Self-care. We know we need it, but we don't always know how to do it in a way that doesn't feel selfish.

Jenn Collins from Mama Needs Box joins us to help us solve that problem and make it a natural part of our mom life.

Resources Jenn mentioned:

The Fringe Hours: Making Time for You by Jessica Turner

Connect with Jenn on Facebook, Instagram, her website, or listen to the Mama Needs Podcast.

Get 15% off a subscription (or anything on the Mama Needs Box site) by using the code PODCAST at checkout at mamaneedsbox.com.

Jenn's favorite resource is grocery pickup 

Hear it:

Watch it:

Read it:

This is a transcript of the This Mom Knows Podcast - Episode - 61

Jennifer Uren
Jenn Collins is the Chief Self-Care Officer at and founder of the Mama Needs subscription box. Jenn is on a mission to help mamas understand the need for self-care and give them the tools and inspiration to prioritize it. Married to her high school sweetheart and mama to three amazing kids, Jenn and her family live in North Carolina where they still can't believe that they get to see mountains every day. So welcome, Jenn.

Jenn Collins
Hi, Jenn. Thanks for having me.

Jennifer Uren
Double "n" Jenn.

Jenn Collins
Yes, there are so many of us. Oh, my goodness,

Jennifer Uren
yes, I find more and more. But when I was in college, my friends called me "ifer" because they're like, if you're gonna keep both of the ends, that we're just going to go with the other part of the name

Jenn Collins
So lovely. Right?

Jennifer Uren
Oh, well, your bio told us told us a little bit. But where did you grow up? How did you land in the mountains of North Carolina?

Jenn Collins
Yeah, I did not grow up here. I am actually from the Sunshine State. I am from the Miami Fort Lauderdale area, and lived there my entire life until I went off to college. And after we got married, we actually did a very short stint in Lexington, Kentucky where my husband went to college. And then we moved back down to Florida. And what changed was, we were really in a place of burnout at our jobs that we were at. And we knew we wanted to do something different. We wanted to start a business, my husband wanted to start his own thing. And we had some friends that were up here where we live, which is Franklin, North Carolina. It's about it's really in the middle of nowhere, but it's it's about two hours from a bunch of big cities. And we're pretty close to Asheville. So we knew two people here, they offered my husband a part time job so that he could get some money while launching his business. And I had come to this area growing up every single year, my grandparents used to live nearby and loved this area we both did. And we just said we want a change of pace, slower pace of life, lower cost of living. And it was a really tough decision. We left family and friends. But ultimately, it was really the best thing we've ever could have done for our family. And of course, I miss my beach. I miss my sun, especially right now - winter time. And you know, my family and everything. But they visit here we visit there. And it's just it's just been amazing.

Jennifer Uren
Well, that's great. What are some of your favorite things to do in the mountains? And do you ever trek over to the coast to go to the beach? Or do you save that for trips home to Florida?

Jenn Collins
Yeah, you know, we haven't been over to like the Outer Banks of North Carolina, although that is on our list. It's just so far. Because we are in such of the western part of the state. That it actually it's almost less time to drive to Florida than it is to try to the other side of North Carolina. So we haven't been over there yet. Again, I would love to. But we I feel like we're just so lucky because you know, when we lived in South Florida, everyone thinks that you just live at the beach. Everyone thinks you're beach bums like how do you even get any work done. And I'm like, actually, we rarely get to go. Because you're so busy. And especially we were in that like burnout place. We were not going to the beach. And so I feel like we're so lucky here because I literally get to look out my window here and see the mountains. Whereas when I lived in South Florida, it was a rare occurrence that I got to go to the beach, and even then it was like a special trip, you know, it was about 15-20 minutes away. And it's a whole ordeal to bring kids to the beach, or we just go down there to eat. And you know, it just wasn't the same. So now I just get to look and see them anytime I want to which is fabulous. But we love to go hiking here. We're actually our little town is right off of the Appalachian Trail. So we're one of the stops people can get off on their hiking and come down into our town and, you know, refresh their supplies or stay overnight for a few days if it's snowing or if it's rainy. So it's a big hiker culture here, which is really fun. It's been fun to kind of get into that and see what that's all about. So we have tons of trails and the creeks here are in abundance and it's just a lot of fun to live here. It's great.

Jennifer Uren
Well, it sounds fabulous.

