Shows
Two Booked UpTBU#60: Summer Reading and the Anti-LibraryIn this, our final episode for the year, we wrap up season four and bid farewell to 2024 with a deep dive into one of our all-time favourite topics—reading! We’re sharing our summer reading plans, and our favourite must-read fiction and eye-opening non-fiction from this year. We're excited to explore the intriguing concept of the "anti-library," a space filled with books we haven't read yet, and discuss how it can inspire our future reading adventures. Plus, we'll reveal our wishlist of titles we're eager to dive into over the holiday season and share a fond farew...
2024-12-0945 min
Two Booked UpTBU#59: Living Without Regrets: Insights from Bronnie Ware’s WisdomIn today’s captivating episode, we dive into our very first memoir, one that continues to inspire readers worldwide: Bronnie Ware's “The Top Five Regrets of the Dying—A Life Transformed by the Dearly Departing”. This bestselling book, translated into 32 languages and read by over a million people, offers profound insights drawn from Ware’s experiences in palliative care. Prepare for a heartfelt exploration as we uncover the five common regrets that surfaced during her time with individuals in their final weeks. These regrets are not just for the dying; they resonate deeply with all of us, reflect...
2024-11-2635 min
Two Booked UpTBU#58: How are we tracking? Our reading in the 24 for 2024 ChallengeThis new episode is about Shelley and Rowena’s two favourite topics—reading and books! They dive into the latest update on their 24 for 2024 reading challenge. It's been a while since they last shared their reading progress, and they are excited to chat about all things reading and books! Quick recap: The 24 for 2024 Reading Challenge is designed to elevate our nonfiction reading experience by infusing purpose and diversity into our selections. There's still time to join the challenge, but our main goal remains: (1) to ignite your passion for reading and (2) to broaden your litera...
2024-11-1234 min
Two Booked UpTBU#57: Unpacking Motivation: A Chat About Drive and The Four TendenciesThis is a special episode of the Two Booked Up podcast, where Rowena and Shelley take the conversation further, something they love to do.In this week's ‘side-bar’ episode, they discuss whether the ideas around human behaviour and motivation presented in "Drive" by Daniel Pink can work with "The Four Tendencies" by Gretchen Rubin. Both books offer unique insights into what drives our actions and decisions. "Drive" emphasises the importance of intrinsic motivation and the three elements of true motivation: autonomy, mastery, and purpose. Conversely, "The Four Tendencies" presents a framew...
2024-10-2910 min
Two Booked UpTBU#56: What Motivates Us? Drive by Daniel PinkRowena and Shelley delve into the insightful book "Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us" by Daniel Pink, one of Shelley’s favourite books!Shelley reflects on how the book's message about motivation, centred on autonomy, mastery, and purpose, has left a lasting impact since its publication in 2009. Together, Rowena and Shelley then explore the relevance of these concepts in the modern world, especially in the context of our professional and personal lives. Join them as they uncover the profound implications of autonomy, mastery, and purpose and discover how thes...
2024-10-1543 min
Two Booked UpTBU#55: Habits — Your Way! Better Than Before by Gretchen RubinRowena and Shelley are delving into a book that's likely on many of your must-read lists if you're on a quest to improve your daily life: "Better Than Before" by Gretchen Rubin. The book focuses on habits—how we form them, why we break them, and how we can use them to create a more fulfilling life. As busy working parents and business owners, finding ways to make our lives smoother and more efficient is always a priority, making this book particularly intriguing to us. We'll also share personal stories of how we've appl...
2024-10-0137 min
Two Booked UpTBU#54: Defining success in the second phase of life, From Strength to Strength by Arthur C BrooksIn this new episode of Two Booked Up, Rowena and Shelley discuss Arthur C. Brooks's bestseller, "From Strength to Strength: Finding Success, Happiness and Deep Purpose in the Second Half of Life." Once again, Shelley dons the interviewer’s hat, and Rowena is in the hot seat. Together, they discuss the book's focus on finding true happiness and satisfaction as we navigate the second half of life, emphasising the importance of shifting our focus from the relentless pursuit of success to building a life rich in relationships, meaning, and contentment. While the book is p...
2024-09-1636 min
Two Booked UpTBU#53: Organising your KIDS' books (with Lazy Genius Kitchen inspiration)In this new Two Booked Up podcast episode, Rowena and Shelley discuss the challenging task of organizing kids' books. Shelley, a homeschooling mom and our resident expert in this field shares her insights into managing a home filled with books.They introduce the Lazy Genius Process from The Lazy Genius Kitchen, focusing on five key steps: prioritise, essentialize, organize, personalize, and systemize. This practical process is applicable not only to parents but also to anyone looking to tackle a project.Despite their different locations (Sydney, Australia, and Joburg, South Africa) and their children...
