1 00:00:02,720 --> 00:00:05,880 Speaker 1: Hi. This is Laura Vandercamp. I'm a mother of five, 2 00:00:06,160 --> 00:00:10,240 Speaker 1: an author, journalist, and speaker. And this is Sarah hart Unger. 3 00:00:10,480 --> 00:00:13,480 Speaker 2: I'm a mother of three, a practicing physician and blogger. 4 00:00:13,480 --> 00:00:15,840 Speaker 2: On the side, we are two working parents who love 5 00:00:15,840 --> 00:00:17,440 Speaker 2: our careers and our families. 6 00:00:17,880 --> 00:00:20,360 Speaker 1: Welcome to best of both worlds. Here we talk about 7 00:00:20,400 --> 00:00:23,360 Speaker 1: how real women manage work, family, and time for fun, 8 00:00:23,880 --> 00:00:27,120 Speaker 1: from figuring out childcare to mapping out long term career goals. 9 00:00:27,360 --> 00:00:32,120 Speaker 1: We want you to get the most out of life. 10 00:00:32,600 --> 00:00:35,760 Speaker 1: Welcome to best of both worlds. This is Laura. In 11 00:00:35,800 --> 00:00:39,560 Speaker 1: this episode, I'm going to be interviewing Harmony Smith, which 12 00:00:39,600 --> 00:00:43,040 Speaker 1: is the blogging name of a lawyer who lives in 13 00:00:43,080 --> 00:00:45,960 Speaker 1: Western New York and has a fascinating blog called Creating 14 00:00:46,040 --> 00:00:50,720 Speaker 1: My Kaleidoscope. Really looking forward to hearing from her. One 15 00:00:50,720 --> 00:00:53,239 Speaker 1: of the things that she's been writing about over the 16 00:00:53,320 --> 00:00:58,160 Speaker 1: past many years is the pursuit of financial independence, and 17 00:00:58,240 --> 00:01:01,160 Speaker 1: particularly how one might do this when you have a 18 00:01:01,240 --> 00:01:04,720 Speaker 1: large family, because she has five children and various other 19 00:01:04,800 --> 00:01:07,600 Speaker 1: things that you want to do in life, so we're 20 00:01:07,959 --> 00:01:10,080 Speaker 1: you know, a lot of the financial independs. We've talked 21 00:01:10,080 --> 00:01:12,760 Speaker 1: about this on the Passive podcasts, Sarah. I mean it 22 00:01:12,840 --> 00:01:15,640 Speaker 1: has this element of being like the bro, right, the 23 00:01:15,680 --> 00:01:19,200 Speaker 1: bro who works in computer science in some way and 24 00:01:19,360 --> 00:01:22,000 Speaker 1: is like thirty five and wants to be done working 25 00:01:22,000 --> 00:01:25,559 Speaker 1: at thirty nine. But that means he can't like get married, 26 00:01:25,680 --> 00:01:27,800 Speaker 1: or have a family or do anything else because it's 27 00:01:27,800 --> 00:01:29,800 Speaker 1: got to be that he's retired at that point. So 28 00:01:30,000 --> 00:01:32,440 Speaker 1: it's a little bit off putting for some of us, 29 00:01:32,680 --> 00:01:35,080 Speaker 1: I know for you as well. Yeah, it is. 30 00:01:35,000 --> 00:01:37,600 Speaker 2: Always interesting when someone is going on about saving like 31 00:01:37,720 --> 00:01:39,960 Speaker 2: ninety percent of their salary, but you realize that they're 32 00:01:40,000 --> 00:01:43,839 Speaker 2: living alone in a studio apartment and it's like, well, yeah, 33 00:01:43,959 --> 00:01:47,920 Speaker 2: your expenses are going to be very, very different than mine. 34 00:01:48,000 --> 00:01:50,440 Speaker 2: If I added up the things I'm only spending on myself, 35 00:01:50,520 --> 00:01:52,680 Speaker 2: I could I could save a lot too, But that's. 36 00:01:52,680 --> 00:01:54,240 Speaker 1: That's not the scenario I've chosen. 37 00:01:54,360 --> 00:01:57,520 Speaker 2: So there's often like kind of a lot of unspoken 38 00:01:57,560 --> 00:02:00,800 Speaker 2: stuff around the ability to join up movement that like 39 00:02:00,840 --> 00:02:03,960 Speaker 2: are kind of brushed under but are probably incredibly significant, 40 00:02:04,000 --> 00:02:05,840 Speaker 2: like whether you choose to have a family. 41 00:02:06,480 --> 00:02:09,400 Speaker 1: Yeah yeah, but you know, life isn't only about how 42 00:02:09,480 --> 00:02:12,720 Speaker 1: much money you can save, given that you don't take 43 00:02:12,760 --> 00:02:15,200 Speaker 1: any of it with you. One might wonder what the 44 00:02:15,240 --> 00:02:17,640 Speaker 1: reason is to, you know, decide, well, I want to 45 00:02:17,919 --> 00:02:20,560 Speaker 1: work as few years as possible, but I'm going to 46 00:02:21,880 --> 00:02:24,640 Speaker 1: not use my resources as part of building relationships with 47 00:02:24,720 --> 00:02:27,920 Speaker 1: other people. It seems a bit misguided, but in some 48 00:02:27,960 --> 00:02:30,640 Speaker 1: ways these aren't always either or, and certainly, you know, 49 00:02:30,680 --> 00:02:33,360 Speaker 1: Harmony's going to talk a little bit about that as well. 50 00:02:33,680 --> 00:02:36,799 Speaker 1: I also think her story is interested because she's come 51 00:02:36,800 --> 00:02:39,240 Speaker 1: from a position where her family had a significant amount 52 00:02:39,240 --> 00:02:42,160 Speaker 1: of debt and that they were also trying to pay 53 00:02:42,240 --> 00:02:44,160 Speaker 1: that off in the process. So what does it look 54 00:02:44,200 --> 00:02:48,520 Speaker 1: like to try to completely change your financial situation and 55 00:02:48,560 --> 00:02:51,320 Speaker 1: all that. And she's been very open over the years, 56 00:02:51,320 --> 00:02:52,679 Speaker 1: which is you know, one reason that she does a 57 00:02:52,760 --> 00:02:56,640 Speaker 1: blog under her own name, So we we sometimes have 58 00:02:56,680 --> 00:02:59,000 Speaker 1: to be a little bit more more guarded, although less 59 00:02:59,040 --> 00:03:01,440 Speaker 1: you you're I think a little bit more authentic sometimes 60 00:03:01,440 --> 00:03:01,880 Speaker 1: than I am. 61 00:03:02,320 --> 00:03:03,480 Speaker 2: I'm pretty authentic. 62 00:03:03,760 --> 00:03:04,520 Speaker 1: But I did. 63 00:03:06,040 --> 00:03:09,880 Speaker 2: The other day Annabelle like very casually left me a comment, 64 00:03:10,120 --> 00:03:12,160 Speaker 2: like I just go to my comments and read them 65 00:03:12,200 --> 00:03:14,520 Speaker 2: and it's like, oh, I use those pens too, but 66 00:03:14,600 --> 00:03:16,520 Speaker 2: I smudged it, like I actually read the comment first 67 00:03:16,560 --> 00:03:17,960 Speaker 2: and then saw who wrote it and was like, oh, 68 00:03:18,000 --> 00:03:22,320 Speaker 2: my god, that's my daughter. So knowing that my children 69 00:03:22,360 --> 00:03:24,360 Speaker 2: are regular blog readers. But then I reflected on that, 70 00:03:24,400 --> 00:03:27,440 Speaker 2: and I'm like, honestly, everything in there they know. If 71 00:03:27,480 --> 00:03:30,480 Speaker 2: I'm sharing some emotional struggle, it's probably not a secret 72 00:03:30,520 --> 00:03:33,880 Speaker 2: like that in the house when that mommy is upset 73 00:03:33,919 --> 00:03:37,080 Speaker 2: about something exactly. I just think I had to be 74 00:03:37,120 --> 00:03:40,640 Speaker 2: careful to share my story and not be sharing other 75 00:03:40,640 --> 00:03:43,800 Speaker 2: people's stories inadvertently, and I think I've gotten good at 76 00:03:43,840 --> 00:03:44,600 Speaker 2: towing that line. 77 00:03:45,200 --> 00:03:47,760 Speaker 1: Yeah, it's definitely an evolving thing as your kids get older, 78 00:03:47,800 --> 00:03:50,160 Speaker 1: because you know, it's whatever, you write a funny story 79 00:03:50,160 --> 00:03:52,119 Speaker 1: about what your two year old did, you don't think 80 00:03:52,120 --> 00:03:54,040 Speaker 1: about it so much. Although at this point the two 81 00:03:54,120 --> 00:03:56,120 Speaker 1: year old is now, you know, a teenager, and the 82 00:03:56,120 --> 00:03:57,880 Speaker 1: two year old the former two year old may not 83 00:03:57,920 --> 00:03:59,960 Speaker 1: be so thrilled to have that existing in the inner 84 00:04:00,080 --> 00:04:03,520 Speaker 1: at archive, which is something I've been thinking about lately. 85 00:04:03,560 --> 00:04:06,760 Speaker 1: But I'm definitely, you know, I ask kid permission for 86 00:04:06,840 --> 00:04:10,680 Speaker 1: like Instagram posting with pictures. I also just tend not 87 00:04:10,720 --> 00:04:12,880 Speaker 1: to write that much about my older kids anymore, which 88 00:04:12,920 --> 00:04:15,560 Speaker 1: and some of them feels, I don't know, it's hard, 89 00:04:15,600 --> 00:04:19,320 Speaker 1: because like I love seeing their lives develop and I 90 00:04:19,360 --> 00:04:21,480 Speaker 1: think it's so fascinating what they're doing, and there's some 91 00:04:21,600 --> 00:04:25,440 Speaker 1: great topics that come up with it, but it is 92 00:04:25,480 --> 00:04:27,560 Speaker 1: their life and not mine. 93 00:04:28,360 --> 00:04:30,400 Speaker 2: Well, if you want it for the memory aspect, then 94 00:04:30,440 --> 00:04:33,000 Speaker 2: that would be you know, a reason behind like a 95 00:04:33,040 --> 00:04:34,680 Speaker 2: five year journal or something that was going to be 96 00:04:34,760 --> 00:04:36,440 Speaker 2: private that you could then look back on. 97 00:04:36,839 --> 00:04:38,880 Speaker 1: And look back on and see it from there and 98 00:04:38,880 --> 00:04:40,920 Speaker 1: not share it with the universe. Well, that is definitely true, 99 00:04:40,960 --> 00:04:43,160 Speaker 1: so something to consider for all of us as we 100 00:04:43,520 --> 00:04:46,560 Speaker 1: deal with older kids. But anyway, very excited to hear 101 00:04:46,600 --> 00:04:49,800 Speaker 1: what Harmony has to say about her life working as 102 00:04:49,839 --> 00:04:54,000 Speaker 1: a lawyer, raising five kids, having a homestead of sorts 103 00:04:54,040 --> 00:04:57,520 Speaker 1: in western New York. So let's hear from her. Sarah 104 00:04:57,600 --> 00:05:00,960 Speaker 1: and I are delighted to welcome her, Harmony Smith, to 105 00:05:01,040 --> 00:05:04,520 Speaker 1: the podcast. So Harmony, could you please introduce yourself to 106 00:05:04,560 --> 00:05:05,440 Speaker 1: our listeners. 