Jenn Collins
Yes, the kids love it. You know, we weren't, they were really little when we moved here. And so this is kind of all they know.

Jennifer Uren
It's home. Yeah, yeah, that's great. Well, in 30 seconds or less, why don't you just tell us what your business is, and the problem you solve and who you serve.

Jenn Collins
Yes. So my business, like you said in the intro is Mama Needs Box. It is a monthly self-care subscription box for moms. I also host a podcast called A Mama Needs podcast, which, where is where I interview moms, to share their stories, we talk about all the things that Mama needs. And the problem that I solve is that mom's we all know that we need self-care, we all know it's important, but we rarely make the time, the budget. And you know, the time the budget to do that, and we feel guilty. And so my whole goal is to provide a service and a product that you can receive and use and open right away without the guilt. And I show you how to make the time and you know, it's an investment in yourself. So yes, when I do,

Jennifer Uren
Well, that's fabulous. Self-care is a topic that's kind of near and dear to me, because it was really only in these past few years that something clicked and I had this mindset shift from moving it from selfish care to something more essential. But before we get into your business, let's start with your why. So self-care, like my perception was it was selfish - and you alluded to this guilt - what does self-care mean? And why is it something that you're passionate about?

Jenn Collins
I feel like self care means so many things to different people. Well, the act of self-care can be so different, you know, what fills you up may not fill me up. But ultimately, I feel like self-care is just a way of getting filled up a way of taking care of yourself, that will then allow you to serve your family from abundance rather than overwhelm. We want to serve from that overflow. And so why I'm so passionate about it is just because of you - my oldest is 13, and so I've been a mother for 13 years, and I've seen ebbs and flows in my own mother, motherhood journey of just, you know, taking the time not taking the time feeling pulled in different directions, feeling guilty all the time, feeling completely out of balance a lot I mentioned that we had, we were in kind of a space of burnout. And during that time, I did not take care of myself. And I was really on the brink of a nervous breakdown I believe - I was even in counseling at the time, and it's still like it still was very much at the surface. So I've been in that place of burnout. And I know how it feels. And I never ever, ever want to get back there because it turned me into a mom that I knew I didn't want to be which was yelling, short fuse, impatient, not intentional. And I knew I could not live in that space for very long. And so for me, self-care was really an act of survival. And getting my, getting my life back to how I wanted it to be so that I could be the mom I wanted to be and so that I could be healthy and you know, healthy, not just physically but really emotionally and mentally it was it was what it was for me. So, so yeah, that is why I am super passionate about it. Because I just don't want other moms to get to that place where I was. So...

Jennifer Uren
Yeah, so you're you're kind of stepping in going learn from me don't get there. I'm going to help you avoid that edge of the chasm. So yes, exactly. Yeah. Well, you have three kids, and your youngest is of that age, you know, of probably being able to do quite a bit for himself. But when your kids need you, no matter the age, they need you. So what does self-care look like for that mom who is in the trenches where their kids need them all the time?

Jenn Collins
Yes, obviously, I have been there. I have a 13 year old, a 10 year old and a six year old and so yes, my youngest is definitely so much more independent than he used to be. And I started my business actually when he was three, because he finally was starting to go to preschool and I finally felt like, Oh, I can breathe, and I can

Jennifer Uren
I'm a human.