2024-08-3135 min
Two Booked UpTBU#52: Organising your books (with Lazy Genius Kitchen inspiration)In this episode of Two Booked Up, Shelley and Rowena tackle the challenging task of organizing your book collection. If you're tired of having books scattered around your home, this episode is for you! They take a break from their usual book discussions to delve into practical strategies for reining in those unruly bookshelves.Using Kendra Adachi's The Lazy Genius Kitchen as a guide, Shelley and Rowena discuss prioritizing, essentializing, organizing, personalizing, and systemizing book organization. They emphasize the importance of individual choice, tailored to what best suits each person's needs and preferences....
2024-08-1941 min
Two Booked UpTBU#51: Double Trouble: Reflections on Two Years of Two Booked UpIn this episode, Shelley and Rowena celebrate the launch of Season 4 of the Two Booked Up podcast and two years of literary love, laughter, and friendship! Shelley and Rowena are thrilled to have reached this incredible milestone and want to take you behind the scenes of their journey over the past year. From the ups to the downs, they’re sharing all the insights and reflections gathered from their time hosting the Two Booked Up podcast.Whether you're a fellow podcaster, an avid reader, or an honorary member of their Two Booked Up boo...
2024-08-0534 min
Two Booked UpTBU#50: Fan Fave Revisited: Essentialism by Greg McKeownIn this special between-seasons episode, Shelley and Rowena delve back into one of their most downloaded episodes, discussing the unique principles of Essentialism presented by Greg McKeown in his widely acclaimed book.And it’s no wonder why. The principles of Essentialism, as shared by Greg McKeown, have a profound impact on our businesses and personal lives. We believe revisiting this topic will spark a renewed interest and inspire you to apply these principles in your own life. Essentialism is not just a philosophy; it's a practical approach to life and work. It's abou...
2024-07-2229 min
Two Booked UpTBU#49: Fan Fave Revisited: The Four Tendencies by Gretchen RubinIn this episode, as Rowena and Shelley gear up for season four, they revisit a fan favourite and one of their most referenced books and episodes: Gretchen Rubin's The Four Tendencies. This book has been a game changer for both of them—in the way they run their businesses, understand themselves, and even interpret the books and ideas discussed on this podcast!Are you like Rowena, self-directed and on top of deadlines but uneasy with changes? Or are you more like Shelley, spontaneous and bold but struggle with schedules and rules?A...
2024-07-0830 min
Two Booked UpTBU#48: Why start with why? (And how to do it without the overwhelm!)️ Shelley shares a few spicy takes in her discussion with Rowena about the classic business book, Start with Why by Simon Sinek. Rowena is in the interviewer’s chair this time and Shelley’s mission is to fast-forward you to the best parts of Start with Why, while calling out a few other parts that left her frowning. It’s a pivotal book, but it’s also a bit dated and limited in its examples, so Shelley and Rowena extend the conversation, taking some of the big ideas in the book and talking about how y...
2024-06-2536 min
Two Booked UpTBU#47: The Power of Content: Author Interview with Mel DanielsIn this special episode, Rowena and Shelley interview Mel Daniels, author of The Power of Content. This is a fantastic episode for business owners who may be feeling a bit stuck with content creation and marketing. Mel has a refreshing new take on content that will help you tap into your content superpowers rather than getting overwhelmed trying to follow a bunch of made-up formulas.Not a business owner? No worries—this episode is for everyone. Mel’s message resonates across all aspects of life, encouraging you to infuse more of your unique self...
2024-06-1040 min
Two Booked UpTBU#46: What we’ve been reading in the 24 for 2024 ChallengeIn this episode, Rowena and Shelley are discussing the books they’ve been reading, and checking in on their progress for the 24 for 2024 Reading Challenge.The Challenge adds more purpose and variety to non-fiction reading choices and aims to inspire them and you to read more and read more widely, perhaps even trying out authors of genres you wouldn’t normally read. Also, as you’ll hear in this episode, you can make the challenge your own, including how to squeeze more reading into your busy life! Join Shelley and Rowena to hear their no...
