time management

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June 13, 2026

Why Everything Feels Urgent (Even When It Isn’t)

Have you ever felt behind before the day even started? A text message needs a response. An email is marked urgent. The kids need to be somewhere. Work deadlines are approaching. News alerts demand attention. Notifications appear faster than you can clear them. Modern life often feels like a never-ending race against the clock. The problem is that urgency and importance are not the same thing. Many of the situations that trigger stress, anxiety, and panic are not true emergencies at all. They are manufactured deadlines, social expectations, poor planning, competing priorities, or simply the feeling that everything must happen immediately. Understanding the difference between what is urgent and what is truly important can dramatically reduce stress, improve decision-making, and help you focus on what actually matters.

September 8, 2022

How to Audit Your Time and Stop Wasting Your Day

Most people know where their money goes. Far fewer know where their time goes. We finish a week wondering why we didn't exercise, spend more time with family, make progress on important goals, or accomplish what we intended. Yet when we look back, it's often difficult to explain exactly where the hours disappeared. The problem isn't always a lack of time. More often, it's a lack of awareness. One of the most effective ways to improve productivity, reduce distractions, and align your schedule with your priorities is surprisingly simple: conduct a time audit. For one week, track how you spend your time and compare your actions to what you say matters most. The results can be eye-opening.

August 18, 2020

Heather Macht on Writing, Publishing, and Finding Time to Create

How do authors continue creating books while balancing careers, family responsibilities, and unexpected life challenges? Children's book author Heather Macht understands that challenge firsthand. As a traditionally published author, healthcare technology professional, parent, and active member of the children's publishing community, she has learned how to pursue creative goals even when time is limited and circumstances are less than ideal. In this interview, Heather shares insights into publishing with Pelican Publishing, launching books, managing a busy schedule, staying productive during periods of disruption, and continuing to write despite competing demands. Whether you're an aspiring author, working professional, or creative trying to find more time for your craft, you'll find practical encouragement throughout her journey.

March 3, 2020

What It’s Really Like to Be a Children’s Book Author-Illustrator

Many aspiring creators dream about publishing books for children, but few understand what life actually looks like once those dreams begin becoming reality. Behind every published picture book are deadlines, revisions, school visits, creative challenges, business decisions, and years spent developing both craft and career. In this interview, author-illustrator Shanda McCloskey shares an honest look at the realities of children's publishing, including creativity, time management, school visits, technology, illustration, and navigating the ups and downs of a professional creative career. Whether you're an aspiring author, illustrator, or simply curious about the publishing industry, her journey offers valuable lessons about persistence, growth, and building a creative life.

September 18, 2019

Why Making Lists Brings Order to Chaos and Improves Productivity

Have you ever had trouble falling asleep because your brain is on overdrive? It's hard to turn off the switch when so many things need our attention. Human beings cannot think two thoughts at the exact same time. We can move between thoughts incredibly quickly, and we can act upon multiple thoughts at the same time (like compound exercises), but our brains are literally unable to take two inputs and process them at once. It's this natural proclivity to become overwhelmed that results in the effectiveness of making lists.

September 27, 2018

The Myth of Multitasking and the Power of Focus

Multitasking feels productive, but research and experience suggest otherwise. Every time we divide our attention between competing tasks, we reduce the quality of our work, increase mental fatigue, and slow our progress toward meaningful goals. The ability to focus on one thing at a time has become increasingly rare, which is exactly why it has become such a valuable skill. If you want to accomplish more, improve your relationships, and make faster progress toward important goals, learning how to focus may be one of the highest-return investments you can make.

September 1, 2017

How to Make Time for Your Goals When Life Feels Busy

Most people don't fail to achieve their goals because they lack ambition. They fail because life gets busy. Work expands. Family responsibilities grow. Unexpected obligations appear. Before long, the goals that once felt important get pushed further and further into the background. The challenge is that meaningful goals rarely arrive with extra time attached to them. If we want to make progress, we often have to intentionally create space for what matters rather than waiting for a perfect schedule that never arrives.