Up In My Business

Episode 143: Time Management and Creativity Hacks

• Lex Lancaster • Season 1 • Episode 143

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Episode Summary

I share a simple way I get more done without burning out: I use Parkinson’s Law on purpose—setting short, clear time boxes so the work fits the window—and I protect my focus while I’m in that window. I also talk about why creative work needs boredom first (so “hacks” don’t help unless I’ve made space), give personal and business updates (Toronto/Niagara-on-the-Lake wedding, seeing Sarah Eby and Emma Jack, booking Switzerland round two, my December/January time off, and SEO School wins), and I shout out a few focus tools I love that make it all easier.


Topics I Talk About in This Episode

  • Quick personal catch-up: wedding weekend outside Toronto/Niagara-on-the-Lake; dinner with Sarah Eby and Emma Jack; feeling lucky about smooth flights.
  • Switzerland, round two: deciding to go back for volleyball, VRBO hunt, landing a great location but fewer bedrooms (hello, couch), planning to fly Shanté’s brother out again to watch Moose and Rupert.
  • Travel season stacking up: another wedding soon, Thanksgiving, early-December trips.
  • Calendar + capacity: roughing in my 2026 schedule, choosing time off (last two weeks of December + first week of January), why those three weeks let me rest and work on my own business.
  • Business update: SEO School momentum... great questions in the community, hardcopy workbooks arriving (I’m obsessed), small future edits; needing to jump into Acuity to close remaining availability so my plate stays sane.
  • Creativity needs boredom: the reminder that creative/planning work often requires white space first; forcing it rarely works (I even walked away and came back the next day to record).
  • The actual tactic: Parkinson’s Law; work expands to fill the time you give it, so I use tight, specific blocks (e.g., 1:00–2:00 pm) instead of “Saturday afternoon.”
  • Where I apply it: checklist-style tasks (email “power hour,” sales-page edits, batch replies), not always heavy creative.
  • Guardrails that make it work: one task per block, no task-switching, decide to focus.
    Tools I use:
    • Flow on my Mac to run 30–90 minute focus timers with short breaks.
    • Focus Friend on my phone (the knitting-socks bean that buys cute room decor; adorable and motivating).
    • Brick to physically lock down distracting apps when needed (I don't use this YET).
  • Flexible sprinting: sometimes it’s 15-minute sprints with 5-minute breaks; experiment and learn how long your tasks actually take.
    Perspective on “getting so much done”: capacity, supportive/independent partner, no kids, eight years of knowing my own limits, and a strong value for being done by 4:00 pm so I can have a life.


Links Mentioned

  • Flow (Mac focus timer app).
  • Focus Friend (phone focus app with the knitting-socks bean).
  • Brick (app + physical “brick” to block phone apps).


Up In My Business' gracious sponsor:

  • JaneApp! Use the code LEX1MO for a complimentary month of JaneApp 


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