Episode 14: How To Protect Your Time And Get Your Priorities Done
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As a women leader, you are trying to do it all. You want a successful career, donate time to causes you care about, spend time with your family, keep up with your health goals, and travel the world. Your to-do list is never ending and you are being pulled in a million directions. How do you prioritize and protect your time when everyone else is trying to get some of it?
Full show notes and transcript can be found at https://www.nicolecasespeaks.com/podcast/14
In this episode, hear Dr. Paulette Evans from Evans Efficiency Experts explain:
How to set priorities and protect your time to be more productive
What morning habits can set you up for success for the day
How to use technology to help keep you on track
Find Dr. Paulette Evans here:
Full Transcript:
[00:01:05] Nicole: Wow. Do I have a episode for you today? Uh, today I am interviewing my dear friend, Dr. Paula Evans, about how she protects her time. Now, again, she is. Someone who has the fullest schedule I have ever seen. And somehow she makes it all happen without burning herself out. So I asked her to come on here today just to share all of her secrets. But first, before we dive into the interview, I just want to let you know.
[00:01:38] Nicole: Who this amazing woman is. So Dr. Paula Evans identifies as a process improvement, project management expert. Who utilizes proven methodologies to effectively and efficiently solve problems at work at home and everywhere in between. Because this ability comes naturally to her. She launched Evan's F.
[00:02:00] Nicole: Evan's efficiency experts, a process engineering consultancy focused on helping people in organizations solve complex problems. Implement lasting changes and increase the efficiency in their lives. Paulette was recently. Featured as one of the 25 coaches and masterminds to know. And support. And one of seven CEOs of black women owned businesses to know.
[00:02:26] Nicole: On the no women global platform, which is amazing. In 2017, pellet was recognized as one of the 40 leaders under 40 by the triad business journal. And she was featured in the Clemson world magazine as a tire on the move. Paulette also has a passion for empowering women to be strong self-reliant and successful in all of their endeavors. So she spends any free time.
[00:02:49] Nicole: She has volunteering for organizations that have this same focus. She currently serves as president elect of the junior league of Raleigh and president of the NC triangle elevate chapter of the elevate network. During any remaining free time. Paula loves traveling internationally, creating new recipes in the kitchen, relaxing at the spa and spending time with her husband of 19 years. John Jamal Evans, PhD, and their new golden doodle tiger.
[00:03:14] Nicole: So I know that was a mouthful, but you're going to understand why I brought her on here in just a moment. So let's dive right into the interview.
[00:03:23] Nicole Case: Welcome to the Upgraded Career Podcast. I am your host Nicole Case, and today I am joined by my dear friend Dr. Paulette Evans from Evans Efficiency Experts and Paulette, if you have never met her before, she. has the fullest calendar of anyone I've ever met in my life, in, in all the good ways. And so I talk to my clients so much about just having such full calendars and just not able to get things done that they wanna get done.
[00:03:53] Nicole Case: Or people just, you know, fill in their time and like stealing their time from them and everything. And just, Paulette is someone that I know who protects her time so well. So I was like, let's bring on the expert and let's just, let's hear it from. How do we do it all? So, um, thank you Paulette, for joining me today.
[00:04:12] dr__paulette_j__evans: so excited to be here. Thanks for having me.
[00:04:16] Nicole Case: Yeah, yeah. So why don't you just tell us a little bit about your background and career journey, and then we'll dive into how you do it All.
[00:04:23] dr__paulette_j__evans: so I am a trained electrical engineer and I've spent 10 years of my, my career outside of college working for General Electric. I worked in a senior project manager.
[00:04:33] Nicole Case: Hmm.
[00:04:34] dr__paulette_j__evans: I worked as a Six Sigma black belt. I did various roles and finally realized that I wanted to do something a little different. I wanted to not go to work every day just to make money for a company. I had always been intrigued by healthcare and I found a position at Cone Health in Greensboro, North Carolina. It was a quality improvement facilitator, and they preferred healthcare experience. And I said, well, I'm just gonna tell them that quality is universal and I can bring a perspective that no one else can give them.
