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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I can feel it. This is the week. Or at least the week is coming where you look at the holiday decorations and extra presents and general detritus from the busy fall and get an organizational fire in your eyes. Big black trash bags are coming out. That energy is totally fine, but today, let’s talk about what to do before all that happens. 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 Late...
This episode rounds up Kendra's 20 favorite new discoveries of 2025, offering a diverse list of products, habits, and entertainment that have brought joy and ease to her life. Listeners will find recommendations ranging from Netflix shows and superior gummy bears to innovative kitchen gadgets, beauty essentials, cozy home items, and even a beloved new podcast. The episode also includes a segment on favorite small businesses and a powerful pep talk on prioritizing rest in a busy world.
We are releasing an extra episode for you as you enjoy your winter holidays. This is an episode from a while back that I think will be a great addition to your podcast listening queue in this quieter week. It's episode 345: How to Approach Holiday Downtime. This is the time when we move from the scurry of holiday preparations and schedules to just like suddenly being home with little to no agenda, and that can be kind of hard. So this bonus episode might be just for you. Helpful Companion Links ...
Discover how wonder emerges when you slow down, rather than from meticulous planning. Kendra shares a personal story and practical advice, from immediate actions like looking around and staying quiet, to year-long practices like journaling and mindful daily routines. The episode also includes a bonus guide for calculating party food and a pep talk for navigating holiday pressures.
If you start to go wide-eyed when you look at your to-do list and have a low-key sense of dread that it’ll all get done in time, this episode is for you. Helpful Companion Links Order my book The PLAN or ask your library to consider carrying a copy. Episode #395: How to Finish Last-Minute Lists The Best Holiday Music Library Ever Sign up for our every-other-week podcast recap email called Latest Lazy Listens. Sign up for my once-a-month newsletter, The Latest Lazy Letter. Grab a copy of my book ...
Kendra Adachi shares how to maintain household functionality when life gets overwhelming, focusing on prioritizing existing routines over creating new, unsustainable systems. She introduces seven key categories of home maintenance – food, clothes, mess, dirt, logistics, tasks, and rest – and offers actionable Lazy Genius principles like starting small, essentializing, and using timers or zones to plug leaks in struggling areas. The episode encourages self-compassion and realistic expectations to navigate busy seasons more gracefully.
Kendra Adachi guides listeners through a practical five-step process for navigating overwhelming seasons, focusing on naming the "noise" and specific problems using the "SLU" framework. She emphasizes identifying what truly matters, applying a Lazy Genius principle, and utilizing the "PLAN" method (Prepare, Live, Adjust, Notice) to maintain grounding and enjoy life despite a packed schedule. The episode also includes a beloved granola recipe, a listener tip, and a pep talk on compassion for misunderstandings.
I think we could all use some help when it comes to holiday gatherings or just larger family gatherings in general. Uncommon situations often produce the unexpected, so let’s talk through some tools that simplify what might already be complicated enough. I have ten super simple ideas to simplify your gathering, and even if you try one, I think it’ll make your life a little bit easier. Helpful Companion Links Order my book The PLAN or ask your library to consider carrying a copy. Episode #133: Te...
It’s time to welcome back our old friend who we get to hang out with every season. These episodes where I share what’s saving my life have become such a gift to me personally. The practice of naming and sharing what is making life full and good and connected is surprisingly integral, and I’m glad this is part of our rhythm here on the podcast. So today I’ve got ten things I’ll share that have been saving my life recently, and hopefully it will inspire you to make your own list. Helpful Companion...
We are entering the season where we’re beginning to think about holiday gifts, especially on a limited budget which many of us are right now. I’m going to share my five rules of thoughtful gift-giving, six budget-friendly categories of potential gift ideas, and seven themes you can use as a family or friend group that put everybody on the same gift-giving playing field. Helpful Companion Links Order my book The PLAN or ask your library to consider carrying a copy. Joyful by Ingrid Fetell Lee Pro...