107 00:05:06,080 --> 00:05:09,200 Speaker 3: Hi, Lauren, thanks for having me. Well, I'm a mother 108 00:05:09,320 --> 00:05:12,279 Speaker 3: of five who has been working as a full time 109 00:05:12,320 --> 00:05:17,039 Speaker 3: attorney for about fourteen years now. But I, on the 110 00:05:17,120 --> 00:05:21,520 Speaker 3: other hand, have also been attempting to homestead as much 111 00:05:21,560 --> 00:05:26,800 Speaker 3: as possible, crochet and hopefully reach financial semi independence in 112 00:05:26,839 --> 00:05:27,760 Speaker 3: the next couple of years. 113 00:05:28,160 --> 00:05:30,080 Speaker 1: Very exciting. How old are your kids? 114 00:05:30,680 --> 00:05:37,560 Speaker 3: My kids are thirteen, eight, six, six, and eleven is 115 00:05:37,600 --> 00:05:38,039 Speaker 3: my daughter? 116 00:05:38,240 --> 00:05:40,719 Speaker 1: Excellent? We miss turned the middle there somehow. 117 00:05:40,800 --> 00:05:44,400 Speaker 3: Yeah, so the boys are spread out and then I 118 00:05:44,440 --> 00:05:45,599 Speaker 3: have the one girl who's eleven. 119 00:05:45,640 --> 00:05:49,080 Speaker 1: We got you exactly, and twins for the youngest too. Correct. 120 00:05:49,839 --> 00:05:53,000 Speaker 3: Yes, we had meant to have one more, but of 121 00:05:53,040 --> 00:05:54,719 Speaker 3: course that's how things work, right. Yeah. 122 00:05:54,760 --> 00:05:56,839 Speaker 1: Yeah, you're going for four and you hit five. That's 123 00:05:57,120 --> 00:06:01,320 Speaker 1: exactly the way life goes sometimes. And so I found 124 00:06:01,640 --> 00:06:04,479 Speaker 1: you in when I was writing a lot about you know, 125 00:06:04,560 --> 00:06:10,120 Speaker 1: financial related topics, and because your family was focusing on 126 00:06:10,920 --> 00:06:13,280 Speaker 1: like getting out of debt and things like that, so 127 00:06:13,320 --> 00:06:15,040 Speaker 1: I wonder if you could talk a little bit about 128 00:06:15,040 --> 00:06:16,560 Speaker 1: your family's story with all that. 129 00:06:17,640 --> 00:06:23,680 Speaker 3: It started the creating Michaleidoscope blog back in twenty fourteen. 130 00:06:24,080 --> 00:06:25,880 Speaker 3: We only had a couple of kids. At that point. 131 00:06:26,600 --> 00:06:29,640 Speaker 3: I really wasn't happy being an attorney, and I had 132 00:06:29,640 --> 00:06:32,720 Speaker 3: seen a lot online about fire and all of these 133 00:06:33,160 --> 00:06:36,960 Speaker 3: younger individuals who were working a ton, saving up all 134 00:06:37,000 --> 00:06:40,080 Speaker 3: their money and then retiring in like their thirties, and 135 00:06:40,240 --> 00:06:42,800 Speaker 3: that sounded good to me. But we had a lot 136 00:06:42,839 --> 00:06:46,520 Speaker 3: of debt, you know, we weren't smart with our money, 137 00:06:46,560 --> 00:06:49,440 Speaker 3: and I still had law school loans and mortgages and 138 00:06:49,600 --> 00:06:54,440 Speaker 3: lots of credit cards too. So the blog was born 139 00:06:54,520 --> 00:06:59,360 Speaker 3: out of this journey to destroy our debt and reach 140 00:06:59,839 --> 00:07:03,279 Speaker 3: more freedom. When it came to what we had to 141 00:07:03,320 --> 00:07:05,400 Speaker 3: do for work and bringing an income. 142 00:07:06,000 --> 00:07:08,480 Speaker 1: And so what were you doing to make that happen. 143 00:07:09,360 --> 00:07:13,440 Speaker 3: Well, we didn't just go make a budget or something 144 00:07:13,480 --> 00:07:15,360 Speaker 3: like that. We didn't cut out the lattes. We made 145 00:07:15,360 --> 00:07:18,640 Speaker 3: it a mission. We got really serious about it. We 146 00:07:18,760 --> 00:07:23,440 Speaker 3: cut all discretionary spending. I mean I went three years 147 00:07:23,880 --> 00:07:27,400 Speaker 3: without buying any new clothes at all. Yeah, we didn't 148 00:07:27,760 --> 00:07:30,000 Speaker 3: mess around. We paid off as much as we could. 149 00:07:31,280 --> 00:07:34,920 Speaker 3: And then we also did side hustles. I wrote some 150 00:07:35,000 --> 00:07:39,520 Speaker 3: things online. I did the little survey things. My husband 151 00:07:39,960 --> 00:07:43,880 Speaker 3: did some things like Instacart and things like that to 152 00:07:43,920 --> 00:07:46,960 Speaker 3: increase our income while we decreased our spending. 153 00:07:47,400 --> 00:07:49,360 Speaker 1: And what was it about the fire idea that was 154 00:07:49,360 --> 00:07:51,320 Speaker 1: so appealing to you? I mean you said you weren't 155 00:07:51,480 --> 00:07:54,200 Speaker 1: entirely happy with your professional life at the moment. 156 00:07:55,120 --> 00:08:00,480 Speaker 3: Freedom. Yeah, it was really about being able to pursue 157 00:08:00,520 --> 00:08:04,120 Speaker 3: other passions and have time with the kids. At that time, 158 00:08:04,200 --> 00:08:06,720 Speaker 3: I was working in a downtown law firm with a 159 00:08:06,720 --> 00:08:10,400 Speaker 3: long commute. I was gone many hours every day, and 160 00:08:10,560 --> 00:08:12,640 Speaker 3: I mean if I was on trial. I remember one 161 00:08:12,680 --> 00:08:15,960 Speaker 3: trial where I had to stay overnight at a trial 162 00:08:16,000 --> 00:08:18,560 Speaker 3: that was a couple hours away from our home, and 163 00:08:18,600 --> 00:08:21,000 Speaker 3: I didn't see my kids for a whole week. It 164 00:08:21,040 --> 00:08:21,600 Speaker 3: was horrible. 165 00:08:21,920 --> 00:08:24,080 Speaker 1: Yeah, and so you wanted the freedom to sort of 166 00:08:24,120 --> 00:08:25,120 Speaker 1: work in a different way. 167 00:08:26,040 --> 00:08:31,240 Speaker 3: Yes, And hopefully I won't have to be an attorney forever. 168 00:08:32,160 --> 00:08:35,520 Speaker 3: Am not like those other ones that strive for the 169 00:08:35,559 --> 00:08:37,880 Speaker 3: corner office where they're going to work until they're gray 170 00:08:37,920 --> 00:08:41,400 Speaker 3: and old. That is not something that I desire. 171 00:08:41,880 --> 00:08:44,000 Speaker 1: But you guys are pursuing this path, you know, so 172 00:08:44,040 --> 00:08:47,360 Speaker 1: you're doing side hustles, you're cutting out all discretionary spending. 173 00:08:47,679 --> 00:08:50,040 Speaker 1: You decide to have a fourth kid, wind up with five. 174 00:08:50,440 --> 00:08:52,360 Speaker 1: I imagine that was a little bit of a bump in 175 00:08:52,400 --> 00:08:53,600 Speaker 1: the road on all this. 176 00:08:54,480 --> 00:08:59,560 Speaker 3: It was. It was because we were very specific about 177 00:08:59,600 --> 00:09:04,400 Speaker 3: our child goals. We planned things. We planned things so 178 00:09:04,440 --> 00:09:07,840 Speaker 3: that it was going to be going from two in 179 00:09:07,920 --> 00:09:11,199 Speaker 3: daycare to two in daycare. But then when you added 180 00:09:11,240 --> 00:09:13,720 Speaker 3: the twins, it would have been three in daycare. And 181 00:09:13,760 --> 00:09:16,360 Speaker 3: my husband, who was working in construction, at the time, 182 00:09:17,440 --> 00:09:19,720 Speaker 3: his wages didn't cover three in daycare? 