[00:05:00] dr__paulette_j__evans: And that worked. I got the job and I have not looked back since it was the best career I've ever. My 10 years with healthcare were amazing. I worked for Cone Health, I worked for UNC Health, I worked for Cardinal Innovations. I had all amazing positions, amazing teams. I, I just, I loved my 10 years in healthcare and then my final position ended up being contract and I said I can either, you know, keep doing this corporate journey or I can do what I said I was gonna do two years ago, almost of the day, and focus on my consulting business. And so I decided to do that in March of 2020. When my, uh, tenure ended with Cardinal Innovations and I have loved every moment of it, I, I thoroughly enjoy what I do. So it's, it's just in, it's part of me. It's in my d n a in my genetic makeup to make things more efficient, So I can't help it. And after doing it for 20 years for a corporation, it is wonderful to do it for myself and my clients love it cuz they can feel my passion for it. So I do honestly feel like I never work a day in my life cause I do it what I love every day.
[00:06:05] Nicole Case: Oh gosh. I love that. I just, that heart, my, my heart is so happy for you. My heart's happy for anybody that that can, that can say that. And so and so. Once again, we brought in the expert today. If you are, you know, a Lean Sigma, you know, six Sigma black belt, if you know work in manufacturing, work in healthcare, like you have to be effective and.
[00:06:26] Nicole Case: Um, and that, you know, that goes along with being efficient and effective, um, with your time. So what you did not share with us so far is all of the other things that you do outside of work in business. So tell us, tell us, give us a little, give us, give us a little bit of a, of an insight into that.
[00:06:46] dr__paulette_j__evans: was my professional life. So outside of all of that, I do love donating and giving any of my time to organizations that are nonprofit and focused on helping women be their most amazing selves. So last year, around the same time, I was in leadership with six different organizations in the Raleigh into triangle area, and I accepted the position of President-Elect for the Junior League of Raleigh. and that starts June 1st of this year. So I knew I had to kind of step away from some of the other things that I was doing. So by June 1st, I would only have president of Junior League, Raleigh, and my business, and of course my home hubby or puppy, you know. So I was trying to clean my plate off a little bit because I know what it takes to be a, the president of a junior league that size of Raleigh's Junior League.
[00:07:29] dr__paulette_j__evans: It's, it's a lot and it's something I'm so excited for. I've been a member of Junior League for 15. I do love the organization and being able to be the president is just a huge honor. So I still love those other organizations. I still participate in those organizations. I'm just not a leader in those organizations.
[00:07:46] dr__paulette_j__evans: And when Nicole met me, I was at an elevate into triangle mix and mingle, and I was just there to kind of test it out. And before I left I was like, okay, I'm all in. I need to be in a leadership position. , I need to be in charge of a committee. I like, I can't just be a member. So this is very new for me right now.
[00:08:02] dr__paulette_j__evans: To just be a member of organizations. It's, it's a big, big deal for me to be able to, to do this and not go crazy cuz I just love sharing my talents and skills with organizations to help make them what they need to be. And I, I feel like being, I'm selfish in so many ways in terms of protecting my time, my sanity, but I'm unselfish when it comes to giving of the talents that God has gifted me with.
[00:08:23] dr__paulette_j__evans: So it is, it's a big
[00:08:25] Nicole Case: Mm-hmm.
[00:08:26] dr__paulette_j__evans: you know what? I have to make sure I have enough time to devote to Junior League, to my business and to my home life. And so that's why I've stepped away from those other four organizations. I'm still a member. I am still president of NC Triangle Elevate Chapter, and that'll be in place until May 31st.
[00:08:40] dr__paulette_j__evans: And I officially become president of Junior League of Rally
[00:08:42] Nicole Case: Mm-hmm.
[00:08:43] dr__paulette_j__evans: June.
[00:08:45] Nicole Case: Yeah. Yeah. So, I mean, what you just described though is one of the, one of the ways that I think you're, you're figuring out how to protect your time. Like, right, like you're recognizing. The, the energy and the attention that certain things require and then making the strategic decisions to step back from other things.
[00:09:06] Nicole Case: So what are just some other strategies or techniques that you just use to protect your time to be more productive? And just give yourself in the way that I know that you do, because again, you are, you have the fullest calendar of anybody I know, but you also, again, do all the volunteer work. You also are, you know, you.
[00:09:25] dr__paulette_j__evans: a lot.
[00:09:26] Nicole Case: Spending time with your traveling, you're, you're spending time with your husband, you have a new puppy, and like, and you seem to be able to get it all done, um, in a way that feels good to you. So please tell us all of your secrets.