2024-05-2838 min
Two Booked UpTBU#45: Can Good Feelings = Good Productivity?In this episode, Rowena and Shelley discuss Ali Abdaal's book Feel Good Productivity. Productivity books are often full of tips for working harder, hustling longer and hacks to make the most of your time. This book is completely different! Instead, Ali Abdaal puts forth the idea that instead of more discipline, we can accomplish more by focusing on our well-being and embracing joy! Specifically, Ali discusses that having more fun can make us more productive, which is something we strongly believe in here at Two Booked Up. And, in this episode, we are wa...
2024-05-1429 min
Two Booked UpTBU#44: Could Harnessing Your Regrets Change Your Life?Today, Rowena and Shelley are talking about regrets, specifically The Power of Regret: How Looking Backward Moves Us Forward — which is today’s book by Daniel Pink.Do you ever find yourself dwelling on past mistakes or missed opportunities, feeling regretful and wishing you could go back in time to do things differently? Living with regret can be a painful experience, but what if those regrets could actually serve a positive purpose in your life? In the book, Daniel Pink argues that reflecting on our regrets can help us make better decisions and becom...
2024-04-3021 min
Two Booked UpTBU#43: How to Run a Chill Business: Chill and Prosper by Denise Duffield-ThomasToday, Rowena and Shelley are tapping into their inner chill and discussing Denise Duffield Thomas's book Chill and Prosper: The New Way to Grow Your Business, Make Millions, and Change the World.If you’re interested in running your own business but feel it's too hard, or perhaps you are running a business but find you’re frequently overwhelmed by the need to do all the things, then this book and episode are for you!Denise is an author, coach, and self-proclaimed "Chillpreneur" from Australia. ("Chillpreneur" was the original title of this book). Deni...
2024-04-1631 min
Two Booked UpTBU#42: Embrace Your Five Senses… a chat about Life in Five Senses by Gretchen RubinIn this episode, Shelley and Rowena discuss Gretchen Rubin’s latest book, Life In Five Senses: How Exploring the Senses Got Me Out of My Head and Into the World.(And a note from Rowena and Shelley, we just hit record on this episode and CHATTED about the book. Would you mind letting us know what you think about this more casual and slightly more raw format...? podcast@shelleysmithcreative.com or check out our links below.) If you're looking for some fun ideas to improve your self-knowledge, creativity, and productivity, enhance your relationships wit...
2024-04-0221 min
Two Booked UpTBU#41: How to Become IndistractableIn this episode, Shelley and Rowena discuss Nir Eyal's book Indistractable: How to Control Your Attention and Choose Your Life.Perhaps you find yourself checking emails and replying to messages, and before you know it, hours have passed, and the work you were meant to complete is still waiting for you. If you’re tired of feeling like you're not making progress on your goals because of constant distractions, this episode is for you. Rowena and Shelley discuss their top takeaways to help you become Indistractable. They offer insights and practical solutions and sha...
2024-03-1931 min
Two Booked UpTBU# 40 How to find Tranquility in the TurbulenceTitle: TBU#40: How to find tranquillity in the turbulenceArtwork Title: How to find tranquillity in the turbulence It’s the first book for 2024, and Shelley and Rowena are excited to be talking about their top takeaways from the book Tranquility by Tuesday by time management guru Laura Vanderkam. Tranquillity is a beautiful notion and very appealing to many, especially amid the hustle and bustle of day-to-day life —especially on an average Tuesday!The book has some excellent tactics for calming the chaos without having...
2024-03-0535 min
Two Booked UpTBU#39: Read more in 24! Announcing the 24 for 2024 Reading ChallengeIn this all-new episode of Two Booked Up, Shelley and Rowena are encouraging you to shake things up in 2024. Last year the bookworms reinvigorated their and your reading by taking a playful yet intentional approach. And this year, they want you to read more and have more fun as you do it!After all, what we read affects our feelings, thoughts, our actions, our mood, and really how we show up in the world. So, it’s important not to leave that to chance and instead to choose to read things that make you...
2024-02-2019 min
Two Booked UpTBU#38: Resolution overwhelm? Try a guiding word instead.Happy New February! At Two Booked Up, February is the new January! If you ever needed permission for a restart of the year, this episode provides that and much more.In this episode, Rowena and Shelley share their guiding words, or phrases, of the year and what these words mean for this podcast and their reading lives, as well as their lives in general. They discuss why a guiding word or phrase can feel more supportive than goals and how choosing a guiding word can bring more intention and creativity into your life.
2024-02-0633 min
Two Booked UpTBU#37: Holiday Reads and Bookish TraditionsIt’s that time of year, and Two Booked Up is celebrating with a Christmas Special episode. Rowena and Shelley will be talking about some of the ways that you can make this holiday season a little more bookish!If you want to read more this season and encourage friends and family to do the same, this episode has some fun ideas for you to try out.Rowena and Shelley also have some book recommendations for the holiday season; they share some of their favourite fiction and non-fiction books from the last few mo...
