The Lazy Genius Podcast

Episode #438 – Office Hours: Routines
Host: Kendra Adachi (The Lazy Genius)
Date: October 6, 2025

Episode Overview

This special “Office Hours” edition of The Lazy Genius Podcast is all about routines—how to create, maintain, and reimagine them so they actually make your life easier rather than a source of stress. Kendra answers listener questions about a variety of everyday routines: after-school rhythms, bedtime with teens, fridge cleanouts, movement habits, and more. She emphasizes the Lazy Genius philosophy: "Be a genius about the things that matter, and lazy about the things that don’t."

The episode is structured in a Q&A format, beginning with questions pertaining to kids and family, moving into general routine challenges, then closes with Kendra’s family routine system, the Lazy Genius of the Week, and a mini pep talk for when life feels overwhelming.

Main Themes & Philosophy

• You don't need a routine for everything. Focus on routines only where they matter most, which is a core Lazy Genius principle.
• Routines aren't about perfection or precision. They're about guiding you toward a feeling or outcome, not nailing every step every time.
• Start with small, gentle steps. Don’t overhaul your life; tweak one thing at a time.
• Expect change and disruption. Routines should flex with your season and your reality.
• Adjust expectations, not just actions. Sometimes peace comes from expecting reminders rather than eliminating the need for them.

Key Listener Questions & Insights

1. After School Routine Flexibility

Listener: Three Days and a Danish
Question: How do I create a predictable routine for kids whose after-school schedules vary between homework, activities, and downtime? (Kids are in grades 3 and 7.)

Key Insight:

• Prioritize predictable REST over rigid order.
  • "You're not trying to have ordered tasks the same way every single day, no matter what you're doing... identify the experience or the feeling and create one small thing that can create that feeling no matter the circumstances." [09:52]
• Suggestion: Have a portable daily ritual (e.g., snack + book time) that fits into any after-school situation.

2. Bedtime Battles with an Older Child (ADHD)

Listener: Ashley Ann
Question: My 12-year-old with ADHD needs constant evening reminders, while managing mornings well on his own. How can I make bedtime less stressful for both of us?

Key Insights:

• Recognize seasonal family changes—later bedtimes can be new and rocky.
• "Kids often need reminders. The reminders might not ever stop... If you say to yourself, 'I'm going to need to remind him, and I'm going to do it kindly,' ...you might feel more okay when you do have to remind him." [15:02]
• Try a non-human prompt (bell or timer).
• Share the reminder load with another parent if possible.

3. Communicating Family Logistics with Disengaged Teens

Listener: Elizabeth Hubler
Question: Calendar apps and reminders don't work, and teens ignore or delete alerts.

Key Insights:

• Use a simple group text for weekly reminders—teens generally check those.
• Accept the reality of being the “reminder-in-chief,” but shift mindset:
  • "Change your expectations from 'I hate having to deal with being the one who reminds everyone of everything' to 'it's time to make sure the family knows what's going on this week.'” [20:40]

4. Fridge Cleanout Routine (or Not)

Listener: Karis Havens
Question: Is a regular fridge cleanout routine necessary? How do I handle leftovers and minimize food waste?

Key Insights:

• "Not everything has to have a routine." [23:31] Responding to needs as they arise is often enough.
• If you want rhythm:
  • Make less dinner to avoid accumulating leftovers.
  • Label leftovers with when you’ll eat them (not just what they are).
  • Designate a weekly “leftover night.”
• Let go of guilt for food tossed—be kind to yourself.

5. Incorporating Intentional Movement

Listener: frogangel4444
Question: How do I add regular body movement to my routine when I dislike it?

Key Insights:

• Blend movement with existing routines (tidy + dance).
• "You can just move while dancing and cleaning for the next couple of weeks and then never do it again. But it's better than stressing over trying to create a routine for your movement and then not actually move." [27:56]

6. Workout Routine with Variable Schedules

Listener: Coco DiCarlo
Question: How do I maintain consistent exercise with inconsistent daily and weekly schedules?

Key Insights:

• Make the decision about movement consistent if the action can’t be.
  • "Maybe the night before when you're looking ahead at the next day, you decide then when and what movement you will do tomorrow." [30:33]

7. Dealing with Disrupted Routines

Listener: GinaK123
Question: What happens when life throws off established routines (e.g., laundry or exercise)?