[00:09:40] dr__paulette_j__evans: the, the first thing is my calendar. I am really, really in love. I love everything. So Google and Microsoft are my two
[00:09:48] Nicole Case: Hmm.
[00:09:48] dr__paulette_j__evans: for all things, Google Calendar, contacts, drive, et cetera, Microsoft PowerPoint, Excel, word, everything. Uh, I am a huge fan of both of those software platforms, and so I use all of their tools to my advantage.
[00:10:00] dr__paulette_j__evans: With the Google Calendar, I put everything that happens and that is taking place in my life, in that calendar, and whether that's a meeting, whether that's travel, whether that's just me. I will schedule one to four hours of me time and a block in that calendar when I just need to be off the grid. I'm not on my phone, I'm not on my computer.
[00:10:17] dr__paulette_j__evans: I'm typically either reading in my nook or I am, uh, watching Netflix. I'm binge watching some
[00:10:24] Nicole Case: Mm-hmm.
[00:10:25] dr__paulette_j__evans: Which I enjoy. All the very crazy, woman is gonna kill her, a new husband or ex-husband cuz he loves this other girl and not her. To the extreme of I'm going to, you know, tear it on this house and you know, I wanna demolish it and destroy things.
[00:10:39] dr__paulette_j__evans: So blood, guts, destruction. I love all of that because it makes me feel like I have a very sane life. It makes me feel really good as I'm watching this crazy lady chase the sky around with a knife.
[00:10:48] Nicole Case: Yeah,
[00:10:49] dr__paulette_j__evans: I, I'm, I'm so blessed that I have a husband that should go so that's the way I feel. I'm like, I don't have to worry about any of that stuff. So I love that kind of, that's that kind of stuff. It's like not reality, I think cuz my life is so real because it, you know, I have so much going on.
[00:11:04] Nicole Case: Mm-hmm.
[00:11:04] dr__paulette_j__evans: everything is very important to me. So I like to go into that non-reality realm when I am shutting down. Cuz if I'm still in the reel,
[00:11:13] Nicole Case: Yeah.
[00:11:13] dr__paulette_j__evans: I'm planning, I'm thinking I'm plotting.
[00:11:15] dr__paulette_j__evans: I mean, like I'm, I can't turn my brain off, so I have to go to the extreme. to shut down. And so I
[00:11:20] Nicole Case: Mm-hmm.
[00:11:21] dr__paulette_j__evans: all the crazy tv. Um, but I, I do have to use that calendar for everything, whether it's a phone call, I need to say, Hey, call my mom to talk about this. I gotta put it in the calendar. And then Google reminds me, uh, Google
[00:11:33] Nicole Case: Mm-hmm.
[00:11:33] dr__paulette_j__evans: I guess it's, it's not Siri.
[00:11:34] dr__paulette_j__evans: I'm not sure who it is. Um, but it's in the Google. It's in Google. But it'll, my phone will say, Hey, you need to, it'll alert me and say, Hey, you need to leave by five 15 to get to this 5 45 meeting at this location. So it's like tracking my calendar and
[00:11:47] Nicole Case: Mm.
[00:11:48] dr__paulette_j__evans: It knows when I get home and it may be a phone thing, so I'm a big Android fan, not Apple. It may be
[00:11:54] Nicole Case: Mm-hmm.
[00:11:54] dr__paulette_j__evans: cuz this thing knows when I pull into my garage and it knows to switch certain things on in my phone that were off already. Like it's a whole thing. It's like you're
[00:12:01] Nicole Case: Hmm.
[00:12:01] dr__paulette_j__evans: in at home mode. So it's, it's all these things, and I think that's called Bixby. Bixby is an Android thing.
[00:12:08] dr__paulette_j__evans: So I use all these tools that we have access to, to
[00:12:11] Nicole Case: Hmm.
[00:12:11] dr__paulette_j__evans: advantage. Uh, the calendar is very, very, very helpful. Uh, I also use, so when I was stepping down from those positions, trying to figure out what the timing would look like, I created a step down calendar in Excel. I have an Excel document, It had all the timelines and everything, you know, I mean, it was like you're gonna be in junior league in in past, in in President-elect, which is right now, president next year, immediate past president the year after that.