Jenn Collins
I'm a human, I have talents and skills and I was like, oh, I want to do something, you know, with all this newfound freedom while he's at school. So I I think the first thing you have to do is think about the season of life that you're in. I actually think that when you're in the trenches, it's when you have kind of a newborn or when you have like a young baby or like two like a baby and a toddler like those are kind of the trenches, trenches seasons to me and honestly you, like I said before, you know, there's they're seasons and what self-care looks like for me right now with a teenager, a preteen and a six year old, is completely different than my friend who just had a baby and has a toddler right now. And so she has to do what she needs to do to practice self-care, and my, mine is going to be different. And so when you're in the trenches, I feel like you're kind of in survival mode, and you really just need to kind of do the next right thing to get you to a place of rest and to get and to take care of yourself. And so whether that's asking your, your husband, your mom, your mother-in-law, a babysitter, your, your little sister who can babysit whatever, to just come and let you sleep for a little while, and so that they can hold the baby or feed the baby, you know, whether it's, instead of, you know, breastfeeding your baby overnight, every night, maybe having enough supply, you know, pumping enough supply, or having some formula on hand so that somebody else can feed your baby. And, you know, you don't have to do every feeding, I think there's so much freedom in motherhood that we don't give ourselves, especially when we're in the trenches, because we think we have to do it all. And that's totally normal. We've all felt that way. But we don't have to do it all. And I think there's so much to say about inviting somebody in, even if it's your own husband, inviting somebody in and being like, I need help, can you do this for me, so that I can get some rest because I haven't slept in two days, or whatever it is. Or let's say, you know, maybe the trenches doesn't look like a newborn for you, or newborn and a toddler, maybe it looks like a full time job with three kids at home. You know, whatever the case may be, you have to figure out what season of life you're in number one, and what is realistic for you. So what, what is actually going to work with your schedule, who can you ask to help, what kinds of things actually fill you up and make sense for your season and are realistic for you, because you don't want to just do random things that won't actually fill you up, and you've gone to all this trouble to get somebody to help you. And then you're like, Oh, I didn't even actually like doing that. So, you know, maybe that's just getting somebody to come over so that you can go to a coffee shop and have some quiet time with a friend. You know, maybe it's dropping your kid off at mother's day out if you have that where you live, and so that you can take some time for yourself, you don't have to be always on, you know, 24/7 all the time. 100%. So I think, like I said, it's just being realistic, figure out figuring out what season you're in and figuring out what really does fill you up. So that when you actually do have that time that you make the most of it

Jennifer Uren
You can do it. So I heard you just say two things in there. And one is that, you know, we don't have to do it all ourselves, I think we sometimes confuse being responsible for with actually executing it, you know, and, and that's where we get in trouble and start to deplete our resources. But the other is really that self-care is very personal. And the only should around self care is that we should make it a priority. Otherwise, they're you know,

Jenn Collins
The skies the limit!

Jennifer Uren
A manicure for one person is a luxury for the other, but a nap for one person, you know, it's just it's very different.

Jenn Collins
It really varies and there's so much you can do. It's a fun exercise to sit down if you can, or like while you're feeding your baby or whatever you're doing, get your phone out and make a list make a list of what you actually like. I realized a few years ago, I don't actually like pedicures. Like I, I'll go with my mom because I like to go with her and have that time together. But it's not actually my favorite thing. I don't love people touching my feet.

Jennifer Uren
So no foot rubs either

Jenn Collins
Only if my husband does it. But there's I like the end result because I look cute at the end and I feel like kind of put together. But it's not my favorite thing. It doesn't completely fill me up. So I would prefer you know, maybe doing something else maybe to get my hair cut, or maybe to go and watch a movie with a friend or go and get some coffee or just literally sit in silence in my house even. I can't tell you how many times I've done that and just been like that's what I needed right now. That's what I needed is just quiet.

Jennifer Uren
Well and that's wise is to make that list because it could turn into a oh poor me. These are the things I don't have time for. That's not the intent, but we think of things when we can't really do much about it and then we forget them when we need them. So by having that list when you do have this 30 minutes you can go oh yeah, I forgot, I like to read 30 minutes.

Jenn Collins
Oh there's this huge lit or huge pile of books on my nightstand like, let's do something about that. Yeah, I love to read. I just haven't had time.

Jennifer Uren
Yeah, that's excellent. So how do you get from "Mom's need self-care" to "I'm gonna start a subscription box business"?

