The Bright Method Podcast: Realistic Time Management and Productivity for Working Women & Working Moms

28. When Your Work Relies on Others, Making It Hard to Plan

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Nov 6, 2023

Learn three effective strategies for managing workloads that involve depending on others, including starting project planning early and prioritizing tasks. Discover the importance of delegating tasks and involving others from the beginning. Discuss the value of getting started on a project early and setting clear deadlines. Learn about the significance of having a system in place to manage tasks and deadlines. Explore the importance of meeting deadlines and the upcoming Bright Method program for realistic time management strategies.

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ADVICE

Get The Machines Running Early

Start projects by identifying what you need from others before you can do the work yourself.
Send requests early to get those "machines running" so you have input when you begin the main work.

ANECDOTE

Home-Organizing Idea Applied To Work

Kelly recounts hearing Lisa Woodruff's "get the machines running first" idea in home organizing.
She applies it to work: start background tasks early to multiply your effort.

ADVICE

Pre-Commit Collaborators To Turnarounds

Tell collaborators in advance when you'll send a draft and what turnaround you need.
Ask if the timing works so you can adjust and gain buy-in for timely feedback.

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In this episode of the Bright Method Podcast, I tackle a listener-submitted question that so many of us face: How do you manage your workload when your work depends on others—especially when they don't stick to a timeline?

Whether you're a corporate attorney waiting on client edits, a project manager juggling partner input, or anyone who can't move forward until someone else delivers, this one's for you.

I share three key time management strategies to help you navigate this frustrating challenge:

Start planning early—even if you're not ready to start the work, flag what you'll need from others and "get the machines running" now.
Build in wiggle room—and use internal vs. external deadlines to reduce last-minute stress.
Get comfortable following up—yes, it's tedious and also a little emotionally complicated, but it often means the difference between staying up late and getting things done on time. After all, a lack of planning on their part can constitute an emergency on yours, so let's avoid it.

Plus, I offer a bonus tip: if your role is constantly reactive and full of curveballs, check out Episode 16 for how to use flex time to protect your time and sanity.

Whether you're a working woman in law, medicine, corporate, or any fast-paced, people-dependent field, this episode is packed with actionable strategies to help you manage your time more proactively—even when others don't.

🎧 Listen in for practical ways to:

Manage up and communicate clearly with clients and colleagues
Plan for delays before they happen
Follow up without letting it consume your brain space
Create realistic timelines based on the real-world behaviors of others

Other episodes referenced: Ep. 16 - Curveballs & Fires.

Links you might enjoy:

🌿 Free 5-Day Time Management Program Get five short, practical video lessons packed with realistic strategies to help you manage your personal and professional life with more clarity and calm.

📱 Follow me on Instagram Get bite-sized, real-life time management tips for working women—like reminders to set mail holds before travel, anonymous day-in-the-life calendars from other professional women, and behind-the-scenes looks at how I manage my own time.

✨ The full Bright Method™️ program If you're ready for a full time management system that's realistic, sustainable, and dare I say… fun, check out the Bright Method program. It's helped hundreds of professional women take back control of their time—and their peace of mind.