2023-12-1926 min
Two Booked UpTBU#36: Behind the scenes of Rowena’s novel — out now!Shelley and Rowena love talking about books, but this episode is rather special because they are not just talking about a book they’ve both read. They are talking about THE book Rowena has written! Rowena’s debut novel, Avoiding the Friend Zone, was published this week. It’s a perfect holiday read!Shelley dons the interviewer hat and interviews Rowena, and together, they explore the joys and challenges of writing and publishing a book.If you’ve thought about writing a book or are keen to learn about what goes into...
2023-12-0533 min
Two Booked UpTBU#35: 23 for 2023 Reading Challenge — Here's how we're tracking ;)Shelley and Rowena are excited to share with you this Bonus episode of Two Booked Up. They are technically taking a break between podcast seasons but couldn’t resist sharing an update about how they have been going with the 2023 Two Booked Up Reading Challenge!The 23 for 2023 Reading Challenge brings a bit more intentionality and diversity into their non-fiction reading lives — with a nice little bit of fun, too! The Reading Challenge is a checklist of 23 different categories of books, and as you’ll hear in this episode, you can make the challenge your ow...
2023-10-1038 min
Two Booked UpTBU#34 It’s our anniversary! Insights and reflections on a year of collaborative podcastingIt’s been a year since the first Two Booked Up podcast episode aired, and in this episode, Rowena and Shelley are celebrating their one-year podcast anniversary!To mark this auspicious milestone, they are sharing some insights and reflections from their year of collaborative podcasting, including what they have loved and what they have learned. And they will answer some BIG questions. Some are listener questions, and others are ones they have used in their own behind-the-scenes process. Rowena and Shelley are pulling back the curtain on Two Booked Up in this episode.Ad...
2023-08-2930 min
Two Booked UpTBU#33 Our Words of the Year… 6 months inIn this episode, Shelley and Rowena reflect on their words for the year. The bookworms are revisiting the idea they shared in their most popular episode, Episode 21: "February is the new January — our guiding words." With over half the year behind them, they're checking in on their progress.Shelley shares how her word "momentum" has supported her to make a particularly important decision in her business. And Rowena's phrase for the year, "curate and cultivate" has resulted in her writing a novel — much to her (happy) surprise!If you've ever wondered how a "word...
2023-08-0835 min
Two Booked UpTBU#32: Highlights and Stand-Outs from Season Two of the Two Booked Up podcastThe Two Booked Up Podcast has come to the end of Season 2, and Shelley and Rowena are excited to share the highlights and stand-out moments of this Season. In this episode, the bookworms share common themes from the books they featured, the most popular episode, the thing that’s been the most fun, their top highlights, and their lightbulb moments!It’s an episode of superlatives — all the things that stand out at this point of the journey. If you’ve been with Shelley and Rowena throughout Season 2, this will be a great episode to tie up some o...
2023-07-1824 min
Two Booked UpTBU#31 In conversation with Lizzie Penny and Alex Hirst about the Workstyle RevolutionShelley and Rowena are delighted to be interviewing Lizzie Penny and Alex Hirst, co-authors of the book featured and discussed over the last two episodes, the Sunday Times No 1 Bestseller, Workstyle: A Revolution for Wellbeing, Productivity and Society.Workstyle is all about deliberately choosing when, where, and how you work — and that’s completely aligned with intentional living, which is something both Shelley and Rowena are passionate about.Listen in to hear Lizzie Penny and Alex Hirst share what inspired them to create Workstyle, and how you too can embrace your own individualised work...
2023-06-271h 02
Two Booked UpTBU#30 Our Workstyle StoriesIn this episode, Rowena and Shelley are continuing the conversation about the book Workstyle: A Revolution for Wellbeing, Productivity, and Society, by Lizzie Penny and Alex Hirst. They are going to be bringing the concept a little closer to home and sharing more about their own Workstyle Stories. Specifically, they will explore one of the important tenets of the book, that you need to SET, PROJECT, and RESPECT the Workstyle. That means you need to think about what your workstyle actually looks like, then tell the people you work with abo...