183 00:09:20,600 --> 00:09:22,240 Speaker 1: So what did you wind up doing with that then? 184 00:09:23,000 --> 00:09:25,080 Speaker 3: So he ended up being a stay at home dad 185 00:09:25,720 --> 00:09:29,240 Speaker 3: and taking on the responsibility of three young boys while 186 00:09:29,400 --> 00:09:32,160 Speaker 3: I was, you know, the breadwinner because I mean my 187 00:09:32,280 --> 00:09:33,400 Speaker 3: salary was more than his. 188 00:09:33,720 --> 00:09:36,240 Speaker 1: Yeah, And so what did that wind up looking like 189 00:09:36,280 --> 00:09:38,079 Speaker 1: for your family then? I mean, we've had a lot 190 00:09:38,080 --> 00:09:41,559 Speaker 1: of discussions on this podcast of how things change when 191 00:09:41,600 --> 00:09:45,280 Speaker 1: people are and more of a female breadwinner home. I mean, 192 00:09:45,720 --> 00:09:47,400 Speaker 1: was was that challenging for you guys at all? 193 00:09:48,120 --> 00:09:52,160 Speaker 3: It was, and it led me to finding the job 194 00:09:52,200 --> 00:09:55,079 Speaker 3: that I have right now. I was back from maternity 195 00:09:55,160 --> 00:09:57,080 Speaker 3: leave with the twins for a week and it was 196 00:09:57,120 --> 00:09:59,240 Speaker 3: clear that it wouldn't be sustainable because I was just 197 00:09:59,280 --> 00:10:02,160 Speaker 3: gone along and he was having the big kids come 198 00:10:02,200 --> 00:10:04,880 Speaker 3: home from school while taking care of bottles and trying 199 00:10:04,880 --> 00:10:07,559 Speaker 3: to make dinner. And that led me to search for 200 00:10:07,600 --> 00:10:10,600 Speaker 3: something different, which I now have a remote attorney job 201 00:10:10,640 --> 00:10:13,840 Speaker 3: that I'm extremely thankful for. But in terms of the 202 00:10:13,960 --> 00:10:17,800 Speaker 3: day today, since he has had taken on that stay 203 00:10:17,800 --> 00:10:20,920 Speaker 3: at home dad role, he assumed a lot of the 204 00:10:21,240 --> 00:10:26,160 Speaker 3: domestic responsibilities. Even today, he does the grocery shopping he 205 00:10:26,160 --> 00:10:28,719 Speaker 3: cooks dinner most nights. He does a lot of the 206 00:10:28,800 --> 00:10:30,880 Speaker 3: kid's laundry and stuff like that. 207 00:10:31,760 --> 00:10:35,320 Speaker 1: Yeah, and so I mean, what does I mean, Because 208 00:10:35,320 --> 00:10:37,240 Speaker 1: you're still working full time, But how does it change 209 00:10:37,240 --> 00:10:40,439 Speaker 1: things to be in a remote full time position versus 210 00:10:40,840 --> 00:10:42,600 Speaker 1: an in person position. I wonder if you can just 211 00:10:42,600 --> 00:10:44,679 Speaker 1: talk a little bit about how that makes your life 212 00:10:44,679 --> 00:10:45,360 Speaker 1: more possible. 213 00:10:46,720 --> 00:10:50,040 Speaker 3: Yes, it used to be. Well the commute. First of all, 214 00:10:50,720 --> 00:10:53,360 Speaker 3: I get back an hour and a half to two 215 00:10:53,360 --> 00:10:56,040 Speaker 3: hours every day not having to commute to an office. 216 00:10:56,520 --> 00:10:59,760 Speaker 3: As far as my day in the life goes, I 217 00:10:59,800 --> 00:11:03,640 Speaker 3: have so much flexibility. There are court appearances that I 218 00:11:03,679 --> 00:11:07,800 Speaker 3: sometimes have to go to, but they're really limited. Especially 219 00:11:07,840 --> 00:11:10,680 Speaker 3: since COVID, a lot of the judges are preferring to 220 00:11:10,679 --> 00:11:14,880 Speaker 3: do things via virtual conferences. But as far as how 221 00:11:14,920 --> 00:11:17,440 Speaker 3: my date goes, I might have a virtual conference and 222 00:11:17,480 --> 00:11:20,079 Speaker 3: then the rest of the day I have just things 223 00:11:20,080 --> 00:11:24,079 Speaker 3: to review, letters, to write reports, motions, things like that. 224 00:11:24,120 --> 00:11:27,000 Speaker 3: Where my work is on the computer. And as long 225 00:11:27,040 --> 00:11:30,920 Speaker 3: as I bill my hours for the day, my eight hours, 226 00:11:31,040 --> 00:11:32,760 Speaker 3: that's what it is. As long as I bill my 227 00:11:32,800 --> 00:11:35,200 Speaker 3: eight hours for the day, it doesn't matter so much 228 00:11:35,200 --> 00:11:37,880 Speaker 3: when it's done, so I can take a break and 229 00:11:37,960 --> 00:11:41,880 Speaker 3: go check on the chickens. I can go to the garden. 230 00:11:41,880 --> 00:11:44,840 Speaker 3: I could take a walk if I want, and almost 231 00:11:44,920 --> 00:11:46,800 Speaker 3: every day I get the kids off of the bus. 232 00:11:47,080 --> 00:11:51,280 Speaker 1: Excellent, excellent. And so let's talk about this concept of 233 00:11:51,920 --> 00:11:55,280 Speaker 1: financial semi independence or whatever you were talking about, because 234 00:11:55,520 --> 00:11:58,640 Speaker 1: you know, you were seeing the fire people and many 235 00:11:58,679 --> 00:12:03,320 Speaker 1: of them were younger. We're maybe not having families, and 236 00:12:03,360 --> 00:12:05,800 Speaker 1: so you obviously have this different situation. I mean, what 237 00:12:06,000 --> 00:12:09,280 Speaker 1: does this semi retirement mean and what is it going 238 00:12:09,320 --> 00:12:09,760 Speaker 1: to look like? 239 00:12:10,559 --> 00:12:14,280 Speaker 3: Whereas the fire people just don't do anything to bring 240 00:12:14,280 --> 00:12:17,400 Speaker 3: in income, they have this big store of savings that 241 00:12:17,440 --> 00:12:21,319 Speaker 3: they live off of. Financial semi independence for me will 242 00:12:21,360 --> 00:12:25,520 Speaker 3: be where we reach a point that all of our 243 00:12:25,559 --> 00:12:28,880 Speaker 3: debt is paid off, including mortgages. Because our credit cards 244 00:12:28,920 --> 00:12:31,240 Speaker 3: have been paid off. It's been years. Thankfully we did 245 00:12:31,240 --> 00:12:33,560 Speaker 3: achieve that the school loans are gone, but we still 246 00:12:33,559 --> 00:12:38,120 Speaker 3: have mortgages right now, and we have three properties that 247 00:12:38,160 --> 00:12:41,120 Speaker 3: we own right now. Our first two homes we kept 248 00:12:41,440 --> 00:12:45,120 Speaker 3: as rental properties and now we're living in our new homestead. 249 00:12:46,000 --> 00:12:49,600 Speaker 3: So financial independence, semi independence for me will be when 250 00:12:50,440 --> 00:12:53,280 Speaker 3: all of the debt is paid off and that will 251 00:12:53,960 --> 00:12:56,839 Speaker 3: open up a lot of freedom as not having these 252 00:12:56,880 --> 00:12:59,520 Speaker 3: obligations to pay anything, because when you take out the 253 00:12:59,559 --> 00:13:02,600 Speaker 3: mortgage and the credit cards and those types of things, 254 00:13:03,280 --> 00:13:06,719 Speaker 3: the cost of living is not that much. And especially 255 00:13:07,480 --> 00:13:11,000 Speaker 3: again we're trying to grow a garden and live frugally 256 00:13:11,200 --> 00:13:13,680 Speaker 3: and have food to eat here. When you add in 257 00:13:13,720 --> 00:13:16,440 Speaker 3: all of those things, cost of living goes down a lot. 258 00:13:17,280 --> 00:13:20,000 Speaker 3: So for me, I would like to reach a point 259 00:13:20,040 --> 00:13:22,440 Speaker 3: where I no longer have to work full time as 260 00:13:22,480 --> 00:13:25,080 Speaker 3: an attorney. Either I can drop down to part time 261 00:13:25,520 --> 00:13:28,520 Speaker 3: or retire completely from that, and then we bring in 262 00:13:28,520 --> 00:13:33,719 Speaker 3: income to fund our frugal lifestyle between the rental properties 263 00:13:34,400 --> 00:13:39,080 Speaker 3: and other types of side hustles that are more focused 264 00:13:39,120 --> 00:13:42,720 Speaker 3: on our passions and things that we enjoy, like for me, 265 00:13:43,000 --> 00:13:46,400 Speaker 3: crochet and writing things like that. 266 00:13:46,640 --> 00:13:48,600 Speaker 1: Well, as I'm looking at you, I mean, our listeners 267 00:13:48,600 --> 00:13:50,320 Speaker 1: are listening to you, but you and I can see 268 00:13:50,360 --> 00:13:53,080 Speaker 1: each other through our software. I see a lot of 269 00:13:53,240 --> 00:13:55,640 Speaker 1: yarn behind your head, So tell me about that. 270 00:13:56,679 --> 00:14:00,840 Speaker 3: Yes, I love crochet. It is a passion of mine. 271 00:14:01,240 --> 00:14:05,640 Speaker 3: I started when my third was a baby and I 272 00:14:05,679 --> 00:14:08,839 Speaker 3: wanted to get them a crochet blanket. I just really 273 00:14:08,920 --> 00:14:12,240 Speaker 3: liked them, and we had been gifted too for the 274 00:14:12,320 --> 00:14:14,400 Speaker 3: younger two, but no one gave us one. 275 00:14:14,280 --> 00:14:16,360 Speaker 1: For the third, So people don't give your baby presents 276 00:14:16,360 --> 00:14:18,240 Speaker 1: for the third. It's just you know, they're like not. 277 00:14:18,240 --> 00:14:24,360 Speaker 3: Again, exactly exactly, So you can't really buy those at Walmart. 