[00:12:35] dr__paulette_j__evans: So it's a three year commitment. So in that timeline that it's graded out for three full years and everything else. I had it mapped out to where I would stop a certain thing. And so by May 31st, everything is gone except Junior League of Raleigh. And so there was, again, just
[00:12:50] Nicole Case: Mm-hmm.
[00:12:50] dr__paulette_j__evans: I said, I just need a visual, I need to make sure I'm putting this down. Uh, we were on that panel yesterday and I think Sherry or or, um, Shannon, maybe Shannon said, when you write down a goal, it, it becomes more real. And so in my mind, I was like, I know in
[00:13:04] Nicole Case: Mm.
[00:13:05] dr__paulette_j__evans: what I wanna do in terms of the step down thing, but I need to put it someplace. I need to write it down, capture it so I can look at this document and say, okay, you're on track.
[00:13:12] dr__paulette_j__evans: This is happening. This is. And so that worked out really well for me. Uh, I like to use, let's see, I like to use drive to store things, uh, cuz I can sync with
[00:13:22] Nicole Case: Mm-hmm.
[00:13:23] dr__paulette_j__evans: phone, everything syncs together. So if I'm in the middle of some meeting and someone says, Hey, you know, what about this? We talked about this a while back.
[00:13:30] dr__paulette_j__evans: I know you had this document and I don't have my computer with me, which is not normal. I typically always have it with me . But when I don't, I can pull up my phone and go to the. Uh, app and pull up whatever that document is, re reference whatever the person needs. Cuz I am that person. I love being able to answer something on the spot. I know when I can't, I
[00:13:47] Nicole Case: Mm-hmm.
[00:13:48] dr__paulette_j__evans: with my to-dos cuz my word is everything to me. So if I say I'm gonna get back to you with this, I, I don't know right now, but I need to get back to you tomorrow, then I do that. But it's, it's taking advantage of all the things that you have access to. Uh, the phone is a big drain, like a time suck when you let it be. If you flip that and make it
[00:14:05] Nicole Case: Mm-hmm.
[00:14:06] dr__paulette_j__evans: your whole world kind of. So I am on my phone a lot, not because I'm playing games or scrolling through Facebook. I'm in my calendar trying to figure out what I need to do next. I'm moving appointments. I'm in the LinkedIn app, making connections. If I'm on Facebook, it may be
[00:14:19] Nicole Case: Mm-hmm.
[00:14:20] dr__paulette_j__evans: I do post on Facebook and Instagram just to keep my name in the market. Uh, the things that I'm doing,
[00:14:26] Nicole Case: Mm.
[00:14:26] dr__paulette_j__evans: speaking somewhere, if I'm traveling somewhere, you know, put pictures of Tiger, our new puppy. so I do, you know, I do that every now and again, but those are chunks of time that are in the calendar for posting like Monday between nine and 10, write up whatever I'm doing and then at 12 o'clock drop
[00:14:40] Nicole Case: Mm-hmm.
[00:14:41] dr__paulette_j__evans: wherever it's going, and that's it. Thursday, same thing. So I have
[00:14:44] Nicole Case: Mm.
[00:14:45] dr__paulette_j__evans: that tells me what I need to use my time towards. Cause no one can manage time necessarily. You can't expand time, you can't add more hours to the day. None of that's possible. So you have to make sure you maximize everything you're doing so that you can get as much done as you can
[00:14:59] Nicole Case: Mm-hmm.
[00:15:00] dr__paulette_j__evans: hours that all of.
[00:15:03] Nicole Case: Yeah. Yeah. No, I love that. And, and I'm, I'm very similar. Like I have, everything is calendared, um, for, for me as well, so that I, I like, it just helps me like not have to make as many decisions in the moment. And I, yeah, like I don't have, I don't have to expend a bunch of energy trying to figure out what I'm gonna do next.
[00:15:22] Nicole Case: Like, it's like I've already expended that energy in an in, in like my planning time, right? I've already planned for it. Obviously shift things around when you need to to keep it workable. I love though your specific point around like even calendaring, like giving yourself that buffer to get to that next meeting.
[00:15:40] Nicole Case: Right. Because you can't just have the meeting on your calendar because if, if you like, you physically need to get somewhere, you need to build in. Build in that. That buffer time. So yeah, I'm very similar. We're also a big Android family here at the case house. Um, so yeah, we love how everything can, can sync, can sync together.