Jenn Collins
Yeah, you know, because I've really been passionate about it for some time, even before I started my business, I would have friends asked me for advice. And I'd be like, what do you do to take care of yourself, because I had already been there, I'd already been in that really dark chasm of just not taking care of myself, feeling completely burned out, stressed out, overwhelmed, my body was fighting against me, infections, and, and then mental stuff too just - I was not in a good place. So like, I know what that feels like. And I don't want people to get there. And so I was already doing that I was already kind of giving people advice only when they would ask me, obviously. I was leading Bible Studies with mainly moms and already kind of serving in that space. And so like I said, when my son, my youngest son was three, and he was going to be starting preschool a few times a week, I was like, I want to do something I want something to do. You know, I was a stay at home mom at that time, after previously working outside of the home full time, even more than full time. And so I really needed that break of being at home, even though it's a lot of work to be at home. I just really needed that break. And so finally, I felt like, oh, I can do something now I feel good now. I'm in a good space. And my other two are in elementary school, let's do this. And so it just took a lot of time. Honestly, it took almost a whole year, I was trying to figure out like, what I want to do praying about it, Lord, you know, I know what I'm good at. But what should I do. And subscription boxes were definitely a thing at that time, which was in 2018, which is when all this started. But they weren't as popular as they are now. And so I kind of looked into those and found a course on how to launch a subscription box. And I would have I was going to be the first class to go through the course. And it was a big investment. And that was scary. Because I'd never invested in myself before. And of course, all of those feelings started to come out of you know, should I am I worth this? What if I get tired of it? You know, what if I fail, you know, what if, what if, what if, and ultimately, I just came to - my husband was behind me 100% - but it just came to, you know, I'm going to regret if I don't do do something, I'm going to regret this. And just with brainstorming, getting that course, self-care for moms, I literally wrote it down in my notebook. And I was like, Oh my gosh, that's it. And so I got my phone. And I was looking through Instagram because I thought how can I involve other moms in this. And so I was like, Oh, I follow this mom owned business. And I follow this mom owned business. And maybe I could order their products and put it in the box. And so it just became this thing where my brain was going so fast. But my hand couldn't catch up in the notebook was just tons of ideas and thoughts and feelings. And that's how it started. And that course was invaluable to me because it helped me launch it in three months, right in time for Christmas in 2018. And so now I'm going into my fourth year, and it's been a ride with lots of ups and downs. It has not been easy. But it's been mostly fun. And I've learned so much. And I've met so many incredible people. And just the impact that I'm seeing. That is everything. Because the end goal is you know, yes, I want to offer this product to moms to help them remember that they matter. And to help them practice self care, give them the resources and tools and inspiration. But really, that is a that has a lasting impact. And so that lasting impact is what I have my eyes on. Like, yes, I want them to feel good now. But it can change the course of their families. It can change generations of moms before us saying I'm not taking I'm not going to take care of myself. What does that even mean? I remember my mom who is in her 60s saying self-care wasn't even a thing when I was having kids. And so she thinks this whole thing is hilarious, but awesome. Like she's on board. She gets the box every single month actually, of course she does. She's my mama.

Jennifer Uren
That's great!

Jenn Collins
Yeah. But she she's learned a lot from me, which is really humbling because she had a lot to teach me obviously about motherhood and um, but she's been that example of our, our generation didn't take care of ourselves. And so I'm so glad you're equipping and teaching and inspiring this next generation of moms to do it differently to do it better than we did, and not have that burnout. And so that's really the end game here.

Jennifer Uren
Yeah, that's great. And I think in some ways, the earlier generations not that they didn't need it. But you know, when, when you're working off of oil lamps, you know, you go to bed earlier. And so some of it seemed like it was built in, but now we're just in this pressure cooker society where it's constant, it needs to be looked at differently than it needed to be before.

Jenn Collins
Well, and the culture was so different before, you know,

Jennifer Uren
slower.

Jenn Collins
Yes. And then just also the roles of husband and wife were so different than they are now or women didn't really work. And so they were, they had the load of everything else. And now, you know, the past what 50 years women are, are majorly in the workplace. My mom worked part time, but she still carried the majority of the load. And so now that my husband and I, you know, we established our own family, and from the beginning, we said, you know, we want to share the load. And so that is a huge, you know, part of our marriage is just, it's a partnership really of us, you know, being like, okay, tag, you're it, I need you to help me with this, okay, I helped you now tag you're it, I need you to help me with this. And, but also sacrificially giving to the other person. And so it's just such a different culture. And I think that's huge, too. But the the idea is, this culture has been passed down from generation to generation, you know, my mom's mom, her mom's mom. It's, it's a real thing. And I kind of want to break that generational curse.

Jennifer Uren
Yeah, because you're right, we learn actively, but we also learn passively by watching what they do. And

Jenn Collins
exactly

Jennifer Uren
that's what you're, you're helping here? Well, for every business goal, there usually is a corresponding personal goal or priority. And so as you started your business a few years ago, what were your priorities when it came to balancing business and family? And, you know, really, what was your greatest struggle when it came to integrating this together in everyday life?

