Mastering Time Management and Healthy Habits with Saritha Rai

A simple file folder, a bus ride, and a mindset rooted in resilience—Saritha Rai proves that success is built on everyday decisions and the routines that support them.

Jessica Rosario welcomes Saritha Rai, a project manager and homeschooling mom who shares how she balances work, family, and personal growth with intentional routines and a powerful journaling practice. They explore how mindset, productivity, and clarity intersect to create meaningful progress in both career and personal life, while highlighting the importance of gratitude and faith in navigating challenges.

This heartfelt conversation reminds us that staying aligned with your own path—and not someone else’s race—is the key to lasting fulfillment and productivity. Tap into daily reflection, make peace your priority, and create habits that honor your goals.
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Transcript

Speaker 1 0:49

Hello and welcome to the Maximize your Day podcast , a place for entrepreneurs for building their business , in pursuit of freedom and flexibility to do the things they love . I'm your host , jessica Rosario . I'm a New Yorker turned Floridian who knows a thing or two on how to effectively manage your time while juggling multiple priorities . I'm an ex-corporate leader who walked away from my

Welcome to Maximize Your Day

Speaker 1 1:28

nine-to-five-ish to launch and grow my business . In this podcast , I share insights on mindset . Welcome to the show , saritha . Listen in . Welcome to the show , saritha . I'm so excited to have you here , so tell us a little bit about you and what you're passionate about Pleasure is all mine .

Speaker 2 1:47

It's nice talking to you About me . I'm in this IT industry from past 15 years as a project manager and I have a five-year-old boy whom I'm homeschooling until August . So I'm kind of doing all together now and I'm passionate about mindset , productivity and routines

Balancing IT Career and Homeschooling

Speaker 2 2:06

and plans .

Speaker 1 2:07

I love that . I love that . So I love to hear a little bit more about what you do . So I know that you're a project manager in the IT industry . How does that feel ? Because that's a big deal right . It seems to be a male dominated industry . So so tell me how , how you stepped into that .

Speaker 2 2:25

Yeah , I was not from an IT , it industry , but I just got an opportunity and and didn't think anything and jumped into it . You say gut feeling . Right , I had that gut feeling , I jumped into it and fortunately or fortunately I haven't seen there is a lot of male domination , but I haven't seen , like I didn't face , any experience , bad experiences with that . All my colleagues are were great and I will not say everything is a good experience , but I did have a bad experience , but it's not because of their male or female , it just happened .

Speaker 1 3:01

Bad experience happens with you know people , yeah yeah , I mean when I say male dominated industry , it's that it doesn't seem like there's a lot of women in IT , and I think that's , you know , major kudos to you . So I love that . I hear you say that you love mindset and productivity , and you know the thing is that that is the perfect example of why you'd you would have a good experience , no matter where you're in , because mindset has a lot to do with it . And , of course , we met on Instagram , which you know . As soon as I started to see your feed and what you are passionate about and your purpose , you know , I just got really excited , so I knew that it would be a really good fit to have you on the podcast in order to be able to share your experience with with the audience . So so I know I heard you say that you're homeschooling a five-year-old . My goodness , yeah .

Speaker 2 4:00

For now I'm homeschooling him . Yeah , Because of COVID we couldn't send to like preschool and we both are working . My husband is also in IT , so so we just thought , why don't we like keep him at home ? And and then same thing , right , we both had same mindset to , you know , homeschool him for some time until his school starts in August . Like five years old , he has to go to school .

Speaker 1 4:23

So we thought let's do it so , so good . So tell me , how do you balance homeschooling a five-year-old also working in project management ? A hectic type of position . You're very involved in all of the moving pieces of an organization . How do you balance it , all you know between that and also building your , your community ?

Speaker 2 4:47

yeah , that's an interesting question . We have a routine in place which makes him do , because , children , if you make them do something every day , they just , they just like . If you'd make them do

Mindset and Re-evaluating Yourself

Speaker 2 5:02

like a week , and eighth day they will ask you like , do I have to do this ? So that's how we made his routine in place . So everything happens according to the routine . I know I'm saying routine but it's not that it's life right and it happens . So sometimes , when it happens , you have to have that mindset to move on . So how you see , everything is so connected , like mindset , productivity and plans are so connected . So that's how we are making this balance happen and plans are so connected .

Speaker 1 5:36

So that's how we are making this balance happen . Yeah , I love that because , you know and it's for children , but also for adults , right , having the proper routines in place . And that's one of the things that I speak to my clients about as well , because when you're working from a clear vision and you have an effective plan , without mindset , you really can't do any of the other stuff that you've planned . And then the same thing goes the other way . So you've got a positive mindset , you feel clear about your vision , but you don't have a plan right . All of these pieces go together and they work in synergy , right To be able to get you to the next level , regardless of what you're focusing on , whether it's entrepreneurship , or whether it's career growth or whether it's , you know , homeschooling a child . So I love that you're able to connect the dots between all of them .

