Part systems expert, part permission giver, Kendra Adachi, The Lazy Genius, is here to help you be a genius about the things that matter and lazy about the things that don't.
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We’ve collected a handful of great summer reading ideas across several categories that I’m going to share with you today, along with my own personal ideas. Plus, we have some reading questions, kind of like Office Hours, that I’ll sprinkle throughout. We’re going to talk about reading vibes, ways to read more, permission to read what works for you, and lots more. Helpful Companion Links Order my book The PLAN or ask your library to consider carrying a copy. Get this month’s Book List by signing ...
Today is a bonus episode for you that I think will help you ease into summer. We like to release favorite reruns so you don’t have to go digging for an episode that would be great to listen to right now! In this episode, you’ll walk through five clear steps to help you figure out what this season is going to be about for you. This is my favorite kind of planning: kindly thinking about a season, naming a few things to help anchor me, and doing what actually matters. I hope you enjoy it! Helpful C...
When kids are home all the time, the house gets dirtier, patience gets shorter, and the pressure to make every day count mounts. Today, we’re going to talk about how to create easier summer chores for families in a very Lazy Genius way. The first part of the episode will be about you and how you think as a parent of these kids, and the second part will be some practical ideas of how to get chores done in your house without you and your kids hating the chores or each other. Let’s jump in. Helpful...
Every summer, I go into the season with big plans. As my kids grow and as our season of life changes, my approach to the summer feels a little different each time. It can even occasionally feel like starting over. That’s why I love using The Lazy Genius Method to think through the summer and make those plans happen in the most Lazy Genius way possible. I’m sharing what I’m doing in hopes this season and maybe you’ll hear an idea or two you want to try, too. Helpful Companion Links Order my book ...
Kendra Adachi tackles the universal challenge of annoying responsibilities, like scheduling appointments or renewals, by offering a compassionate approach. She encourages listeners to "befriend" these tasks, understand what makes them difficult, and then identify small, practical steps to make them a little easier, promoting kindness towards oneself and others involved. The episode also critiques unrealistic self-help promises and shares personal updates on summer reading, a listener's kindness habit, and advice for navigating Lazy Genius principles with a less-onboard partner.
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Once a quarter, I share the things that have been saving my life that season, and I hope it’s encouragement for you all to make your own list. I just love how this practice helps us stay grounded where we are, pay attention to small things that matter, and just find more joy. Helpful Companion Links Order my book The PLAN or ask your library to consider carrying a copy. Jeni’s Ice Cream Grocery Store Locator Oh Clementine chunky hoop earrings Levi 94 Baggy Wide Legged Jeans Inspector Gamache ser...
I’m delighted to welcome Jenna and Angela back to the show today! They joined me on the show for a special edition of Office Hours to celebrate joining their new podcast network. I asked if they’d like to do it again, and they said yes! Helpful Companion Links Order my book The PLAN or ask your library to consider carrying a copy. Check out the other Office Ladies Network shows: Office Ladies and How We Made Your Mother Episode #352: Office Hours with the Office Ladies Sign up for our every-othe...
You guys! This show is 10 years old. This week is our tenth birthday, and I cannot believe I’ve been making this show for as long as my daughter has been alive. Today, I’m going to share some of your own memories of the show and things you’ve learned as well as my own, and we’re just going to have a big ol’ lovefest. I’m so grateful we get to celebrate 10 years! Helpful Companion Links Order my book The PLAN or ask your library to consider carrying a copy. The Summer Playbook Episode #11: The La...
In this episode, Kendra Adachi introduces a practical five-step method to declutter your week, essential for navigating overwhelmingly busy periods like 'Maycember.' She guides listeners through assessing commitments, sorting by importance, simplifying tasks, removing non-essentials, and focusing on immediate actions. This approach helps manage an overloaded schedule without burnout, allowing listeners to prioritize what truly matters for a more grounded experience.