278 00:14:24,760 --> 00:14:27,440 Speaker 3: I looked on Etsy and I was surprised at how 279 00:14:27,480 --> 00:14:29,680 Speaker 3: expensive they were. So the type of person I am, 280 00:14:30,200 --> 00:14:33,320 Speaker 3: I thought, can I do this myself? I went on YouTube, 281 00:14:33,320 --> 00:14:35,640 Speaker 3: I watched some videos I taught myself and I just 282 00:14:35,760 --> 00:14:39,440 Speaker 3: love it. And I have made lots of things for 283 00:14:39,600 --> 00:14:44,040 Speaker 3: family and friends, and now I have expanded into doing 284 00:14:44,080 --> 00:14:46,800 Speaker 3: craft fairs. This year I did three Kraft fares and 285 00:14:46,840 --> 00:14:49,640 Speaker 3: it was so much fun. I had a great time, 286 00:14:49,640 --> 00:14:53,320 Speaker 3: and I hoped to expand my crochet business. I guess 287 00:14:53,680 --> 00:14:54,200 Speaker 3: we're into. 288 00:14:54,200 --> 00:14:57,000 Speaker 1: Actually does it make money to sell blankets at craft fars? 289 00:14:57,240 --> 00:14:58,160 Speaker 1: I mean I have no idea. 290 00:14:59,320 --> 00:15:02,640 Speaker 3: Well, it's fun. I blankets, because that's what I started with, 291 00:15:03,360 --> 00:15:05,560 Speaker 3: are my favorite thing to make. But no one buys 292 00:15:05,600 --> 00:15:08,080 Speaker 3: the blankets at Kraft fairs. I think everyone has an 293 00:15:08,120 --> 00:15:10,720 Speaker 3: antwer or grandma that crochets that will make the baby 294 00:15:10,760 --> 00:15:14,800 Speaker 3: a blanket, except for me. With my third the thing 295 00:15:14,840 --> 00:15:18,760 Speaker 3: that has been selling has been little stuffed animals. I 296 00:15:18,920 --> 00:15:22,240 Speaker 3: found that people just love those. So yes, I have 297 00:15:22,280 --> 00:15:24,880 Speaker 3: a lot of yarn behind me, and the one row 298 00:15:24,960 --> 00:15:26,680 Speaker 3: is all this really thick yarn that I make little 299 00:15:26,760 --> 00:15:29,800 Speaker 3: stuffed animals, and the ones that the kids don't steal 300 00:15:30,400 --> 00:15:32,280 Speaker 3: I take to the craft fair with me, and they've 301 00:15:32,280 --> 00:15:33,200 Speaker 3: been doing really well. 302 00:15:33,720 --> 00:15:35,520 Speaker 1: Yeah, I'm not sure how long mine would last if 303 00:15:35,520 --> 00:15:37,800 Speaker 1: they were inventory. I have a kid who's really into 304 00:15:37,800 --> 00:15:41,240 Speaker 1: squish mellows, so I suspect they'd be all all gone. Well, 305 00:15:41,280 --> 00:15:42,840 Speaker 1: we're going to take a quick ad break and we 306 00:15:42,920 --> 00:15:46,040 Speaker 1: come back, we'll be hearing more about Harmony's various adventures. 307 00:15:58,800 --> 00:16:03,200 Speaker 1: So I am back with the blogger known as Harmony Smith, 308 00:16:03,760 --> 00:16:07,960 Speaker 1: who in her life is an attorney and is also 309 00:16:08,160 --> 00:16:13,920 Speaker 1: doing various craft fair kind of selling of crocheted small animals. So, Harmony, 310 00:16:13,960 --> 00:16:17,080 Speaker 1: when I interviewed you for Off the Clock many years ago, 311 00:16:18,200 --> 00:16:20,200 Speaker 1: you had kind of a five year plan that you 312 00:16:20,240 --> 00:16:24,160 Speaker 1: were getting out of debt, moving toward achieving some sort 313 00:16:24,200 --> 00:16:28,000 Speaker 1: of financial semi independence as we call it. Did that 314 00:16:28,040 --> 00:16:31,040 Speaker 1: timeline wind up working? And you also said you were 315 00:16:31,040 --> 00:16:33,640 Speaker 1: going to reward yourself with a big trip with the kids. 316 00:16:33,640 --> 00:16:35,400 Speaker 1: So let's talk a little bit about the trip that 317 00:16:35,440 --> 00:16:37,840 Speaker 1: you did wind up taking too things. 318 00:16:37,840 --> 00:16:42,720 Speaker 3: They're always aspirational, aren't they. Absolutely it did not work out. 319 00:16:43,000 --> 00:16:44,960 Speaker 3: I mean, we did make it the hunt of progress. 320 00:16:45,000 --> 00:16:48,240 Speaker 3: We paid off all of the debt except mortgages, and 321 00:16:48,360 --> 00:16:52,200 Speaker 3: we're doing so much better financially. Honestly, that plan back 322 00:16:52,240 --> 00:16:55,440 Speaker 3: then didn't really account for a homestead. When we lived 323 00:16:55,520 --> 00:16:58,280 Speaker 3: back in our previous home, we had lots of little gardens, 324 00:16:58,640 --> 00:17:01,520 Speaker 3: and our passion for that grew over time that we 325 00:17:01,600 --> 00:17:04,840 Speaker 3: wanted to expand to a property where we could have 326 00:17:04,960 --> 00:17:08,400 Speaker 3: a huge garden and chickens and bees eventually and all 327 00:17:08,440 --> 00:17:13,320 Speaker 3: sorts of other things. So the timeline was, as I said, aspirational. 328 00:17:14,200 --> 00:17:16,480 Speaker 3: One of the things that I had originally said was 329 00:17:16,680 --> 00:17:20,920 Speaker 3: when we turned forty, we would take a long road 330 00:17:20,920 --> 00:17:25,320 Speaker 3: trip all over America with the kids. What happened is 331 00:17:25,400 --> 00:17:28,160 Speaker 3: we jumped the gun a little bit with that because 332 00:17:28,800 --> 00:17:32,600 Speaker 3: of various reasons. But my sister lives in California, and 333 00:17:32,720 --> 00:17:36,160 Speaker 3: we planned a road trip, a one month road trip 334 00:17:36,200 --> 00:17:38,840 Speaker 3: in California to visit her, but to also see all 335 00:17:38,880 --> 00:17:43,439 Speaker 3: of the national parks and so in February twenty twenty, 336 00:17:43,600 --> 00:17:48,440 Speaker 3: right before the pandemic, I took off three weeks from 337 00:17:48,520 --> 00:17:51,199 Speaker 3: work and I spread it over a month and we 338 00:17:51,440 --> 00:17:55,520 Speaker 3: rented an RV and traveled all over California, having a 339 00:17:55,560 --> 00:17:59,040 Speaker 3: really epic adventure and a good test run. I will say, 340 00:17:59,520 --> 00:18:03,720 Speaker 3: for if if we ever could handle a full America journey, 341 00:18:04,440 --> 00:18:05,000 Speaker 3: well what. 342 00:18:04,840 --> 00:18:06,600 Speaker 1: Was it like? I mean, you got seven of you 343 00:18:06,640 --> 00:18:08,200 Speaker 1: in an RV, so do tell. 344 00:18:09,400 --> 00:18:13,400 Speaker 3: It was an adventure. It was not a vacation. There 345 00:18:13,520 --> 00:18:18,040 Speaker 3: was ups and downs, but it was amazing. We saw 346 00:18:18,320 --> 00:18:22,240 Speaker 3: so much and I got a lot of questions back 347 00:18:22,240 --> 00:18:24,919 Speaker 3: then about taking the kids out of school for that 348 00:18:25,040 --> 00:18:28,520 Speaker 3: much time. I will say the school, they didn't really 349 00:18:29,000 --> 00:18:30,720 Speaker 3: have any way to object to it. I remember the 350 00:18:30,720 --> 00:18:32,320 Speaker 3: principal said, I don't really want you to take the 351 00:18:32,400 --> 00:18:35,480 Speaker 3: kids out for that long, but I can't stop you. 352 00:18:36,480 --> 00:18:40,200 Speaker 3: So we didn't go to any amusement parks. We went 353 00:18:40,240 --> 00:18:43,960 Speaker 3: to educational places. We went to liberate tarpits, We made 354 00:18:44,000 --> 00:18:46,320 Speaker 3: them keep a journal, we brought some work with us, 355 00:18:47,040 --> 00:18:51,280 Speaker 3: and there was the one week of vacation in February, 356 00:18:51,280 --> 00:18:53,760 Speaker 3: so that was one of the reasons we picked that month. 357 00:18:54,359 --> 00:18:57,439 Speaker 3: My only regret about that trip is that pandemic happened 358 00:18:57,520 --> 00:19:00,800 Speaker 3: right after and then they missed more school. But otherwise 359 00:19:00,840 --> 00:19:02,320 Speaker 3: it was. It was amazing. 360 00:19:03,520 --> 00:19:05,640 Speaker 1: And in terms of you just all sleep in the RV, 361 00:19:05,720 --> 00:19:07,760 Speaker 1: I mean there was space for everyone to do that. 362 00:19:08,560 --> 00:19:11,919 Speaker 3: Well, the twins were a little smaller back then, but 363 00:19:12,000 --> 00:19:15,480 Speaker 3: we all fit. They took turns. The older two took 364 00:19:15,520 --> 00:19:19,560 Speaker 3: turns with the bunk bed above the driver's seat, and 365 00:19:19,640 --> 00:19:23,960 Speaker 3: then the other couch and kitchen table pull out to 366 00:19:24,040 --> 00:19:25,520 Speaker 3: make little beds for the rest of them. 367 00:19:26,200 --> 00:19:29,760 Speaker 1: And you and your spouse stayed together after this experience. 368 00:19:30,440 --> 00:19:36,199 Speaker 3: Fairly not now, we survived, We survived it was. We 369 00:19:36,320 --> 00:19:40,240 Speaker 3: enjoyed it too. We've always been ones that enjoy hiking 370 00:19:40,480 --> 00:19:42,920 Speaker 3: on a trail more than going someplace. 371 00:19:44,280 --> 00:19:46,520 Speaker 1: So let's talk about your homestead then, because yes, I 372 00:19:46,520 --> 00:19:52,200 Speaker 1: mean you're obviously into nature, into being outside and things 373 00:19:52,240 --> 00:19:54,360 Speaker 1: like that. So one of the things that did kind 374 00:19:54,400 --> 00:19:58,639 Speaker 1: of stretch out the plan for financial semi independence is 375 00:19:58,760 --> 00:20:02,679 Speaker 1: purchasing a home instead, So talk about what went into that. 376 00:20:02,880 --> 00:20:05,119 Speaker 1: And here you're living in sort of a normal house 377 00:20:05,240 --> 00:20:08,000 Speaker 1: and then you say, hey, let's getting into the farming business. 378 00:20:08,040 --> 00:20:10,520 Speaker 1: So maybe you can talk a little bit about that decision. 379 00:20:11,320 --> 00:20:13,960 Speaker 3: So we were very much in a suburb before, with 380 00:20:14,680 --> 00:20:18,560 Speaker 3: a quarter of an acre of land and three bedrooms. 381 00:20:19,160 --> 00:20:22,600 Speaker 3: Now the pandemic pushed us to our limits. Like the 382 00:20:22,720 --> 00:20:24,840 Speaker 3: adventure in an RV with five kids is one thing. 