Coaching On Life Stewardship

You can have a tidy house, a packed planner, and a “good” routine and still feel like you’re failing. I’m pulling apart why that happens, and why the fix usually isn’t another checklist. When we separate organisation from mindset, faith, emotions, and boundaries, we end up treating symptoms while the real weight stays on our shoulders.

We dig into the shift from life management to life stewardship: caring for what God has entrusted to you, without turning control into a substitute for trust. I walk through the questions I use in coaching that cut through the noise fast, like what God has actually assigned to you in this season, what you’re carrying that doesn’t belong to you, and where fear might be driving the need to control time, money, children, or outcomes. If you’re battling overwhelm, mental load, lost identity, weak boundaries, burnout, or that constant “I’m stuck” feeling, you’ll hear why these struggles often come as a bundle, and how to respond without piling on more pressure.

You’ll also get a clear framework I use with women: five pillars of balance time, money, self-care, home, and work. We talk time stewardship, financial stewardship in a cost-of-living season, self-care that’s deeper than treats, and why the best organising systems only work when the beliefs underneath them match the truth. 

If you want support that meets you in real life, I share how the She’s Organised Hub, monthly Bible studies, and private coaching can help (DM me on IG), including real-time voice and text support for the moments that actually make or break change. Subscribe, share this with a friend who’s carrying too much, and leave a review so more women can find practical help and faith-filled encouragement.

Transcript

Why Life Feels So Messy

Mel 0:39

Welcome to Beyond Organised, the podcast that helps you simplify your life and amplify your purpose. I'm Mel Schenker, life coach, speaker, founder of She's Organised, but, more importantly, a wife and mum of four little kids. If you've ever felt overwhelmed, like you're constantly juggling everything but never quite catching up, this is the place for you. Here we go beyond just the tidying up and creating systems. We're talking about real life strategies that bring order to your life, but also we talk about the things beyond the organising, the things that really matter, like your parenting relationships and so much more. So grab your coffee and let's dive in.

Mel 1:00

People often struggle to understand exactly what I do. So some people think that I just help with organizing their homes, with their productivity and schedules, maybe just their faith and their actual connection to their faith in what they do, sometimes just the mindset. I answer all of those things because life doesn't just happen in those neat little categories. You can't really separate your faith from your time or your mindset from your home or emotions from your calendar. They are all connected. It's all mixed in together. Life is a bit messy. That's how things are. So I have gone through my own journey where I would come across someone that was fantastic at decluttering the home and someone that was amazing at getting my productivity under wraps. And so over the last 13 years, developing the skills to get more organized and all of that myself. But as much as they helped with one problem, which is good because it is good when you can help with one problem, I was really struggling to connect at all. So I might have been getting on top of my home and things were looking good, but I was still getting snappy with the kids. And I was doing a lot of things in my own strength and not relying on God. And so there was just so many different elements to just living a more balanced life. Part of the journey of what I'm doing and how I help connect these dots for other women is actually coming from a holistic point of view and actually understanding that all these different little things come together to actually form that peace and that balance, but also moving you forward into your purpose long term. So I have helped quite a lot of women in this process because a lot of them might be starting to get more organized with their home. Or maybe they are doing really well with their scheduling. Perhaps it's maybe a little bit too tight and it's not a lot of buffers. But they're generally on that journey somewhere along the way, maybe at the beginning, but they're generally on the journey somewhere. But there's still this disconnect between all these other moving parts, and they haven't quite figured it out. That's what I help with. So most women come to me wanting that practical help in dealing with a lot of the things. So they might say things like, I need better routines, I just need more me time, I need to get more organized, just I need help to not feel so overwhelmed. All those things are important. And that's generally the trigger point of why someone will come and work with me. But they are usually just the symptoms. So I'll give you a bit of an example.

When The Laundry Is Not The Issue

Mel 3:58

There was a woman who was telling me that she's struggling to keep up with her housework. And the real issue might be more along the lines of lack of boundaries, people pleasing, overcommitting, feeling responsible for everyone, you know, not asking for help, all those kinds of things, trying to prove her worth. So she comes to me with this house issue and ends up being, you know, not about the laundry or trying to get on top of the kids and all that kind of stuff. It's rarely an actual practical physical problem. It is these other things like trying to prove her worth in this world. So a big part of what I do, it's not just life management. It's not just organizing your calendar and your home and your finances and all of that. And yes, I do help with that. And that is a really good starting point to get some quick wins under your belt.

