Welcome back to The Busy Vibrant Mom podcast! I’m your host, Michelle Byrd — and I’m so glad you’re here. If you’ve ever tried to follow a productivity system that worked beautifully for someone else… but completely fell apart in your real life, this episode is for you.

So many busy moms and working women are doing their best to balance work, family, and the things they care deeply about—yet still feel frustrated when the to-do list never ends and the time never feels like enough. We’re ambitious, creative, and capable… and often way too hard on ourselves when we don’t get it all done.

Today, I’m joined by a special guest, Jessie Kwak, and I’m so excited to share this conversation with you. Jessie is an author, storyteller, business book ghostwriter, and book coach living in Portland, Oregon. She’s written everything from thriller novels to sci-fi crime series, along with several productivity books—including From Chaos to Creativity and From Big Idea to Book. At her core, Jessie loves telling stories and helping others learn how to tell their own.

In this episode, Jessie and I talk about why there’s no one-size-fits-all approach to productivity, how to stop being overly ambitious with your time, and why understanding your own energy and productivity style matters so much—especially in busy seasons. We also dig into practical ideas like outsourcing household tasks, shifting from “should” to “could,” saying no without guilt, and making consistent progress on meaningful work—even if you only have 30 minutes at a time.

This is a refreshing, honest conversation about doing less, choosing better, and creating space for what matters most—without burning yourself out.

So grab your coffee or tea, settle in, and let’s dive in.

Contact Info for Jessie Kwak:

Website: https://www.story-rebel.com

IG: @story_rebel

Quick Announcement

We have some fun things coming up.

-The Mom’s Spring Break Bundle (26 resources for $27) Ending April 30th

https://strideproductivity.thrivecart.com/moms-spring-break-bundle/?affiliate=renew_conference

- Free Summit 4/20-4/24- Calm Connected Parenting Summit: https://link.calmconnectionparent.com/ccp-2026/byrd

- Other things: lots of new podcast guests to keep the episodes interesting, introduce you to some amazing new people, and learn something new along the way. New website almost done - planning some fun ways to celebrate!

I pray this episode blesses you!

Michelle

Grab a coaching call with me at: www.byrdmichelle.com

Email: contact@byrdmichelle.com

website: www.byrdmichelle.com

Facebook: The Busy Vibrant Mom

Instagram: @thebusyvibrantmom

Linkedin: The Busy Vibrant Mom

Free Productivity Planner - my gift to you! www.byrdmichelle.com

Come join our Facebook Group: The Busy Vibrant Mom

https://www.facebook.com/groups/2315591962144641/