383 00:20:25,359 --> 00:20:29,120 Speaker 3: Being stuck in a house with five kids, and all 384 00:20:29,160 --> 00:20:32,280 Speaker 3: of those schedules of signing into classes in my work too, 385 00:20:33,640 --> 00:20:37,760 Speaker 3: it stretched us pretty thin. We decided we needed a 386 00:20:37,800 --> 00:20:41,159 Speaker 3: bigger house, Honestly, I think somewhere along that part of 387 00:20:41,200 --> 00:20:46,320 Speaker 3: the journey, and it's been very affirming to move out 388 00:20:46,359 --> 00:20:49,160 Speaker 3: to the country where we just seem to fit in better. Honestly, 389 00:20:50,200 --> 00:20:51,840 Speaker 3: back in our old house, we had all of these 390 00:20:51,840 --> 00:20:54,600 Speaker 3: little mini gardens in our yard, and people thought we 391 00:20:54,600 --> 00:20:59,200 Speaker 3: were pretty strange for that. Here we've got a giant garden. Also, 392 00:20:59,280 --> 00:21:02,280 Speaker 3: the families eyes. Back in our old house, people oh 393 00:21:02,359 --> 00:21:07,560 Speaker 3: five kids. Five kids, that's crazy. Here, they tell us, Oh, 394 00:21:07,600 --> 00:21:10,360 Speaker 3: so and so has got eight. It's not a big 395 00:21:10,400 --> 00:21:12,240 Speaker 3: deal out here. We just seem to fit in better. 396 00:21:12,720 --> 00:21:16,600 Speaker 3: And we're kind of in a place where I didn't 397 00:21:16,600 --> 00:21:20,080 Speaker 3: think we'd end up. But the reason we're here is 398 00:21:20,080 --> 00:21:24,160 Speaker 3: because of the property. I love antiques, I love old houses, 399 00:21:24,200 --> 00:21:27,080 Speaker 3: and we found in eighteen eighty eight Victorian. It's got 400 00:21:27,119 --> 00:21:29,320 Speaker 3: the wrap around porch and so much more room for 401 00:21:29,359 --> 00:21:32,400 Speaker 3: the kids, and the property is sixteen acres. A lot 402 00:21:32,440 --> 00:21:35,080 Speaker 3: of it is woods, so we can go hiking, even 403 00:21:35,080 --> 00:21:38,760 Speaker 3: in our own property now. And there's a creek that's 404 00:21:38,840 --> 00:21:40,800 Speaker 3: just this running water that the kids play in all 405 00:21:40,840 --> 00:21:44,120 Speaker 3: summer and keeps them entertained. And a big old barn 406 00:21:44,160 --> 00:21:46,359 Speaker 3: where my daughter hopes to put a horse someday, but 407 00:21:46,480 --> 00:21:47,360 Speaker 3: we'll see about that. 408 00:21:48,560 --> 00:21:51,879 Speaker 1: But with it being an eighteen eighties Victorian, has it 409 00:21:52,000 --> 00:21:53,119 Speaker 1: needed a lot of work. 410 00:21:53,960 --> 00:21:56,920 Speaker 3: Yes, it's a good thing. My husband is handy. He's 411 00:21:56,960 --> 00:22:00,000 Speaker 3: already run in, that's true. Yeah, we've already run in 412 00:22:00,040 --> 00:22:04,400 Speaker 3: to a couple things. And like the it's got these 413 00:22:04,400 --> 00:22:08,080 Speaker 3: cool old skeleton key locks. And there's this neat mudroom 414 00:22:08,119 --> 00:22:10,320 Speaker 3: off the back of the house, which with five kids 415 00:22:10,400 --> 00:22:12,600 Speaker 3: is amazing. They can put all their shoes and coming 416 00:22:12,640 --> 00:22:16,520 Speaker 3: in out of there. The skeleton lock on that door 417 00:22:16,560 --> 00:22:19,440 Speaker 3: has broken, so the mudroom has been off limits for 418 00:22:19,480 --> 00:22:21,639 Speaker 3: a little bit because we haven't gotten around to fixing 419 00:22:21,640 --> 00:22:22,040 Speaker 3: it yet. 420 00:22:22,440 --> 00:22:24,359 Speaker 1: Yeah, so lots of things to fix like that, But 421 00:22:25,160 --> 00:22:29,480 Speaker 1: generally the house is not terribly falling apart or No, 422 00:22:29,640 --> 00:22:30,200 Speaker 1: it was. 423 00:22:30,200 --> 00:22:33,080 Speaker 3: Well taken care of by the previous There haven't even 424 00:22:33,119 --> 00:22:35,280 Speaker 3: been that many owners. It's funny when you look at 425 00:22:35,320 --> 00:22:39,439 Speaker 3: that abstract since the eighteen eighty eight building of it. 426 00:22:39,760 --> 00:22:42,600 Speaker 1: So you bought it during the pandemic, then no. 427 00:22:42,600 --> 00:22:48,399 Speaker 3: We bought it last August, okay, right before the twins 428 00:22:48,440 --> 00:22:51,119 Speaker 3: started kindergarten, so it was perfect because they started in 429 00:22:51,119 --> 00:22:53,359 Speaker 3: the new school district, in kindergarten. 430 00:22:53,400 --> 00:22:57,040 Speaker 1: In kindergarten, that's awesome. And so I'm curious what your 431 00:22:57,600 --> 00:23:01,760 Speaker 1: career evolution is looking like now you know how you're 432 00:23:01,880 --> 00:23:03,800 Speaker 1: envisioning it for the next few years, and maybe also 433 00:23:03,800 --> 00:23:05,560 Speaker 1: what your husband is now that the kids are all 434 00:23:05,640 --> 00:23:06,119 Speaker 1: in school. 435 00:23:06,840 --> 00:23:09,440 Speaker 3: I'll touch on him first. Once we moved out of 436 00:23:09,480 --> 00:23:12,240 Speaker 3: the old house, he went back and fixed it up. 437 00:23:12,840 --> 00:23:14,600 Speaker 3: The house looks so much different. I wish it would 438 00:23:14,600 --> 00:23:16,480 Speaker 3: have looked like that when we lived there. Put in 439 00:23:16,520 --> 00:23:19,080 Speaker 3: all new windows and floors and painted everything because he 440 00:23:19,119 --> 00:23:21,480 Speaker 3: is very handy. And now we have renters in there 441 00:23:22,440 --> 00:23:25,600 Speaker 3: paying us a decent rent for that property, our first 442 00:23:25,640 --> 00:23:28,440 Speaker 3: house that we still own. A friend lives there, and 443 00:23:28,560 --> 00:23:31,560 Speaker 3: so next up for my husband will go to that 444 00:23:31,600 --> 00:23:35,280 Speaker 3: property and fix that one up to be rented to 445 00:23:35,600 --> 00:23:38,760 Speaker 3: someone else for a little bit better a rate. As 446 00:23:38,800 --> 00:23:44,160 Speaker 3: for me, it's funny I went and found this remote 447 00:23:44,200 --> 00:23:48,000 Speaker 3: attorney position back in twenty seventeen, after the twins were born, 448 00:23:48,520 --> 00:23:52,000 Speaker 3: and when I took this position out of desperation, honestly 449 00:23:52,040 --> 00:23:58,640 Speaker 3: to find something for my wheelhouse of experience, but remote. 450 00:23:59,080 --> 00:24:02,199 Speaker 3: It was very difficult, but I thought I was walking 451 00:24:02,240 --> 00:24:06,239 Speaker 3: away from the partner path and I was fine with that. 452 00:24:06,280 --> 00:24:10,200 Speaker 3: I didn't really care. And then last year I got 453 00:24:10,200 --> 00:24:13,240 Speaker 3: promoted to partner. It's just funny. I didn't even ask 454 00:24:13,280 --> 00:24:15,320 Speaker 3: for that or expect it, but it was nice to 455 00:24:15,320 --> 00:24:19,280 Speaker 3: be recognized. That. Being said, I've been doing this for 456 00:24:19,320 --> 00:24:23,040 Speaker 3: fourteen years, I don't enjoy it. It's very stressful. That 457 00:24:23,080 --> 00:24:25,800 Speaker 3: should be no surprise. I work in a personal injury 458 00:24:25,840 --> 00:24:29,080 Speaker 3: defense so I'm fighting with personal injury lawyers all day 459 00:24:29,680 --> 00:24:34,919 Speaker 3: and it's not a passion. I don't find fulfillment in 460 00:24:34,960 --> 00:24:38,640 Speaker 3: my work anymore. Over the next couple of years, depending 461 00:24:38,680 --> 00:24:42,200 Speaker 3: on how we can do financially, it will either be 462 00:24:42,800 --> 00:24:45,800 Speaker 3: full time, retiring from law and just pursuing my passions, 463 00:24:46,760 --> 00:24:49,719 Speaker 3: or trying to find a part time position, either with 464 00:24:49,760 --> 00:24:51,200 Speaker 3: this firm or with someone else. 465 00:24:51,760 --> 00:24:54,840 Speaker 1: Excellent, sounds good. Well, let's talk about a day to 466 00:24:54,960 --> 00:24:57,399 Speaker 1: day sort of life. I mean, you know, here on 467 00:24:57,440 --> 00:25:01,919 Speaker 1: the homestead with five kids. An average weekday look like 468 00:25:01,960 --> 00:25:02,800 Speaker 1: for you guys. 469 00:25:03,320 --> 00:25:07,120 Speaker 3: My husband is great in that he in many things, 470 00:25:07,119 --> 00:25:09,560 Speaker 3: but he wakes up every morning to let the chickens out. 471 00:25:09,600 --> 00:25:11,800 Speaker 3: So I appreciate that because I'm not really a morning person. 472 00:25:11,920 --> 00:25:15,320 Speaker 3: So and the chickens love him. He's like a chicken whisper. 473 00:25:15,359 --> 00:25:18,960 Speaker 3: They follow him around. So he lets them out and 474 00:25:19,200 --> 00:25:22,600 Speaker 3: we get the kids to school. In our school district. 