How to set boundaries
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I’m letting you in on a little secret—something that helps me stay motivated through the chaos of the year, keep my sanity as a mom, and make sure I get some much-needed quality time with one of my favorite people: myself. It’s a simple but powerful habit I’ve been keeping for the past few years, and I call it… Anna Day. It’s my Recharge Day.
No, it’s not a holiday. And no, it’s not my birthday. But it is one of the smartest things I do to protect my energy, spark creativity, and build intentional rest into my calendar every single quarter.
And you know what? I’m just gonna say it. You need one too. You need your own Your Name Day. So if you’ve ever found yourself saying, “I just need a day to myself,” this episode is your permission slip—and your plan.
So in this episode, I’m talking about:
- The quarterly tradition that helps me stay motivated, grounded, and energized.
- Why carving out one intentional day every few months can actually boost your productivity and protect your peace.
- The exact steps I take to plan, schedule, and stick to my Anna Days, even with a packed calendar.
- And what to do if you’re thinking, “I love this idea, but there’s no way I could make it happen.”
What Is Anna Day?
So—what is an Anna Day?
Like I mentioned, it’s one day each quarter that I intentionally set aside just for me. It’s not a work day. It’s not a catch-up-on-laundry day. It’s a day where I give myself permission to rest, recharge, and do something that fills my cup.
Now—what that looks like changes from season to season. But there are definitely a few favorites that have made regular appearances over the years.
For example, it almost always includes a massage. And at some point during the day, you’ll probably find me at Cured on Columbia, a restaurant in downtown Covington, savoring a burrata salad with seared tuna and enjoying my own company. No rushing. No multitasking. Just being.
One Anna Day last year, my mom actually came with me to get my colors done and do a styling session with a House of Colour consultant, Jan. And let me tell you, it was so fun. Totally different from the usual routine, and it felt like such a gift to spend that kind of intentional time with my mom. Oh and if you’re curious and you know about the color seasons and the style types, I’m a Classic Ingenue Autumn.
There have also been Anna Days when I’ve worked on a “fun” project—something I’ve pushed aside over and over in favor of more urgent, time-sensitive things. You know how that goes. There’s always something pressing, and the things that bring us joy get bumped to “someday.”
But here’s the key: it doesn’t really matter what I do on an Anna Day. What matters is that it’s something just for me—and it’s not about being productive. It’s about being present.
Because when life is busy—and let’s be honest, when is it not—we don’t stumble into recharge time by accident. We have to create it on purpose. And that’s what Anna Day is. A commitment to myself, once every quarter, to pause, to reflect, and to refill my tank.
Why You Need a Recharge Day
Now, I know what some of you might be thinking: This sounds lovely, but is it really that important? And my answer is—yes. Yes, it really is.
One of the biggest benefits of having an Anna Day on the calendar every quarter is this: it gives me something to look forward to. Something that’s just for me.
When you’ve got your head down, juggling work deadlines, school drop-offs, and trying to remember if it’s your turn to bring the snacks to soccer practice—it’s easy to forget that you deserve something to look forward to. Something that doesn’t require you to be “on” for anyone else.
Knowing I have that day coming up—that massage booked, or that solo lunch at Cured—it’s like this little light at the end of the tunnel. It motivates me. It gives me energy. It reminds me that I matter, too.
And beyond just having something to look forward to, Anna Days matter because they’re planned on purpose. I’m not leaving rest and a recharge day up to chance. I’m not waiting to see “if there’s time.” Because, let’s be real—there usually isn’t.
We all know Parkinson’s Law, right? That work expands to fill the time available. So if you don’t put a boundary around your time, that to-do list—whether it’s work-related or just your never-ending personal list—will take up all of it.
And that’s why having this recharge day on the calendar, blocked and protected, is so powerful. It’s me saying: This is mine. This day is not for productivity. It’s for peace. It’s for restoration. It’s for joy.
And I think so many of us forget that joy and rest don’t have to be things we earn after we’ve done everything else. They can be part of the rhythm of our lives.
Anna Day is my way of making sure they are.
How I Make a Recharge Day Happen Every Quarter
So, how do I actually make Anna Day happen every quarter? I mean—we all know how easy it is for a good intention to get buried under laundry, meetings, and surprise school emails.
The key is: I plan it way in advance.
Every December, I carve out a little time—about an hour or so—to map out the year ahead using my Big Picture Year calendars. If you’ve never seen one of these, they’re giant wall calendars that show the whole year at a glance—about three feet tall and two feet wide.
During that planning session, I block out the big stuff first. My girls’ school breaks, any vacations we already have planned, holidays, birthdays, special events, and even my work-related things like launches and promotional periods.
Then, before life can fill in all the cracks, I block out my Anna Days.
One per quarter. Usually the last Friday of the quarter. And I treat them like I would treat any important meeting or event—I don’t reschedule them. I don’t push them around to fit other people’s needs. I protect them.
Because here’s the thing: if I don’t block them out in advance, they won’t happen. Life will fill the space. There will always be something else that feels urgent or necessary. But rest is necessary too. And it won’t just magically appear if you don’t make room for it.