[00:15:58] Nicole Case: But, uh, you kind of touched on it a little bit, um, when you shared that like, you know, when you're on your phone, you're not like scrolling social or something like that, but so what are some ways that technology can help or hinder our productivity? Because I think we can, we could definitely over rotate on.
[00:16:16] Nicole Case: relying on technology to help keep us organized.
[00:16:19] dr__paulette_j__evans: so hindering for sure is when you let the phone drive you. Like you're so addicted to your phone, it literally has powers over you. Now you can't function without it. That's just a bad
[00:16:28] Nicole Case: Mm-hmm.
[00:16:28] dr__paulette_j__evans: that's gonna hinder you from being productive in many, many ways. So you using the phone to your advantage?
[00:16:33] dr__paulette_j__evans: For me, I have a. Do not disturb, uh, function or most, again, most phones ever do not disturb function. Mine is extremely,
[00:16:40] Nicole Case: Mm-hmm.
[00:16:42] dr__paulette_j__evans: because my phone is on do not disturb from 10:00 PM to 10:00 AM every day, even Saturday and Sunday, it is on
[00:16:47] Nicole Case: Mm-hmm.
[00:16:48] dr__paulette_j__evans: often walk away from my phone whether someone do not disturb or not.
[00:16:50] dr__paulette_j__evans: I walk in the house, I set it on the charger in my bedroom and I walk away from it completely unless I, I'm waiting for someone to call or I know someone is gonna be calling. I am not near my. I have my computer, which is
[00:17:01] Nicole Case: Mm-hmm.
[00:17:02] dr__paulette_j__evans: cuz again, everything's connected. So if something pops up, someone sends me a text, it's, it comes on my computer as well, so I can reply back there.
[00:17:09] dr__paulette_j__evans: But physically the phone isn't near me. Uh, but the do not disturb is, is just huge. That is where you get your sanity. For me at 10 o'clock. I shouldn't have to talk to anybody about anything unless I really want to. So no one should be calling me with
[00:17:20] Nicole Case: Mm.
[00:17:21] dr__paulette_j__evans: No one should be calling me about work even with Junior League.
[00:17:23] dr__paulette_j__evans: No one should be calling me because there's an emergency unless there really is an emergency. Uh, but it is a great way to protect your time. Insanity cuz it goes away, say 10:00 PM My phone doesn't alert me about anything. Phone calls, text messages, nothing. And then also from 8:00 AM to 10:00 AM I have that moment to get myself ready for the. I can check emails and be
[00:17:43] Nicole Case: Mm.
[00:17:43] dr__paulette_j__evans: focused, like specifically and, and intently focused on checking emails, responding to, with information people need. I don't have the phone dinging and going off beside me, distracting me, so I can really focus on getting that task done. Cuz eight to 10 is kind of my, my get the day started time and I'm usually in email from eight to 10,
[00:18:00] Nicole Case: Mm-hmm.
[00:18:01] dr__paulette_j__evans: And, and that's just all emails that have, have come in, whether work or personal. I go ahead and just get through them cuz I am that person. My O C D doesn't allow me to have unread messages. I can't stand it. That little one, that flag just kind of tauts me. I'm like, why is that sitting there? So I spend eight to 10 going through email, and then my phone clicks on at 10 and then the alerts come in that have been building up, and then I can go through and see what I want to do and how I wanna do it, and then continue on with. So it's, it's using the tools that
[00:18:28] Nicole Case: Mm-hmm.
[00:18:29] dr__paulette_j__evans: to us. I mean, we have all of this power in this phone. We just need to make sure we're utilizing the things that are in that phone to our advantage, making the phone work for us and not the other way around.
[00:18:40] Nicole Case: Yeah. Yeah. I love that because yeah, I think we can all get really sucked in and, you know, allowing, allowing it to really drive us versus us being in charge and, and driving the technology. I love that. So, so I, I wanna go back to when, when you said that you basically, you needed to make some decisions about the things that you were gonna continue to spend your time doing, you know, you know, and you made the decision that, you know, I'm going to be, you know, the president of Junior League and therefore I'm going to back off on some of these other things.
[00:19:17] Nicole Case: So how do, how can, how do people. , what are some, some advice that you would give to people to help them figure out what to prioritize? Because again, this whole idea of doing it all like is a total lie, right? Because we can't do it all. Like you said, we all have, we have 24 hours. We might all have different support and help throughout that 24 hours.
