Finding Flow with Carrie Allen

I realize how much I love and crave planning ... It helps me be all what I want to be and get things done … It doesn't mean everything gets crossed off the list that day, … but it will get moved to the next day and the next day until it is done. – Carrie Allen

On this episode of the Plan Simple Meals Podcast, I’m really excited to talk with Carrie Allen, about how she finds flow between a full-time, high-level job that includes lots of travel, four kids and a new husband, and running her own business. While Carrie always seemed to “get things done,” she’s learned during her time in FLOW365 to find more balance between different parts of her life. 

The FLOW planning system helped her to be more mindful. She learned that she could care about food, self-care, lifestyle, family and work without being a workaholic. She learned to think about seasons and what she wanted things to look and feel like. She started blocking time for the things she wanted, and she started to feel more well-rounded. 

We also talked about her moving from a very masculine view of time that fit with her corporate job to a different kind of rhythm. 

We talk about: 

• Meal rhythms as a way of planning
• Knowing what’s for dinner as a tool
• The importance of family mealtime and how that can help you balance other things
• How leaning into your dreams or doing something creative can be self-care
• Writing lists, meditation, and other ways to get grounded—and what we can do when we get quiet and grounded
• How having a plan doesn’t mean everything gets checked off the list every day, but you can keep moving toward your goals

BIO

Carrie Allen founded August Table with her husband Krister to inspire people to connect with friends and loved ones for meaningful conversations around a table. They are passionate about beautiful design, eating delicious healthy food, and connecting with loved ones around the table. August Table features hand block printed linens for your table, your kitchen and you. In addition to running August Table, Carrie runs the corporate innovation program at the Cambridge Innovation Center. She has four kids ages 13–21. 

LINKS

• August Table
• Plan Simple Meals Instagram
• August Table on the Today Show site

Doable Changes from this episode:

• BLOCK TIME. Choose one thing you want to do—meditate in the morning, take time to meal plan, rest, do a creative project. Block out time on your calendar to do that thing. Even if you are only meditating for 5 minutes, block out that time. 
• MAKE A MEAL RHYTHM. Instead of trying to come up with a new meal every single night, set up a rhythm that makes it easier to make a meal plan. For example, make every Monday bean night and Tuesday grain bowl night and Wednesday soup night. Having a rhythm makes meal planning and decision making easier. Once you have a rhythm set up, start with what you already know you like. From there you can experiment with new recipes — or just keep going with what you know. 
• CHOOSE ONE FOCUS. There are so many things we want to do—work ideas, home projects, family adventures, health needs … It’s easy to lose focus and not make progress on anything. For the next season (90 days), choose one focus. For Carrie, it was healing her foot and ankle. It could be to launch a new product. It could be to sell your house or declutter the basement. It could be to feel better in your body by eating better and moving. Let any other goals and actions flow around your core focus. What will you focus on this season? Write it down. Tell somebody who will support you.