475 00:25:22,600 --> 00:25:24,679 Speaker 3: It's funny all five of them take the same bus 476 00:25:24,800 --> 00:25:27,400 Speaker 3: even though they're headed to different schools. So it's really 477 00:25:27,440 --> 00:25:29,639 Speaker 3: cute all the little five little ducks walking across the 478 00:25:29,720 --> 00:25:33,640 Speaker 3: road and taking the bus together. And then my husband 479 00:25:33,680 --> 00:25:36,320 Speaker 3: will usually I mean unless he's here working on something, 480 00:25:36,920 --> 00:25:40,520 Speaker 3: painting the barn or fixing something, he will usually head 481 00:25:40,520 --> 00:25:44,720 Speaker 3: off to his dad. He helps his dad a lot 482 00:25:44,760 --> 00:25:47,240 Speaker 3: with stuff because he's getting up there in age or 483 00:25:47,400 --> 00:25:50,720 Speaker 3: working on one of the rental properties. My day to 484 00:25:50,800 --> 00:25:52,840 Speaker 3: day is very different. If I'm not going to court, 485 00:25:53,200 --> 00:25:55,439 Speaker 3: I probably have some type of conference I have to 486 00:25:55,480 --> 00:25:59,240 Speaker 3: sign in for, write reports, make some phone calls. But 487 00:25:59,320 --> 00:26:01,800 Speaker 3: as I said before, my day is very flexible so 488 00:26:01,880 --> 00:26:04,760 Speaker 3: that if I need to take something care of something 489 00:26:04,760 --> 00:26:08,280 Speaker 3: around here, I can do that. The kids get home, 490 00:26:08,320 --> 00:26:09,920 Speaker 3: I usually take a break when they get home and 491 00:26:09,960 --> 00:26:13,280 Speaker 3: ask them out their day and get snacks and listen 492 00:26:13,320 --> 00:26:18,520 Speaker 3: to issues, breakup fights. That's try to get them outside 493 00:26:18,520 --> 00:26:21,440 Speaker 3: to play outside. And then throughout the evening I'll sign 494 00:26:21,560 --> 00:26:23,679 Speaker 3: back on here and there to finish up my hours 495 00:26:23,720 --> 00:26:24,200 Speaker 3: for the day. 496 00:26:24,840 --> 00:26:27,000 Speaker 1: Gotcha. What time does the day sort of end for 497 00:26:27,080 --> 00:26:27,600 Speaker 1: your family? 498 00:26:28,359 --> 00:26:29,440 Speaker 3: Is nine o'clock? 499 00:26:29,640 --> 00:26:30,200 Speaker 1: Gotcha? 500 00:26:30,280 --> 00:26:35,160 Speaker 3: So they're in bed at hopefully nine o'clock, not always. 501 00:26:35,400 --> 00:26:37,280 Speaker 3: I am a night owl. I have always been a 502 00:26:37,359 --> 00:26:40,679 Speaker 3: night owl, so I'm usually up till probably midnight. I 503 00:26:40,720 --> 00:26:44,160 Speaker 3: stay up pretty late and hopefully fitting in a little 504 00:26:44,200 --> 00:26:45,480 Speaker 3: crochet before. 505 00:26:45,200 --> 00:26:47,879 Speaker 1: A crochet time in there. Yeah, making a few of 506 00:26:47,920 --> 00:26:49,040 Speaker 1: stuffed animals. 507 00:26:49,280 --> 00:26:52,480 Speaker 3: Yes, I call it my anti anxiety medication because it's 508 00:26:52,480 --> 00:26:55,840 Speaker 3: just very repetitive. It's almost like meditation. And I try 509 00:26:55,880 --> 00:26:58,320 Speaker 3: to listen to audio books while I crochet. 510 00:26:58,560 --> 00:27:01,879 Speaker 1: Excellent. And so one of the things we were talking 511 00:27:01,880 --> 00:27:06,680 Speaker 1: about earlier, which Sarah, my co host, has a podcast 512 00:27:06,720 --> 00:27:08,680 Speaker 1: called Best Laid Plans where they look at all sorts 513 00:27:08,720 --> 00:27:11,439 Speaker 1: of planners. But we're to talk about a planner on 514 00:27:11,720 --> 00:27:17,040 Speaker 1: this podcast because Harmony has been designing one. So why 515 00:27:17,080 --> 00:27:18,760 Speaker 1: didn't you talk a little bit about you know what 516 00:27:19,480 --> 00:27:21,840 Speaker 1: this little passion project of yours too, and like how 517 00:27:21,960 --> 00:27:24,159 Speaker 1: you plan as well, because I think people might be 518 00:27:24,200 --> 00:27:26,760 Speaker 1: really interested in hearing like what planning looks like for you. 519 00:27:27,720 --> 00:27:31,040 Speaker 3: Rely on my written planner. I've tried to use apps before, 520 00:27:31,080 --> 00:27:33,440 Speaker 3: but just having something you can scribble something down real 521 00:27:33,520 --> 00:27:38,560 Speaker 3: quick has been so helpful in keeping everything organized. My 522 00:27:38,920 --> 00:27:41,480 Speaker 3: planner is the one that the family uses. When my 523 00:27:41,640 --> 00:27:43,919 Speaker 3: husband wants to schedule a doctor's appointment, he's looking at 524 00:27:43,960 --> 00:27:47,600 Speaker 3: my planner because one of the things that keeps our 525 00:27:47,640 --> 00:27:50,200 Speaker 3: expenses down right now is we only have two vehicles. 526 00:27:50,560 --> 00:27:53,480 Speaker 3: We have a car and then we have our bus. Yes, 527 00:27:53,520 --> 00:27:55,639 Speaker 3: we have a small school bus which we use to 528 00:27:55,720 --> 00:27:57,760 Speaker 3: kret all the kids around and I am like an 529 00:27:57,800 --> 00:28:00,640 Speaker 3: airline stewardess walking up and down the aisle out juice 530 00:28:00,640 --> 00:28:04,199 Speaker 3: boxes and sticks. We love our bus, it's great, but 531 00:28:04,920 --> 00:28:06,760 Speaker 3: if I'm going to be driving up to an hour 532 00:28:06,960 --> 00:28:09,240 Speaker 3: two hours away for court, I do not want to 533 00:28:09,320 --> 00:28:13,200 Speaker 3: drive that bus. And it does use more gas it's 534 00:28:13,200 --> 00:28:15,880 Speaker 3: more expensive to drive. So it's very important that we 535 00:28:16,480 --> 00:28:20,439 Speaker 3: have our schedules coordinated for use of the vehicle. I 536 00:28:20,480 --> 00:28:25,240 Speaker 3: write everything down in the planner from kids activities, doctor's appointments, 537 00:28:25,280 --> 00:28:30,040 Speaker 3: and all of my court appearances. I found that the 538 00:28:30,040 --> 00:28:32,560 Speaker 3: planner that I carry everywhere and I use multiple times 539 00:28:32,600 --> 00:28:35,080 Speaker 3: every day didn't have all the things that I wanted 540 00:28:35,080 --> 00:28:39,520 Speaker 3: in a planner. So I actually took some time to 541 00:28:39,640 --> 00:28:43,080 Speaker 3: create my own planner with everything that I want, and 542 00:28:43,560 --> 00:28:45,960 Speaker 3: I since I put all of the work into it, 543 00:28:46,160 --> 00:28:48,240 Speaker 3: I did put it up for sale on Amazon, so 544 00:28:48,280 --> 00:28:51,120 Speaker 3: it is available if anyone else was interested in it. 545 00:28:51,160 --> 00:28:53,840 Speaker 3: But I will say that it kind of combines a 546 00:28:53,880 --> 00:28:56,800 Speaker 3: planner with a bullet journal. Every week, there's a space 547 00:28:56,840 --> 00:29:01,280 Speaker 3: to put down my priorities, from finances to family health, 548 00:29:01,360 --> 00:29:06,320 Speaker 3: in even entertainment. It also has inspirational quotes for every week, 549 00:29:07,120 --> 00:29:10,960 Speaker 3: quarterly reviews to jot down some reflective thoughts over the 550 00:29:11,000 --> 00:29:16,520 Speaker 3: past few months, and even really functional things like a 551 00:29:16,640 --> 00:29:20,480 Speaker 3: time off planner for keeping track of vacation days and 552 00:29:20,560 --> 00:29:21,080 Speaker 3: sick days. 553 00:29:21,520 --> 00:29:23,720 Speaker 1: Yeah, now that's something you don't necessarily see in a 554 00:29:23,760 --> 00:29:26,240 Speaker 1: lot of planners. I don't know if they assume people 555 00:29:26,320 --> 00:29:28,720 Speaker 1: know how many days off and when they are and 556 00:29:28,760 --> 00:29:30,600 Speaker 1: all that, but yeah, that sounds like it would be 557 00:29:30,640 --> 00:29:33,719 Speaker 1: incredibly useful. What name does it have on Amazon? If 558 00:29:33,720 --> 00:29:35,040 Speaker 1: somebody is going to go looking for. 559 00:29:35,000 --> 00:29:38,600 Speaker 3: It, It's just called My kaleidoscope planner. 560 00:29:38,720 --> 00:29:44,120 Speaker 1: Okay, excellent, excellent, So Harmony, we always end our episodes 561 00:29:44,200 --> 00:29:47,160 Speaker 1: with a love of the week, and I can talk 562 00:29:47,200 --> 00:29:50,080 Speaker 1: a little bit about mine first so that you can 563 00:29:50,120 --> 00:29:52,840 Speaker 1: then do yours. But mine was actually inspired by reading 564 00:29:52,880 --> 00:29:57,200 Speaker 1: your blog, which is creating my kaleidoscope. And you talked 565 00:29:57,240 --> 00:29:59,960 Speaker 1: about the various things you were foraging on your homestead, 566 00:30:00,400 --> 00:30:02,520 Speaker 1: and one of them was that you were making your 567 00:30:02,560 --> 00:30:06,200 Speaker 1: own maple syrup. And I was you know, maple syrup 568 00:30:06,280 --> 00:30:08,440 Speaker 1: is like the best thing. I mean, real maple syrup, 569 00:30:08,480 --> 00:30:10,760 Speaker 1: not the fake stuff. You know, you got to get 570 00:30:10,800 --> 00:30:14,600 Speaker 1: real maple syrup. But having that on pancakes is just 571 00:30:15,120 --> 00:30:19,200 Speaker 1: it can make any morning feel like vacation. So maybe 572 00:30:19,240 --> 00:30:21,040 Speaker 1: you can talk a little bit about your maple syrup 573 00:30:21,080 --> 00:30:22,760 Speaker 1: and then you can share your love of the week too. 574 00:30:24,080 --> 00:30:26,680 Speaker 3: Oh I love the maple syrup. That was something I 575 00:30:26,760 --> 00:30:29,440 Speaker 3: was really excited about doing. As soon as I found 576 00:30:29,440 --> 00:30:31,960 Speaker 3: the maple trees. What I did because I can't tell 577 00:30:32,000 --> 00:30:34,240 Speaker 3: the difference between the trees once the leaves come off. 578 00:30:34,520 --> 00:30:36,960 Speaker 3: I marked the maple trees when they still had leaves on, 579 00:30:37,040 --> 00:30:40,480 Speaker 3: because you do the syrup in February. It was such 580 00:30:40,480 --> 00:30:43,520 Speaker 3: a learning experience. I had to do multiple batches before 581 00:30:43,560 --> 00:30:47,080 Speaker 3: I got my groove on how to make it, and 582 00:30:47,160 --> 00:30:50,680 Speaker 3: now I'm really looking forward to the trees are marked again. 