Speaker 2 6:36

Yeah , and very interesting thing about mindset is you have to re-evaluate your mindset . Something good happens , you'll be in positive mindset , and something bad happens , you just go down right and then you have to re-evaluate yourself and make that mindset set to a level to move forward in life .

Speaker 1 6:55

So I love what you just said . You said about re-evaluating yourself . I love what you just said . You said about reevaluating yourself . Tell me more about that , because a lot of times we tend to get stuck when we have too much that we're balancing . What is reevaluating yourself ? Look like .

Speaker 2 7:15

If you reevaluate yourself and see the downfall like how it happened . And then if you journal , if you're journaling or if you write a lot , if I feel that I'm failing , I'm going to write it down like why I failed and re-evaluate

The Power of Journaling

Speaker 2 7:34

myself where I failed and it somehow pushes me on top to see the results of that writing and the outcome of how you re-evaluate yourself , the answers you get from the re-evaluation , and then you pick yourself up from there .

Speaker 1 7:56

It's like that song right , Dust your knees off and then just try again .

Speaker 2 8:00

Yeah , yeah , yeah . That reminds me a very old story of mine , my life story . I always keep telling everybody that this is what happened to me way back like starting off my career , when I was starting and I was giving these interviews and I used to have , back in the day , we used to like take our resume in a file like a blue file . I had that blue file file . I used to take it everywhere , so everywhere I was facing these rejections . And one fine day I went to an interview and I have crossed like all the all the layers of interviews , like like five layers of interviews .

Speaker 2 8:34

And last there was a group discussion and they asked me a riddle or something . They said I didn't answer correctly and then they said this is the end of the interview . So so that guy asked me a question like so what do you do tomorrow ? And I'm like nothing , I'll just take this file and go to another interview in a bus . At that time that back in the day I used to go in bus . So yeah , I'll go the bus , take the same file and go to the next interview . And actually I got selected after that answer . So , oh , wow .

Speaker 1 9:08

Yeah , that's so important because you you basically you're demonstrating resilience Right . And I remember some of those days I I remember going through about three interviews with a financial institution , probably about 15 years ago . They said something about there was a specific experience that they were looking for , and my response to that was well , if you're seeking that specific experience , how do you think people attain it ? And they attain that experience by doing it . And he was like , well , good point . And as I walked away , I don't think I probably waited not even two hours before they called me and the job was mine . So I thought it was really interesting that you say that , because it's so true . It's just , you know , you just take your folder and you go to the next place . You know , when one door closes , there's always another door opening and sometimes those doors that open are a bigger and better opportunity for us . So , looking at it from that point and that mindset , I think is really important .

Speaker 2 10:14

Actually , that's what happened . I didn't end up taking that job . I got some other good offer , good , good for you . So , yeah , that's what reminds me whenever yeah , same thing we tell our son as well like , try , like , if something doesn't happen , have patience and try , and if it doesn't happen , that's okay . Maybe that's not for you .

Speaker 1 10:35

Exactly , exactly . Now you did hit on another thing . You talked about journaling , and I'm sure you know by now I'm an avid journaler . I love journaling . I think it's one of the best things that anyone can ever do to navigate through life , through your entrepreneurial journey , to get closer in your , in your relationship , you know , in your faith and and and all of those areas . So I think journaling is really really important . So so tell me more about your journaling routine .

Speaker 2 11:06

I journal every day , but most times I felt journaling was so effective is the time when you were in your lows Yesterday's . I think my post on Instagram was related to something uh , something related to that . People tend to find people to talk to to tell what are they feeling . Instead of that , you just need a paper and pen and write . Write to yourself what you're feeling and and that helps a lot . Like last year I was in . I went , I was in very down because of I wanted to go and see .

Speaker 2 11:44

I'm an immigrant , like from India . I hail from India and I had to go and see my grandmom . She was sick and I couldn't go because of the visa issues and I was so down at that time . She was sick , I couldn't go there and I was feeling low and I was keep on writing in my journal that I have to go and see her . I have to , and I had that faith in me Somewhere . It clicked me that have faith , you will go and see her . It took time for me . It took a year for me to go and see her , but it did happen . This April April end I went to India and I saw her and came . So nice , yeah , it just uplifts you when you write your thoughts in the journal . It's just , there's some power to it .