Jenn Collins
Well, you know, I had been in that burnout place, and I never wanted to go back. So I already had some key, you know, markers in place to tell me when, you know, some red flags that would come up, I learned a long time ago, just really learn how to set up good boundaries, and learn how to say no, when even when something is good, does not mean that you need to do it. And also, going back to what we said before, of, you don't have to do everything. And so just knowing kind of those things, I keep them in my mind at all times. And I just do what I can do. And so when I started my business, I knew, you know, I wanted the flexibility to make my own day to plan my own days, and not have them planned for me. And so I love that flexibility of just being able to wake up, get my kids off to school, get done what I need to get done. And then it's time to pick them up. And I don't have to, you know, be on my computer, I don't have to clock in and clock out. And so that was hugely important to me was, you know, when I lived back down in South Florida, and I worked full time, I could never pick up my kids and I could rarely even take them to a doctor visit if they were sick. And that was devastating. And I constantly felt guilty about that. I can't even tell you how much time I wasted just agonizing over the pain of how that felt. And so it's really important to me now to be able to do those things. And I have the freedom I've made, you know, I've made a life where I have the freedom to pick them up from school every day be that face that they see in the car line. And if you can't do that, it's okay. Like, that's just important to me. That's a personal choice that I have made. And so yeah, I'm not saying like every kid needs that or anything, but it's just something that I've I wanted to provide for my kids. And so I'm, I just built kind of a business around motherhood. But my husband and my kids come first every single time they will never, ever come last again. Because back in that burnout phase, they you know, where I work, they would say family is number one and family is so important. But the actual when it came down to it, the actions did not match up with their words. And so that was really sad. and frustrating. And so oftentimes I did have to choose work over family. And I just knew I wasn't ever going to do that again. And so I think, when you're setting up a business, if you're an entrepreneur, you know, I would just sit down and think of what's important to you, what really matters to you. And I just gave like a few examples of, you know, picking my kids up and stuff. But those aren't the only things. But really, you know, what boundaries do you need to set up? What can you let go of? What can you say no to, so that you're not doing everything, all by yourself? So those are kind of the things that I've set up. Yeah.

Jennifer Uren
Excellent. Well tell us more about the actual subscription box, you know, what does a mom get each month? And like, how does she use it?

Jenn Collins
Absolutely. So the box is super cute. It's a mint green box, I don't have one in front of me, I should have done that. But you can go on our website, look at it. But it's a super cute mint green box - branded - and so it really makes a cool impression when you get it in your mailbox or at your doorstep. And right, when you open it up, it says, "You matter, Mama", so you have that, you know, instat, kind of what is the word I'm trying to think of

Jennifer Uren
affirmation or whatever.

Jenn Collins
You know, that instant affirmation of, of you know, this is special, I am special because I I either, you know, took the time to get this for myself, or somebody loves me and sees that I matter and they bought it for me, I would say about half of my orders are gifts, which is really fun. So it's a really fun gift to give somebody especially for a baby shower, or birthday or something like that. So every single month is a different theme. And all the themes are super fun and relevant. So just for an example, we just did Mama Needs Coffee, every single month is Mama Needs something. Okay, and so coffee is one we do every single year, we do have some themes that we repeat, but everyone always loves the coffee one. And so we just did that one. Right now for April we're doing Mama Needs a Spa Day. In July, we do a vacay box in November, we do a cozy, Mama Needs to Get Cozy box. And so every month is a new and exciting, different theme. And then everything inside of the box is built around the theme. And so I include between five to six, sometimes seven different items. And they are pretty much exclusively like I try 95% of the time, if not more to every single product that's inside is from a small woman owned business. Because like I said before, like how can I help moms not only is this box for moms, but everything inside is made by a mom or sold by a mom. And then it's curated by a mom. And so it's the ultimate mom experience. And when you're buying the box, you're actually supporting at least five to six other businesses, which is really cool. Again, just that ripple effect I love so much. And so we try to like hit different senses in the box. So you know, sometimes there'll be something for the bath or the shower, there'll be maybe a mask, like a face mask. There could be a snack, there could be a tea or coffee, there could be a book sometimes I include a book, there could be a journal with a pen. So it just really depends. And it depends on the theme as well. So they're just really fun things that you can use. And then the best part is, you know, the last thing that we want is for you to open the box and be like, Oh my gosh, I'm overwhelmed. I don't know what to do with all this stuff. And so we have a an insert inside that has self-care tips. And it tells you how to use each thing gives you kind of some ideas of what to do when you open the box. And so that really helps you kind of take what's in there and actually use it that month, and then get ready for the next month's box.

