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Yahoo
4 days ago
- Lifestyle
- Yahoo
I'm a career coach with 3 kids in school. Here are my 6 efficiency hacks for the back-to-school season.
I have three kids, ages 9, 7, and 5, so back-to-school season can sometimes feel like a second job. Over the years, I've learned that blocking my calendar and checking it the weekend prior can help. This article is part of "The Working Parents Back-to-School Survival Guide," a series of real-life tips for navigating the school season. When I worked in a fast-paced corporate leadership role, years ago, the transition from summer to school felt like a jolt to the system. It was like adding a full-time job on top of my actual one. Even now, as a business owner with a more flexible schedule, I still feel the shift. The logistics, decisions, emotions, school emails, and supply runs pile up quickly. I'm a life, leadership, and career coach for working parents with three daughters of my own, ages 9, 7, and 5. Over time, I've learned practical strategies that help both me and my clients navigate the back-to-school season with less stress and more intention. Here are six tips that can help lighten the mental load and set you and your family up for a smoother start to the school year. 1. Start blocking your calendar now Many school calendars are already out, and fall activity signups are in full swing. Block out time for key school and activity events like back-to-school night, early dismissals, or weekday games. Identify which dates conflict with key work meetings, deadlines, or travel, and put a plan in place. If you'll need backup care or carpools, coordinate those early. If a future conflict is likely but not yet solvable, set a calendar reminder four to six weeks out so you can revisit the need. You'll thank yourself later for the proactive reminder. 2. Do a weekly preview I like to take 15 minutes either at the end of the workweek on a Friday afternoon or on a quiet Sunday morning to preview what's coming up and what actions need to be taken. This quick reset helps me reduce weekday stress because I can make thoughtful decisions ahead of time before I'm in the thick of it. I also recommend to clients to loop in your partner, childcare provider, and your kids to prevent all tasks from landing on your shoulders. A short weekly conversation can save you hours of miscommunication, confusion, or last-minute scrambling. 3. Use visual and shared systems Clear systems help my home run more smoothly and reduce the number of questions and decisions I have to ask and answer on a daily basis. For example, we use a large chalkboard to display each child's after-school schedule and what they need to pack for the day. This weekly dashboard helps everyone see what's ahead: school "specials," after-school activities, and what to pack. My husband and I also sync our work and home commitments through a shared Google Calendar. These systems reduce missed appointments, lost or forgotten items, and the need to constantly repeat yourself. Most importantly, they distribute the mental load so it doesn't fall on one person. Daily alarms: I pre-set alarms on both my phone and our kitchen Alexa to cue key tasks, like grabbing lunches or heading to the bus. Reusable Bento lunchboxes: These make packing healthy, varied lunches easier (and eliminate the hunt for matching lids). Family chalkboard: A weekly dashboard helps everyone see what's ahead: school "specials," after-school activities, and what to pack. 4. Automate and simplify Let technology support you. Aim to get tasks out of your brain and on to paper or in a calendar. For example, I pre-set alarms on both my phone and our kitchen Alexa to cue key tasks, like grabbing lunches or heading to the bus. It keeps us on track in the mornings without me needing to be the clock-watcher. A bonus is that it builds my kids' independence, too. I also like to set calendar notifications that ping me on the weekends for things that require action later that week, like buying a birthday gift or sending in school supplies. That way, I get nudged on a weekend, not in the middle of a busy workday. The fewer things you need to remember in the moment, the lighter you'll feel. 5. Make decisions ahead of time Apply "decide once" thinking. Batch decisions wherever you can to reduce mental fatigue. Pick out outfits for the week on Sunday. Prep backpacks and lunches the night before. Create themed dinner nights, like "Meatless Monday" and "Taco Tuesday," to reduce nightly meal planning. For lunch prep, I prefer these reusable Bento lunchboxes because they make packing healthy, varied lunches easier and eliminate the hunt for matching lids. These routines streamline hectic moments and can give you more mental space for what truly matters. 6. Progress over perfection Above all, I encourage my clients to embrace the power of "progress over perfection." Give yourself permission to skip the picture-perfect lunchboxes or color-coded calendars. Instead, build rhythms that actually work for your life, not someone else's highlight reel. With a few simple systems and a little foresight, this season can feel far more manageable, less stressful, and even enjoyable. Read the original article on Business Insider Solve the daily Crossword
Forbes
6 days ago
- Business
- Forbes
The Importance Of Listening As A Leadership Skill