Speaker 1 12:30

Yeah Well , it's an opportunity to have a story right . You have the opportunity to write your story and I agree with you that journaling is very effective in the low times , but I think it's just as effective also in the high times and being grateful every single day . I know that when you step into every single day with gratitude and openness and ready to receive and walk in expectant , life is going to happen regardless . But when it does , you're just in a much better position , from a clearer mind and less overwhelmed . Notice , I said less overwhelmed

Run Your Own Race

Speaker 1 13:12

because a lot of people say well , you know , I want to eliminate overwhelm , and you know , and and the truth is that you don't always eliminate it , you definitely reduce it and you look at things differently . So I'm sure that that trip must have been amazing for you .

Speaker 2 13:29

That trip was amazing and I can't , I can't agree enough with you . Sometimes we live the life we always wanted it , but then we don't acknowledge it . And when you write down in your journal , I remember writing down stuff of what we actually have right now and I feel this is what I always wanted . Right , I have a job , I have money , I have a house to live , I have clothes to wear , simple things , and we just ignore that Right .

Speaker 1 14:10

Yeah , so good . Why do you think we tend to dismiss that ?

Speaker 2 14:16

We just run right , we just run for other stuff . Yeah , it was not there in your agenda first , and then it keeps on adding . Your list keeps on adding but what I'm getting to it ? It's okay to add the things but at the same time , be grateful for what you have . At that time you will have a mindfulness of where you are running .

Speaker 1 14:38

Mm-hmm , mm-hmm . I love that . Sarita . What would you say to someone that's listening to the podcast right now that perhaps resonates with you on having a positive mindset , but they're struggling with being productive and staying on task ? What are some tips that you would share ?

Speaker 2 15:00

I would definitely tell them to just write down what exactly you need in your life . And then there's a lot of noise . There's a lot of outside noise everywhere , coming from all the sites . See , we compare , we try to get things . That's okay . But where you are leading and is it aligning with yourself and is it aligning with your family ? If you just want to do something others are doing , maybe it's not aligning with your family . You just are running just because somebody else is running . See what resonates with you , what resonates with your family , and do

Final Thoughts and Reflection

Speaker 2 15:37

accordingly .

Speaker 1 15:39

Yeah , I love what you said about running and learning to run our own race and not compare to other people's race , because when we're comparing our race to someone else's , we're not living in ours , we're living in their race and in their life and their experiences , and I think that's so important to stay focused . So I love that tip . Now , I know that in some of our discussions you had mentioned that you are very passionate about helping women to help them implement teens , create plans and develop healthy habits . What are some ways that you help women do this ?

Speaker 2 16:23

For now , I'm helping through my Instagram and in future , definitely , I have a coaching sessions for women who are struggling and who needs help . So that's that's one thing , and if anybody listening to the podcast can reach out to me my handle is thesaraispacecom . They can reach out to me . I'll definitely share my email ID also with you so that you can share with the audience .

Speaker 1 16:46

Yeah , absolutely so , someone that finds you on Instagram . What is the message that you're looking to convey ? How do you , how do you want to make them feel when they see your Instagram page ?

Speaker 2 17:01

Definitely positive . They should feel that they're okay with whatever life is throwing at them and things will happen and everybody overcomes , right ? Yeah , everybody overcomes , and it's just . The path is difficult , but you'll definitely reach there . Follow your gut and be faith . Have faith .

Speaker 1 17:21

Yeah , I love that , I think . I think that's so important to have faith , one of the things that I saw when I , of course , followed your Instagram , I saw really a piece . You know , I saw connection and relatability . You know somebody that relates to me , to to my life and my journey , so so definitely check out her Instagram , guys . It's thesaraispace , and I'll definitely drop that link also in the show notes so that you can follow her there . Well , sarita , thank you so much for for being on the podcast . I mean this has been great conversation and I hope that our audience is able to connect with you , or to connect with some of the the things that you mentioned and , of course , follow up with you through your social media handles , and I really wish you a lot of success as you continue to move forward in your journey . Now , before you go , I cannot end the show without asking you what does maximizing your day mean to you ?

Speaker 2 18:31

Thank you so much , Jessica , for having me . Maximizing my day means at the end of the day , I should reflect my day and be happy .

Speaker 1 18:44

I love that . There you have it , you guys . So you've got reflection at the end of the day and being happy . So , at the end of the day , are you really taking the time to reflect on your journey and what you can do differently tomorrow , and are you satisfied ? Are you happy with the decisions and the journey that you chose for the day ? So , sarita , thank you so much for being here . It was great to have you on the show and I look forward to continue to work with you along your journey .

Speaker 2 19:17

Same here . Jessica , thank you for having me and it was my pleasure , absolutely .

Speaker 1 19:25

As always . Thank you so much for listening in . Don't forget to subscribe to the show to be notified the second a new episode is released and share with your friends who believe could benefit from listening . Or , even better , just post a screenshot of the episode in your stories and tag me on Instagram or Facebook . I would love to hear your feedback , answer questions and I'm always open to your topic suggestions , so you never know if your topic will be next . So then , until next time , go ahead , maximize your day and own it .