So if you’re listening to this in August—guess what? It’s not too late. Pull out your calendar and block your own recharge days for the rest of the year. Pick one day each quarter and mark it off. No meetings. No errands. Just a day for you.
It doesn’t have to be fancy. It just has to be yours.
You’re Allowed to Take Your Own Recharge Day
Anytime I’ve mentioned Anna Day—whether it’s in a conversation, a workshop, or even casually on Instagram—I usually get one of two responses.
The first one is: “Oh my gosh, I need a day like that!
And if that’s you right now—same! That was exactly the point. If you’re in charge of your own schedule, whether you’re an entrepreneur, a freelancer, or even a remote worker with a bit of flexibility—what’s stopping you?
You can absolutely do this. You don’t need a permission slip. You don’t have to wait until you’ve “earned it.” You just have to decide that your rest and joy are worth protecting, and then actually put it on your calendar.
If you’re in a traditional job with PTO—please use it. Don’t be one of those statistics about Americans leaving vacation days on the table. Something like one third of all PTO days in the USA go unused. 62% of American workers don’t use all of their paid vacation time. You’ve earned that time. And if you’re not using it to recharge, what are you saving it for?
Now, the second reaction I hear is more like: “Must be nice. I wish I could have a Brian Day.”
And usually it’s followed by a list of reasons why they can’t—too busy, too much to do, too needed at work, too essential in their business, can’t be out for even a day.
And look—I get it. Life is full. But I always come back to this:
There are 365 days in a year. Can you take four for yourself? Four days that won’t break your business. Four days that won’t get you fired. Four days where someone else can pick up the slack—or maybe, it just doesn’t all get done, and that’s okay.
It’s so easy to believe that everything will fall apart if we step away. But the truth is, everything works better when we’re well. And a day to recharge—just one day every three months—can make a huge difference in how you feel, how you lead, and how you show up for the people around you.
So no matter what you call it—I just want you to know: you’re allowed. You’re worth it. And it’s not selfish—it’s smart.
How to Make Your Own Recharge Day
Okay, so let’s say you’re listening to this and thinking, “Yes. I need this. I want a Recharge Day. But how do I actually make it happen?”
Here’s how. Five steps. Simple—not always easy—but totally doable.
1. Block them in advance.
Even though this episode is going live in August, there’s no reason you can’t go ahead and block your Recharge Days for the rest of the year. One per quarter. Just choose a day—maybe the last Friday of the quarter, like I do—and mark it. Literally, put it in writing.
And if you’re already a planner, go ahead and add them to next year’s calendar when you’re doing your annual planning. Think of it as a little gift to your future self.
2. Put them on your calendar.
This should go without saying, but I’m saying it anyway—add it to your calendar. If it’s not on there, it’s not real. Block it off the same way you would block time for a meeting or a doctor’s appointment. It deserves the same level of respect.
3. Tell someone.
Telling a friend, your partner, or even a coworker can serve as built-in accountability. You don’t need to announce it to the world, but when you speak it out loud, it becomes more real. And you’re a lot more likely to follow through.
4. Decide how you’ll spend it in advance.
This is where the magic happens. Don’t wait until the morning of to decide—because you’ll either default to errands or fall into decision fatigue. Plan it ahead of time.
Maybe it’s a massage. Maybe it’s a long lunch and a good book. Maybe it’s exploring a creative project you’ve been putting off. Whatever fills your cup—choose it early.
And here’s the fun part: that anticipation? It becomes part of the joy. You’ll find yourself pushing through the hard days a little easier, knowing that something good is coming, just for you.
5. Hold your boundary.
This one might be the toughest. But it matters the most.
If someone asks if you’re available that day—NO. You are not. That day is spoken for. Even if the request is tempting or “just a quick thing,” remind yourself: your time to recharge is just as important as anything else on your calendar. Protect it.
Because if you don’t, no one else will.
Schedule Your Own Recharge Days
That’s the story of Anna Day—how it started, what it looks like, and why it’s become one of the most important things I do for myself every single quarter.
It’s not fancy. It’s not elaborate. It’s just intentional.
It doesn’t matter what you call it. What matters is that you make the space.
Because when you lead a full life—and I know you do because you’re listening to this podcast—there’s always going to be something that feels more urgent. Someone who needs something. A task you didn’t get to. But unless you are on your own priority list, your energy, creativity, and joy will eventually run dry.
So here’s your next step:
Open your calendar. Pick a day.
Even just one day between now and the end of the year.
Put it on there.
Decide how you’ll spend it.
Tell someone.
And protect it.
And when the day comes, I hope you feel recharged, refreshed, and reminded of who you are outside of the roles and responsibilities you carry.
Because you deserve that.
Thanks so much for spending time with me today. If this episode got your wheels turning, or if you’re going to create your own version of a Recharge Day—I’d love to hear about it.
When you DO have your next Michelle Day or Jennifer Day, or Amanda Day – send me a DM on Instagram and tell me about it so I can cheer you on! I mean, I’m happy to be that person you tell whenever you schedule it, because telling someone makes it more real.
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