Do you feel overwhelmed? Are you struggling to find a way to do everything you need and want to do?
Laura McClellan wants to let you know, we all feel that way at some time or another in our lives. You are perfectly normal.
She’s a lawyer by day and host of The Productive Woman podcast and has produced well over 100 episodes.
Laura admits she’s always geeked out over productivity, even checking out books from the library about time management when she was in middle school!
That knowledge would come in very handy not much later in life when she got married at the age of 18, had 5 children, finished her college degree in her mid-30s and then moved her family half-way across the country to attend law school at Cornell.
She told me being productive for her was simply a matter of survival!
A few lessons we touched on in our conversation include:
- What it really means to be productive. And Laura realized long ago it’s not about getting more done in less time.
- Fear of asking for money. Getting over the fear of getting people to pay for your services.
- Intentional living. How to live your life more intentionally.
Life Skills That Matter In This Episode
- Self-awareness.
- Self-learning.
- Planning.
- Energy management.
- Embrace discomfort.
How Laura Works and Thinks
- Wake up time: 6am
- Superpower: Seeing things the way they are.
- Book recommendation: Essentialism
- Ideal work environment: Working in an uncluttered and quiet space in comfortable clothes with a plan in mind.
- Favorite productivity tool: Notepad and pen.
- Unproductive habit: Spends too much time on the Internet.
- 90-day goal: Take care of her clients through her busy season.
Inspirational Quotes
“Everything in our life prepares us for what comes next.”
“There’s nothing wrong with you if you don’t feel like you have it all together. No one has it all together.”
“Get the stuff done that matters most to you.”
“Most of us don’t think of our lives as extraordinary. We just do it.”
“When I get to the end of my life I want to know I lived a life of significance and that all hinges on relationships.”
“Moment by moment you have to let the future take care of itself by doing the right thing, right now.”
Coaching Advice
Are you a stay-at-home parent thinking about working for yourself? Laura offers the following advice to decided whether or not it’s the right option for you:
1) Know your WHY. You can’t sustain your business through tough times if you aren’t clear on your WHY from the get go! What are your motivations (even outside of money)?
2) What problem are you solving and who are you solving it for? Like it or not, people are generally self-interested. Meet a specific need and if you have a valuable solution, people will find you.
Resources + Bonus Materials
Staying Productive and Peaceful During the Holidays