Chaos and Boundaries

Subscriber-only episode

Ever feel like you're swimming upstream trying to get work done while chaos swirls around you? You're not alone. My spring break recording session from inside my bedroom closet—complete with teenagers blasting music, conducting ice bucket challenges, and demanding impromptu Starbucks runs—perfectly captures the delicate balancing act of maintaining productivity while honoring family time.

The boundary dance is real. While I've communicated my work needs clearly, the reality is that teenagers don't always listen (shocking, I know). There's a constant negotiation happening: giving them freedom to enjoy their break while carving out the space I need for professional responsibilities. I could escape to a coffee shop for distraction-free work time, but I've chosen middle ground—allowing pool hangouts with friends while protecting critical focus time.

What's working for me? A strategic approach to task management that differentiates between "active tasks" (requiring deep focus and quiet) and "passive tasks" (that can handle some background chaos). This morning, I protected my quiet hours for recording YouTube videos while my oldest was at a sleepover and youngest still asleep. When asked for an early pickup, I stood firm with my work boundary. Later, I switched to editing and formatting during the inevitable noise and interruptions. This approach has revolutionized my productivity during chaotic family periods.

As we head toward summer break (help me now!), I'm already planning how to adapt this system—possibly doing more phone-based tasks poolside. The secret isn't eliminating chaos; it's working with it intelligently. What productivity strategies help you maintain sanity when life gets chaotic? I'd love to hear your tips!

Chapters

• 0:00 Spring Break Chaos Begins
• 1:42 Setting Boundaries with Teens
• 2:48 Structuring Your Productive Day
• 4:16 Active vs Passive Tasks Strategy

Transcript

Speaker 1: 0:01

I debated doing this recording for Unhinged, but I just can't. I can't resist at this point. I am currently locked in my closet because it is chaos here. It is spring break and I have a 15 year old and 11 year old that thinks that she's also a teenager, and it is constant mayhem. The music is blasting outside, they are doing an ice bucket challenge and throwing the water on each other and we got to do a Starbucks run just randomly out of nowhere and, of course, there's no food to eat in the house, even though there's tons of food to eat in the house, so we need Chick-fil-A. And we got to do DoorDash and, holy crap, you guys, it's absolute chaos here.

Speaker 1: 0:44

But here's the thing I have talked to them about my boundaries and, let's be honest, they don't always listen. We have definitely had moments where I've had to raise my voice and give them a dirty look in the middle of me running up the stairs as I'm trying to record something, because I didn't give them enough notice. And I do need to understand. It is their spring break but at the same time, having those boundaries, I'm understanding that yes, mommy does still have to work from home, mommy does have to do these things and if I really wanted to put boundaries in place, I could say peace and hop in the car and go to a coffee shop and work for two hours straight, but I want them to be able to enjoy their spring break, have friends here, and it not be a big deal that they're out by the pool, able to enjoy their spring break, have friends here, and it not be a big deal that they're out by the pool. So, all this to say, there is going to be chaos in your life and I know we've been talking about this quite a bit because I am actually obviously at a very transitioning point with both of my girls where they have a lot of things going on. It makes my life a little bit busier. But one of the best things that we can do for ourselves is not only give yourself that grace and them the grace where you don't go nuts, but also to structure your day so that you can take advantage of the time when you do have that quiet, that downtime.

Speaker 1: 2:04

Today in particular, I knew that I needed to shoot two YouTube videos which would be turned into podcasts, which would be turned into blog posts, and my oldest wasn't home. She was at a sleepover. The youngest was here. But, youngest, you let her sleep. She'll sleep till probably one in the afternoon if I let her, I think. Yesterday she got up at about 1230 and I woke her, but the oldest was a sleepover. She started texting me last night and said hey, I want to be home by 10, which remind you, she's 15. She does not have a license yet, which means mom needs to go be an Uber. I want to be home by 10 so that we can tan. And I said absolutely not. I am recording two videos I will pick you up at 11, which I knew I was leaving the house at 11. That gave me a good hour to get my recordings in and getting a little bit more extra work that I had to get in. That's the boundaries that I had to set. Maybe it's just, it's small, but it made all the difference. I got two YouTube videos done today. Not only are they done, but because they were recorded, I was then able to go through, edit them for the podcast, edit them for YouTube, create the blog post, do the transcript, all of the things that, again based on yesterday's episode of talking about active and passive tasks, I did those active tasks where I needed the quiet I needed to be able to fully focus, and I did more of the passive of sitting there editing the YouTube video, editing the podcast and creating the blog post that goes along with it, because I already did all the background. I did the chat, gpt, going through outlining, making sure I knew what the structure was going to be before I hit record so that once I got in there I had the outline. All I had to do was take the transcription and pop it in to make sure that it could flow easily.

Speaker 1: 3:55

I want you to start to figure out where can you put those boundaries in for yourself. I know some of you have crazy schedules. I know that you have crazy things going your lives taking care of elderly parents, taking care of grandchildren, taking care of babies, like there's just a lot that goes on in our lives, and there are going to be times when it's an extremely crazy week, like spring break, which is soon to become summer. Lord help me, I'm going to need help. My mom would used to say, calgon, take me away. But even when I'm looking at summer, it's going to be about creating that structure for myself of when can I get my active tasks done and when can I put in the passive tasks? When it's going to be complete chaos and potentially, do they need to be done from my phone? Can it be something that I'm laying by the pool and I'm editing a video or doing whatever else? It might be? Start to look at those tasks. I'm telling you that can make all the difference in being more efficient and productive within your business.