loose plan can help you live with more joy and less chaos. Helpful Companion Links Order my new book The PLAN or ask your library to consider carrying a copy. Episode #419: 5 Things To Do Before Summer Begins Get the next Latest Lazy Letter that lands i...

Today is Memorial Day in the US, so pools are opening, school is starting to slow down or finish completely, and we are entering the abyss, I mean, beauty of the summer season.  Any time we move from one season to another, whether it’s a season of life or a season on the calendar, it’s good to pay attention to a couple of things so that we don’t suddenly find ourselves in the middle of a new seaso...

Kids and screen time. Kids and phones. Kids and rotting brains because that’s kind of what we’re afraid of. But also a lot of things about what comes out of screens are great. It just all feels like too much sometimes but never goes away. Today, I’m sharing with you my personal take on kids and technology, why I think this is hard, and some ways I approach it, both philosophically and practically,...

I’m sharing my favorite planning tool ever, something that doesn’t start big or push perfection but instead honors your season, your energy, and what matters most today. If you’ve ever felt let down by traditional planners, this episode is for you. Helpful Companion Links Order my new book The PLAN or ask your library to consider carrying a copy. How to Bullet Journal: The Absolute Ultimate Guide...

If you’re new here, this is a favorite episode we do once a quarter. Barbara Brown Taylor, a fantastic author, coined this phrase years ago: what’s saving my life, and I love the regular practice of taking note of what that is for me. I’m sharing ten things that are saving my life right now in this particular season of life, and they, as always, are quite the smattering of unrelated things. Helpfu...

We spend so much time in our kitchens—making food, cleaning up food, putting away food. The mess that comes out of that room is nothing short of terrifying. In this episode, I’m sharing 10 things that help me keep my kitchen mostly clean on a fairly regular basis. Maybe you’ll find an idea or two that will work in your home or you’ll be inspired to notice the rhythms you already have in place with...

My oldest is wrapping up his freshman year of high school, and I can feel how fast it’s all going. This episode is about what I hope he—and all my kids—know before they leave home. It’s not a checklist of adult skills (though those can be great); it’s more about the slow, everyday work of becoming. I’m sharing a few helpful categories and what falls inside them for us, but your version will look d...