Why Women in the Sandwich Generation Need Fun, Not Another To-Do List

Are you feeling squished in the middle of your life? Maybe you’re raising children, supporting aging parents, managing a career, keeping a household running, maintaining relationships—and somehow trying to look after yourself somewhere in the middle of it all. Welcome to the Sandwich Generation. But what if the answer isn’t another productivity hack, better time-management system or longer to-do list? What if you need more fun, joy, spontaneity and time for yourself? In this episode of The Finding Fun Experiment, Treena Innes talks with Kim O’Hara, founder of Delicious Life, about why women so often put their own joy last—and how small acts of self-kindness, fun and “deliciousness” can help you reconnect with yourself. Why women in the Sandwich Generation can feel trapped between everyone else’s needs Why your own joy and fun so often end up at the bottom of the list How being “in charge” can become part of your identity Kim describes a delicious life as making space for the things you know you want to do but continually put on the back burner. It might not be a major trip or dramatic life change. It could be riding your bike, reading a book, planting flowers, going to the beach, meeting a friend, singing in the car—or simply doing something because it sounds fun. The point is to stop waiting for the “right” time. What if you gave yourself permission to enjoy your life while you are still in the middle of it? Kim shares three practical starting points: 1. Take a breath. Stop. Inhale. Exhale. Give yourself a moment to reset. 2. Look up at the sky. Step outside your immediate responsibilities and get some perspective. Ask yourself: Does this really need to happen right now? 3. Reconsider your relationship with time. Look at your calendar and notice what is filling every available space. What could you delete, postpone, delegate or simply stop doing? Sometimes you simply need permission to make yourself part of your own life again. What have you been putting on the back burner? What would feel delicious to you right now? Where could you create a little more space in your calendar? And perhaps the biggest question: If not now, when? If you’re a woman in the Sandwich Generation, constantly taking care of everyone else and wondering where you went, this episode is your reminder that your joy matters too. You don’t have to escape your responsibilities to have more fun. You can find little pockets of joy, play, pleasure and spontaneity right in the middle of your real life. Because sometimes the way through the sandwich is to add a little more fun. And maybe a little more deliciousness too. Want more ideas for bringing fun, laughter, joy and vibrancy into your life? Visit Mind Doodles and sign up for Treena’s monthly newsletter for more fun-filled inspiration. ⁠www.minddoodles.ca⁠ *** Thank you to our special guest. Kim O'Hara wants you to live a Delicious Life™. Her book Live Your Delicious Life: A Joyful Guide to Random Acts of Self-Kindness is for the woman doing everything for everyone else all the time without a second for herself (release date 2027). Her podcast ⁠This Delicious Life⁠™ is for women seeking tips to have more agency over their time and joy. https://liveyourdeliciouslife.com/ *** 🎵 Music by Allstar musicians Per Hoffman and David Hilton Clark Treena Innes, Your Life Fun Expert, helping you have more fun in life or the workplace to benefit your wellness. www.minddoodles.ca treena@minddoodles.ca