✅ Today’s Checklist:
🤔 Riddle me this: The more you chase me in January, the faster I run. The moment you rest, I return.
What am I? (Find the answer on the bottom).
👉 This ancient movement practice is going viral for a reason.
🤝 ChatGPT just rolled out a new feature, Group Chats, designed for smarter collaboration.
👩💼 5 reasons we need more women at the top.
💸 Soft saving is helping Gen Z make real financial progress without extreme budgeting.
At The Assist, we’ve had quarters where our “goals” looked like a grocery receipt.
So many priorities that we could justify any task as “important.”
Which meant we were always busy, but weirdly unsure if we were actually winning.
The problem was not motivation. It was math.
When you give a team 12 goals, you are really giving them permission to make up their own priorities. That’s when you get the classic symptoms: constant check-ins, slippery timelines, and that subtle finger-pointing energy that pops up when nobody’s sure who owns what.
The fix that changed everything for us was simple, and it has three parts.
1) Quarterly goals: fewer rocks, sharper language
Two weeks before the quarter starts, we pick the biggest rocks and write them like we mean it.
Not “increase revenue.”
More like: “Close $150K in net new sponsor revenue by the end of Q1.”
Then we sleep on it, review with fresh eyes, and meet as a team to pressure-test goals before they go live. If a goal cannot be explained in one sentence, it is not ready.
2) Weekly wins: three priorities, period
Every week, each person chooses three weekly wins that ladder up to a quarterly goal.
Not ten. Not “everything.” Three.
This is the part that makes your to do list behave. It forces real tradeoffs, in a way that actually protects focus.
3) Update cadence: the accountability your team has been missing
Friday afternoon or Monday morning, everyone updates:
Then our Monday team sync focuses only on what is partial or off track. No time wasted recapping what is fine.
That one shift alone made meetings shorter, progress clearer, and ownership less awkward.
If you want to see this system in action and copy the exact process we use at TA, I’m teaching it live next Thurs.
Free training: How to Set and Achieve Quarterly Goals with Clarity and Confidence
Thursday, January 15 at 9am PT
Bring your Q1 goals. Leave with a system.
Joanna (TA Co-Founder)
Employment law doesn’t usually announce itself with a bang.
It shows up quietly in policies, job postings, manager decisions, and payroll settings that used to be fine.
By the time a change becomes obvious, it’s often already a problem.
This Traliant webinar breaks down the most important employment law updates coming in 2026 and translates them into what actually matters for teams making decisions today.
You’ll get a clear look at:
This isn’t a legal lecture. It’s a practical run-through designed to help you pressure-test what you already have in place and spot gaps before they become urgent.
You’ll walk away knowing what deserves attention this quarter, what can wait, and where teams are most likely to trip up next year.
Attend live to earn SHRM and HRCI credits.
Webinar: 2026 Employment Law Changes: Preparing for What’s Next
When: Wednesday, January 14 | 2–3 pm ET
“My biggest challenge right now is managing the demands of work while simultaneously raising my three kids as a single mom and looking for a new job. It feels like I can never get off the hamster wheel.” — Jami
Nothing about your situation is simple. It’s work + parenting + uncertainty, all happening at the same time, with very little margin.
The fact that you’re still moving forward, even when exhausted, speaks to your strength and capability.
Here’s how to start easing the pressure without everything unraveling.
Stop trying to do everything well
There are only 24 hours in a day. Something has to give.
Decide what deserves your best energy right now and what can be “good enough.” Your kids need you present and stable, not perfect. Your job needs you capable and reliable, especially if it’s temporary. Your job search needs consistency, not constant attention.
Choose your priorities. Everything else operates at 70 percent.
Batch your job search like a project
Constant job searching leaks mental energy all day long.
Instead:
When the block ends, it ends.
You are not “behind” because you’re not thinking about it 24/7. You’re protecting your capacity so you can show up better when it counts.
Automate and simplify wherever possible
At home, meal plan once and repeat. Use grocery delivery if available. Lower cleaning expectations. Streamline schedules.
At work, rely on templates. Block your calendar when you can. Decline nonessential tasks.
For job searching, tools like Teal or Huntr help track applications and store reusable materials.
Saving small amounts of time adds up quickly.
Ask for help without guilt
Doing everything alone is not a requirement of strength.
If a friend can help with pickups once a week, accept it. If family can take the kids for a few hours, take the break. If childcare trades are an option, explore them.
Support systems exist to be used.
Set a clear timeline for your job search
Open-ended searches drain energy. A defined timeline creates focus.
Decide on a realistic target date. Work backward from there. Determine how many applications you’ll submit each week, when interviews typically happen, and what your contingency plan looks like if things take longer.
Clarity reduces anxiety.
Give yourself permission to survive this season
Some seasons are about stability, not optimization.
Frozen meals are acceptable. Extra screen time happens. Saying no to social plans is reasonable. Not showing up as your best self every day is human.
Your kids are safe, cared for, and loved. That is enough.
This season will pass, even if it doesn’t feel like it right now. You will find a new role. Your kids will grow more independent. The pace will ease.
For now, focus on getting through the day in front of you. Not perfectly. Just steadily. Do the things that matter most, let the rest be imperfect, and trust that consistency is enough for this chapter.
Weight Loss by Hers¹ is designed to help you see real progress without the impossible price tag or waitlist.
Their customers report losing 11.1 lbs in the first two months².
If a medical provider decides prescription treatment is right for you, you’ll get a personalized plan built around your goals, medication management, progress tracking, and education that actually makes sense.
It’s clinical. It’s customizable. And it’s made to fit real budgets.
Ready to explore your options?
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Not available in all 50 states. Weight Loss by Hers is a holistic program that includes nutrition support, technological tools, and medications prescribed based on what your provider determines is medically appropriate and necessary for you. See website for full details, important safety information, and restrictions, including online provider consultation requirements.
📆 On Jan 15, learn how to turn AI power users into your team’s top change agents. RSVP for free.
📚 Joanna finally read Marie Kondo’s book and it really is life-changing if you actually follow it.
🧴 Skin feeling a little blah lately? This double serum brings glow and firmness back into the chat.
🍽 Grab this stoneware dishware set that looks way more expensive than it is.
🗓️ Upcoming Events
Tomorrow Wed 1/7 @ 5PM PT: Road to Financial Independence: See If You’re On Track and How to Accelerate Your Timeline in 2026.
Thurs 1/15 @ 9AM PT: How to Set (and Achieve) Quarterly Goals with Clarity and Confidence
Thurs 1/22 @ 10AM PT: Invisible to Irreplaceable: Personal Branding for Women Leaders (SGS Only* | Join the waitlist)
Fri 1/23 @ 10 AM PT: Idea to Automation—Turning Concepts into Workflows (SGS Only* | Join the waitlist)
📋 Template Drop
* Smart Girl Society is our private community for women who want deeper conversations, accountability, and tools that actually make life easier. Join the waitlist to get in the next round.
👑 Work Wisdom of the Week: “When having issues with a team member, take a step back. Look at the problem from their perspective and see if YOU can help THEM solve the problem. For example a project manager’s goal is to get tasks accomplished in a timely manner, but there may be unknown outside forces controlling that timeline. Working together to foresee those outside forces creates a more accurate timeline for all team members to use.” — Suzanne Bayne Senior Strategist
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