Jennifer Uren
Oh, that's wonderful. So we talk a lot about mom teams here on This Mom Knows and I think that's a key part of self-care. So who is on your mom team that you wouldn't want to live without? And I will say mom teams don't just have to be people they can be tools as well and resources.

Jenn Collins
Yes, yes. Well, I would say mine are people because community is so important to me. And when you live, you know when you live in a place that you grew up, and then you move away to a small town. You know, I'm from the big city and moved to this little tiny town which is so charming and lovely. It's, it's difficult to you know, kind of adapt, it was a culture shock in a different way. And so, community is huge for me and so I am the type of person that I, I will invite you to come over and have coffee or I will invite you to go and have lunch or something like that, because I want to, I desire greatly to get to know people and have a community of women around me. And so I have a discipleship group that I'm a part of, of, there's five of us. And every single month, they come to my house, and they helped me pack all the boxes that we can ship them out. And it is such a blessing to me. And before that, it was usually just me and my husband, or my husband and my kids, you know, my daughter is 13. And so she is a huge help when she's home. But she goes to school every day. So mostly now, it is this lovely discipleship group of ladies who come over and help me we have lunch. And then we pack and we chat. And we have so much fun. And then my mom was a huge part of that, too. My parents are snowbirds right now. And so they live in Florida half the year. And then they live here in our town half the year, which is a huge blessing. They just started that last year. So when they're here, they're a huge part of my team. I'm always like, Hey, can you take Jack to soccer practice so I can take Everett to baseball practice? You know, can we come over for dinner on Sunday night and then like we'll and I'll invite them to our house. And so it's just so nice to have them here when they're here, because they're such a huge part of our lives, and the kids love to spend time with them. So I'm just really grateful for for my mom team. And I love that question. Because really, we can't, we can't do it all. We, we said that many times. And we need people. We are not meant to do life alone. And I could say all the cliche things but they are 100% accurate.

I sometimes say, "You can do it all just not by yourself."

Well and you can't do it all well, right?

Jennifer Uren
Yeah. Not if you're doing it alone, for sure. Yes. So. So I know there's a mompreneur listening who is going "Listen, I am already using every moment it's full. I have no capacity, no space." So how would you, what would you say to her to help her to make that shift to make space for self-care? So that it it is a stronger supporting role in her daily life?

Jenn Collins
Yeah. Well, it reminds me of a book that I read by Jessica Turner. It's called the Fringe Hours, I was like having a moment where I couldn't remember the book name. It's called the fringe hours and by Jessica Turner. And that book is so eye opening. Jessica Turner is an amazing author. But she holds lots of or wears lots of different hats. And it's really cool to because she breaks down in the book, how she gets things accomplished with a full time job, you know, wife, mom, all the things. And it was really eye opening to me to see, no matter how busy I am, I actually can make time. I have these fringe hours. And so I'll give an example of when I was super busy, but I still kind of made time for myself. So when we first moved here, I did not have a full time job, I will say that I was home, but I did some freelance stuff here and there. And honestly, we were, we were just getting by it was really tough giving up our you know, salaries, starting a new business, and I found myself at lots of different appointments. My kids were sick a lot, my two of my kids have asthma and allergies. And then my youngest son was diagnosed with a rare speech disorder, a very, very young age. And so I found myself constantly either in the car or at an appointment somewhere. And so I actually got this idea from Jessica Turner, but I know a lot of people do this, I kept a book in my bag in my purse, so I always had something to read. So instead of just you know, wasting the time away on my phone, which there is no shame I do that too. But it's you know, trying to be intentional and trying to take care of myself, I would take the book out instead. And I would read the book that I was reading, whether it was a novel, or you know, some kind of self help or nonfiction book. And I would take the time and read that because I'd literally be sitting there for 30 minutes just if I wasn't doing anything and just be staring at a wall. And so those are 30 minutes you have you know, and that you can use to your benefit and you know, reading does fill me up reading is something I enjoy. So that was just that's just one example. I also could have instead of taking that time to read, gone outside for a walk, you know, I wouldn't have been far so if they needed me they could just come get me in the appointment but just walk around the building and talk on the phone while I'm walking. There are so many ways to fit it in. I don't I don't care how busy you are, you can fit it in, because if you want to make the time you will find the time. And like I said earlier, what can you let go of, because you, there are certainly things that you do not have to do. You know, unless you've really whittled it down and pare down, your paired down your schedule, there are ways to fit it in. And so, so I would just encourage anyone listening who feels like they are at capacity to find something that you can let go of. Find something you can say no to that won't, you know, won't affect things negatively. And look for kind of those crack time, like the fringe hours of time that you can take to do something that you love, even if it is 30 minutes, I mean, just think of how much better you'll feel after you take that walk in some fresh air or read the book or call your best friend, just to get some encouragement or vent or something.

