In this episode, Liz and Sarah discuss surviving burnout; check in with their assistant, Brook Turner, about what it’s like to be on verge of making it in Hollywood; and debate the merits of bullet journals. They also offer their latest Hollywood Hack (go pee!), and share their favorite celebrity sighting of the week.
- Check out Brook’s podcast: Short and Sweet.
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Get in touch:
- Twitter @elizabethcraft and @sarahmfain
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Listening now and I have some stye advice for Sarah! Try washing your eyes with Johnson’s baby wash! Also if you haven’t in a while.. throw out old eye makeup. Just some things that have worked for me- styes are super annoying.
Excellent advice! I’ll give it a try!
I am a big fan of Happier & now I’m loving Happier in Hollywood, too. So great to hear Liz & Sarah….Liz, as a very anxious person, let me highly recommend some anti-anxiety medication for you. It will be life changing! Looking forward to many more episodes.
Can we see examples of Sarah’s bullet journal layout? I have been having trouble figuring out the best way to use mine.
Yes! I posted pics on Instagram– @sfain. I also recommend looking online at all the videos– I got a lot of inspiration there, then I seriously lowered the bar for my own bullet journal. 🙂
Would love to know the brand of that beautiful journal! I’m nearing the end of my current BJ and need to get a new one!
I love the podcast ! As a fan of the original “Happier with Gretchen Rubin”, I was really looking forward to this new one. I am very interested in the bullet journal. I have researched and ordered a journal from Amazon. I think it will work for me. Thanks to Sarah for sharing about it.
I look forward to the future episodes !
Liz, I love your bullet journal 🙂
Hi! I love this and the original happier podcast! How can I find the short and sweet podcast by your assistant? I couldn’t find it in stitcher. Thanks!
Liz & Sarah (and Brook!) – great episode. I’m an EA for a very well known TV producer here in LA, so I loved hearing both the boss’ and assistant’s view . I can definitely relate to much of what you talked about. Regarding the bullet journal….I think this is my missing piece! Because my job is keeping my boss’ life organized and in order, I get bogged down with doing the same for my own life (which includes my 6 year old). I love to do lists, and keeping my habits on track, so having one place to do it seems great. I’m a questioner…so the thought of looking at ALL the different types of journals, layouts, and designs, and deciding how to set mine up, sounds beyond overwhelming. I can see myself loosing many wasted hours on Pinterest “researching”. Sarah, what (exact) journal do you use? Any website/video that really helped you decide how to set yours up? TIA!
She got the leather outer part from Foxy Fix and the journals inside from May Designs. The leather folio has elastic bands running the length of the spine that you slide the notebooks into to hold. This one will let you put 4 notebooks in it, which would probably be perfect for you. You could use one for work and one for personal, plus have two extra for general lists or if you are tracking meals or finances. Ryder Carrol, who is the guy who came up with this system, has a site that explains the basics at bulletjournal.com. I would suggest starting there and then maybe following a few people on instagram that post about their bullet journals once you get a feel for it and want to make it more detailed. Good luck!
I don’t think that I had heard of bullet journals outside this podcast and Happier, but this episode prompted me to take a look. I’ve developed the habit of always carrying a pocket notebook (I like quadrille-ruled Moleskines), and therefore already have a pretty mixed bag of habit-tracking, thoughts of the moment, packing lists and whatever. It looks like I may give this a try; certainly the suggestion to add calendar stuff in a more orderly format made sense. My only personal caveat is that I recently concluded that I had better keep work notes in a separate book to meet official record-keeping requirements.
Another great episode!
My cure for burnout is to get outdoors, even if it’s just for a short walk in the woods or a half hour on my back deck, surrounded by trees. The key is no iPod or music or other auditory distraction – listen to the birds, the wind blowing through the leaves, etc. I find nature very calming and rejuvenating. Even better? A weekend or week in our camper in a lovely state park!
I’m very intrigued by bullet journals but don’t know where to start. I currently have a full-size desk calendar (I’m kinda old-school), a spiral notebooks with a running to-do list, and a weekly list I make every Monday morning of what needs to be done that week in a page of the desk calendar. Sometimes, I write daily to-do’s on an index card to carry with me – helps me to focus and to keep from committing to too much (a big problem). So, I guess I am partway to a bullet journal. Like I said, I want to learn more.
Enjoying the podcast!
Sue
I’m in love with my Chic Sparrow Traveler’s Notebook, which I use as a bullet journal. It really helps me keep track of my writing and other activities. I have a notebook for my daily life, one I use as a daily gratitude journal, one for notes and ideas, and one I use when I’m actually traveling to journal about what I’m doing whether it’s for pleasure or for work.
The best thing I know to do for burnout is spending time with my sister and our best friend. Game night every other week and lunches and movies as often as possible. When I’m out of town on a shoot, it can really get to me. I have to take extra care of myself, but it can be difficult. I get caught up in the production. If I have a good friend in the crew, I try to spend time with them off set getting a pedicure or seeing a movie.
What Liz said about motherhood and grief is so true for me, too!! Like Liz, I also have an only son (he’s a year younger than Jack, so I can relate to much of what Liz said — I also listened to Happier podcast). Liz, would you please elaborate about your writing on this (if you really do so, either with bullet journal or else), and also can you tell me more about Jack school’s “mindfulness for parents” program? Seems like what our school needs!!
Finally a question for both Sarah & Liz (I must preface by saying that I’m asking this in a curious manner and not at all implicating anyone in any way): why do you think that so many assistants — in Hollywood or other places –are still asked to do their bosses’ personal tasks (like vacuuming boss’ car, etc.)? If you are in the position of being a boss, having been such an assistant before, would you ask the same thing (like a “payback” time)?
My background is in healthcare so I’m quite familiar of being in this type of situation. I’ve been at one time medical intern/residence and I’ve also been a preceptor as well. I’ve been asked to do things that were not related to my education/responsibility as an intern/residence but when I was a preceptor, I never did ask any of the students/interns to do any personal tasks for me that is unrelated to their scope of education/responsibility. I think that it was unfair for them to do so, and I’m probably just a more private person (I don’t like someone else cleaning my car & see my junks.. especially if I know that person & that person knows me).
Love your podcast & can’t wait for the new episodes!
Just become a big fan.
Found your podcast via Gretchen Rubin
Will listen faithfully
I will suggest Liz not try medication, but rather try doodling or journaling (not necessarily bullet journaling which can be a tad overwhelming). I think that Liz has all the skills necessary to cope with anxiety and her family situation, only she needs to not worry . She already knows to verbalized all her feelings.
Sarah-
Intrigued by Bullet Journaling. Does it replace the planner? I use a planner for mostly work and it is about time for ordering it at work. Do you purchase one that is already created (with the month at a glance 2-page and then daily pages) or are you using a blank one and creating it? Where did you learn it? How long been using it?
Thanks.
Joy