[00:19:36] Nicole Case: That can enable us to do more things sometimes. But, but like you said, like we only have 24 hours. So how, what are some way, what are some tricks or what are some things that you were thinking about when you're trying to prioritize your.
[00:19:49] dr__paulette_j__evans: So the first thing is understanding, really, truly knowing what's most important. I mean, and that's not lying to yourself. And, and painting this pretty picture that looks perfect. What is the most important thing? And for me, that's home. So home will always be on top of everything else in terms of priority.
[00:20:05] dr__paulette_j__evans: Uh, Jamal, my puppy, my parents, my brother, they are my top priority in most situations. And then after that, it comes to what else is,
[00:20:13] Nicole Case: Mm-hmm.
[00:20:13] dr__paulette_j__evans: the next important thing for me. That's my business. And so after that comes time
[00:20:17] Nicole Case: Mm.
[00:20:18] dr__paulette_j__evans: So it really is being honest with yourself on where things fall in terms of your priority list and being, being real honest with the people around you, the people that are in your life, letting them know that this is what I have going on and I can't do these things. and being okay with saying that you don't need their permission or approval. It's more, it's, well, it is an fyi. It's not more
[00:20:37] Nicole Case: Mm-hmm.
[00:20:38] dr__paulette_j__evans: It is an fyi. Most of my statements end with a period. Like I'm not asking you any questions, . I don't need your opinion about it. I don't need you to say yes to anything.
[00:20:45] dr__paulette_j__evans: I'm telling you I'm not doing this anymore, and you can contact me when you've gotten your life together. something like that. If you need to get somebody out of your way, that just keeps sucking your time and getting you off track. Uh, it's being
[00:20:57] Nicole Case: Mm-hmm.
[00:20:58] dr__paulette_j__evans: yourself. It's being okay being not nice, cuz some people don't deserve it because they take advantage of it.
[00:21:05] dr__paulette_j__evans: So once you realize all these things, like really truly realize it, become unapologetic about it, then you can really start owning your time, owning your life and feeling more productive, cuz you're not being drained by somebody who doesn't deserve your time or who manipulates your. You're not spending time doing things that aren't important to you.
[00:21:21] dr__paulette_j__evans: Uh, I tell people that you should always have a positive roi. That should be your reason to do anything, and that's not just. roi, positive ROI for me is money, of course, cuz that's the, the basic concept of roi. But it's my sanity, it's my happiness. Does this bring me joy? Is it
[00:21:37] Nicole Case: Mm-hmm.
[00:21:38] dr__paulette_j__evans: fulfilling?
[00:21:38] dr__paulette_j__evans: That's a positive ROI for me. So that is probably the biggest thing I look at. And I factor in when I'm saying, am I gonna keep doing this or am I going to do this new thing? Or am I gonna go to this new place? Is there a positive ROI for me at all? Because if there isn't, then answer. It's Absolut. and it, and it literally doesn't matter what it is that I'm faced with.
[00:21:56] dr__paulette_j__evans: If I have zero positive R ROI coming from it, the answer is no. And that easily frees up a lot of time in your calendar to to prioritize the things that you really wanna do, that bring you that joy and that happiness and that sanity.
[00:22:09] Nicole Case: Yeah, I love that. So it just starts with knowing yourself and knowing what's most important to you and, and holding true to that.
[00:22:16] dr__paulette_j__evans: Exactly.
[00:22:19] Nicole Case: I love that. I love that. So, any final words for someone who is maybe struggling to set boundaries? Cuz we don't all walk into the room with Paul, Dr. Paulette Evan's e. Energy right from the get-go. So what would you say to someone who's struggling with setting those boundaries with others that just might be taking up too much of their time, whether it's personal or again, in their professional life?
[00:22:41] Nicole Case: You know, it could just be, you know, somebody that keeps interrupt. them in their office when they're trying to get work done. Right. You know? What would you say to those people who are struggling to set those boundaries?
[00:22:50] dr__paulette_j__evans: ask them, uh, one question first and I ask, what have you accomplished today that you were supposed to get done? when they sit there and realize they have
[00:22:58] Nicole Case: Hmm.
[00:22:58] dr__paulette_j__evans: done, and they admit that, I then say, okay, so what have you been doing all day? Like, what have you been doing with your time today that you didn't get the two things done you needed to get done? and they start unraveling and telling me all the things they were doing and how many people they had to help and how many people were calling them and all these things. And that's when they start
[00:23:15] Nicole Case: Mm-hmm.
