HISMD: Mid-level "Modern Workplace" Technology Manager

Hybrid (1-2 days in office). Three older kids (live outside the house). Partner (full-time WFH). East Tennessee. 60.

Each Thursday, the “How I Structure My Day” series features women from different industries, with and without kids, with and without partners, with family living with/near them and not, wfh to 1+ hour commutes, etc. I hope you enjoy reading them as much as I do!

Before we get to the good stuff…

Know that if you’re ready to learn a time management system designed for professional working women, the 10-week Bright Method program is open! Learn about this digital-calendar + smart strategy-based system design to lighten mental load, get you more clarity, reduce stress, and help you take breaks you can actually enjoy here. And send any questions my way! Happy to talk out whether I think it would work for you, your main concerns, timing, etc. Send me a message, and I hope to see you in there!

The Snapshot

• Partner: Yes (WFH full time)

• Children: Yes – 3 (older and live outside the house)

• East Tennessee

• Hybrid (1-2 days in office, the rest WFH)

• 60

Typical Morning:

• I usually wake up without an alarm (or with the cat and dog alarm ha) at 7:15ish.

• I tend to pets, get ready, and check email and chats on my phone in case of an IT issue.

• Then I fix myself iced coffee and breakfast.

• I usually scroll through socials, personal email, and personal calendar to check for birthdays (I guess I’m the kin keeper now).

• I’m at my desk at 8ish when WFH or drive to the office and settle in by 8:30.

Morning "Make Life Easier" Hacks

• I rotate through 3 easy breakfasts that are always on hand and meal plan lunches on Sundays. Workdays are busy so if food is not easy, I tend to skip eating‚ which really causes a crash at the end of the day.

Transition into Work Mode

• I keep my calendar blocked from meetings until 9am. I use that time to catch up on any overnight work from the India and Australia teams and to prep for the day ahead.

What my work day looks like

• I control my work day by controlling my calendar. Monday morning is blocked off for prioritizing projects and prep work and Wednesday afternoons blocked for deep work. Fridays are always blocked. I have lunch time blocked and even have drive time blocked off on in-office days so that I can leave before traffic gets crazy.

• I work a 9/80 schedule which means 9 hour days Mon-Thu, 8 hours on one Fridays and off on the next Friday. I love having every other Friday off and always make sure I’ve scheduled something for myself on those days... hair appointment, lunch with a friend, yoga, etc.

• Tuesdays and Thursdays are meeting-heavy days. I meet with each direct report for 30 minutes each week, and encourage them to “save up” their list for that time unless there is something urgent or a roadblock question.

Lunch/Snacks

• I always have lunch time blocked off at noon.

Breaks

• Yes, on Monday morning I check my week and block out breaks between meetings, otherwise I’d get scheduled back-to-back all day.

Leaving work

• I’m done by 5:30 or 6 every day. If in the office, I leave at 3 to drive home and finish the day there. In these empty nest days, I don’t have anyone to pick up, just a pup to walk.

Transition out of work mode

• I’m always already home by then, so I use podcasts and/or music to transition out of work mode. I might listen to a short work-related podcast and then switch to a fun one, or switch from my “productive” music playlist to a fun one, usually while outside with the pup.

After work/evening hours

• All relaxation. You guys, there’s so much free time now! I play with pets, do a little light yardwork, my husband usually cooks dinner, glass of wine, watch something together or work on a hobby. Sometimes I meet one of the kids or friends for dinner or a sports event. I go to bed whenever I want and listen to a “sleep” podcast.

Evening Non-Negotiables

• None. I swear.

Afternoon/evening “make life smoother” tips

• Making sure I’ve captured what’s in my head onto my calendar or task list really helps my brain let the workday go.

Sharing the load with a partner

• We divide going to the grocery (I hate it and always do order pickup when it’s my turn).

• My husband and I each do our own laundry, I do the shared laundry.

• We share pet duties.

• There’s just not so much to do with the 3 boys grown and flown.

Things you do for fun/during the week

• I’m kind of a homebody during the week (after the insanity of raising teens) so I do light gardening, hobbies, yoga, movies, reading. I sometimes meet friends or a kid for dinner or a game.

Exercise/Body Movement

• I just turned 60, my focus is on keeping my flexibility and mobility. I do lots of yoga, walks, and weighted curls and stretches. And lots of getting in and out of the floor with my new granddaughter!

Outsourcing

• We have a housecleaner that comes every other week - she even waters my plants.

• We have a mowing guy, a leaf guy, and a handyman on speed dial.

• I once even hired someone to come hang stuff on the walls.

• I love outsourcing.

Anything Else the Sharer Wants to Share

• My husband has discovered a love of grocery shopping and cooking, and I’m here for it! He cooks most dinners and is a little unpredictable‚ but in kind of a good way. I’m content to discover what he’s into and have backup tortellini in the freezer just in case haha.

• I want you all to know that adult kids are so much fun! I’m enjoying this slightly slower personal life as compared to the chaos of 3 boys in sports and activities back in the day. Also my career is really excelling right now and I truly enjoy it, plus I enjoy encouraging true work life balance across my team. This is a fast moving field that can cause burnout and turnover, but we maintain a high level of productivity and are the “go to” team that always gets accolades and bonuses.

• My advice is to embrace technology. I use our AI app as basically my personal assistant. I use it to capture action items out of meetings and from my notes, to help plan my day, and so much more. I also heavily use the “To Do” app, which pulls together ALL of my action items from email, Planner, Project, etc. These things help me feel on top of things, which in turn means I can truly set it all aside when the workday ends.

That’s a wrap for this one!

Thank you so much to this woman for generously sharing. These publish every Thursday!

A reminder of the ground rules to ensure women continue wanting to share about their days and feel safe doing so.

• Encouraging comments always welcome!

• If you have questions or even hang-ups about what someone shared, you are welcome to ask a question for the sharer in the same kind, genuinely curious way you would if you were looking at that woman in her eyes. She might respond through me.

• If comments are judge-y or mean-spirited, I reserve the right to delete comments. I can handle being criticized about my own work here (and even still, to a degree – I’m also a person), but I go into full mama bear mode when people come after my people – including women who are being vulnerable and sharing in the first place.

• Thanks to the vast majority of people who are so kind!

New here? Welcome!

I’m Kelly Nolan, an attorney-turned-time management strategist and mom of two. I teach the Bright Method, a realistic time management system designed for professional working women. In addition to this fun new series, I share bite-sized time management strategies on Instagram. Thanks for being here!

After experiencing overwhelm as a young patent litigator in Boston, I figured out a time management system to help me show up in the ways that I wanted to at work and at home – without requiring my brain to somehow magically remember it all. I now teach other professional working women how to manage their personal, family, and career roles with less stress and more calm clarity using realistic time management strategies. My system, the Bright Method, has been featured in Bloomberg Businessweek, and my work has been published in Forbes, Fast Company, Business Insider, and more. Learn more on my website, come learn bite-sized strategies with me on Instagram, or jump into my free 3-day program.

Need help finding more articles?

Click here to go to the HISMD index!

Know a friend who might love this, too?

Send it to your friend – or the whole group chat!

Thanks for being here!