Snowy has always been slightly in awe of my lead-in time and preparations.  Until he started benefitting from them!

We call it “working it back” or “reverse engineering our way” and it works for us – here’s how.

You know you want to be on the train, unruffled and ready to go by 11am, as an example.

• What time do you need to get up for all the prep you need and dogs/kiddies need?
• then the prep for what you need to take.
• Outfit plan if necessary – clean/pressed/found?!
• Post-it notes on the places I need to remind me of things.
• Add then the time for the drive/walk/ticket purchase.
• Could you do any of these in advance – buy the ticket, pack your bag etc the night before?
• How much wiggle room do you want to leave yourself?
• What time do you need to actually be on the road/on foot?

As I type this to you I realise it can look and sound very controlled or less than spontaneous and somewhat obvious.

Ha!

But here’s the secret.  For everything I do, plan, work on I always work backwards.  That’s my phrase to Snowy “So, let’s work backwards, if we want to be at X at Y o’clock then how will it work?”

One of the phrases I love is “What can I do to help my future self?” and that inspires me to find the ways in which I can be most comfortable, less rushed/stressed and on time…for my future self.  

I’d always rather be in position, waiting with a coffee than flustered, rushed and half-baked…

It sounds so obvious but I can assure you, so many women seem to be running after themselves and it’s exhausting.  IF you can prep and plan in advance, more than you think you can/should, your future self will always be grateful…and you can more comfortably show up as your version of fabulous/relaxed/badass 🥰

Or in someone else’s words…

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And in other news…

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Thelma has been in the naughty books!  Up on our kitchen island whilst we’ve been out, she’s had crisps, eaten the clip, fruit gums, a pen and that was in just 24 hours.  She’s now crated when we’re out and it’s fine.  We have to keep her safe…as well as our stuff!