[00:23:15] dr__paulette_j__evans: that is a problem, And so I help to help
[00:23:18] Nicole Case: Mm-hmm.
[00:23:19] dr__paulette_j__evans: what the problem is. Typically when I'm walking one of these situations, I need you to realize to yourself what the problem is.
[00:23:24] dr__paulette_j__evans: So it's more me just guiding you into this path of understanding that you're wasting your time and not getting your things done because you keep prioritizing everybody else over. So once they hear that
[00:23:35] Nicole Case: Mm-hmm.
[00:23:35] dr__paulette_j__evans: it, they say it out loud, then they're able to say, you know what? I know what I need to do and I help with that sometimes cuz they may need help with the next step.
[00:23:42] dr__paulette_j__evans: But that's typically the very first thing when I help them realize that they're spending all day doing so many things and not accomplishing the one or two things they were supposed to get done. when that compounds over day,
[00:23:52] Nicole Case: Mm-hmm.
[00:23:53] dr__paulette_j__evans: days and weeks, you realize at the end of the month you haven't gotten anything done and now you're behind on all your deadlines, et cetera.
[00:23:59] dr__paulette_j__evans: And then your life really starts getting. So it's, you wanna prevent
[00:24:03] Nicole Case: Yeah.
[00:24:04] dr__paulette_j__evans: want, you don't want it to get that far. I, I try to step in as soon as I can to help them get out of their own way again, so they can be their most productive self and, and based on what they're
[00:24:13] Nicole Case: Mm-hmm.
[00:24:14] dr__paulette_j__evans: to that second question, in terms of what they've done all day, that's how I know to help them put certain tools in place and what they really need to do to make sure that stops happening every day.
[00:24:24] Nicole Case: Yeah. Yeah. I love that. . This has been amazing and again, so helpful to again, just absorb that Dr. Poll Evan's energy, you know, to be like, I need to be making sure that I'm focusing on my priorities and what's most important to me, and not in a way that is detrimental to other people. It's more like if I can focus on the things that are important to me, that I'm able to show.
[00:24:56] Nicole Case: Likely, one of the things that is important to me is to show up for the other people that are in my life and to, to be helpful and to be supportive. Um, and, but I can't do that if I am focused on. other things, other, other noise that's kind of coming at me that, um, I'm not being able to discern if that's where I wanna put my fo focus or not.
[00:25:19] Nicole Case: Cuz I don't, because again, no one here heard you say, yeah, I don't wanna help people. That is literally what you want to do is help people in. The first step in that is making sure you know what your own priorities are.
[00:25:31] dr__paulette_j__evans: Exactly.
[00:25:32] Nicole Case: I love it. . So as I've asked all my guests on this show, I would love just to hear in your own words, how have you upgraded your own career.
[00:25:44] dr__paulette_j__evans: So I have always been an advocate for myself. I realized, and I guess that's one of the good things that GE taught me early on, realizing that it is a dog eat dog world, and that was in GE again, for sure. That company was
[00:25:56] Nicole Case: Mm-hmm.
[00:25:56] dr__paulette_j__evans: than most people are used to. So I learned then to advocate for myself all the time. and to always make sure I know
[00:26:02] Nicole Case: Mm-hmm.
[00:26:03] dr__paulette_j__evans: career. I'm not waiting on somebody else to tell me what needs to happen next. I'm always in controlling the driver's seat and then going over to healthcare. I was more appreciated for that, that way of doing things and that perspective and, and
[00:26:16] Nicole Case: Mm-hmm.
[00:26:16] dr__paulette_j__evans: being that way.
[00:26:17] dr__paulette_j__evans: And so those 20 years taught me everything I needed to feel comfortable going out on my own, like not having a fear of doing it. Just happily saying, you know what? I've done this work for 20 years for corporations. Now I'm gonna do it for. because I, I have the tools,
[00:26:31] Nicole Case: Mm-hmm.
[00:26:32] dr__paulette_j__evans: intellectual property. I don't need them to help me do this work.
[00:26:35] Nicole Case: Yeah.
[00:26:36] dr__paulette_j__evans: did it for them, so now I can do it for myself. And it's a
[00:26:39] Nicole Case: Yeah.
