[265] The Secret to Getting Things Done When You’re Already Exhausted

Ever have one of those nights where you’re staring at the fridge with no clue what to make for dinner, and no energy left to figure it out? You’re not alone. In this episode of the Real Happy Mom Podcast, we're talking about what to do when motivation has left the building and you're running on fumes.

Tune in to learn simple strategies that will help you get things done without burning out.

Mentioned in this episode:
👉 The Get Stuff Done Toolkit – The plug-and-play system to help busy moms go from frazzled to focused without overcomplicating life.
👉 Join the waitlist for Confident Mom Life – A 6-week guided experience to help you build simple, flexible routines that actually stick.

3 Takeaways from this episode:

1. Motivation is flaky—systems aren't.
   Relying on motivation is like waiting on a friend who only shows up when it's fun. Systems and routines are what help you follow through even when you're wiped out.
2. You don’t need more energy—you need fewer decisions.
   Decision fatigue is real, and routines that cut down the number of choices you make can make your day feel so much easier.
3. Simple = sustainable.
   The best routines aren’t fancy—they’re the ones that work when you’re not at your best. Think plug-and-play meals, 3-step evening wind-downs, and breathing room built into your day.

Links and resources:

• 🔧 Get the Get Stuff Done Toolkit
• 📥 Join the Confident Mom Life waitlist
• 📋 Grab the Sunday Prep Checklist

Transcript

Toni-Ann: 0:00

I am sure you've had those days where you are just exhausted. You are so tired, you can barely think, and you are seriously considering or probably have given the kids cereal for dinner because you just don't have it in you. And if you ever thought, Hey, I just need to get motivated, I have a little truth bomb for you. Motivation is not the answer. And in this episode we're gonna talk about what actually helps you follow through, especially when you're exhausted, like I was talking about, and you feel like you're running on fumes. Hey there. My name is Toni Ann. I am the podcast host of The Real Happy Mom podcast. The podcast for busy working moms who need more time and help with achieving their big goals without pulling their hair out. And in this episode, we are gonna be sharing the secrets to getting things done when you're already exhausted. This episode of The Real Happy Mom Podcast was brought to you by the Get Stuff Done Toolkit. The Get Stuff Done Toolkit is a plug and play system designed to help busy moms like you organize their thoughts, plan their days, and get things done without overcomplicating life or requiring hours of set up. Whether you're brand new to Trello or you already use it and just need a better workflow, this toolkit gives you the structure of tools and quick wins to go from frazzled to focus super fast. Head on over to real happy mom.com/done to learn more about the Get Stuff Done toolkit. So not too long ago, I would come home just mentally done. My body just wanted a bed or a couch to lay on, and I would go to the kitchen and just. stare at the fridge, even though I had a menu on the fridge to tell me like, Hey, this is what you probably should make for dinner. I just didn't have it in me, and it was one night in particular, I just remember being so tired. I didn't even have a plan for dinner and I had no energy, and I was just feeling like I have so much to do. And nothing to give. I just could not bring myself to like finishing out that day. And something inside of me was like, whispering, you know? Oh, just push through it. You know, you got this. Be productive. Like all the things that I talk about here on the podcast and. I just knew that pushing through would only get me even more overwhelmed and exhausted. So I realized is what I really needed at that time was a system that didn't require me to rely on my energy that I didn't have, and that's what I want for you. So the truth is, having motivation can be like having a flaky friend. You know the friend that shows up late and only wants to come around when there's something fun going on. That's the type of friend that motivation is. But systems and routines, they show up no matter what. So I wanna walk you through a couple of the secrets that I told you we would talk about here today. So first of all, motivation is a feeling. It is not a plan. Like I said, motivation only shows up late and only when things are fun. So you can't rely on motivation. If you wait for motivation to strike, you'll be stuck just going through survival mode most of the days because typically motivation is nowhere to be found. Secondly, you don't need more energy, you need fewer decisions. And I've talked about this before in several other podcasts about decision fatigue, and this is why I'm so big on routines and systems. So for instance, when I was talking about the Sunday prep routine, I was explaining to you that we make so many decisions that a lot of times we are exhausted before lunchtime because we've made. Only a million decisions in our brain is just exhausted, so you don't need to have more energy to make it through the day. We just need you to operate with fewer decisions so you're not feeling so overwhelmed, so stressed, and so exhausted. Next up, simplicity equals sustainability. A lot of times I have found that when I'm trying to get certain routines to fit into my life, especially as I'm going through New Seasons, so like for instance with back to School that's coming up or with, um, going on summer break whatever the case is, having a routine that. It is super simple. Makes it so much easier because when I rely on a routine that only works when I'm on quote unquote, it gets way too complicated because if I'm not on and I'm not feeling it, I'm not gonna do it. So keeping routines simple, makes them sustainable. And then next, remember that the right system makes it easy to follow through even when you're tired. So think of things that are just plug and play, like certain meals that you know that the kids, will eat all the time, even for the picky eaters. Having a three step evening routine, having something built in each day to give you some breathing room and so that you're not feeling like you're just constantly go, go, go. Just think about things that will make it super easy for you to follow through. Those are the things that will help make it so that you can get things done even when you're tired. And then lastly, remember that rest is not the enemy of productivity. Rest is a requirement. And I have heard it said before, I believe it was Danielle Adams, who I heard first heard her say that rest is productive. So remember, that systems will help you rest without falling behind. And it's okay to stop, to pause and to take a break. So if you're nodding like yes, this is definitely what I need. I definitely need to incorporate either one or all of these things that I talked about. I wanna make sure that you are on the wait list for my brand new program coming out called The Confident Mom Life. It's gonna be a six week guided experience to help you build routines that support you, especially when you're running low on motivation. Plus, you'll get some early access and some special bonuses and first dibs when the doors open. So join the wait list by clicking on the link in the description. All right, now we've made it to the end. I want you to remember a few things for today. Remember, motivation is unreliable, but systems are sustainable. You're not lazy, you're just tired, and that's totally different. Remember, fewer decisions equals less stress. And you can create routines that work even when you're worn out. And lastly, you don't need to hustle. You just need a structure that gives you your energy back. So hopefully you found this episode helpful to find the links in the show notes for this episode. Head on over to real happy mom.com/ 2 6 5. And make sure to stay tuned next week for another episode where I'll be sharing with you why complicated planners don't stick. All right. That's it for now. Take care, and with lots of love.