As mothers, I think most of us feel a lot of societal pressure to do it all. Social media has become a huge presence in most of our lives and it feeds the comparison game some of us play from time to time. It’s incredibly easy to look at what someone else posts on instagram and think, that’s important, I should do that too.
In The Lazy Genius Way: Embrace What Matters, Ditch What Doesn’t, and Get Stuff Done, Kendra Adachi, aka “The Lazy Genius”, shows us exactly how to focus on what matters and let go of what doesn’t, subsequently making us more productive and less stressed out individuals. The Lazy Genius shows you “how to be a genius about the things that matter, and lazy about the things that don’t.” The best part of this philosophy is that Kendra isn’t telling you what to make a priority in your life. She knows that we all live very different lives. Therefore, our priorities will look very different as well. That’s why this book is so helpful. You get to name what matters to you and what doesn’t.
The Lazy Genius Way describes in detail, 13 principles to help you figure out how to be a genius about things that matter, and lazy about the things that don’t. They are:
- Decide Once
- Start Small
- Ask The Magic Question
- Live In The Season
- Build The Right Routines
- Set House Rules
- Put Everything In It’s Place
- Let People In
- Batch It
- Essentialize
- Go In The Right Order
- Schedule Rest
- Be Kind To Yourself
As adults, and mothers especially, we make SO MANY DECISIONS on a daily basis. Principle #1, Deciding Once, helps to prevent decision fatigue, and lessons the heavy mental load that us moms carry. For example, deciding once to fill your car up with gas every Thursday when you pick up your grocery order eliminates having to remember to get gas, ultimately forgetting to get it, and then unexpectedly having to stop for gas on your way to gymnastics class when you’re already running late (ask me how I know).
Principle #3, Ask the Magic Question, shows you how to name a problem, and come up with a solution. You may ask yourself, “what can I do before bed to make the morning run smoother?” The Lazy Genius shows you how to brainstorm ways to do just that. Principle #9, Batch It, shows you how to do a little more work now, to save you more work later. If you decide to make pancakes on Sunday morning, make a double batch so you have breakfast ready to go for the week.
My favorite is principle #4, Live in Your Season. This is an important one to remember, especially for mothers. I think it’s crucial for moms to remember that it won’t always be this way. As you navigate life with children and your family continues to grow and change, your priorities and routines will also change. So if you’re in a difficult season right now, remember: it won’t always be this way. This principle is also a great reminder to try to enjoy whatever season you happen to be in at the moment.
The Lazy genius shows us how to name what’s important to us and shows us how to make those important things a priority. But even more importantly, she gives us permission to be lazy about the things that don’t matter to us. If putting your toddlers in matching outfits every day isn’t important to you then don’t do it. If packing your child perfectly portioned bento box lunches is not something that is important to you then don’t do it. BUT if it is, that is perfectly okay too. That’s the beauty of this book. YOU get to decide what is worth your time and energy, and more importantly, what is not.
I hope the next time you’re looking for something good to read, you consider reading The Lazy Genius Way. It’s a good read for anyone looking to work smarter and not harder, but especially for busy moms. You can buy a copy of Kendra Adachi’s “The Lazy Genius Way” here. You can also find Kendra on Instagram, where you will find a link for her blog and podcast (perfect for the gym or the school pickup line!). Happy reading!