In this Ask Me Anything episode, Kendra Adachi shares personal insights into her musical background and how she nurtured a love for music in her family. She offers business wisdom, emphasizing steady growth and the importance of trust over flashiness. Listeners also get a peek into her family life, including how her children view her job, the stories behind their names, and her evolution in household management. The episode rounds out with fun preferences like board games, baking, and even a philosophical pep talk on the unending nature of chores.
Today, we’re going to talk about how to create healthy phone habits. Healthy habits are personal. What’s healthy or unhealthy for me might not be for you, so this isn’t a judgmental episode. Instead, we’re going to examine what healthy means, what parts of our phone experience need some attention, and figure out how to create some better practices that align with what matters. Helpful Companion Links Order my book The PLAN or ask your library to consider carrying a copy. My profile on Spotify I ...
We like to rerun old episodes that still feel relevant and maybe even needed during this season, so today we want to share with you Episode 210: How to Lazy Genius Kids Screentime. A lot has changed in the landscape of screen time in the last five years, but I do think this episode is still relevant. In this episode, you’ll be reminded that there’s no singular way to do this, I’ll encourage you to use screen time to fill your own bucket, and you’ll hear a handful of ideas for House Rules you cou...
We love Office Hours. Once a quarter, folks send in their problems they want to Lazy Genius, and I answer them in this episode. We get questions that run the gamut, and it’s always encouraging to hear the normal problems and normal solutions of normal people. Solve what matters, put your energy into those things in small ways, be lazy about what doesn’t matter as much, and do it all while being kind to yourself. It’s truly The Lazy Genius way which I love so much. Helpful Companion Links Order m...
I’ve done a handful of travel-related episodes on the podcast over the years, but I realized I’ve never done an episode about planning an actual trip. Since we’re coming up on the summer holidays, a time when folks sometimes take trips, it seems like a great time to Lazy Genius this thing that’s fun but also a little stressful. Helpful Companion Links Order my book The PLAN or ask your library to consider carrying a copy. Episode 411: 10 Things to Do Before Taking a Trip Episode 165: The Lazy Ge...
A few weeks ago, I followed my boys as they walked into the house, and one of them said, “Man, I love home.” And the other said, “Me, too. Home is pretty great.” I tried to play it cool and thankfully didn’t cry because that would have embarrassed them so much. But it got me thinking - why do they love home? Why do any of us love being home? I was able to identify a couple of things that surprised me, and I’m excited to share those thoughts with you today. Helpful Companion Links Order my book T...
You know that feeling of wanting to burn everything to the ground and start over? I like to call that Big Black Trash Bag Energy, and today, I want to share three small steps to help you identify what that energy is really saying. Then we’ll talk about a little framework to figure out what problems that energy wants you to solve. This episode is chock-full of personal examples of what this looks like in my own life, and tiny problems I’ve solved recently with my Big Black Trash Bag Energy (but w...
I could talk about meals my entire life and never run out of things to say. There are so many decisions, and things like seasons, budgets, and dietary restrictions impact those decisions. It just never ends. You’ll be feeding yourself and maybe others forever. So today, I’m sharing twelve ways to easily feed your people. They work in any season for any family grouping - single to many - and for any cooking level. These are the most dependable meal tools out there, and I’m pumped we’re going to h...
Today is a bonus episode where we’re resurrecting an old episode that feels like a good thing to listen to right now. The Seven Kinds of Rest and How to Know Which One You Need is one of those episodes we didn’t expect to become a classic, but it kind of has. It helps differentiate different kinds of rest and what you might actually need. It’s why when people, even people like me, tell you to take a nap and it doesn’t help, it might be because you’re looking for a different kind of rest than wha...
Daily rest is the sustainable driving force of living whole, present lives. We wrongly think that rest comes from big, sweeping things, like vacations or long weekends away. Those are great, but we all need ways to rest and feel like ourselves every single day. So today, we’re going to hear from you. Over a hundred of you shared ideas of how you get simple, meaningful rest, and we have curated a list of ideas and experiences to share. You might hear your own idea or voice on this episode, but mo...
