Stephing Up

Have you ever stood in the kitchen at 7:14am holding two odd shoes and a half-made sandwich, wondering whether it's Wednesday or Thursday? It’s no secret that I’m a hot mess. And mornings (and the 35,000 micro decisions we need to make by 9am) are always extra messy.
So if you've ever been late to the meeting that mattered because morning-you wrote the wrong start time in your head, or your screen time number scares the shit out of you, or you've already snapped at someone you love before the day has even started, this one is for you.
The secret? Stop trying to fix your morning. Fix your night. In this episode I share the six night-before rituals I follow, because morning me cannot be trusted. The handover document, the launchpad, and the toast I refuse to make.
In this episode:
- The day I was an hour late to the Steph Pase Planners Zoom that broke me — and the rules I made because of it
- 35,000 micro decisions by 9am: the science behind why your brain is exhausted before you've even started the day
- Ritual 1: Outfit prep with the labelled hangers (and the 6pm weather check)
- Ritual 2: Lunches 80% prepped (the alternative is the KFC drive-through, ask me how I know)
- Ritual 3: The launchpad + the life pouch (which was originally an SPP tech pouch I made)
- Ritual 4: Same brekkie every single day (overnight protein Whip-Bix because I hate toast)
- Ritual 5: The brain dump → handover document for your future self
- Ritual 6: The 15-minute increment alarm hack (and why "shaping" in psychology beats willpower)
- The two-step rule (pulled from S2E7): if it takes more than 2 steps, redesign it
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Episode Links:
Shop the Life & Tech Organiser Pouch: https://www.stephpaseplanners.com.au/collections/tech-organiser-pouches
Steph’s Amazon Storefront: https://www.amazon.com.au/shop/justanothermummyblog/list/17TTU785IMM53
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Follow Stephing Up
I’m Steph Pase, your (somewhat) organised bestie in your ears. This podcast is about growth that’s messy, building a life that actually fits you, and what happens when life doesn’t go to plan. We’ll talk mental health, motherhood, business, ADHD and how to stop being such an asshole to yourself.
New episodes drop every Monday morning.
So set your reminder. Pop in your headphones. Because we’re Stephing Up together.
If today's episode helped, leaving a review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify is honestly the best thing you can do to help us reach more women.
…
Let’s Hang:
Stephing Up on Instagram: @stephing.up
Steph Pase on Instagram: @stephpase_
Steph Pase on Youtube: @stephpase.
Shop Planners + Organisation: Steph Pase Planners
Shop Steph’s book “Mastering my Messy Life”: Penguin Books Australia

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

"Mummy, can you put your phone down?" I’m taking you back to the day my 6-year-old shamed me with one sentence... and these phone and tech rules I made because of it. I know we can all relate to the struggle of succumbing to our devices. Hey, I love a good scroll, but when a kid says that to you, it hits you hard.
Honestly, I have no control when it comes to technology. It felt like my phone was ruining my life, my attention span, and my mental health. Until this wake-up call.
In this episode, I share the science behind why your phone is winning, and the 6 rules I created to help manage my own phone use. And the best bit: none of these rules require willpower..it comes down to our brain and the science behind it.
This episode is for you if:
You picked up your phone to do ONE thing and 4 hours later you're deep in your brand new hyperfocus of a 15-step haircare routine on TikTok (not speaking from experience or anything)
Someone you love — your kid, your partner, your mum, your bestie — has asked you to put your phone down and you felt the gut-punch
Your daily screen time number is genuinely offensive and you're sick of feeling like a piece of shit about it
You have ADHD (or just a brain) and you've tried "more discipline" and shockingly it didn't work
You want to stop scrolling at 1am but just one more...
Follow Stephing Up
I’m Steph Pase, your (somewhat) organised bestie in your ears. This podcast is about growth that’s messy, building a life that actually fits you, and what happens when life doesn’t go to plan. We’ll talk mental health, motherhood, business, ADHD and how to stop being such an asshole to yourself.
New episodes drop every Monday morning.
So set your reminder. Pop in your headphones. Because we’re Stephing Up together.
If today's episode helped, leaving a review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify is honestly the best thing you can do to help us reach more women.
…
Let’s Hang:
Stephing Up on Instagram: @stephing.up
Steph Pase on Instagram: @stephpase_
Steph Pase on Youtube: @stephpase.
Shop Planners + Organisation: Steph Pase Planners
Shop Steph’s book “Mastering my Messy Life”: Penguin Books Australia
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Here’s the truth:
Your brain isn’t broken… it’s just overwhelmed.
Whether you have ADHD or not, we’re all living in a world that’s busy, noisy, overstimulating—and expecting us to remember everything.
So instead of trying to “be better” or “get more disciplined”…what if you just made life easier?
In this episode, I’m walking you through the 8 weird (but wildly effective) systems I use daily to reduce overwhelm, stop forgetting everything, and actually function like a normal human.
From the “sock theory” to the “life pouch”… these are the small tweaks that remove friction and make your life work with your brain—not against it.
What you’ll learn:
Why your brain struggles to keep up (and why it’s not your fault)
How to reduce decision fatigue in your everyday life
Why “simple systems” are more powerful than motivation
How to work with your brain instead of constantly fighting it
Here’s what I break down in this episode:
Weekly Brain Dump
Get everything out of your head and onto paper (aka cognitive offloading)
The One-Type-of-Sock Rule
Eliminate unnecessary decisions (yes, socks matter more than you think)
Planner Always Open + Visible
Out of sight = out of mind (so don’t let it disappear)
Alarms for Starting (Not Just Leaving)
Stop being late by planning for getting ready, not just the event
The Launch Pad
A designated space for everything you need the next day
The “Life Pouch”
One small bag with all your essentials—no more losing everything
The 2-Step Rule
If it takes more than two steps… redesign it
Closing Shift Routine
Reset your home each night so future you isn’t overwhelmed
…
Follow Stephing Up
I’m Steph Pase, your (somewhat) organised bestie in your ears. This podcast is about growth that’s messy, building a life that actually fits you, and what happens when life doesn’t go to plan. We’ll talk mental health, motherhood, business, ADHD and how to stop being such an asshole to yourself.
New episodes drop every Monday morning.
So set your reminder. Pop in your headphones. Because we’re Stephing Up together.
…
Let’s Hang:
Stephing Up on Instagram: @stephing.up
Steph Pase on Instagram: @stephpase_
Steph Pase on Youtube: @stephpase.
Shop Planners + Organisation: Steph Pase Planners
Shop Steph’s book “Mastering my Messy Life”: Penguin Books Australia

