Jessica's Friday Five: Save Hours on Mileage (I Was So Wrong)

Hi Reader,

Happy New Year, friends. Let's hope that, at all levels, this year is joyful, easy where we need it to be, and caring for all of us. Today I'm thrilled to be sharing several practical tips and tools to help us create that reality.

Also, I had an idea the other day - I've been building something behind the scenes, and I really need some input to finalize it. If you're up for hearing my ideas and getting some input (I'll also be giving out some prizes), check this out and see if you're free to join us on Jan 13 for a half hour.

Ok, here we go - today's Friday Five:

1. Take a Few Minutes to Mark Your 2026 Calendar: This is a list I made to help you mark things on your calendar for 2026. You'll be so glad you took a little time to look through these and add the ones that matter to you to your calendar. Feel free to share with anyone who would find it helpful.
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2. A Little Daily Planning = Productive Friction: I've started thinking about planning as productive friction – that intentional pause that actually speeds you up in the long run. Here's the deal: when you take 5-10 minutes to actually think through your day (not just react to whatever's screaming loudest), you're creating forced thoughtfulness. It's that moment where you ask yourself, "What actually matters today?" instead of diving headfirst into your inbox. Yes, it feels counterintuitive to slow down when there's so much to do. But I've learned that those few minutes of planning are what make the difference between being busy and being effective. You're essentially making a promise to yourself – spend a little time up front to ensure the next 8 hours move you in the right direction, not just in circles. It's the difference between wandering through a forest hoping to find your way out versus taking a moment to check your compass first. Here's a 2-minute video about how I plan my day using a little bit of alliteration.
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3. What Do You Want to Remember in 2026? Do you have any goals for 2026? Or a word or theme for the year? Whatever matters to you, here are some ideas that have worked for me over the years to keep those intentions front-and-center so that I don't forget them in the hubbub of daily life. I've ordered a sticker for my laptop with the phrase I've picked for the year, and I'm still curating a playlist with related songs.
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4. Desktop Wallpaper: I made this desktop wallpaper for myself, and I thought you might find it helpful as well. You'll need a free Canva account, and then you can edit it to your heart's desire to make it your own. I find that having a quick visual of the calendar of the year is helpful, and depending on the year, I add in my word of the year, some photos, or a collage, and sometimes other practical things like the hex codes for my business brand colors.
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5. Holiday Cards Tip: It's totally fine to open, read, and recycle holiday cards immediately. It's also fine if you like to keep them! If you want to hold onto them, my suggestion for how to do so can be found in this blog or this Instagram reel.

Bonus Sponsor Resource: MileIQ. I used to track my business mileage in a spreadsheet. I'm kinda embarrassed how long I did that (through mid-2025). Then I discovered the MileIQ app, and OMG, this is so much better. It saves me time. Also, if you're the kind of person who doesn't really track mileage because it's a hassle, this will save you a ton of money on taxes (or reimbursements if your company reimburses mileage) because it makes it easy with minimal work. This resource is from one of our Friday Five sponsors - thank you to them for keeping this newsletter free for readers!

Last Friday's Most-Clicked Link: The Nokbox (for getting your paper situation organized!) - glad y'all are into this as much as me! Let me know how it goes as you start filling it up.