# What I do with the mental energy Smarty frees up for me

Parkinson's Law tells us that work expands to fill the time allotted for its completion. 

When you don’t plan out your work, it bleeds into every aspect of your life. 

As a startup founder, work is always on my mind. There’s never nothing to do, and that’s a unique kind of stress. 

That’s why the intentional planning mindset has helped me maximize productivity wherever I need to do \*actual\* work. 

When I know I’m keeping accountable + sticking to my goals, that gives me the Zen I need to fully explore my personal life. 

That’s the good stuff. It looks like … 

\- Spending time with my family\
\- Reading and writing\
\- Playing piano and composing music

I’ve always loved these moments. But I didn’t think to deliberately fit them in my schedule. 

Now, I see gaps in my calendar and intentionally fill them with happiness. 

In 2023, work-life balance feels hyper-blended. That’s unavoidable for most of us. 

So I’m intentionally seeking joy and destressing, no matter what I’m up to.

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