In this episode:
Jenn Uren, the host of This Mom Knows podcast, loves helping women entrepreneurs establish systems. Her goal is to help people get unstuck and move forward with their goals.
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Inspired Life
This week, I interviewed one of the most organized people I know! Jenn Uren talked about how systems have helped her navigate through some big life changes—including the surprise adoption of two children, which brought them from a family of 5 to 7 with two-weeks notice.
From selling organizational products to consulting as a home organizer, Jenn has been a go-getter for years. She talked about how when she helped others organize their homes, she realized that much of the time, the disorder was a symptom of something else. Getting the house organized didn’t solve their problems.
Perfectionism and Waiting for Someday
Jenn talked about being a perfectionist and also about how she has a fear of succeeding more than a fear of failure. Perhaps you’ve felt that before and wondered, what if I succeed? She talked about something I’ve heard so many people say. It’s that futuristic thinking that once the to-do list is gone, kids are well-behaved, and I have a lot of free time, then I will finally do the things I’ve talked about doing.
Jenn learned how to shift from the fantasy of “it’s never going to happen” to the idea of “what can I do?” She started to tack small, measurable things that were within her ability to get done.
“Done is better than perfect.”—Jenn Uren
Jenn Uren is mom to 5 kids, both biological and adopted, husband of Jim, and the host of the This Mom Knows podcast. She is great at using systems to minimize distractions to stay focused and helps mompreneurs leverage systems so they can be their best as both mom and entrepreneur.
Life, Repurposed
When a sense of overwhelm came into the picture, Jenn had to make changes. She said, “I kept adding to my plate, and I never took off of my plate.”
Jenn has learned to work in “iterations.” That means doing what she can and then making changes when the circumstances permit. Each time she expands and changes, gradually making progress on her goals.
Jenn’s family has made some drastic changes to simplify, including selling their home and renting in order to be ready for the next phase. As a family, they have become more intentional about where they put their time and energy.
Tools for Mompreneurs to Simplify and Succeed
She’s also helping others discover a different way to raise kids, run a business, homeschool, and more after having so much change in her family. As a result, her own learning moments have become opportunities to encourage others.
“Because you have done something at one point, doesn’t mean you can’t go back and work on it.”—Jenn Uren
Jenn helps other moms discover practical tools and systems to help them solve problems and create processes that work for them. She helps them reframe and coaches them through small tweaks that work for them.
One of the practical things Jenn has done is come up with ways to simplify meals. She hates cooking, but she has a system that uses 15 minutes a week for meal planning. That’s all!
She’s creating a simple meal-planning course that will appear on her website soon at ThisMomKnows.com.
“Don’t overthink the future but take advantage of today.”—Jenn Uren
Recommended Resources
Jenn is the host of This Mom Knows podcast, a great resource to learn from other moms. She covers so many areas of life but caters especially to the entrepreneur mom who needs help and inspiration from other women.
Simple Ways to Minimize Distractions
If you find yourself looking for another system instead of making progress, Jenn has a great resource for you! She encourages others to notice where they make excuses and take action instead. That speaks my language!
Be sure to download Jenn’s free resource “Five Simple Tools to Help Minimize Distractions.”
Episodes to listen to:
On This Mom Knows, Jenn talks about systems and habits
Jenn tells her surprise adoption story on This Mom Knows
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(Please note: books posted here on my blog are purely because I want to share them. Sometimes I receive free copies for review, and other times I purchase the books. Some I get from the library. Either way, any endorsement I offer here on the blog is simply because I want to talk about the book. )
Michelle Rayburn is the author of The Repurposed and Upcycled Life: When God Turns Trash to Treasure, as well as a small group Bible study to accompany the book. Learn more about these and her other books here. A sample chapter of the book and Bible study are available for free download.
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