The Mel Robbins Podcast episode that helped me take charge of my life again

This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Rollins chapter.

It seems that Mel Robbins has taken the internet by storm, whether from from TikTok audios or her famous “Let Them” theory and now best selling book, she has grown a large platform amongst the self- improvement junkies (AKA, me). For a good reason, because she has a lot of great information to share and improvement advice that actually seems tangible. Recently, she aired a podcast episode titled “The 7-Day Reset for More Time, Energy, & Happiness (Backed by Science)” which completely changed my life. These quick and simple 7 steps allow you to get back on track and set yourself up for a successful week. I tried utilizing this checklist, and let me tell you it is NOT something to miss out on! Here are the 7 steps Mel Robbins outlines in her podcast that helped me take charge of my life again: 

*I want to preface that all content below is based on the podcast episode aired February 24th on The Mel Robbins Podcast!

1. Brain Dump

If you’re like me, you have a million things going on in your brain at once. From school, work, extracurriculars, and just plain old life, there is a lot I am thinking about and many things I need to get done! This first step Mel recommends is to give yourself time to dump everything out onto paper and declutter your mind. She emphasizes how this is different than a to-do list, and more so a way to get out of your head and visually see everything you have going on written on paper. After I did this, I already felt way more in control of my thoughts and could actually think clearly. Not to mention, I was immensely less stressed!

2. Free Yourself

This step might be my favorite step- crossing out all of the things I wrote down that I was thinking about or need to do that I am NOT going to do this week. This is a way to still have tasks on paper as a reminder to do them eventually, but it frees you for the time being. Genius!

3. Set One Priority

After crossing out all of the non-urgent tasks, look at the remaining things on your brain dump and pick something that matters to you. Mel recommends picking something that would make you feel better at the end of the week if you were able to just dedicate 15 minutes towards it. This step made me less stressed about accomplishing my task, because I knew if I was able to work on it for just 15 minutes I would already feel successful and not pressured to tackle the whole thing head on. The point is to move the ball forward, even if it is just by 1%. 

4. Plan One Meal

This step is something I have previously been incorporating into my life and have seen a huge difference in. Mel recommends planning out a meal you will eat at least once during the week. Having something already planned takes the stress away from scrambling at the last minute to find something to eat, and makes you feel more fueled and energized. I love preparing a meal for the week ahead of time so I don’t have to think about what I am having or take time out of my day to cook something. 

5. Schedule One Workout

As we know, movement can make a huge difference in mental and physical health. Even if you are just getting in a 10-15 minute walk, making time in your schedule for at least one workout during the week will give you the boost you didn’t know you needed!

6. Plan Time for Rest

Say it with me- rest is productive! Mel recommends finding a pocket of time in your schedule during the week where you do nothing. A no-screen resting time is so important to clear your head and give you the recharge you deserve. 

7. Connect with Someone

Lastly, Mel emphasizes the importance of relationships in our life. Making time to connect with someone, whether it be a phone call, coffee, or walk, making the time for loved ones in your life will complete your week and fill up your cup!

I love this checklist, because it is something that can be repeated every single week and positively impact you each time! It’s the perfect balance of motivation, productivity, and balance with free time and fun. Mel has a PDF you can download with all of the steps so you can print it out or screenshot it and implement it into your weekly routine. This podcast episode changed the way I look at productivity and my weekly tasks, so I hope this will inspire you to try out something new as well!