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

You don’t just wake up one day burnt out.
You don’t suddenly lose your spark.
It happens slowly. Quietly. While you’re still showing up… still getting things done… still functioning.
Until one day, you look at yourself and think: I don’t even recognise who I am anymore.
If you’ve been feeling flat, disconnected, or like you’re just going through the motions… this episode is for you.
In this episode I share:
The moment I realised I’d lost my spark—and the subtle, high-functioning burnout that got me there.
Why burnout doesn’t always look like “falling apart”, and how it shows up in daily life.
The real reason you ended up here (and the hard truth behind it).
Practical, doable steps to start feeling like you again.
Plus, I’ve created a free workbook to help you reset your routine and get your colour back. Grab yours here: https://www.stephpaseplanners.com.au/blogs/news/stephing-up-podcast-is-back
…
Follow Stephing Up
I’m Steph Pase, your (somewhat) organised bestie in your ears. This podcast is about growth that’s messy, building a life that actually fits you, and what happens when life doesn’t go to plan. We’ll talk mental health, motherhood, business, ADHD and how to stop being such an asshole to yourself.
New episodes drop every Monday morning.
So set your reminder. Pop in your headphones. Because we’re Stephing Up together.
…
Let’s Hang:
Stephing Up on Instagram: @stephing.up
Steph Pase on Instagram: @stephpase_
Steph Pase on Youtube: @stephpase.
Shop Planners + Organisation: Steph Pase Planners
Shop Steph’s book “Mastering my Messy Life”: Penguin Books Australia
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Why Your Kids Turn Feral After School (And the 6 Rules That Fixed It). After school meltdowns, the witching hour, and the 6 rules I rebuilt to stop our afternoons falling apart as a mum with ADHD.
This is for you if:
Your after school routine is non-existent and every afternoon ends in tears (yours or theirs)
You've ever been a snack bitch for 45 minutes straight and the kids still won't eat dinner
You've cried in the pantry and then come out pretending everything's fine
In this episode:
After school regulation: why I don't talk to my kids for 30 minutes after school (and the brain science behind why they lose it)
Screen time after school: the dopamine science that explains the meltdown when you take the iPad away
After school snack prep: the lazy plate hack that stopped me being on snack duty for 45 minutes
Evening lighting for kids sleep: why overhead lights after 6pm are suppressing your kid's melatonin (twice as much as adults)
PM reset routine: the closing shift concept... treating the house like a restaurant you're putting to bed
Revenge bedtime procrastination: the name for the 11pm scroll when your day wasn't yours (and why adult time fixes it)
The catchall basket hack: batching the mess so you're not doing 100 trips with Polly Pockets
Timestamps:
00:00 After school meltdowns: brains, dopamine, and a lit match
00:27 Why our after school routine fell apart
00:47 The witching hour: how did people in the 1800s do this?
01:36 "It stops me crying in the pantry as much"
02:28 ADHD and time blindness: "for me there's either now or not now"
04:05 The moment I realised my after school systems had slipped
05:16 RULE 1: After school regulation... regulate first, everything else second
07:05 What's happening in your kid's brain after school (the amygdala hijack)
10:10 The 30-minute decompression routine + calm corner ideas
12:50 RULE 2: Screen time rules... no TV until the after school checklist is done
14:49 Screen time and dopamine: why screens after school make meltdowns worse
17:35 RULE 3: After school snack prep (the lazy plate + protein hacks)
21:32 RULE 4: Evening lighting for kids sleep... no overhead lights after 6pm
23:37 RULE 5: The PM reset routine... putting the house to bed
25:14 The catchall basket: organising after school mess
27:00 RULE 6: Mum's adult time + revenge bedtime procrastination
27:45 Evening planner check: the routine that closes my day
28:15 Outro

Follow Stephing Up
I’m Steph Pase, your (somewhat) organised bestie in your ears. This podcast is about growth that’s messy, building a life that actually fits you, and what happens when life doesn’t go to plan. We’ll talk mental health, motherhood, business, ADHD and how to stop being such an asshole to yourself.
New episodes drop every Monday morning.
So set your reminder. Pop in your headphones. Because we’re Stephing Up together.
…
Let’s Hang:
Stephing Up on Instagram: @stephing.up
Steph Pase on Instagram: @stephpase_
Steph Pase on Youtube: @stephpase.
Shop Planners + Organisation: Steph Pase Planners
Shop Steph’s book “Mastering my Messy Life”: Penguin Books Australia

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.