What if your most productive, brilliant ideas don’t come from pushing harder, but from doing the dishes, knitting, or folding laundry?

In this episode of Energy + Hours, I’m joined by neuropsychologist, TEDx speaker, and fellow Canadian Dr. Nicole Byers to talk about the surprising brain science behind efficiency, creativity, and why “old lady hobbies” might be the missing key in your time management.

Nicole helps high-achieving women bend time around their brilliance by designing their days to match how their brains actually work. And today we go deep into how to access your sharpest, most creative thinking without burning yourself out.

We talk about:

• Why efficiency isn’t the real goal

  Why constantly trying to optimize your time can shut down the exact brain networks needed for creativity, big-picture thinking, and problem-solving.
  

• The brain science behind your best ideas

  Why genius insights show up in the shower, before bed, or on a walk and what’s actually happening neurologically when your mind wanders.
  

• The power of “old lady hobbies”

  How repetitive, two-handed tasks like knitting, crochet, gardening, dishes, folding laundry, and other “old lady hobbies” actually activate creativity, focus, and cognitive flexibility.
  

• Rest through busy work (especially for ADHD-ish brains)

  Why some brains don’t relax through meditation and how busy work becomes a sneaky, sustainable way to reset your nervous system.
  

• Color-coding your to-dos by cognitive load

  Nicole’s red / yellow / green system you can use with sticky notes, your planner, or your digital calendar to protect your best energy.
  

• How to design days around your brain, not the rules

  Why some of us shouldn’t be working 9–5, what to do when you hit your natural “afternoon crash,” and how to personalize productivity every single day.
  

• The truth about dopamine + motivation

  What dopamine actually does, why anticipation matters more than reward, and how to use tiny incentives to get through tasks you’d normally avoid.
  

• Delegation as a neurological power move

  Why letting go of tasks you “can” do creates massive capacity for brilliance.
  

About Dr. Nicole ByersDr. Nicole Byers is a neuropsychologist, TEDx speaker with over 1 million views, consultant for the NHL, and adjunct assistant professor at the University of Calgary. She helps high-achieving women move from “barely handling it” to feeling consistently sharp, focused, and energized by working with their brain, not against it.

Nicole is also the host of the Call Her Brilliant podcast, a show celebrating the many forms of women’s brilliance and how to access your zone of genius even on low-motivation days.

Connect with Nicole

• Website: drnicolebyers.com
  

• Podcast: Call Her Brilliant

• Instagram: @drnicolebyers
  

Connect with Jill & Energy + HoursIf this episode sparked something, take a screenshot, share it to your stories, and tag me — I LOVE seeing what resonates.

And if you’re craving more tools for time, energy, rest, and personal rhythms, come hang out over on Substack or tune in next week for more Energy + Hours.

https://www.jillwright.ca

https://www.instagram.com/energyandhours

https://www.energyandhours.substack.com

Ever wonder why your digital calendar still isn’t keeping you organized?In this episode, I’m coming to you straight from my kitchen (yes, while babysitting boiling potatoes 😅) to break down why ADHD brains, and busy brains in general, benefit massively from using a paper planner alongside digital tools.

If you’ve ever felt scattered, late, overwhelmed, or constantly pulled off-task by your phone, this episode will help you understand what’s actually going on inside your brain and what to do about it.

In this episode, we dive into:

✨ Why digital calendars alone often fail ADHD brains

✨ How paper planning reduces distractions and boosts follow-through

✨ The science behind handwriting, memory, and dopamine

✨ Time blindness and how visual planning helps you finally see your capacity

✨ Why structure without rigidity is the key to sustainable organization

✨ How a 90-day planner works WITH your digital tools

✨ Gamification, motivation, and why paper “hits different”

✨ How to use both systems together for calm, focus, and consistency

This episode is for you if:

✔ You rely on Google Calendar but still feel disorganized

✔ You have ADHD or a very busy brain

✔ You’re tired of distractions derailing your day

✔ You want realistic structure, not perfection

✔ You’re craving more focus, clarity, and follow-through

Mentioned in this episode:

📘 Time Magic™ Seasonal Planner – My 90-day analog system designed for ADHD-friendly planning, pattern tracking, and realistic weekly structure.

https://www.jillwright.ca/planner

🔥 Momentum Membership – Weekly accountability, co-working, and planning support for women who want consistency without hustle.

https://www.jillwright.ca/momentum-membership

Want more tools for your time + energy?

Subscribe to Energy + Hours on Substack for workshops, resources, community, and deeper support:

👉 https://energyandhours.substack.com

Timestamps:

01:10 Why digital calendars aren’t enough

04:20 ADHD and high interruptibility

07:00 How paper reduces overwhelm

10:45 Time blindness & visual planning

13:30 Pattern tracking + dopamine

18:00 How to use digital + paper together

21:40 Final thoughts & call to action

#ADHDplanning #ADHDtips #timemanagement #papervsdigital #timetools #timemagicplanner #executivefunction #timeblindness #productivitytips #energyandhours

In this solo episode of Energy + Hours, Jill pulls back the curtain and shares the real story behind how she accidentally became a time and energy management expert.

From jotting down tools into a Word doc during university, to navigating postpartum depression, business collapse, a child’s diagnosis, and the chaos of early motherhood during a pandemic , Jill reveals how each chapter of her life quietly prepared her for this work.

This is a deeply personal, behind-the-scenes look at the lived experience, curiosity, resilience, and neuro-affirming perspective that built the Time Magic Planner, the Momentum Membership, the Time Tune-Ups, and the entire Energy + Hours brand.

If you're new to Jill’s world, this episode is the perfect place to start.

In this episode Jill shares:

• How she unintentionally wrote her first book (and how anxiety shaped it)

• What it was really like opening a retail business in 2020 with two small kids

• How postpartum depression and burnout forced her to reinvent how she managed her time

• Why the Time Magic Planner exists and why it works

• How learning about neurodiversity radically shifted her approach to productivity

• Her belief that high-achieving women are going to change the world

• • The daily affirmation that still guides her business and life

  
  

  Resources mentioned:

• • Time Magic Planner - www.jillwright.ca/planner

  • Momentum Membership - www.jillwright.ca/momentum-membership

  • Time Tune-Up Sessions - www.jillwright.ca/tune-up

• • Jill’s Substack (Energy + Hours) - energyandhours.substack.com

  Want to know your time management style? Take Jill's quiz at jillwright.ca/quiz