Life is full of projects. Some are fun, like my album project of 2026, and some are less fun, like cleaning out a garage. But we all have them, will continue to have them, and you can probably think of one that needs doing right now. It’s nice to have some tools to lean on that help you get better at projects, to start projects you’ll finish, and finish projects that matter to you. So today I’ll share ten ways to get better at projects. Helpful Companion Links Order my book The PLAN or ask your ...
Well, friends, my voice has officially left the building. She’s been gone for a week now, and despite my best efforts (and an unreasonable amount of tea), she has not returned. So today, we’re doing something a little different. A very special guest is introducing the show, and because she so generously stepped in, I let her choose her favorite episode for us to revisit! So break out your ladles as we head back in time to March 2018, when we first talked about making soup on the show. I can’t wa...
We do these episodes once a quarter where I share the things - big, small, and varied - that are saving my life right now. It’s a beloved practice, one we’ve been doing for a long time together. Barbara Brown Taylor was the person originally credited for this phrase, and many of us on the Internet really love the simplicity and breadth it offers. So today I’m going to share my list. Helpful Companion Links Order my book The PLAN or ask your library to consider carrying a copy. In the month of Fe...
Today we’re running an old episode that I think you’ll appreciate hearing now. It’s Episode 238: How to Get Stuff Done When You Don’t Feel Like It. This happens every day, and I hope these tools help you get your stuff done a little more easily. At the end of the episode, I’ll share a short list of personal reminders that help me get stuff done when I don’t feel like it, too. Helpful Companion Links Order my book The PLAN or ask your library to consider carrying a copy. Episode #91: The Lazy Gen...
I’m always so excited when this episode comes around. Either through voice memo, email, or Instagram, you guys share the challenges of your everyday lives, and we try and Lazy Genius them together, finding compassionate solutions that match the season of life. Helpful Companion Links Order my book The PLAN or ask your library to consider carrying a copy. In the month of February, 10% of our revenue from Playbook sales will go to World Central Kitchen! The Instagram post where we collected today’...
Kendra Adachi presents a compassionate approach to managing household chores, advocating for a "Lazy Genius" mindset that prioritizes contentment over perfection. The episode identifies common obstacles such as overwhelm, life seasons, distraction, perfectionism, and the illusion of completion, offering strategies to befriend these challenges. It then guides listeners to establish a sustainable daily maintenance routine, starting with just two minutes, focusing on essential tasks like managing trash, dishes, and clothes to keep the home in a continuous flow rather than striving for an unattainable state of "done."
Kendra shares the final seven of her twelve essential tools for becoming a better problem solver, emphasizing small, kind, and sustainable approaches. She delves into practical strategies like starting small, taking your time, letting others help, and prioritizing "good over great" solutions. The episode encourages listeners to embrace imperfection and focus on human connection rather than relentless productivity, featuring examples and a personal anecdote about a music project for flourishing.
Kendra Adachi shares the first five of twelve strategies for becoming a better problem solver, emphasizing making problems smaller, recognizing life seasons, naming priorities, identifying hidden issues, and avoiding catastrophic language. The episode also features a captivating account of her family's chaotic journey to London, a listener's "Lazy Genius" laundry tip, and a motivational message against the pressure of chasing a perfect day.
In this bonus episode, Kendra Adachi sits down with author Gretchen Rubin to discuss navigating the often-overwhelming energy of January. They explore moving beyond perfectionism to prioritize intentional living, emphasizing the importance of making trade-offs and accepting limitations. The conversation delves into the power of "clean slates," how to identify and cultivate what truly makes you feel like yourself, and Gretchen's "Four Tendencies" framework for understanding personal habits. They conclude with practical advice on scheduled rest and the ultimate simple key to well-being: prioritizing sleep.
I’m all for setting goals, trying new things, and tracking what matters. Those are all good and worthy pursuits. But today, I want to offer you a little practical permission to not be great. I’ll even go first and share a few things I’m intentionally choosing to not be great at in this next season of life. Helpful Companion Links Order my book The PLAN or ask your library to consider carrying a copy. Sign up for our every-other-week podcast recap email called Latest Lazy Listens. Sign up for my ...
