Time Management Techniques: Reduce Stress, Anxiety & Overwhelm with Risa Williams

The Happier Life Project

Our approach to managing time deeply impacts productivity and emotional well-being, shaping the levels of guilt, stress, and satisfaction we experience throughout the day. For those struggling with anxiety and stress, managing time can be particularly challenging. The constant sense of never having enough hours to accomplish goals or complete tasks often leading to feelings of overwhelm and frustration.

But what if the real issue isn’t just having too much to do? For many, the key lies in reassessing their relationship with time and learning new strategies - something most of us were never taught in school. With the right tools and techniques, time management can become less stressful and more empowering, helping us to regain control and achieve greater balance.

In this episode of The Happier Life Project, host Gabby Sanderson explores the deep connection between time management and mental health.

Gabby is joined by Risa Williams, a therapist, time management expert, award-winning author, and host of The Motivation Mindset podcast. In her work, Risa shares practical tools to stay motivated and work smarter, not harder, when it comes to managing time.

Risa’s book 'The Ultimate Time Management Toolkit', offers readers methods grounded in CBT, mindfulness, and narrative therapy, empowering them to develop healthy habits and make meaningful changes. With creative worksheets and actionable techniques, the book serves as a guide to overcoming the challenges of time management.

In this conversation, Risa shares practical strategies for setting realistic goals without burning out and provides straightforward motivation hacks to help you stay on track. Gabby and Risa discuss using music as a tool to enhance focus, and look at ways to alleviate the “Morning Dread” that many experience at the start of the day. Risa also reflects on her realization that a key component for those who struggle with anxiety and stress is their relationship with time. A fundamental insight that inspired her to become a time management therapist and write a book on the subject.
Plus, Risa shares her thoughts on the pressure we are made to feel to maximize every waking moment, which often leads to taking on too much, and how to avoid that trap.

Feeling overwhelmed with never enough hours in the day? Struggling to keep up with your to-do list? This episode offers simple tactics to reclaim your time and alleviate stress, helping you set achievable goals while maintaining emotional well-being. Tune in and discover how to find balance and structure that supports—not drains—your mental health.

To download the My Possible Self app: https://mypossibleself.app.link/podcast
To follow My Possible Self on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mypossibleself
To follow Risa Williams on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/risawilliamstherapy/
Risa Williams website: www.risawilliams.com
Risa Williams books: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Risa-Williams/author/B00FC0MMIQ