Pet Parent Power-Up: 1 Question Ends Wasted Time (Quick Fix)

Episode Title: Pet Parent Power-Up: 1 Question Stops Pet Chaos (Quick Fix)
Host: Amy Castro
Guest: None

Summary: Most pet parents do not have a pet problem, they have a time problem. In this quick fix, Amy shares one simple question that helps you stop wasting time and energy on routines, behavior battles, and guilt spirals that are not paying off. You will learn where pet parents leak time, and a simple 3-step way to choose a better option and start today.
Links:

Transcript Note: This transcript has been lightly edited for clarity and readability. Timestamps are included for reference.

Chapters:

• 00:00 Time problem, not a pet problem
• 00:32 The one question that saves time and stress
• 01:40 Where the question helps most (behavior, routines, emotional load)
• 05:06 The 3-step process to act on it
• 07:23 Quick Fix invite and close

Transcript
Amy Castro (00:00.32)
Most of us do not have a pet problem. We have got a time problem.
Amy Castro (00:08.386)
You have reached the Pet Parent Hotline, your lifeline to practical solutions for your toughest pet parenting challenges. I am your host, Amy Castro, and I am here to help you cut through the noise and turn expert advice into step-by-step strategies so you can stop chasing your tail and start enjoying life with pets again.
Amy Castro (00:31.788)
You know me, at least I hope you know me by now. I like things to actually work, and I am a big believer in checking the payoff versus the time before I start pouring a bunch of time and energy into something. So today I am giving you the one question I ask myself all the time with my pets, with my routine, and kind of with life in general. And that question is: is this the best place to put my time and energy? It sounds like a really simple question, but it stops you from wasting hours on things that do not help you or your pets, and it can catch problems before they turn into full-blown chaos in your life.
And as this is a new episode for a new year, I am kind of of the belief that most pet parents do not need to be doing more this year. The real shift is to stop pouring time and energy into things that do not give a good payoff.
And I think that my question will help you snap out of the autopilot mode that you might be in right now, because I know it has certainly helped me.
So why would you want to ask this question? There are a couple of places that I think the question can really make a difference when it comes to your role as a pet parent.
Number one, it could be behavior issues you are battling every single day. If you find yourself repeating the same thing over and over, quiet, quiet, quiet, or get off the counter, get off the counter, the same words, the same corrections over and over again, that should be a sign. So again, it could be barking at the window, it could be counter surfing, or walking on the counters for your cats. If nothing is changing despite what you are putting into it, meaning time and energy, then you are not getting a return for that time and energy. That is when you know, or you should know, that it is time to start looking at preventing the behavior rather than correcting it or fighting the same battles over and over again.
A second area that I think it helps a lot is looking at our routines, looking at the processes. If you have got processes that are causing you problems, sometimes it is because we have either not thought those processes through well enough, or we have overcomplicated things. And I think sometimes, as pet parents, the routines we create for ourselves can become way more complicated than they need to be.
Amy Castro (02:52.455)
And the things I am talking about here might be like one of my personal pet peeves. I hate walking in cat litter. And so I would get into the habit of constantly sweeping up the cat litter in front of the litter box. And when you are doing that 15 times a day, maybe that is not necessarily the best use of your time.
Maybe it is the 20-minute paw-wiping routine you go through every time you bring your dog in from a walk, because either their feet are physically dirty or you are worried about germs. Or prepping meals for your pets like you are running a gourmet kitchen.
So ask yourself, is this routine that I have created for myself actually making my life easier, or do I just do it out of habit? And sometimes just asking, what would happen if I did not do it? If it is draining you more than it is helping you, then it is probably not a smart use of your time anymore. And before you start freaking out and saying, well, but I have got to, or I cannot let it go, I am getting to that, so do not worry yet.
And the third reason to ask yourself this question is the emotional load you are probably carrying without even noticing. The guilt, the second guessing, the I should be doing more, comparing yourself to other people. Trying to live up to those standards can drain your energy faster than anything physical you are doing around your home to pick up or care for your pet. Feeling guilty that that walk was not long enough, or stressing out because your cat seems bored during the day while you are trying to work from home, or worrying what your pets are doing while you are at work and you are not at home. Ask yourself if that worry is really earning, and worth, the time and energy you are putting into it.
The answer is no. Your energy is probably better spent on small proactive choices that fix the issue than mental clutter that just keeps spinning around inside your head.
So let me talk about how this process works. We are going to start off with our question. That is step one. Ask yourself the question. Catch yourself in the act of doing something where you feel like you are sort of banging your head against the wall, and say:
Amy Castro (05:06.325)
Is this the smartest place to put my time and energy right now?
Now, step number two, if the answer is yes, carry on, keep doing it. But if the answer is no, or I am not sure, ask yourself, what are my options? It could be that simplifying the process is an option. It could be that sweeping up three times a day instead of every single time you pass the litter box is an option.
It could be delegating. You know, I think one of the big delegation steps that we do not take is getting an expert, especially if you have the means to do so, to help you with problems you are facing. Whether it is, I spend so much time cleaning up, maybe you can afford to hire somebody to clean periodically. I am spending so much time fighting with my dog about this particular behavior, maybe it is better to hire a trainer to help you deal with that process. Or, I did a whole episode, as you probably remember, on how to get people around your home, your family members, to help you with things. Maybe it is delegating to them.
It could be automating things. It could be prevention. Whatever it might be, do some brainstorming about other alternatives to the task or the behavior you are doing now that is not getting you the payoff that it should.
And then step number three is to pick one option and start it today. It may not be the final solution, okay? I freely admit that. I have tried many things that have not worked out. But at least you are moving in the right direction. So not next week, not a month from now, not I will see about it down the road. One option, and start today.
And “start today” could be something as simple as getting online and researching three different trainers you can call. That does not mean you have to start with a trainer today and get it all knocked out. Get the process started today.
Because most of the stress you are probably feeling is the anxiety you have about what am I going to do next? Do not worry about what you are going to do next. Worry about what you are going to do first. The brain loves quick wins. So start with one small step, and you are going to feel relief, I promise you, tonight. Because you have already gotten the ball rolling.
Amy Castro (07:23.49)
The bottom line is, you are not behind, you are not failing, you are not doing too little. Most of the stress that pet parents feel comes from pouring a lot of time and energy and heart and soul into the wrong things. And once you shift that, everything is going to feel easier.
So if you want help deciding which parts of your pet routine are worth your time this year, send me your Quick Fix question. Send me an email, leave a voicemail on our website. Or if the solution that you have come up with costs money that you do not have, maybe go back and listen to our budgeting episode with Joe Oakley. It is going to help you put systems into place to get the budget to help you implement some of the solutions.
So until next time, I hope that the question, is this the smartest place to put my time and energy right now, is one that becomes part of your regular self-talk so that your home stays peaceful, and you and your pets stay happy. We will see you next time. Thanks for listening to the Pet Parent Hotline.
If you enjoyed the show, do not keep it to yourself. Text a friend right now with a link and tell them, I have got a show that you need to hear. And ask them to let you know what they think.
And remember, your pet’s best life starts with you living yours. So be sure to take good care of yourself this week, and your pets.