Life Stewardship Versus Life Management

Mel 5:01

But at the core of it, I teach life stewardship. Now, for those that don't quite understand what stewardship means, it really is about caring for what the Lord has given you in your life, using it properly, looking after it properly, making sure it is fulfilling its purpose. So the world teaches life management. Manage your time, your tasks, your inbox schedule, whatever it is. But scripture does teach stewardship. So God never asks us to actually manage everything because that's when we start to see a lot of control issues. He does ask us, though, to faithfully steward what he has entrusted to us. There's a big difference between managing your money and actually stewarding your money. And as we work together, I help you break that down. And trust me, when the light bulb goes off and you go from doing a lot of these things in your own strengths to actually understanding the provision that God has for you as well, the relief, the relief that women feel is like none other. And when I came to these realizations myself and some of these things in more recent times, the pressure that came off was a full load off my shoulders. It was incredible, to be honest. And you look at life through a completely different lens when you're realizing when you're stewarding, you are looking after these things for God. Yes, it's your life, your children's lives, but it's not completely yours to also have to necessarily suffer through on your own. You have got help.

What Belongs In This Season

Mel 7:01

A lot of the questions that come up in coaching sessions, whether it's the group coaching inside the She's Organized Hub or one-on-one sessions, it can be things like, what has God actually assigned to you in this season? And actually stopping and thinking about that. So I encourage you, stop and think. What has God actually assigned to you in this season? Not the last, not the next, because we're also very good at living 10 steps ahead, but this season. And what are you carrying that doesn't belong even to you, let alone this season? What's the stuff you're holding on to that you're carrying? Because that is quite a load for a lot of women. And what is it that you should be releasing, that you should be letting go? Doesn't mean forever, but in this season, I work in seasons, and so does God. It's about going, what is it that I'm called to now? And trust me, if you're living in obedience and in what God is actually asking you to take care of and steward it now, then it is setting you up for the future easily. So you don't need to worry about the future in that sense because all the skills and things that you are doing now is setting you up to have an even better future. We also might cover some things like what should I prioritize right now? You've heard me say it so many times. Priorities are important. And anything that's not the priority for the day goes to the side. One question that I've started challenging in more recent times, because this is something that God was really challenging on me, even just this year. Where am I trying to control things God never asked me to control? Maybe it's my finances, my time, my children. Control isn't always a good thing. It can be, it can be to a degree to be in control of our lives to a level that is responsible and behaving appropriately, but not to the point where it starts replacing God and where that fear actually takes over, because having that a strong sense of control does usually stem from fear.