Key Insights:

• Create a “Plan B” for essential routines likely to get disrupted.
• For self-care routines, challenge the all-or-nothing thinking from productivity culture.
  • "Getting out of rhythm is not the same as quitting, or being doomed, or an inconsistent person." [34:49]

8. Adult Evening Routine That Actually Happens

Listener: Jivjuls
Question: I can’t stick to a nighttime routine and end up scrolling on my phone.

Key Insights:

• Do parts of your “bedtime routine” earlier (right after dinner or work), not just before sleep.
• Focus on one core action (e.g., wash your face). Give yourself credit for any progress.

9. Grocery Shopping & Meal Planning Hassles

Listeners: Denise Roda & AngelaRay325
Questions: Bagged salads go bad before I eat them, and meal planning is overwhelming.

Key Insights:

• Focus on the most specific problem: e.g., only buy lunch salads for two days, then switch to foods that last longer midweek.
• "The reason your routine vanishes from your brain is because you’re starting too big with too many steps. You gotta start small." [39:21]

Notable Quotes & Moments

• "A lazy genius routine is not about the steps. It's about where you're wanting to go." – Kendra [06:34]
• "Expect that reminders might not ever stop, and decide to be kind about it. That alone can lower the temperature at bedtime." – Kendra [16:14]
• "Make the problem as small as you can. You don't have to overhaul everything." – Kendra [39:44]
• "The answer is not to hold on tighter. It might be (honestly) to let go, fall to the ground, catch your breath, and then just let the pace keep going slowly, restore your strength slowly." – Mini Pep Talk [53:50]

Timestamps for Key Segments

• [04:00] – Kendra redefines what “routine” means for Lazy Geniuses
• [09:52] – Portable after-school routines for varying days
• [15:02] – Why reminders for bedtime routines are normal and okay
• [20:40] – Family communication tactics for teens/play-by-play reminder realities
• [23:31] – Permission to not have a routine for everything (fridge cleanout)
• [27:56] – Sneaking movement into existing routines
• [30:33] – Consistent movement “decision” over actual routine
• [34:49] – Adjusting mindset after disruptions to routines
• [39:21] – Start meal planning with one small, specific fix
• [44:30] – Kendra’s family info routines/system (see below)
• [51:13] – Lazy Genius of the Week (Bailey’s spring break summer clothes hack)
• [53:50] – Mini pep talk for lack of breathing room in life

Kendra’s Family Routine System (A Little Extra Something)

[44:30]

• Meal plan: Weekly, on Sunday, meal options go on a dry erase calendar in the kitchen (“If a kid asks what’s for dinner, I say, ‘Look at the board, look at the board, look at the board.’”)
• Events: Three-month “Essential Calendar” on the wall for unusual events (trips, odd pickups, etc.), not regular practices/lessons
• Reminders: Verbally given, sometimes texted, as needed and preferred for connection
• Weekly planning conversation: If logistics get overwhelming, she and husband Kaz have a Sunday “what’s coming” check-in to divide/shift responsibilities
• Key principle: “I like it, I’m good at it, and I’m home more, so management falls to me—but I ask for help when I need to.” [46:45]

Lazy Genius of the Week

[51:13]
Bailey: Packs for spring break by setting aside summer clothes in the fall, making future vacation packing easier.
Kendra celebrates this as a “favor to your future self,” using the Magic Question—‘What can I do now to make something easier later?’

Mini Pep Talk – When Life Lacks Breathing Room

[53:50]

• “Faster pace is not the answer. When you can’t catch your breath, going faster is not going to restore that breath. You have to slow down to catch your breath.”
• “Having the permission to not have to finish right now might be all you need, and then just begin again where you are tomorrow.”

Takeaways for Listeners

• Most routines don’t need to be perfect or even consistent—start small with what matters most right now.
• Adjusting your mindset about reminders, expectations, and flexibility can make routines less stressful.
• Don’t be afraid to “let go” or pivot when life breaks a routine; rest is part of the process.
• Value connection, contentment, and compassion in your routines over productivity for productivity’s sake.

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