If it’s not in your calendar… it doesn’t exist.

And if you’ve ever walked into another room and completely forgotten what you were doing, this episode is for you.

In this Car Line Coffee Break, I’m sharing the simple Google Calendar system I use to reduce mental load, stop relying on memory, and make sure important things actually happen, without more lists, sticky notes, or overwhelm.

In this episode, we talk about:

• Why relying on memory increases stress and decision fatigue

• The difference between tasks and calendar events (and why events work better)

• How notifications act like a personal assistant for your brain

• Color-coding calendars for kids, family, and personal time

• Using multiple reminders instead of one last-minute panic alert

• Managing therapy appointments, school needs, and daily care routines

• How shared calendars reduce the “household manager” role

• Creating a simple kitchen command center with an old iPad

Quick challenge:

Before you leave the car, add one calendar event for something you forget often, and turn on a notification. That’s it.

If this episode helped, share it with a mom who gets it — and leaving a quick review helps more moms in the trenches find practical tips like this.

🎧 New episodes every Monday + Thursday

🔗 Start here: https://www.therealmommanual.com/start-here

🎙 Listen on Spotify & Apple Podcasts

https://open.spotify.com/show/7xt9cgoFU7yoNx2YSmo6DF

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-real-mom-manual-podcast/id1849315801

📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/therealmommanual/

January has a way of making moms feel behind, even when nothing is technically wrong. The house is livable, the kids are okay, and life is moving… but the pressure to “fix everything” can feel overwhelming.

In this episode, we’re talking about why that all-or-nothing mindset keeps us stuck, and how shifting to progress over perfection brings more peace, clarity, and momentum.

In this episode, we talk about:

Why January pressure makes moms feel behind before the year even starts

How perfectionism disguises itself as productivity

Choosing a word of the year instead of rigid resolutions

What “peace” actually looks like in real life (and the power of “not my problem”)

Letting go of guilt around traditions, expectations, and people-pleasing

Why massive goals overwhelm the brain, and what actually creates progress

Progress over perfection in home systems, routines, and decision-making

Special needs parenting and why slow, quiet progress still counts

Real-life examples of unglamorous progress (playrooms, garages, and follow-through)

Predictable dinners that reduce decision fatigue and make evenings calmer

10 to the table this week:

• Why ground beef is an MVP

• Brown it once, season it, and use it for multiple meals

• Predictability over novelty when capacity is low

If this episode helped, leaving a quick review helps more moms find the show!

🎧 New episodes every Monday + Thursday

🔗 Start here: https://www.therealmommanual.com/start-here

🎙 Listen on Spotify & Apple Podcasts https://open.spotify.com/show/7xt9cgoFU7yoNx2YSmo6DF https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-real-mom-manual-podcast/id1849315801

📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/therealmommanual/

In this quick Car Line Coffee Break, we’re talking about “holiday hindsight” - a simple, realistic way to reflect on the past season without spiraling into guilt, comparison, or overplanning.

Instead of pretending December never happened (orromanticizing it next year) this episode helps you capture a few honest notes that future-you will be grateful for.

This isn’t about optimizing the holidays or doing more. It’s about remembering reality so you don’t relearn the same lessons every year.In this episode, we talk about:

• Why moms tend to forget what actually caused stress during the holidays
• How a quick “holiday hindsight” note saves mental energy year after year
• The three simple bullets to write down every January
• What worked, what wasn’t worth it, and what to skip without guilt
• How reviewing Amazon or Target orders can change how you plan next year
• Why this practice reduces decision fatigue (not just during the holidays, but year-round!)

Try this today:

Take five minutes and write down:

• One thing you’d absolutely do again
• One thing you’d skip without guilt
• One thing that caused more stress than it was worth

That’s it.

If this episode helped something feel easier, share it with a mom who would appreciate it, and leaving a quick review helps more moms find practical tips like this.

🎧 New episodes every Monday + Thursday

🔗 Start here: https://www.therealmommanual.com/start-here

🎙 Listen on Spotify & Apple Podcasts https://open.spotify.com/show/7xt9cgoFU7yoNx2YSmo6DF https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-real-mom-manual-podcast/id1849315801

📸 Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/therealmommanual/

Winter break, postpartum transitions, and stackedresponsibilities can make even well-run homes feel off. In this episode, Michelle reframes “survival mode” as maintenance mode - a necessary phase when life requires more effort and offers less margin.

Instead of pushing harder or starting over, this conversation focuses on keeping things moving, protecting energy, and making thoughtful adjustments during high-demand seasons.

In this episode, we talk about:

• Why school breaks disrupt regulation, rhythm, and behaviormore than we expect

• How shared load (not more effort) changes the math of daily life• Postpartum weaning as a real transition (and why it deserves recognition)• Why maintenance seasons aren’t chaos, they’re upkeep• Screen time, regulation, and choosing clarity over comparison• Simple systems that reduce mental load: doubling meals and using your calendar as your brain
• Parenting a child with special needs when the margin is thinner; IEP advocacy, therapy minutes, and realistic progress• Real-life home systems: playroom reshuffles, toy clutter migration, and letting go of “cute in theory” setups• Fast, low-decision dinners when energy is limited• Why quiet progress still counts (and how to recognize it)

Mentioned in this episode:

👉 therealmommanual.com/tools

If something in this episode made you think, that wouldactually help, sharing it or leaving a quick review helps more moms find the show.

Motherhood is full, layered, and demanding, and it doesn’t need unnecessary chaos making it harder than it already is.

The Real Mom Manual Podcast is for moms who love their lives but want them to run better. Hosted by Michelle D. Hyduchak, a mom of three (including one with Down syndrome), this show focuses on practical systems, realistic rhythms, and special-needs support that actually works in real homes.

No sugarcoating. No hot-mess performance. Just calm, capable guidance to help you reduce friction, lighten the mental load, and make everyday life simpler to manage.

New full episodes drop Mondays, with quick Car Line Coffee Breaks on Thursdays.

Start here: https://www.therealmommanual.com

Instagram: @therealmommanual