How to Stop Perfectionism From Wasting Your Time with Fran Hauser — Part 2

How can you create more space in your calendar, protect your energy, and stay productive without burning out? In Part 2 of Rebecca Shaddix’s conversation with Fran Hauser, they explore practical time-management strategies for setting boundaries, avoiding overscheduling, and planning work around your natural energy levels. Fran is the author of the bestselling book “The Myth of the Nice Girl" and the new book “Twenty Minutes Is the New Hour.” She is also a former Fortune 500 President, startup investor and advisor, and owner of Bedford Books. Fran explains how each day moves through three energy rhythms: peak performance, creativity, and restorative time. She shares how to match important tasks to each rhythm instead of forcing yourself to do demanding work when your energy is low. Rebecca and Fran also discuss why hour-by-hour default time blocking can create pressure and contribute to burnout. Fran explains how 10-minute buffers between meetings can reduce anxiety, improve focus, and give you time to reset. She also shares how a “to-don’t” list can help you stop people-pleasing and protect your priorities. If back-to-back meetings leave you drained, you struggle to say no, or your focus disappears in the afternoon, this episode offers a more sustainable way to plan your day. You will learn how to work with your chronotype, remove low-value commitments, and make more intentional choices about your time. What You’ll Learn: - How to map tasks to your peak performance, creative, and restorative rhythms - Why 10-minute buffers between meetings can reduce stress and improve focus - How working with your natural chronotype can improve productivity - Why administrative tasks are better suited to periods of lower energy - How a “to-don’t” list can help you set boundaries and stop people-pleasing - How to remove padded meetings and low-value commitments from your calendar - Why asking “What happens if I do not do this?” can expose unnecessary work Listen to learn how to build breathing room into your calendar, protect your energy, and make progress without optimizing for filling every available minute. **Timestamps** 00:01:19 — Why 10-minute buffers work better than back-to-back meetings 00:02:46 — Planning tasks around your three daily energy rhythms 00:05:31 — Batching administrative work during low-energy periods 00:09:03 — Choosing what you want to do instead of what you should do 00:14:48 — Using a “to-don’t” list to set boundaries and stop people-pleasing **Connect with Fran** Website: https://www.franhauser.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/franhauser Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fran\_hauser/ For more insight on making the most out of the small moments in your day, follow Rebecca and the Time Billionaires Podcast on LinkedIn. And if you liked the show, subscribe to follow it. ### Chapters - (00:00:00) - Introduction and Podcast Welcome - (00:01:09) - The 80/20 Rule and Overscheduling - (00:02:05) - Calendar Padding and Buffer Time - (00:03:11) - The Three Natural Rhythms of the Day - (00:04:44) - Fighting Biology with Industrial Time Standards - (00:05:49) - Working With Your Own Creative Peaks - (00:07:11) - Cycles, Seasons, and Chronotypes - (00:08:25) - Owning Your Chronotype at Work - (00:09:40) - What Do I Want to Do, Not What Should I Do - (00:10:12) - Slowing Down After the Book Launch - (00:11:28) - Losing External Validation and Embracing Stillness - (00:12:18) - Creating Spaciousness in Your Calendar - (00:13:24) - Fran Hauser-ing Your Calendar - (00:14:13) - If I Don't Do This, What Happens? - (00:15:13) - Advice to Your 31-Year-Old Self on People Pleasing - (00:17:20) - Overestimating Stakes and Saying No - (00:18:34) - The Holiday Market Story - (00:20:21) - Closing Thoughts and Sign Off