Before heading out for a weekend getaway or planning a family vacation, it’s crucial for me to ensure that the house and kids left behind are well taken care of and in good hands. I had the privilege of sitting down with the remarkable Jena Bradley, who has mastered family vacation planning. Jena is dedicated mom, student, CEO, and wife. Jena, an avid participant in all my programs, including the upcoming TOBOS program, is a force to be reckoned with.
Balancing the responsibilities of raising four daughters aged 6-11, pursuing a part-time career as a physical therapist alongside her husband’s practice, managing an Airbnb rental, and serving as the CEO of her own business, Live Core Strong, which has now transitioned into the podcast “The Fit Postpartum Mom,” Jena is doing all the things.
Jena’s journey with Systemize Your Life began with a quest for greater efficiency amidst the chaos of managing a bustling household and career. Through the program, she discovered a newfound sense of tranquility and productivity, realizing the transformative power of implementing systems not only in her personal life but also in running her business.
Jena’s story serves as a testament to the profound impact of systematic approaches in achieving balance and fulfillment amidst life’s myriad responsibilities.
Listen Below For The Entire Episode On The Systemize Your Life Podcast
Jena Bradley: Mom of Four and Business Boss
Thanks to Systemize Your Business, Jena successfully streamlined her business operations. Building on this foundation, she progressed to Systemize to Scale and even participated as a beta tester for the upcoming TOBOS Operating System course, set to launch later this year. By implementing the insights gleaned from this suite of courses, she has managed to reduce her business workload to just 10 hours per week, achieving remarkable productivity while still prioritizing her role as a mother.
Jena’s ability to strike a balance between work and family life is truly commendable. Through strategic prioritization, she has found a way to excel in her professional endeavors without sacrificing precious time with her family. This balance has brought her a sense of peace and control over her home life, characterized by a natural ease rather than rigid constraints.
Among her favorite systems are time blocking and fundamental needs systems, which she finds to be incredibly foundational and transformative once implemented. These systems have revolutionized her approach to productivity and have allowed her to navigate her responsibilities with grace and efficiency.
Enjoy Time Away Without The Burden Of Unfinished Chores
Jena shared that it took “approximately three months” for her family to fully embrace the new changes and systems she implemented. On a personal level, she mentioned that it took her about a month before she began effectively time blocking, utilizing a hybrid system that combined her Google Calendar with a paper planner. Through her diligence, focus, and consistency, she began to witness the rewarding results of her efforts.
In introducing the new systems to her family, Jena started by presenting them to the family members who were naturally inclined towards planning, securing their buy-in first. Her husband quickly recognized the benefits of the program, witnessing a reduction in clutter and a noticeable improvement in his wife’s overall happiness and stress levels.
One of the most surprising outcomes for Jena was her husband’s enthusiastic adoption of her newly devised laundry system. Witnessing her husband successfully maintain the system while she was away for a weekend was a clear validation of the effectiveness of her hard work. Given their frequent weekend getaways, Jena devised a system to ensure that household tasks, like laundry, were efficiently managed during the week prior to their departure, allowing them to enjoy their time away without the burden of unfinished chores upon their return.
Household Systems Enable Time Away
At times, it’s easy to dismiss laundry as trivial, believing there are more significant issues to address. Yet, for Jena and her family, it became a source of tension, leading to resentment and barriers in their lives. However, even seemingly small changes, like implementing a laundry system, can have profound effects, fostering freedom and strengthening familial bonds.
Currently, my family hasn’t found its rhythm with laundry. I’m navigating a transitional phase, especially as I delegate more responsibility to my children. Jena shares this sentiment, emphasizing the transformative impact of involving children in household tasks. Once chores become routine, prompting becomes unnecessary, and even the children recognize the value of having clean clothes for their various activities.
Family Vacation Planning Without The Stress
Jena’s approach to family vacation planning wasn’t a significant departure from her day-to-day routine. She suggests allocating two weeks for planning instead of the typical one-week timeframe. This strategy proved immensely beneficial for her recent trip. With one daughter accompanying her to a gymnastics meet while the others remained at home with her husband, and her thoughtful mother-in-law also staying over, Jena had to meticulously coordinate arrangements. Despite the complexity, she felt relaxed and present during the trip, reassured that things were running smoothly at home.