583 00:30:50,800 --> 00:30:52,640 Speaker 3: I'd marked more trees that we're gonna make even more 584 00:30:52,680 --> 00:30:54,920 Speaker 3: this year. It turns out so good and I can't 585 00:30:54,960 --> 00:30:58,479 Speaker 3: wait for some more fresh maple syrup. My love of 586 00:30:58,520 --> 00:31:04,800 Speaker 3: the week has got to be Iron Flame that came 587 00:31:04,840 --> 00:31:08,240 Speaker 3: out on Tuesday, and I have been devouring it. As 588 00:31:08,240 --> 00:31:10,360 Speaker 3: I said, it's my favorite thing to do right now 589 00:31:10,440 --> 00:31:13,440 Speaker 3: is crochet while listening to audiobooks, because it's a little 590 00:31:13,480 --> 00:31:15,840 Speaker 3: tricky to read a book while crochet. 591 00:31:15,960 --> 00:31:17,920 Speaker 1: True, you only have so many hands. 592 00:31:18,160 --> 00:31:22,560 Speaker 3: Exactly, but I'm really really enjoying that book. 593 00:31:22,760 --> 00:31:25,640 Speaker 1: Awesome well, Harmony, thank you so much for joining us. 594 00:31:25,640 --> 00:31:28,920 Speaker 1: Our listeners can find you at creating my Kaleidoscope. Correct. 595 00:31:29,760 --> 00:31:31,720 Speaker 3: That is correct, and thank you for having. 596 00:31:31,480 --> 00:31:36,480 Speaker 1: Me Awesome Well, that was fascinating. I always love hearing 597 00:31:36,560 --> 00:31:40,720 Speaker 1: from listeners about their lives, how they are building their careers, 598 00:31:40,800 --> 00:31:43,080 Speaker 1: raising their families, doing all the other great stuff they 599 00:31:43,120 --> 00:31:48,239 Speaker 1: are doing. So this question this week comes from a 600 00:31:48,320 --> 00:31:51,480 Speaker 1: listener who has three kids and a full time job 601 00:31:51,560 --> 00:31:54,640 Speaker 1: in local government that requires her to be in the 602 00:31:54,720 --> 00:31:57,560 Speaker 1: office every day from eight to four thirty with a 603 00:31:57,600 --> 00:32:01,240 Speaker 1: thirty minute lunch, and she asks how do you handle 604 00:32:01,320 --> 00:32:04,600 Speaker 1: all the minutia and small to dos of daily life? 605 00:32:04,880 --> 00:32:07,280 Speaker 1: It seems like there are constantly people to coordinate with 606 00:32:07,320 --> 00:32:09,880 Speaker 1: for kids, teach your emails that should be read, game 607 00:32:09,920 --> 00:32:12,560 Speaker 1: schedules to add to the calendar, meals to plan, groceries 608 00:32:12,560 --> 00:32:15,800 Speaker 1: to order, along with things like household and clothing items. 609 00:32:16,280 --> 00:32:19,960 Speaker 1: She is feeling super overwhelmed with it all, so could 610 00:32:20,000 --> 00:32:23,040 Speaker 1: we share some strategies for how to handle that? 611 00:32:24,320 --> 00:32:24,400 Speaker 3: So? 612 00:32:24,560 --> 00:32:27,000 Speaker 1: I think you read the question more about the overwhelmed part, 613 00:32:27,040 --> 00:32:29,600 Speaker 1: and then I had thoughts about the logistics of when 614 00:32:29,640 --> 00:32:33,840 Speaker 1: you have a non flexible, not in the office job 615 00:32:34,280 --> 00:32:37,840 Speaker 1: doing home tasks. So why don't you start, Sarah. 616 00:32:37,560 --> 00:32:40,280 Speaker 2: Yeah, because I think both are interesting angles to attack 617 00:32:40,360 --> 00:32:41,120 Speaker 2: this issue from. 618 00:32:41,600 --> 00:32:42,040 Speaker 1: I do. 619 00:32:42,280 --> 00:32:45,080 Speaker 2: For me, find that knowing that I'm going to go 620 00:32:45,160 --> 00:32:47,400 Speaker 2: through all of my emails makes it a reliable place 621 00:32:47,520 --> 00:32:50,440 Speaker 2: I can shove the various inputs without them stressing about 622 00:32:50,480 --> 00:32:53,480 Speaker 2: losing them. For me, that does require a dedication to 623 00:32:53,560 --> 00:32:55,520 Speaker 2: clearing the whole thing out every once in a while. 624 00:32:55,560 --> 00:32:57,960 Speaker 2: That's not true for everyone. Laura stays on top of 625 00:32:57,960 --> 00:33:00,720 Speaker 2: her email without actually having the physical in box zero, 626 00:33:00,760 --> 00:33:02,080 Speaker 2: so your mileage may vary. 627 00:33:01,880 --> 00:33:02,640 Speaker 1: On that one. 628 00:33:03,240 --> 00:33:04,960 Speaker 2: I also do a lot of when I get a 629 00:33:04,960 --> 00:33:07,640 Speaker 2: little ping from a teacher or I check what's up 630 00:33:07,680 --> 00:33:09,760 Speaker 2: and see that there's something tied to a specific date, 631 00:33:10,000 --> 00:33:12,200 Speaker 2: I try to only touch it once and just immediately 632 00:33:12,200 --> 00:33:15,640 Speaker 2: write it in my planner again, because I am reliably 633 00:33:15,720 --> 00:33:17,480 Speaker 2: a planner user, Like, I'm not going to just put 634 00:33:17,480 --> 00:33:19,080 Speaker 2: it on a sticky note that like God knows where 635 00:33:19,080 --> 00:33:20,560 Speaker 2: it's going to go, but I know I'm going to 636 00:33:20,640 --> 00:33:22,880 Speaker 2: always take a look at my weekly spread. That is 637 00:33:23,160 --> 00:33:25,120 Speaker 2: a way of ensuring that I don't forget it, but 638 00:33:25,160 --> 00:33:27,160 Speaker 2: I don't have to go back and think about it again. 639 00:33:27,640 --> 00:33:29,840 Speaker 2: And I know some people love digital tools, but I 640 00:33:29,880 --> 00:33:31,960 Speaker 2: got to say, like, if you have your planner with 641 00:33:32,000 --> 00:33:34,640 Speaker 2: you and a pen, it is so quick and easy 642 00:33:34,720 --> 00:33:37,000 Speaker 2: to just write something down on a specific square and 643 00:33:37,040 --> 00:33:39,040 Speaker 2: know that you're going to see it, and in my experience, 644 00:33:39,160 --> 00:33:41,200 Speaker 2: even quicker than some of the digital tools that are 645 00:33:41,240 --> 00:33:44,080 Speaker 2: out there. If it is a one and done, tiny 646 00:33:44,160 --> 00:33:47,360 Speaker 2: little task that comes at me. Like again, let's say, 647 00:33:47,560 --> 00:33:49,760 Speaker 2: on my lunch break, I'm scrolling the What's Up chat 648 00:33:49,800 --> 00:33:52,600 Speaker 2: of what's going on with my kids? Classrooms and they say, hey, 649 00:33:52,640 --> 00:33:54,760 Speaker 2: you need to order this book for the this actually 650 00:33:54,760 --> 00:33:56,520 Speaker 2: happened yesterday. I just like ordered it right down and 651 00:33:56,560 --> 00:33:58,120 Speaker 2: air like instead of putting it on my list to 652 00:33:58,160 --> 00:34:00,560 Speaker 2: do if it's something very very fast. And I know 653 00:34:00,600 --> 00:34:02,560 Speaker 2: there's all kinds of discussion about the two minute rule, 654 00:34:02,560 --> 00:34:05,320 Speaker 2: and Laura and I remain skeptical because sometimes jobs that 655 00:34:05,440 --> 00:34:07,480 Speaker 2: look like they're two minutes are longer. But every once 656 00:34:07,480 --> 00:34:09,439 Speaker 2: in a while you come off of something like buy 657 00:34:09,480 --> 00:34:11,680 Speaker 2: a book from Amazon using this link that you're like, no, 658 00:34:11,800 --> 00:34:13,560 Speaker 2: that really is a thirty second task, Like I can 659 00:34:13,640 --> 00:34:14,040 Speaker 2: just do it. 660 00:34:14,080 --> 00:34:15,040 Speaker 1: So I try to. 661 00:34:14,960 --> 00:34:17,919 Speaker 2: Get those done and then just building various routines because 662 00:34:17,920 --> 00:34:19,239 Speaker 2: a lot of the things you mentioned on here, like 663 00:34:19,280 --> 00:34:21,680 Speaker 2: groceries and meals, like if you know that you always 664 00:34:21,719 --> 00:34:24,080 Speaker 2: handle those things on a Friday night or on a Sunday, 665 00:34:24,440 --> 00:34:27,120 Speaker 2: then there's less like questioning every week like, ah, what's 666 00:34:27,120 --> 00:34:28,719 Speaker 2: the plan for that, because you kind of know when 667 00:34:28,760 --> 00:34:30,440 Speaker 2: you're going to do it. So those are my like 668 00:34:30,960 --> 00:34:34,400 Speaker 2: overwhelm tips, and then Laura has some logistical tips. 669 00:34:34,840 --> 00:34:36,680 Speaker 1: Well it just you mentioned there it