[00:26:39] dr__paulette_j__evans: freeing feeling. And, and that, to me, this has been the best position of my entire career. I love it.
[00:26:47] Nicole Case: Okay. I love that. Yeah, I mean, I totally agree. Same, same over here. Um, so what, what do you got going on aside from, you know, , um, getting ready to gear up for, you know, being president of Junior League of Raleigh. What else do you have kind of going on in the business? You know, what's, what's gonna, what's happening with you right now?
[00:27:07] dr__paulette_j__evans: few new clients I have room for, for additional clients and anyone can reach out, uh, to the different. Platforms that Nicole will share later on. Um, I have a couple of, well, I had a panel with Nicole yesterday, so we were on that panel together and that was awesome. And I have a few workshops coming up in terms of speaking engagements, uh, keynote coming up. So I'm, I'm always excited to just share knowledge and information and anything a person just needs to hear. because more times than not, especially with women, I, I was on a call at four o'clock with, uh, a woman who I'm trying to walk through some different things. It's just, you need to hear it from someone else.
[00:27:41] dr__paulette_j__evans: Like, you already know this stuff. You just need to hear it from someone else.
[00:27:44] Nicole Case: Mm-hmm.
[00:27:45] dr__paulette_j__evans: typically just out there sharing knowledge and just telling you what you already know.
[00:27:51] Nicole Case: Awesome, awesome. So, yeah. So yeah, Paula and I, um, we happen to be on the same, um, empowering women together panel yesterday morning, um, which was, which is always fun to share the stage with you. And you and I are sharing the stage together, um, as well. Actually, the day this episode airs, you and I will actually be at the, um, Athena, Athena of the Triangle, uh, women's leadership.
[00:28:16] Nicole Case: Um, speaking there, speaking there together. So, so there's definitely lots of places where, um, we can, we can get more of your, of your amazing knowledge. So yes, I will definitely in the show notes if you, if you go out to the website at Nicole Case speaks.com/podcast/fourteen, um, I will put all of the links.
[00:28:39] Nicole Case: Paulette Social Handles and her website and you know, you again go follow her out on the, you said, you said, um, Facebook and Instagram are like the best places
[00:28:49] dr__paulette_j__evans: I'm,
[00:28:50] Nicole Case: find you
[00:28:50] dr__paulette_j__evans: of 'em,
[00:28:51] Nicole Case: in LinkedIn.
[00:28:52] dr__paulette_j__evans: on, across all three of them. And my handle is at Paulette
[00:28:55] Nicole Case: Awesome.
[00:28:56] dr__paulette_j__evans: all three of them, and the website is
[00:28:58] Nicole Case: Perfect.
[00:28:59] dr__paulette_j__evans: experts.com
[00:29:02] Nicole Case: Awesome. Love it. So yes, we're all gonna go follow you, and we're just gonna continue to soak up, soak up all of your, all of your great knowledge and, and, and energy. So Paula, thank you so much for joining me today and just sharing so openly, um, as you do.
[00:29:17] dr__paulette_j__evans: for having me, Nicole.
[00:29:18] Nicole: Wow. That was amazing. I hope you were all taken notes because Paula just. Dropped some major knowledge just dropped so many tangible, actionable tips for you to. Go out there and own your time and focus on the things that you want to be focused on and really just crush it out there in your life, in your career. So you can see that pallettes, not just crushing it in her business, but she's also able to optimize her time so that she can be traveling with her husband and spending time with her new puppy and also volunteering her time and donating her time in really, really meaningful ways.
[00:29:59] Nicole: And she could not do that. If she wasn't able to really control the time that she does have. So if you love Paula, just like I do and want to hear more from her and want to see what she's up to head on over to the show notes at the, at the website@nicolekspeaks.com slash podcast. Slash 14 and you'll get all of the links that we talked about in there today.
[00:30:25] Nicole: And while you're over there, you might as well sign up for my free. Weekly email newsletter, where I am sharing these insider conversations that I'm having with my friends. And with my clients over there, I let you know, whenever the podcast episodes drop, you're the first people to hear about that. And I might actually have some additional free resources that I only give to my paid clients and my email newsletter subscribers. So head on over there.
[00:30:56] Nicole: Sign up for that free email newsletter. And in the meantime remember your career deserves an
[00:31:02] Nicole: Upgrade