2023-06-1340 min
Two Booked UpTBU#29 Workstyle by Lizzie Penny and Alex Hirst — an overviewIt’s time for a revolution! Our new featured book is by business partners, Lizzie Penny and Alex Hirst and it’s entitled Workstyle: A Revolution for Wellbeing, Productivity, and Society. Workstyle is a Sunday Times Number 1 Bestseller and when Lizzie and Alex talk about a revolution, they mean it.If you're looking to work in your own way — throw out the 9-5, rethink hourly-based work, and even rethink flexible work, this is your book.Lizzie and Alex have given expression to the ideas of individualised work, autonomy at work, and the freedom to cho...
2023-05-3032 min
Two Booked UpTBU#28 The Reading Challenge is ON (need recommendations… we’ve got 'em)A few months ago Shelley and Rowena shared the 23 for 2023 Non-Fiction Reading Challenge. This challenge is a way to read with intention, but also keep reading fun and playful.In this episode, they’re sharing their progress with the challenge and how it’s helped them to read more widely. They’ll also share some book recommendations and tips for making the challenge your own.Oh, and they can’t resist throwing in a couple of fiction recommendations too.So tune in and join the challenge if you haven’t already!
2023-05-1631 min
Two Booked UpTBU#27 How to use your time with Intention: Insights from Oliver Burkeman’s Four Thousand Weeks“What would it mean to spend the only time you ever get in a way that truly feels as though you are making it count?”That’s the question Oliver Burkeman poses at the end of Four Thousand Weeks, saying that it’s the most fundamental question of time management.To answer that question, he poses five more specific questions, which Rowena and Shelley are diving into in this episode of Two Booked Up. The questions are:Where in your life or your work are you currently pursuing comfort, when what’s c...
2023-05-0234 min
Two Booked UpTBU#26 How to become a better procrastinator - inspired by Oliver Burkeman's Four Thousand WeeksShelley and Rowena are continuing the conversation about Four Thousand Weeks by Oliver Burkeman.In his book, Oliver drops the truth bomb that we ALL procrastinate — even the most organised among us! — and that the trick to managing our 4000 weeks is not to fight against procrastination… but to procrastinate BETTER.Using this idea and running with it… Shelley will take a deep dive into exploring how we can become better procrastinators. She shares 7 steps to support you procrastinate with intention.So, if you want to know how to become a better p...
2023-04-1837 min
Two Booked UpTBU#25 Four Thousand Weeks: Time Management for Mortals - Overview and Top TakeawaysIt’s time to dive into a new book here on Two Booked Up and we’ve got a cracker for you! Four Thousand Weeks: Time Management for Mortals by Oliver Burkeman.If you’re a mortal, you should definitely tune in! But seriously, if you’ve struggled with time management and feel frustrated that the latest productivity technique has failed you — then this book is for you.It turns the idea of time management on its head and offers a very different take on productivity from what you might have come a...
2023-04-0435 min
Two Booked UpTBU#24 Supportive Habits: Intention + Habits = Change that’s Worth ItWhen you hear the word “habits,” how do you feel? A sense of heaviness or obligation… feeling guilty about your “bad” habits… or even feeling ashamed that you haven’t been able to stick to your habits?If that’s how you feel about habits, you’re not alone. But it doesn’t have to be that way! After Shelley’s takedown of Atomic Habits in the last episode, we thought we’d consider habits through a bit of a softer, more intentional lens in this episode.So today on Two Booked Up, Rowena is encouraging yo...
2023-03-2121 min
Two Booked UpTBU#23 What’s the big deal about Atomic Habits?Shelley’s got a bee in her bonnet in this episode! The reason? Atomic Habits by James Clear. Since it was published in October 2018, it has appeared in the best-seller list multiple times and gets recommendations from far and wide — especially around the start of a new year.Yet Shelley is not a fan and doesn’t believe this book deserves to be the definitive book on habits (gasp!). In this episode, she goes through her reasons why — and yes, spills some tea in the process!Shelley argues that James Clear goes out of order...
2023-03-0725 min
Two Booked UpTBU#22 Reinvigorate your reading with the 23 for 2023 Reading ChallengeIf you find yourself getting stuck in a rut with a particular book genre, or if you’re spending more time reading social media posts than books — and you want to change that — then we’ve got a fun challenge to share with you.Join the Two Booked Up 23 for 2023 Reading Challenge. In this episode, Rowena and Shelley will explain how the challenge will work and the intention behind it… which actually is INTENTION! We’d like to inspire you to bring a bit more intention into your reading life so that you can reap the...
2023-02-2122 min
Two Booked UpTBU#21 February is the New January — our guiding words for 2023Rowena and Shelley are back with Season 2 of Two Booked Up! Woohoo!But… whaaaaaat?! How is it February?!!! Honestly, do you feel like you’ve somehow got behind on all the New Year's to-dos? Could you do with a bit of a fresh start to the year? Then this episode is for you.Or are you experiencing February as “Mum’s New Year”? We really feel this in the southern hemisphere, because we’ve had our long summer holidays and the kids are only getting back to school at this point.So we’ve de...