Prior to departure, Jena provided her mother-in-law with a typed schedule, ensuring both her husband and mother-in-law had a clear reference guide in her absence. Additionally, all meals were prepped and readily available, thanks to her consistent batch cooking routine on Mondays. This streamlined process enabled her husband and mother-in-law to seamlessly care for the children without any extra effort on her part.
Furthermore, Jena and her children pack their lunches daily. The whole family has a pre-determined lunch for each day of the week. This system was already active and embraced in Jena’s household. Thus, in planning her family vacation lunchtime planning was a breeze. Jena found the setup surprisingly easy to implement, seamlessly integrating it into her regular routine without disruption.
Systems To Lighten Mom’s Load
When you’ve got your ducks in a row, delegating tasks like keeping the kids and home running smoothly becomes a breeze. Whether you’re jetting off for a fun vacation or tending to more serious matters, your departure doesn’t have to be a source of stress if you’ve got solid systems in place. Asking for help is key, and Jena nailed it by reaching out to her MIL.
Personally, I’m no stranger to leaning on others for support. Sometimes, you’ve got to get real creative with how you delegate tasks.
The cherry on top? Jena’s husband and kids didn’t even buzz her phone while she was away. They had a blast, hitting up all their activities with everything under control. No meltdowns, everyone stayed hydrated, and only a minor mishap occurred. Plus, her husband managed to tackle the whole Sunday reset before she even walked back through the door. Everything was shipshape, allowing her to truly savor her time away with her daughter, knowing everyone back home was doing just fine.
Dedication, Hard Work And Grit For Family Success
Let me tell you about Jena – she’s been shining bright like a superstar since day one. It’s been a year and a half since she has been in my orbit. She’s got quite the impressive track record to show for it. Her success is not a product of one weekend of strength. It takes dedication, hard work, and a whole lot of grit – just like what Jena’s been bringing to the table every step of the way.
I gotta give a big shoutout to Jena and to all of you out there who are making this journey fun while setting yourselves and your families up for success. We’re dreaming big, as moms and as business owners. Our goals are big and vast. Whether it’s inside our homes or out there in the world of business, it’s systems that pave the way for us to achieve it all. All while everyone has their own, clean water bottles along the way!
“Dedication, hard work, determination and support pave the path to success.”
Tangible Results Witnessed In Your Children’s Growth
Just observing Jena’s consistent dedication is incredibly rewarding. She acknowledges, “I am so grateful, but the true reward is how this benefits her children.” Recognizing that organization, scheduling, and implementing systems foster a sense of calm, she believes these are invaluable gifts for her children. Jena is hyper aware she is shaping not only their teenage and early adult years but also influencing how they navigate their own families in the future.
A poignant example of this is when Jena’s daughter created a schedule for her dad to follow while she was away for work. It’s moments like these that truly resonate with Jena, highlighting the beauty of the impact her efforts have on her family.
I echo this sentiment wholeheartedly. While I understand that investing in my programs involves a financial commitment, I firmly believe that when individuals fully commit themselves, they reap invaluable rewards. Jena’s conviction in the program’s worth is evident, as she attests, “You gain so much more time in your day.” During our conversation, Jena referenced her checklist of just three items. That alone fills me with warmth and reinforces the profound significance of these transformative experiences!
Feeling Inspired To Take Your Own Stress-Free Family Vacation?
If you want to get in touch with Jena, or need help loosing that mommy tummy, she’s available at The Fit Postpartum Mom Podcast. Live Core Strong is where moms can regain their core strength. Lastly, she hosts a 30 Day Postpartum Ab Challenge at her site as well which has been getting rave reviews.
If you’re ready to have the systems in place to enable you to take family vacations without the home falling apart, head over to chelsijo.co/syl. Whether you choose the DIY option or the comprehensive VIP experience, there’s an opportunity for you to enhance your life and create meaningful changes. Your journey awaits! Don’t forget to look into our other blog posts where I highlight family vacation planning and fundamental needs systems like Chasing Your Dreams: The Journey Balancing Motherhood and Business, How And When To Start Batching In Your Home And Business and How To Time Block Your Fundamental Needs To Reduce Stress And Anxiety.
Thank you for being a part of this conversation. Please share your successes, thoughts and questions with us in the Systemize Your Life Facebook Group.
Frequently Asked Questions
I would love a weekend away without my kids, should I start with meal planning?
Meal planning will certainly take you far but if you’re ready for a stress-free weekend away, Systemize Your Life is for you my friend! We are here for you and want you to succeed so bounce ideas off of other WFHM inside the Systemize Your Life Facebook group.