Sometimes I feel like it’ll take just one sassy comment or one missed homework assignment or one line at the store that’s longer than I expected before I just lose it. Sometimes life is like that, and it’s normal and okay. But most of us don’t want to stay there for very long. Today, I’m going to share with you five things to remember and five things to do when everything is a little annoying. Helpful Companion Links Order my book The PLAN or ask your library to consider carrying a copy. Learn a...
It’s around this point, towards the end of October, that we all start feeling the pressure. The rest of the year is coming like a snowball rolling down a hill. Today, we’re going to tend to that energy and create some ways to make the rest of 2025 easier and also more joyful, grounded, and rooted in whatever matters to you. Helpful Companion Links Order my book The PLAN or ask your library to consider carrying a copy. The Lazy Genius Collective Facebook Group! Episode #339: How to Make the Rest ...
In this updated episode, Kendra Adachi revisits her daily chore philosophy, highlighting how her home management has evolved with older children. She details her "zone" system for containing mid-process tasks, practical routines from morning to night, and house rules like the "two-minute tidy." The episode also features a beloved "Fire Pork" recipe and concludes with a compassionate pep talk on prioritizing self-care over constant productivity when your body struggles.
We have an Office Hours episode once a quarter where you send in your questions and I answer them here on the podcast. This is the first time we’ve had a themed Office Hours episode, so that is very exciting. Before we get into a whole episode answering your questions about routines, remember that a Lazy Genius routine isn’t about the steps. It’s about where you’re wanting to go. Helpful Companion Links The PLAN is $1.99 on Kindle right now! (If Amazon isn’t your vibe, you can find it for $1.99 ...
This is a community that values people and relationships and connection, and having people into our homes is so integral to us building homes, neighborhoods, and entire cultures that tend to each other, that enjoy being together, and that let each other in. I’m sharing what personally matters to me about hospitality and the ten things I always do to support it. Helpful Companion Links The PLAN is $1.99 on Kindle right now! (If Amazon isn’t your vibe, you can find it for $1.99 on Kobo right now ,...
What do we do when we’re hit with something out of our control within our own bodies, in the bodies of people we love and live with, or from the world itself? What do we do when we are forced to pivot away from what we planned because our energy or our attention can’t function the way they were when we made that plan? That’s what I want to consider today. Spoiler: I don’t have an answer, not a concrete, formulaic one anyway. But I do have some thoughts about when we have to gracefully pivot. Hel...
Simpsons fans —THE VAULT IS OPEN! I’m Nancy Cartwright, the voice of Bart Simpson for 35+ years, and I’m finally taking you inside Springfield. Simpsons Declassified is your all-access pass to the world’s most iconic, animated series. Each week, we crack open wild predictions, eerie coincidences and fan conspiracies and stories from 36 seasons (that’s 800+ episodes!) behind-the-scenes with writers, directors, the cast and celebrity superfans, PLUS…Simpsons-themed games— play along and test your ...
October through December sometimes feels like a really fun roller coaster but you don’t always feel like you have time to buckle your seatbelt. This episode is going to help you not just survive a busy season but really enjoy it. Helpful Companion Links Order my new book The PLAN or ask your library to consider carrying a copy. Our digital products are going into retirement. Grab them now (at a discount!) before they disappear at the end of the year. I'll be talking with Jen Hatmaker about her n...
I get this question a lot, “How do you figure out what makes you feel like yourself? Is it even possible when you’re wearing all the hats and pulled in all the directions?” I’ve always said yes it is. You just have to find the things that make you feel like you. Well, when I started working on this episode and made my list of things, I found a level of nuance I’ve never really named before. Essentially, there are things that wake you up and other things that fill you up, and that difference migh...
In today’s episode, I’m giving you five questions to ask to help you get your to-do list in a place that feels way more doable. It’s a simple process you can follow that takes less than five minutes, and I promise it’ll help. Then I’m sharing what my own personal to-do list routine looks like because sometimes hearing ideas from other people helps us find our own. Helpful Companion Links Order my new book The PLAN or ask your library to consider carrying a copy. Episode 417: My Favorite Planning...
