My robot vacuum ate some of my jigsaw puzzle pieces and I didn't discover the crime scene until I emptied the dustbin a week later. A funny mishap turned into a meditation on how one new variable can throw off a trusted routine—and why, when we're overwhelmed, small problems can feel enormous.

Stuck in the messy middle of a draft? Four strategies to move from tangled ideas to finished writing — without waiting for perfection that never comes.

I don’t think we talk enough about the value of a peaceful, streamlined environment for combatting overwhelm. We might talk a good game about how nice it is to have a clean house and the laundry done and no piles on the kitchen counter. But we don't do (or don't know how to do) the work to get us there.

I've been thinking a lot about productivity and perfectionism. And let me be someone who can reassure you: not every day needs to be (or even can be) a superhero day ... go easy on yourself.

Do you make New Year's resolutions? I don't—hear me out.

One of my absolute favorite books about conquering procrastination is The Complete Idiot's Guide to Overcoming Procrastination, by L. Michelle Tullier, Ph.D.

Anyone stressed as the holidays kick into high gear? My hand is raised.

I've really taken some lessons forward from my time off, and I want to share those gentle reminders with you.

When overwhelm threatens, remember that one of your best defensive responses is delegation!

Sometimes if we try a little something outside our norm, some fun things will probably happen.

"The most dramatic, effective way to boost your productivity is to completely avoid e-mail for the first hour of the day."

If you're reading this, chances are you're drowning in responsibilities. We need fast, practical solutions for actual problems—our own version of the magic bag, ready for deployment when chaos strikes.

If I say the word “routine” to a group of people, you can bet there will be two kinds of reactions: a visceral shudder, and a smiling nod. Why? Well, I would say it’s because that word means very different things to these two groups. And it’s such a polarizing word that really I haven’t seen a reaction anywhere in the middle. No “meh, a routine.” Just either a screeching “I hate routines!” or a beaming “Boy, I love routines!"

I want to show you some (possibly new) ways to think about routines.