Jennifer Uren
Yeah. And what I love about that is that's an actual, that's an actual real life example of that jar. You know, we always hear about you put the big rocks in, and then the small and then the water fills in. And if you lead with I am going to read for 30 minutes, it would it would start to crowd out the other things. But when you fill that in with the priority, yes, there's space for both. And yes, I think

Jenn Collins
100%.

Jennifer Uren
That's just fabulous.

Jenn Collins
Yeah. I love that. Because I've never even thought of it like that. Yeah, I mean, I had to go to these appointments. There's no getting around that something something I could not say no to.

Jennifer Uren
Yeah.

Jenn Collins
But what that doesn't mean that I can't do something while I'm there. So I would say just yeah, look for those moments.

Jennifer Uren
Wonderful. So this has been a great conversation. And as we wrap up, there's one question that I ask every guest. I'm a gadget girl, I love anything that's gonna save me time and effort. So what is your favorite time saving gadget, system, or tool?

Jenn Collins
I love this question. I used to ask, "What's your favorite mom hack?" on my show years ago, and I got some amazing answers. And it made me think like, I don't know that I have a gadget. But I will say during the pandemic or during quarantine, so sometime in 2020, our town finally got grocery pickup at Walmart. And it was like, Okay, finally, we have something, we don't have a ton of stuff here. So I can't you know, I don't have Shipt I don't have, we've we just got DoorDash, like six months ago here. So we just don't we're pretty far behind on the curve of things to to be convenient in our lives. And that was one of the main things I miss about living in South Florida was the conveniences. I lived five minutes away from a Target and you know, just other things like that. And so when we finally got that grocery pickup, that is a game changer. And I rarely step foot in a grocery store now and people would tell me that, you know, like I said, I would ask that on my show. And almost everybody would answer either grocery pickup or delivery. And I'd be like, what is that? Like? What is that life? you know! And I was like, I need this. And so finally we got it. And I use it religiously, every single weekend. And it is the best thing ever. So that is my system that has saved me so much time and money,

Jennifer Uren
right?

Jenn Collins
Because I'm not just like forever frivolously grabbing grabbing things. And I don't have a kid with me. I wish like, I don't know how old your kids are. But when my daughter and my son were little I had to drag them with me every time I went to the store. And it's so miserable. And all these moms now that are like just now having babies. I am so jealous because never have to go to the store with them and

Jennifer Uren
so many things.

Jenn Collins
Yes. Having a tantrum.

Jennifer Uren
audio books on your phone. You don't have to have a CD that you flip out. They don't know how good they have it.

Jenn Collins
They don't they really don't. Oh we sound so old now.

Jennifer Uren
Oh, yeah, I know. Well, I am old. My oldest is 21. And my youngest is five. So I run the whole gamut here too. So well. Great. Well, Jenn, how can people connect with us? And I know you have an offer for listeners of This Mom Knows. Do you want to share that with us as well?

Jenn Collins
I do. Yes. So I would love for anyone listening who is like I have been listening to you and I really want to try this I want a solution. Or maybe this will be your system to help you accomplish what you need to do to practice self care. And so you can check us out at MamaNeedsBox.com And I spell that Ma Ma and I'd love for you to use the code podcast at checkout and that will give you 15% off your entire order. And so we have lots of different options. You can do a one time box you can do a monthly subscription, you can prepay to just get it to come, you know, every three months, six months or annually. And so it is - there's lots of options and I'd love for you to check it out. And then if you want to listen to our podcast, you can go to MamaNeedsPodcast.com.

Jennifer Uren
Wonderful. Well, Jenn, thank you so much for your time today. And I know that this is something we all need, and you've given us permission to put it in our lives. So thank you for that.

Jenn Collins
Absolutely. Thanks so much for having me.