Heather Heefner is the owner of Dart Communication. She is a communication expert and leadership coach. The most expensive leadership mistake isn't a bad strategic decision—it's failing to listen effectively. Harvard Business School reports that when employees feel genuinely heard at work, they experience greater internal motivation, increased creativity and stronger engagement. Yet most leaders retain only a fraction of what they hear in conversations, missing critical insights, early warnings and breakthrough ideas flowing through their organizations daily. While everyone focuses on speaking more persuasively, the real competitive advantage comes from listening more effectively. Google's extensive research on team effectiveness found that psychological safety—the belief that one can speak up without fear of negative consequences—was the number one predictor of high-performing teams. And psychological safety begins with leaders who actually listen. In my practice of communication coaching and consulting, I've observed that the most effective leaders listen differently than their peers. They don't just listen for information—they listen for understanding. They don't just listen with their ears—they listen with their full attention. And they don't just listen to confirm what they already believe—they listen to discover what they don't yet know. 4 Levels Of Listening That Every Leader Must Master Not all listening is created equal. Understanding these four levels will help you recognize where you currently operate and where you need to go: This is pretend listening—when you're physically present but mentally elsewhere. You might nod and say "uh-huh," but you're actually thinking about your response, your next meeting or that urgent email. Your team can always tell when you're not really there, which erodes trust and pushes conversations into unproductive territory. At this level, you're engaged enough to respond appropriately. You follow the conversation thread and can ask relevant questions. This is the minimum acceptable standard for professional interactions, but it doesn't create conditions for breakthrough insights or a deep connection. Here, you're fully present and focused on understanding both content and emotion. You ask clarifying questions, paraphrase to confirm understanding and notice nonverbal cues. This level demonstrates respect and builds trust, and it's where most effective leaders consistently operate. The highest form of listening goes beyond understanding what is said to sensing what wants to emerge. You listen with such presence and openness that you create space for new possibilities. You hear not just words but underlying needs, values and aspirations. This is where innovation happens and conflicts transform into collaboration. Most leaders operate at levels 1 and 2 most of the time. The challenge is consistently practicing levels 3 and 4, especially in high-stakes situations. 3 Practices That Transform Your Listening Effectiveness Based on my work with leaders across industries, here are the three most impactful practices for elevating your listening: Before important conversations, take a moment to clear your mind and set an intention to be fully present. A simple practice: Take three deep breaths, let go of distractions with each exhale and silently commit to listening with both attention and curiosity. I worked with a CEO who began each meeting with 30 seconds of silence—a micro-meditation that helped everyone transition from previous activities and become fully present. The impact on dialogue quality was remarkable. Team members reported feeling more valued, decisions became more aligned and meetings became shorter because the quality of listening improved. One of the biggest barriers to effective listening is our tendency to evaluate what's being said—to mentally categorize it as right or wrong, useful or irrelevant, aligned with our views or opposed to them. Practice suspending judgment and listening instead for understanding. Your goal isn't to agree or disagree but to fully comprehend the other person's perspective—their reasoning, their concerns, their hopes. This doesn't mean you'll ultimately agree, but understanding must precede evaluation. A manager I coached was struggling with what she called a "difficult" employee. When she set aside her assumptions and listened with genuine curiosity, she discovered the underlying concerns driving the behavior. What seemed like resistance was actually valuable insight about process inefficiencies that, once addressed, improved the entire team's performance. The questions you ask reveal the quality of your listening. Surface-level listening produces surface-level questions. Deep listening enables questions that open new possibilities: "What's at the heart of this issue for you?" "How does this connect to what matters most for our customers?" "What's possible here that we haven't considered yet?" "What would make this a win for everyone involved?" These questions demonstrate that you've listened deeply enough to move the conversation forward in meaningful ways. An executive I worked with was known for his brilliant but overwhelming communication style. When he learned to listen first and ask generative questions, his influence dramatically increased because his ideas were better received and more readily implemented. The Competitive Advantage Of Deep Listening I've seen the transformative impact of deep listening in countless leadership situations: Teams that were deeply divided on strategic direction found common ground when their leader created space for each perspective to be fully heard without judgment. Executives who shifted from speaking to listening became catalysts for breakthrough results and stronger relationships. In a world where everyone is talking, the ability to truly listen has become a rare and valuable leadership skill that creates a competitive advantage for both you and your organization. Your Next Step Choose one upcoming important conversation this week. Before it begins, take three deep breaths and commit to listening for understanding rather than agreement. Notice what you learn that surprises you. That single shift—from speaking to listening—might be the catalyst for your next breakthrough as a leader. Remember: While others are focused on being heard, exceptional leaders focus on hearing others. That's where real influence begins. Forbes Coaches Council is an invitation-only community for leading business and career coaches. Do I qualify?