was like on 670 00:34:36,719 --> 00:34:38,920 Speaker 1: your lunch break, because right you're seeing patients all day, 671 00:34:38,960 --> 00:34:41,359 Speaker 1: it's not like you're ordering the Amazon book while you're 672 00:34:41,400 --> 00:34:43,560 Speaker 1: like seeing a patient. I mean, there are jobs where 673 00:34:43,560 --> 00:34:47,759 Speaker 1: you literally cannot do other things while you are doing that. Now, 674 00:34:47,960 --> 00:34:50,600 Speaker 1: you know, those of us who are in more you know, well, 675 00:34:50,640 --> 00:34:52,439 Speaker 1: I don't know, how do you call it fluid, Let's 676 00:34:52,440 --> 00:34:55,560 Speaker 1: call it working environment. Obviously, you could order that Amazon 677 00:34:55,560 --> 00:34:57,400 Speaker 1: book while you're on a zoom call with someone and 678 00:34:57,440 --> 00:34:59,800 Speaker 1: probably no one's the wiser unless you, you know, accidentally 679 00:35:00,239 --> 00:35:03,279 Speaker 1: your screen. But you know, obviously there are a great 680 00:35:03,320 --> 00:35:06,120 Speaker 1: many jobs where that is not the case. You're seeing patients, 681 00:35:06,160 --> 00:35:08,520 Speaker 1: you're driving a bus, you're working in a grocery store, 682 00:35:08,600 --> 00:35:11,480 Speaker 1: you're like out directing traffic. You know, there's clearly you 683 00:35:11,520 --> 00:35:15,440 Speaker 1: cannot do these home tasks while you are doing those things. 684 00:35:15,680 --> 00:35:18,279 Speaker 1: And so I looked at this question more as if 685 00:35:18,320 --> 00:35:20,680 Speaker 1: you have that sort of job right like, when you 686 00:35:20,719 --> 00:35:25,320 Speaker 1: are working, there is no possibility to do personal tasks 687 00:35:25,360 --> 00:35:28,000 Speaker 1: and you have set hours in a set place, when 688 00:35:28,040 --> 00:35:30,080 Speaker 1: do you do them? And that is a very good question. 689 00:35:30,160 --> 00:35:32,040 Speaker 1: I mean, Sarah just said on her lunch break she 690 00:35:32,160 --> 00:35:34,400 Speaker 1: was doing some of them, and obviously you can do that, 691 00:35:35,880 --> 00:35:37,919 Speaker 1: but you know, you only get thirty minutes for lunch, 692 00:35:37,960 --> 00:35:40,879 Speaker 1: and you actually have to eat, you might not want 693 00:35:40,920 --> 00:35:44,480 Speaker 1: to devote the entire thirty minutes every single day to 694 00:35:44,600 --> 00:35:47,800 Speaker 1: doing that sort of thing. So for this particular lady, 695 00:35:47,840 --> 00:35:51,840 Speaker 1: given that she has hours that are eight to four thirty, 696 00:35:52,480 --> 00:35:55,640 Speaker 1: I would suggest that actually a couple days a week 697 00:35:56,160 --> 00:35:59,960 Speaker 1: you view four thirty to five as you're processing time. 698 00:36:00,520 --> 00:36:05,839 Speaker 1: This is when you tackle personal tasks that require you 699 00:36:05,880 --> 00:36:09,560 Speaker 1: to do something. But then this is conveniently also still 700 00:36:09,640 --> 00:36:12,600 Speaker 1: during business hours. Right that your set hours in your 701 00:36:12,640 --> 00:36:14,719 Speaker 1: workplace are not actually all the way up till five, 702 00:36:14,840 --> 00:36:17,440 Speaker 1: So you get thirty minutes that you are not on 703 00:36:17,480 --> 00:36:21,200 Speaker 1: the clock that you could then use as long as 704 00:36:21,239 --> 00:36:22,920 Speaker 1: you figure out the rest of your life to make 705 00:36:22,960 --> 00:36:25,960 Speaker 1: that possible. So figure out that your childcare ends after that, 706 00:36:26,360 --> 00:36:30,120 Speaker 1: as opposed to trying to scoot out right at four thirty. Now, again, 707 00:36:30,160 --> 00:36:31,920 Speaker 1: you may not be able to use your office for 708 00:36:32,000 --> 00:36:37,600 Speaker 1: this because it places have rules about using things even 709 00:36:37,760 --> 00:36:40,759 Speaker 1: you're on your own device in the network where you're there. 710 00:36:41,080 --> 00:36:43,120 Speaker 1: But maybe there's someplace else you can go, like just 711 00:36:43,160 --> 00:36:44,719 Speaker 1: take your phone and go sit in your car and 712 00:36:44,760 --> 00:36:48,520 Speaker 1: process all these stuff. If your office is near a 713 00:36:48,680 --> 00:36:50,920 Speaker 1: coffee shop or a library or something else where you 714 00:36:50,960 --> 00:36:52,880 Speaker 1: can go do these things that might be an option 715 00:36:52,960 --> 00:36:56,280 Speaker 1: as well. But if you just consciously view four thirty 716 00:36:56,320 --> 00:37:00,080 Speaker 1: to five as worktime, but it's personal work time, and 717 00:37:00,080 --> 00:37:02,279 Speaker 1: then I think you will start to trust that you 718 00:37:02,360 --> 00:37:05,600 Speaker 1: will get through most of these things during that time 719 00:37:06,120 --> 00:37:08,600 Speaker 1: and start feeling a lot less overwhelmed. You're like, Okay, 720 00:37:08,640 --> 00:37:10,839 Speaker 1: here's my list. You know, maybe you jot these things 721 00:37:10,880 --> 00:37:12,600 Speaker 1: down on a paper list through the day as they 722 00:37:12,640 --> 00:37:15,400 Speaker 1: occur to you. I'm guessing you're not seeing personal email 723 00:37:15,480 --> 00:37:17,160 Speaker 1: during this time. Maybe you take a quick look at 724 00:37:17,160 --> 00:37:19,920 Speaker 1: it during your lunch break and write down any tasks 725 00:37:19,920 --> 00:37:22,480 Speaker 1: on that piece of paper, and then four point thirty 726 00:37:22,480 --> 00:37:25,359 Speaker 1: to five you tackle them. You do this four days 727 00:37:25,360 --> 00:37:28,320 Speaker 1: a week, you're gonna start feeling a lot less overwhelmed 728 00:37:28,320 --> 00:37:30,719 Speaker 1: because two hours a week of personal administrative work is 729 00:37:30,719 --> 00:37:32,120 Speaker 1: actually a fair amount. 730 00:37:32,920 --> 00:37:35,440 Speaker 2: Yeah, and I think so much of the so much 731 00:37:35,440 --> 00:37:38,000 Speaker 2: of the feeling of an ease comes not from a 732 00:37:38,120 --> 00:37:42,520 Speaker 2: volume problem but from a like nebulous stuff is everywhere 733 00:37:42,680 --> 00:37:43,839 Speaker 2: kind of a problem, and. 734 00:37:43,760 --> 00:37:45,479 Speaker 1: So this kind of tackles both of those. 735 00:37:45,520 --> 00:37:47,440 Speaker 2: You're corralling it as it happens, but you have a 736 00:37:47,440 --> 00:37:50,040 Speaker 2: dedicated time to get it done, so you're not stressed 737 00:37:50,040 --> 00:37:52,239 Speaker 2: about it all the other times, and. 738 00:37:52,160 --> 00:37:55,319 Speaker 1: You know, if somebody else has different work hours, maybe 739 00:37:55,360 --> 00:37:57,600 Speaker 1: you sort it out from a different time. I mean 740 00:37:57,640 --> 00:38:00,880 Speaker 1: maybe for you, it's your kids and go to daycare 741 00:38:01,000 --> 00:38:04,320 Speaker 1: at eight and you have to be in the office 742 00:38:04,360 --> 00:38:07,360 Speaker 1: right there at nine, but you've got twenty minutes or 743 00:38:07,400 --> 00:38:10,400 Speaker 1: something in between. You know, there may be different points, 744 00:38:10,640 --> 00:38:12,680 Speaker 1: and not everyone needs to do all these things during 745 00:38:12,719 --> 00:38:14,720 Speaker 1: business hours. I would just try to, you know, suggest 746 00:38:14,760 --> 00:38:18,800 Speaker 1: you have some overlap during business hours because it's always 747 00:38:18,840 --> 00:38:22,520 Speaker 1: going to be something. So maybe it is that one 748 00:38:22,600 --> 00:38:24,400 Speaker 1: or two days a week you do use part of 749 00:38:24,440 --> 00:38:27,040 Speaker 1: your lunch break and then you know the other tasks 750 00:38:27,080 --> 00:38:28,880 Speaker 1: you plan on doing from eight to eight thirty or 751 00:38:28,920 --> 00:38:31,160 Speaker 1: four thirty to five or whatever it is that's outside 752 00:38:31,160 --> 00:38:34,640 Speaker 1: your contracted hours. All right, Well, this has been fun 753 00:38:34,719 --> 00:38:38,080 Speaker 1: listening to Harmony Smith talk about the pursuit of financial 754 00:38:38,239 --> 00:38:41,840 Speaker 1: semi independence and getting out of debt and homesteading and 755 00:38:41,880 --> 00:38:44,359 Speaker 1: all those great topics. We will be back next week 756 00:38:44,360 --> 00:38:48,959 Speaker 1: with more on making work and life fit together. Thanks 757 00:38:49,040 --> 00:38:49,560 Speaker 1: for listening. 758 00:38:49,800 --> 00:38:52,880 Speaker 2: You can find me Sarah at the shoebox dot com 759 00:38:53,000 --> 00:38:56,960 Speaker 2: or at the Underscore Shoebox on Instagram, and you can. 760 00:38:56,800 --> 00:39:01,080 Speaker 1: Find me Laura at Laura vandercam dot com. This has 761 00:39:01,120 --> 00:39:04,360 Speaker 1: been the best of both worlds podcasts. Please join us 762 00:39:04,440 --> 00:39:07,840 Speaker 1: next time for more on making work and life work together.