Overwhelm Mental Load And Identity

Mel 9:29

So there are a lot of common struggles that women come to me for. Overwhelm is probably the biggest one. Women that are just trying to do too many good things. It's not that necessarily everything is going wrong in life. The intentions are good, but it's just too much. And when you're doing too much, working too much, cleaning too much, whatever it is, even too many good things can be overwhelming. And so we deal with that. The mental load. Oh my goodness. Carrying hundreds of invisible responsibilities. I am going to do a podcast episode on this in the future, near future, because I do feel like the whole invisible responsibilities thing is a huge one. So mental load is massive. And as women, you can definitely relate to the fact that there are just so many things that we don't even necessarily realize we are thinking and dealing with because it's just so automatic in our brain. Another big, huge one, which is part of the foundation of what I deal with with most women, is a sense of lost identity. Knowing who they are as a mum or an employee or a wife, as a business owner. It's that sense of who am I now? Because maybe you were that strong career woman, and then you've had children, and now you're staying at home and you're homeschooling them or whatever else it is, but it's so different. And you don't know who you are as Sandy, as Marissa, as Laura, whatever your name is, you don't know who you are as that woman. And so we really go back to, well, who does God say you are? And not just in a generic Bible sense. We do use scripture, of course. I always use scripture to back it up because it's the truth. But actually going, who is God saying you are right now in this season? I'm sure you were an amazing, capable person. You still are. It's just looking differently right now. So it's helping them get to know the woman that they are now, who you are now. Another big one that I see a lot is lack of boundaries. So it's actually helping you with your yeses and your no's. Because every time you say yes, it does cost you something. You would have heard me say it before if you listened to previous episodes. Your yes comes at a cost. It could be your time, it could be your money. Honestly, it could be your sanity. And that's what it usually is for a lot of people. So it's understanding how to say no, but in a way that is you, that is authentic, genuine, heartfelt, kind, caring, all the things that you are, but also firm that people respect it and don't walk over you too. So I deal with a lot of that. Burnout, that is a huge one. Operating on empty for months, sometimes years. Some of these women, I'm absolutely amazed at how much they've still been able to achieve, even just surviving in this burnt-out stage for years, because they feel like they've got no other choice. Sometimes in the seasons we are in, we can't change the fact we've got little kids. We can't change the fact they're neurodivergent, whatever the situation is. But there is a lot we can work on mentally, spiritually, that has a huge knock-on effect, even in the physical as well. And that also leads into that feeling of being stuck. I hear it all the time. Mel, I'm stuck. Mel, I know what I should be doing. I know that these are all the things I should be doing. Which we also deal with that word should as well. But I just feel stuck. I don't know how to start. I I know what I should do to start, but I'm just so exhausted already. And the thought of starting is just, I need to go have a nap. We deal with a lot of that too. And so a lot of it comes with understanding the transition of, okay, that's what you're feeling, and this is where you are right now. But understanding that these problems, they don't exist in isolation. They are usually paired together with a number of different problems.

The Five Pillars Of Balance

Mel 14:20

And I do come back to my five pillars of balance. So we do look at your life holistically. Like maybe it's your home life and your actual physical space in your home, your children, your husband, whatever it is. And we might look at that first, but we do across and look at the overall five pillars of balance. And to recap on what that is, and you can go back to a previous episode, one of my earlier episodes, where we talk about this, and time is the foundation. So then we come back to actually sort of resetting everything here because everything rests on time. Without time, we don't have life. So dealing with the time side of things and not just time management, although that is important, but time stewardship. And I did a few episodes ago, I talked on time stewardship. So you can go back and listen to that. But it's how are you spending the hours that God has given you? We also look at money. So the financial stress affecting your life. And that one is a huge one right now. And I'm seeing it a lot. Like, Mal, I can't even afford to be in the She's Organized hub, which is $47 a month, by the way, US. But and you get access to me and all the things that we do. But even that has been a stretch for a lot of people. But when you've got access to me and I can help you with a lot of these financial things that's weighing you down and help you save money in a lot of other areas or perhaps increase your income and things like that, then generally it's worth the money that you paid to be with me and to help with that. But I understand that financial stress is huge, especially in Australia. I'm seeing that so many families are crippling. We're having interest rate rise after interest rate rise while the rest of the world hasn't seen an interest rate rise in years. And here we are every month, it's going up, up, up. And it's at a point where it's now more than what it was when it bounced back sort of after COVID. It's crippling so many people, and I'm really feeling that effect too. But it's getting to that financial stewardship side of things too. And another pillar we talk about is self-care. Now, I'm not talking about just your spa days and which most people can't even afford right now either. I'm not talking about that. It's about being able to fill your cup so then you actually have enough to pour out to others. And a little hint here, it's not just about doing the things to fill your cup. It's actually pressing into time with the Lord in his word, what he's saying and speaking into you at this time. That will sustain you no matter what the rest of your life looks at, looks like. So that self-care is really important. Then we talk about the home, your environment, your safety net, the things that are supporting you and draining you. We deal with that. And we also talk about your work, whether you're running a business, whether your work is inside the home raising children right now. It is all work. It is your contribution to this world's contribution that matters, paid or unpaid. That is your work. So we deal with that. Your time, your money, your self-care, your home, your work. We cover all those five points and look at it as a whole. And there's gonna be things that pop up that you just go, oh my goodness, I hadn't even really twigged to that because I was so focused on this other big issue standing right in front of me. Now, I'm not saying that we're gonna deal with 10 different issues at once. No, we hone down and I have a way of going about it that can actually help you break it down to a micro level and make little tweaks here or there that actually make you feel good every single time you do it and not overwhelmed. I help with all of that. But when one of these pillars is under pressure, the entire structure is unstable. So my role is to help women identify where that main pressure is coming from. And it might not be where you think it is. So as much as I can help with the practical things, the practical systems aren't enough.