2023-02-0724 min
Two Booked UpTBU#20 How to get your kids to love readingThis episode was supposed to be a minisode, but COME ON! Rowena and Shelley are two bookworms, two boy moms, and this is a topic that is very near to their hearts!So if you’re a parent and you want your kids to identify as “readers,” to love reading, and to create a culture of reading in your home, then there’s going to be so much gold in this episode for you.And while the focus is on kids, Rowena and Shelley are also looking more broadly at how you can cultivat...
2023-01-2429 min
Two Booked UpTBU#19 Audiobooks or regular books… which are better?Regular books or audiobooks? Or put another way: reading with your eyes or reading with your ears? Which do you prefer?In this bonus episode, Rowena and Shelley explore both listening and reading books — covering the benefits and the drawbacks of each. And they share their personal preferences too, so you can decide for yourself which is best for you — reading with your eyes or your ears.Connect with us on social media and let us know if you have a preference and why. We’d love to hear your stories. ...
2023-01-1016 min
Two Booked UpTBU#18 In praise of fiction: How reading fiction can improve your business and lifeTwo Booked Up is a podcast about personal and professional development books, but Shelley and Rowena also love to read fiction!So today on Two Booked Up, in another of the bonus episodes that make up the Summer Series, Shelley and Rowena are singing the praises of fiction! Because reading a great story is not only a great brain break and leisure activity, it can be useful in your business, your career and in your day-to-day life.Sharing lots of fascinating research into the benefits and advantages of reading fiction, this is an e...
2022-12-2014 min
Two Booked UpTBU#17 What’s on our summer reading list?With Rowena in Australia and Shelley in South Africa, it is Summer in Two Booked Up Land! Kids are on school holidays and just about everyone is heading off on vacation or taking some time off. Long days spent relaxing by the pool or on the beach beckon.And for those of you in the northern hemisphere, it’s a great time to curl up under a cozy blanket with a good book.So today, in the next bonus episode of the Summer Series of Two Booked Up, Rowena and Shelley are sharing th...
2022-12-0617 min
Two Booked UpTBU#16 Top 7 (x2) - Our Favourite Non-Fiction Books of 2022Shelley and Rowena are looking back at 2022 and highlighting seven standout non-fiction books that they’ve read this year.So if you’re looking for ideas to add to your TBR list for the holidays and into 2023, you’re in the right place!Listen in for why each of the books made it onto each bookworms’ lists — and, for your convenience, here’s a list of the books for you to check out. LinksRowena’s favourite non-fiction reads;From Strength to Strength by...
2022-11-2222 min
Two Booked UpTBU#15 Highlights from Season 1 and what’s next for Two Booked Up?It’s the final episode of Season 1, so Rowena and Shelley chat about the highlights from each of the three books they discussed and pull together the overall theme of the season. The books discussed in Season 1 were The Four Tendencies by Gretchen Rubin, The Lazy Genius Way by Kendra Adachi and Essentialism by Greg McKeown.Rowena and Shelley also share that there will be Season 2 of the Two Booked Up podcast, landing in February 2023. But don’t worry — you won’t be without your Two Booked Up fix until then! There’s a series of...
2022-11-0818 min
Two Booked UpTBU#14 Boost your confidence and get paid to be YOU (inspired by Essentialism by Greg McKeown)Today Rowena and Shelley not only wrap up their conversations about Essentialism; The Disciplined Pursuit of Less by Greg McKeown but they also bring together a few thematic threads from the other two books featured in this season — the Four Tendencies and The Lazy Genius Way.Rowena shares how embracing the essentialist principles of ‘Explore’, ‘Eliminate’ and then ‘Execute’ in your career or business can lead to greater confidence. When you combine the Essentialist approach with knowing yourself better (our top takeaway from The Four Tendencies) and naming what matters (our top takeaway from The Lazy G...
2022-11-0126 min
Two Booked UpTBU#13 Play your own game, Essentialists! A deep dive into PLAY, inspired by Essentialism by Greg McKeownDoes an Essentialist really play around? That seems a little frivolous!Play is in fact a major part of living life as an Essentialist, as you’ll learn in this episode of Two Booked Up.Rowena and Shelley are continuing their discussion of Essentialism; The Disciplined Pursuit of Less by Greg McKeown, and doing a deep dive into one of the ideas that comes up in Chapter 7of the book: the importance of Play in the Essentialist life. As The Playful Momprenueur, Shelley has done a lot of research into the...
