Welcome to May.
Bold claim, that May’s the craziest month of the year. After all, we all just survived December (“Just”? Feels like “just,” anyway.), but there’s something different about the holidays. It’s more celebratory, more anticipatory… May? It’s like trying to wrap up 30 projects at the same exact time. It’s putting a pin in everything, when it all comes to an abrupt halt when school ends.
And then you’ve got to figure out what to do with the kids, since their school just says, “OK, best of luck” for three months. But before life comes to a screeching, summery halt?
May-cember. It’s a thing. You’re not imagining it. And you’re not alone.
We’re all here right beside you, just trying to survive all the end-of-year programs and recitals and awards banquets. Not to mention Teacher Appreciation Week, MOTHER’S DAY?!, and graduations. The chaos is real, but there’s also magic to the frenzy.
As long as you can manage it, anyway. And I’m here, your type-A bestie, to help you get through it.
We’ve got systems. We’ve got plans. This is your May playbook.
May doesn’t have to wreck you; you just have to shift operating systems. Now, more than ever, we have to be intentional. A little planning—especially when it comes to gifts and meals—will pay off in spades.
Your May Survival System depends on four important pillars, each designed to either structure or release a part of your life. May is not the time to deep clean or purge the house, start a new diet, or reach some new, lofty goal. We’re not expecting perfection this month. We’re praying for survival.
Pillar 1: The 10-Minute Sunday Reset
The speedy admin block you’ll use to set realistic goals, plan your week, and get everything out of your head.
Set aside 10 minutes—set a timer!—and just power through life planning for the next 7 days.
Brain dump everything happening that week onto one piece of paper or into your phone Notes. I like to even just record a long, rambling voice memo, then feed the transcription into Claude to summarize my thoughts into bullet points.
Review your calendar. Make sure you know what’s happening each day. I like to write it out in my Notes app, so I’ve got a narrative of what’s happening. I make sure everyone has a ride to everything, and no one’s double booked.
Identify your 3 non-negotiables for the week—the 3 things you can do that will make the week feel successful.