We have been a genius about the things that matter and lazy about the things that don’t for an entire decade! We are a fourth grader. It’s amazing. Today, I’m celebrating this ten year mark with a top ten list of things I’ve learned along the way. uld I Read Next podcast Get on the Latest Lazy Letter list to get the newsletter once a month! Sign up for our every-other-week podcast recap email called Latest Lazy Listens. Grab a copy of my book The Lazy Genius Kitchen or The Lazy Genius Way ! (Aff...
August is in full swing, and for many of you, that means your lives are, too. You might have some itchy planning energy or feel like you should have planned more by now. Either way, I’m going to share with you five things to avoid when planning a busy season. That way you can get the right things done, enjoy where you are, and not feel like you need a vacation before your busy season has even started. Helpful Companion Links Order my new book The PLAN or ask your library to consider carrying a c...
I love these episodes, and y’all do, too. If you’re new here, this is a question created awhile back by Barbara Brown Taylor, and it’s such a lovely way to be where you are, note what’s giving you joy, and mark the goodness of the season, no matter what’s happening. Here’s my list! I hope it inspires you to make your own. Helpful Companion Links Order my new book The PLAN or ask your library to consider carrying a copy. The Red Collection antique store Rudd Farm B-Word Sauce The Lazy Genius Face...
Summer is by no means over, but as Lazy Geniuses, we do care about living in our season and marking moments well. One of my favorite ways to do this is with opening and closing ceremonies. So today, I’m simply going to share a bunch of my favorite ideas that came from y’all about how to end the summer. Helpful Companion Links Order my new book The PLAN or ask your library to consider carrying a copy. The Lazy Genius Facebook Group Learn about The Playbooks here Sign up for the Latest Lazy Listen...
It’s the last Monday of July, so the energy is about to shift to getting back to school. August is a vibe. Even our Lazy Genius of the Week this week is about August, and she calls the month “one long Sunday night.” That tracks for a lot of people, whether you have kids in school, whether you’re an educator yourself, or whether you’re just officially winding down your summer. August has some big transitional energy. So today, let’s talk about how to make a new school year easier. Helpful Compani...
On the average day, we’re already at least a little bit overwhelmed by our personal problems, and what I’m going to share today will actually apply to that pretty effectively. But what about when we’re dealing with the world at large, with the news and the onslaught of information and the desire to do what we can? I want to take our tried and true thirteen Lazy Genius principles and apply them to being overwhelmed by the world. Helpful Companion Links Order my new book The PLAN or ask your libra...
These are quarterly episodes where I take the questions y’all shared with me on Instagram and answer them here. Today, we’re talking about resetting after a weekend away, using patios more, deciding what wellness trends to try, meal planning with different family preferences, solo parenting while a partner is away, morning sickness while parenting two other kids, setting new expectations around holidays and birthdays, and keeping kids entertained while working from home. Helpful Companion Links ...
Is anyone else feeling blurry? I’m feeling surprisingly exhausted and a little slower than usual. The summer stretch is lovely in its spaciousness but can feel oppressive on a dime because it’s a blur that will never end. So today I want to remind you of a few things that will hopefully help your middle of the year blur. Helpful Companion Links Share your thoughts with us via our 2025 Listener Survey! Order my new book The PLAN or ask your library to consider carrying a copy. The Essential Calen...
It’s the end of June which means we’re halfway through the year, so I want to share with you my favorite books of the year so far! Maybe you’ll hear about something that is a great fit for your own reading right now. Helpful Companion Links Order my new book The PLAN or ask your library to consider carrying a copy. Kindle Paperwhite Kindle Page Turner Remote Book of the Month Aardvark Book Club Libby app The Heart of Winter by Jonathan Evison Greenglass House by Kate Milford Say You’ll Remember ...
People create a mess, and chances are you have more people in your home right now than usual. Obviously that’s not true for everyone, but I’m talking to you at the end of June. June is full of hot weather, bored children, abandoned projects, and therefore almost certainly a mess. Today, let’s take a few minutes to pep talk ourselves into getting unstuck when your space is a mess. Helpful Companion Links Order my new book The PLAN or ask your library to consider carrying a copy. Episode #379: How...
