Stop Wasting Your Time: The Scientific Way to Stop Procrastination and Get Control of Your Day

The Mel Robbins Podcast

SiriusXM Podcasts

Health & Fitness, Society & Culture, Education, Self-improvement, Mental Health, Relationships

4.7 • 15.3K Ratings

🗓️ 2 February 2026

⏱️ 86 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

This episode is for you: the person holding everything together. If your days are packed with work, caregiving, and nonstop demands, this is what you need to hear right now. Today, Mel sits down with one of the world’s leading experts on time management, Laura Vanderkam. She’s a New York Times bestselling author, a researcher who’s studied thousands of real schedules, a mom of five, and a total realist about how busy life can get. Laura Vanderkam’s approach isn’t “do more.” Laura’s not selling hacks. She gives you a clearer map of your days and a few small changes that reduce the chaos and help you feel more in control. When you’re maxed out, Laura says you don’t need “more time,” you need to stop spending your limited time on default. Laura helps you see the small, real openings in your week and she shows you exactly what to do with them so you feel less trapped and a little more in control. This is not a lecture about hustling harder or optimizing your life. It’s a practical reset that will help you feel less behind and it will lighten your load fast. You will: -Find hidden pockets of time already in your schedule -Choose what matters most (without guilt) -Use one habit that creates more breathing room -Make space for what you keep putting off (even with a full-time job) -End your day with more energy instead of more exhaustion If you’ve ever thought, “I have no free time,” “I’m always behind,” or “I don’t even know where to start,” this episode will change the way you look at your week and help you take back a little more control. Because when your time feels calmer, everything feels a little more doable. And when you learn to take control of your time, you start taking control of your life. For more resources, click here for the podcast episode page. If you liked the episode, check out this one next: If You’re Feeling Overwhelmed, You Need to Hear This Connect with Mel: Get Mel’s newsletter, packed with tools, coaching, and inspiration. Get Mel’s #1 bestselling book, The Let Them Theory Watch the episodes on YouTube Follow Mel on Instagram The Mel Robbins Podcast Instagram Mel's TikTok Subscribe to SiriusXM Podcasts+ to listen to new episodes ad-free Disclaimer

Transcript

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0:00.0	Hey, it's your friend Mel, and welcome to the Mel Robbins podcast.
0:08.8	Oh boy, today you and I are talking about how to take control of your free time.
0:15.4	And look, I know what you're thinking.
0:17.1	Free time?
0:18.5	Mel, I have no free time.
0:39.3	I mean, I have no time to think about getting a better job because I spent all my time working at my current time. Mel, I have no free time. I mean, I have no time to think about getting a better job because I spend all my time working in my current job. I have no time to exercise because I got to spend time taking care of these kids and my parents. I got no time for fun with friends. I got to get to the grocery store. I got to get through this to do list. If you feel like you have no time or you have no idea, where does the time go? Well, you're not alone and I have good news.
0:45.3	Laura Vandercam. She's a New York Times bestselling author and time management researcher and
0:51.0	expert whose work in time management has changed my life. She is here to change your
0:56.2	life. And don't worry, this is not a conversation about productivity because you're already doing so
1:03.9	much. You don't need to be more productive. You need to understand the value of your time
1:10.1	and how to take control of it.
1:12.3	Laura will help you understand where your time is really going and how to find pockets of
1:17.7	free time that are already in your busy schedule today. Her simple research-back strategies will
1:24.1	give you a good life right now, no matter how busy you are. Laura is an expert who
1:30.0	gets it. She's married, and they've got five school-age kids, and just like you, a really busy life.
1:36.8	So she's done the research, and she is here to share it with you today, so that you can not only
1:42.3	take control of your time, you'll actually take control of your life.
1:56.8	Hey, it's your friend Mel, and welcome to the Mel Robbins podcast. It is always such an honor to be
2:02.4	together and to spend this time with you. And if you're a new listener or you're here because
2:06.1	somebody shared this conversation with you, I just want to personally welcome you to the
2:09.8	Mel Robbins podcast family. Today, you and I are sitting down with Laura Vandercam, who is here
2:15.5	to help you regain your time. She's practical, she's sharp,
	...

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