Beliefs That Break Good Systems

Mel 18:55

And yes, I can help you no matter what it is. I know I can. I've helped hundreds of women and I've been able to achieve it in my own life. But the practical stuff isn't enough. Where I help, that can be different to a lot of these practical systems. Because as much as I love it, I also help on teaching routines and planning and organizing. Yes, that practical side. But the systems, you know, only work when the beliefs underneath them are actually supported. So a woman may know that she needs to delegate, for example. But if she believes that a good mum should do everything herself, she won't delegate. A woman may know that she needs rest, but if she believes that my worth comes from being productive, she won't rest. The system itself is not broken. As much as I can help with all these practical things, help you with systems, and that if the belief that supports them isn't right, is a bit jaded, is not true with what the Lord is saying, then the system will only hold up for so long. We do need to deal with the root of the problem.

Real Time Coaching In Real Life

Mel 20:19

So when you coach with me, you know, most people imagine being on weekly Zoom calls and all of that. Now I do offer that, but that is not my main method. My main method is actually through Voxer coaching. So Voxer is a particular app, and we don't have to use that. It can be through a means that you're comfortable with, some do a messenger, however you're comfortable. But it's audio and text coaching. And I'm talking like you've just dropped the kids off, you've gone gone, done all of that, you come home, you're staring at your cupboard, and you know you need to deal with it and you're feeling overwhelmed. You jump on, send me a voice note, and I'll come and help. It could be that you're just having complete mental breakdown because someone that you love has just been given some bad news and you need to process that. Now, I'm not a counselor, I'm not a psychologist, I'm not even a pastor or a chaplain or anything like that. I am a coach, but I am also that person in your corner helping you through these, navigating this with you and the Lord. And so that voice note or that text message throughout the week and having me there, knowing that I am there to support you, that's the real life stuff that actually makes a difference. To be there in those moments, helping you navigate it and walk through. Because as as good as those Zoom sessions are, and like I said, yes, I do offer them too, and they are available, and we can have. A plan and we can put things together and try this, do that. It's in the actual time of trying things and doing things that you need me there the most. And that's what I offer. Now, having access to me, it does come at a cost. But I can tell you now that the difference that it makes, that full transition in becoming who you are supposed to be in this season, operating at a level that is just so much more efficient and better and feeling good and confident in yourself, all those things, you can't even put a price on it. And so when women are coming at me saying, you know, I just snapped at my kids and I don't know how to do this, or my boss has just dumped a full project on me that someone else should be dealing with, and I don't even know how to say no to this or how to push back. Or I'm just feeling guilty for saying no. I did it, I said it, but now I'm in tears and I can't manage this. I'm just overwhelmed. I don't know what decision to make here. I'm spiraling. I need prayer, all those things. That's what I'm there for. Transformation doesn't happen when life is calm and smooth and running efficiently. Transformation happens in the middle of these real situations. That's where I step in. That's where I help you. I help you identify patterns, reframe your thinking, process emotions, pray through challenges. I add you to my prayer list. I'm praying and interceding for you. I help you also create the practical next steps too. Because as much as, you know, the prayer and the mindset and the spiritual stuff is great. I also like to have things that are practical, tangible, and I actually feel like you're getting some value from it on a physical level too. I do all of that. I offer you the practical, the mental, and the spiritual support. This is also what makes me different to most organizing people out there, most mindset coaches out there, most Christian coaches out there. I mix it all together. And not in a way that is giving you a million more things to focus on. But I come from it, from a holistic approach, taking all these things into account, breaking it down, and helping you just focus on your next step. Don't worry about the other things. I've got that covered. Let me help you just with the next step. And hopefully you trust me enough to be able to guide you for that. I don't separate the practical struggles from the mindset struggles and the spiritual struggles because they are connected. Sometimes we need a better system. Sometimes we need to work on our mindset and have that shift. Sometimes we just need to step back and go to prayer. But often we are doing all three. Someone may come to me that's struggling with their time management. And it may actually be that they're at the core of it, that it's fear, people pleasing, lack of boundaries, a belief that rest is selfish. That's a huge one. You know, no planner is going to fix that. No telling you to declutter this on this day or do that is gonna help you fix that. It might help a little, but we're going to need to go a bit deeper here. So you might be thinking, okay, this is good. This makes sense. How can you help me? Where can I go?