2022-10-2536 min
Two Booked UpTBU#12 How to live the Essentialist Life (inspired by Greg McKeown’s Essentialism)It’s something of an Essentialist Exam on Two Booked Up today! How will Rowena and Shelley stack up as Essentialists? In the episode, the bookworms consider these questionsin the light of their featured book, Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less by Greg McKeown:In what ways did you already consider yourself an Essentialist before you read the book?How have you become more of an Essentialist after reading the book?In which areas do you feel you still have some work to do in order to become a "true Essentialist"?...
2022-10-1830 min
Two Booked UpTBU#11 Essentialism by Greg McKeown — Overview and Top TakeawaysIt’s time for a new book! Today’s episode is the start of Rowena and Shelley’s discussion of Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less by Greg McKeown. You might hear the term Essentialist and wonder what it means. It sounds a bit like Minimalist, so perhaps it’s about getting more done with less?But no, being an Essentialist is not about getting more things done or how to do that, but rather how to get the right things done. Essentialists make the best use of their time and energy, in order to...
2022-10-1129 min
Two Booked UpTBU#10 How to find the time to read — and why it’s a fabulous idea to do so!“I want to read more, but I can’t find the time!”“How do you read so many books?!”“Is it really worth reading books when you can find the information on the interwebs when you need it…?”These are some of the questions that have come up in our IG posts and within our respective communities since we launched the Two Booked Up Podcast.So today, as we take a break between our featured books, we thought we’d do a minisode on how to find the time to read m...
2022-10-0411 min
Two Booked UpTBU#9 The Power of “Naming What Matters” (inspired by The Lazy Genius Way by Kendra Adachi)Are you facing a tricky decision? Or considering making a change that feels… BIG? If you are, then you’re probably feeling overwhelmed and under pressure to make the “right” decision.If that’s you, then take a nice deep breath and then listen to today’s episode of Two Booked Up, where Shelley Tonkin Smith (a business owner and homeschooling mom of two kids under 10) and Rowena Mabbott (a career and life confidence coach, who has tween and teen boys) talk about the power of naming what matters and how this simple step has made their decisi...
2022-09-2726 min
Two Booked UpTBU#8 Our best tips to “Lazy Genius” your business (inspired by The Lazy Genius Way by Kendra Adachi)Today, Rowena and Shelley are considering where and how to use the Lazy Genius Principles in their small businesses. They’ll share where they are currently using these principles and where they could be leveraging Lazy Genius principles a little more to make their businesses simpler and also more fulfilling.So if you’re a business owner, or you aspire to start a business sometime in the future, then listen in. There’ll also be plenty of food for thought for those of you who are in full-time employment too.Between them, Rowena and Sh...
2022-09-2039 min
Two Booked UpTBU#7 How we are "Lazy Geniusing" our lives — and how you can tooLast week, we gave you a rundown of the 13 Lazy Genius Principles from our featured book, The Lazy Genius Way by Kendra Adachi.Today, we dive deeper into the 13 principles and chat about how we have used and applied them in our lives and in our parenting. With examples and stories, we flesh out the principles and share how we’re Lazy Geniusing our lives.Listen to the podcast to hear which are our favourite principles and how we’ve adapted them for our lives.What’s one way you plan t...
2022-09-1339 min
Two Booked UpTBU#6 The Lazy Genius Way by Kendra Adachi — Overview and Top TakeawaysRowena and Shelley are discussing a new book, The Lazy Genius Way by Kendra Adachi.Being a "Lazy Genius" might conjure up images of becoming a combination of Einstein, Mary Poppins and Leslie Knope — all while you laze around on the couch eating ice cream! But in fact, as you'll learn in this episode, being a Lazy Genius is more about being yourself and connecting to what really matters to you. If you can get that right, you can become a genius about what matters and then lazy about everything else!Does that sou...
2022-09-0626 min
Two Booked UpTBU#5 [Minisode] Your podcast listening life: How to make it easier and even more worthwhile to listen to podcastsToday we’re getting a bit meta and doing a podcast about podcasts — specifically, your podcast listening life. Because yes, that’s a thing now!If you’re wondering…When can I fit listening to podcasts into my schedule?What’s the best podcast player to use? And what about hardware?How can I keep track of great podcasts I find?How can I share podcasts with my friends and audience?How can I get maximum value out of my podcast listening time?…then, Shelley’s got you covered...
2022-08-3015 min
Two Booked UpTBU#4 Take yourself on a dateToday on Two Booked Up, Shelley and Rowena are concluding the conversation sparked by Gretchen Rubin’s book, The Four Tendencies. We’ve had great conversations about how knowing your tendency — whether you’re an Upholder, Obliger, Questioner, or Rebel — can help you in both your personal and professional life.One of the main themes that’s come through for us is the importance of knowing yourself. But sometimes getting to know yourself can be difficult! So today, we’re going to be extending the conversation a bit wider and talking about some of the other tools and meth...
2022-08-2336 min
Two Booked UpTBU#3 Running your own business using The Four TendenciesWe’re continuing the conversation about Gretchen Rubin’s book, The Four Tendencies, which we started in our last two episodes. Today, we’re focusing on BUSINESS and how knowing your tendency can support you as a business owner.We’re going to be covering the full gambit of what it takes to run a business — from crafting an offer, to marketing and messaging, then sales, delivery, and the day-to-day running in between. And we’re going to apply the Four Tendencies to each of those aspects of entrepreneurship.Whatever your tendency — Upholder, Obliger, Rebel...
2022-07-0638 min
Two Booked UpTBU#2 Personal life and The Four TendenciesWe live in a world where we are constantly under pressure to “get things done!” But what makes us “get things done”? What makes us act or not act? In last week’s episode, Shelley and Rowena discussed the book The Four Tendencies by Gretchen Rubin. The book offered an answer to this question: why do we act? And the answer is not is not the same for all of us. Depending on how you respond to outer and inner expectations, you’ll act or choose not to act. And that’ll put you into one of four groups...
2022-06-2934 min
Two Booked UpTBU#1 The Four Tendencies by Gretchen RubinToday, Shelley and Rowena are going to be talking about The Four Tendencies by Gretchen Rubin. This book has been a game changer for both of us -- in the way we run our businesses and understand ourselves.Are you like Rowena? You’re quite self-directed and don’t have too much trouble keeping to deadlines or managing your tasks. But, you get the jitters when your plans change or can’t understand why it’s so hard for someone to keep their promises.Or are you more like Shelley? You’re spontaneous and boldly face up to...
2022-06-2229 min
Two Booked UpIntroducing... Two Booked UpTwo Booked Up is a podcast about business and personal development books and the conversations they ignite. Join bookworms, Shelley Tonkin Smith and Rowena Mabbott, as they share their best takeaways from their latest read — especially for mums and creative business owners.In addition to profiling the book, Shelley and Rowena add to the conversation, considering it through their respective lenses – Shelley as homeschooling mompreneur and a copywriter, and Rowena as a career and life confidence coach – so that YOU can apply the lessons from the book to your life and business.Find Shelley...
2022-06-1509 min
The Playful MompreneurTPM #27 How to percolate productively, without procrastinating (a business episode, with coffee metaphors :)Percolating is not just for coffee ;) Your business ideas can also benefit from a bit of percolation, and by that I mean some time and space to develop — before you run headlong into action. BUT... when is percolating actually procrastination? And how can we as playful business owners percolate on our ideas... productively? Is that even possible?These are some of the ideas I'm discussing in today's podcast. Why? Because I've been doing a lot of percolating myself over the last few weeks. Listen in to hear how this has changed my approach to publishing my book, pr...
2021-11-2934 min
The Playful MompreneurTPM #5 How to develop a Minimum Viable Product/Offer to “do what you can, with what you have, where you are” — my reflections on Rowena Mabbott’s interview“Do what you can, with what you have, where you are.” That’s a Theodore Roosevelt quote, shared by Rowena Mabbott, my guest on last week’s episode of the Playful Mompreneur Podcast (Episode #4).At first, it sounds pretty obvious, simple even. But as I reflected on Rowena’s interview and on this quote, I realised that it has so many powerful implications for us as playful mompreneurs.Rowena shared a whole lot of examples of where she did what she could, with what she had, where she was at that time in her life and in thi...
2021-04-0528 min
The Playful MompreneurTPM #4 On the joys and lessons of taking "the hard way" in business with Rowena MabbottYou may have heard the business advice, “Scratch your own itch.” As in: solve a problem that you’re having and then market the solution to other people. This is the route that Rowena Mabbott took — but then realised a few years into starting her business that she had taken “the hard way”. Rowena is my guest on The Playful Mompreneur Podcast today and she’s going to tell us why she pivoted the focus of her business from grief coaching to career and life confidence coaching — and really how all her training and life experience had been leading up...
2021-03-3047 min