Hub Bible Study And Private Support

Mel 25:44

Well, you've probably heard me say it a lot: the She's Organized Hub. It's in my show notes every week. You can access me in there. It's group coaching. You've got access to past coaching calls, trainings, resources, templates, yeah, the whole lot. It's very much the practical side of things with a little bit of the mental and a little bit of the spiritual in there, but you have got access to me in there. You can join the live coaching sessions, you can send a post, I will respond. You have actually got a lot of access to me in there, and it's only $47 a month, which is an absolute bargain for the level of accessibility you even have to me. So if you're after having that community, you're wanting that practical help, resources, all of that, perfect spot to go. Especially if you're wanting to just sort of put the feelers out there, maybe try and work on some of these things on your own, but knowing you've got me there to support you, you don't kind of want to just dive all in and ready to sort of expose yourself completely yet. That's a really good starting point. I also have monthly Bible study sessions. So the first Thursday night of every month. So Thursday night, 8 p.m. Melbourne time. Now it's not the best time if you're in the US, but if you're in the UK, Europe, Australia, New Zealand, it's generally pretty good. It's getting a little late for New Zealand, but we do the Bible study once a month. It's not recorded and going out there. It's just a time where we can get together, can see what God is actually saying about a particular topic in this season. That's free and open to everyone. If you join my emailing list, you will get access to that and you can join each month, no problem. But there is also the private coaching. Now I have got a more higher sort of intensive group coaching, very small group coaching called Kingdom Woman Breakthrough that runs periodically. It's not happening at the moment, but on my website, details are there. You'll see when the next intake is. The main thing that I help with is the private coaching, personalized support. And I mainly do that through the Vox of Coaching. Now you can add on some Zoom sessions. Sometimes I have packages that have the Zoom sessions as well as access to me throughout the week, whatever it is. But you're not just not like when you have an appointment with a doctor or something and you only get 10 minutes, sometimes half an hour, with a psychologist or something, and you pay all this money and you're on your own in between, you've got access to me throughout the week, in with the messy stuff, and that's where the real transformation happens. So having that real-time support, that's what I'm there for. So if you are after some more private support that fits with your budget, the links in the show notes. But I would encourage you, just send me a DM on Instagram or an email. That's probably the best way for us to get started and connect and for me to understand what your current situation is. And we go from there. And there will be a level of support to suit your budget. But even if it does stretch you and it does push your budget a bit, keep in mind that these are skills and breakthroughs that you are going to experience that is going to literally change how things are going in

Organisation As A Doorway To Purpose

Mel 29:27

your life. So if there's one thing I want you to take away from today, it's this. Getting organized is wonderful, but organization, it's just the doorway. My heart is in helping women become intentional stewards of the life that God has entrusted you with. Because, you know, when we create order, we do create space, and it's space to hear from God, space to rest, space to grow, space to walk confidently in the purposes that He has prepared for us. So if you're ready for that practical support, that mindset support, even spiritual encouragement, or all three, I'd love to help you. Come join me inside the She's Organized Hub. Join our monthly Bible studies. Reach out for private coaching. You don't have to carry it all alone. I am here ready to help you. And I'll talk to you next time. If you like this episode, don't forget to hit subscribe so you don't miss what's coming next. And if you want to continue the conversation, you can connect with me on Instagram @shes.organised or for some free resources, head over to beyondorganised.com/toolkit. Remember, organising is a tool to live the purposeful life beyond it. See you next time.