Ever feel like you’re running on empty no matter how much you check off your list? This episode is for the band directors (and teachers) who keep thinking, “If I just had more hours…”

Lesley Moffat sits down with Michelle Niemeyer, a former attorney turned coach and speaker, to talk about what she calls “The Art of Bending Time.” Not in a magical way, but in the very real way that happens when you learn how to align your time, energy, and capacity with how you actually work best.

Michelle shares her journey from intense burnout to rebuilding her health after being diagnosed with an autoimmune liver disease (PBC), and how the lifestyle changes she made helped her move from stage 2 to stage 0 over 10 years. Along the way, she developed a framework that starts with what she calls a “busyness detox” so you can get clear on what lights you up, fuel your body and brain, and stop living in constant fight-or-flight.

In this conversation, you’ll hear:

• Why clarity is the north star for making better decisions and setting boundaries
• How “bending time” works by increasing the value of the time you already have
• The difference between internal time sucks (scrolling, procrastination habits) and external time sucks (committees, people-pleasing, extra responsibilities)
• Why sleep, nutrition, hydration, and movement aren’t “extras” but the foundation for focus and productivity
• How meal prep and simple systems reduce decision fatigue and help you make better choices when you’re tired

Michelle also shares a practical way to get started right away:

Text CLARITY to 33777 to access a guided meditation + journaling prompts and learn more about her SORT Analysis, a tool for evaluating goals so you can decide what’s worth your time, what you actually want, and what boundaries you need to protect it.

If you’ve been craving more margin, more energy, and a better relationship with your time, this episode will give you tangible ways to start building it.

The community page where people can access her clarity exercises is at this link: https://www.michelleniemeyer.com/offers/dmNrobgd/checkout

If you’re running a band program solo, you already know the math doesn’t math. Not enough time, not enough hands, and somehow you’re still expected to keep the program thriving without it taking over your entire life.

In this episode, Lesley Moffat talks with middle school band director Mike Perez, a 25-year veteran who’s learned how to build a high-performing program without burning out, even as the “lone wolf” on campus. Mike shares the real systems he’s used to protect his personal life, advocate for support, and keep the focus where it belongs: on teaching kids.

You’ll hear two game-changing strategies that don’t require a second band director:

• A weekly parent volunteer who comes in for two hours to handle admin tasks like concert programs, permission slips, and organizing payments
• A paraprofessional support period that helps with grade entry, freeing up hours each week

Mike also breaks down what it looks like to own your planning period, set clear boundaries with families, and build relationships that genuinely strengthen your program, from office staff to administrators to coaches.

And if your students are stretched thin across sports, clubs, and life, Mike shares how he navigates the tug-of-war by communicating proactively with coaches so kids aren’t stuck in the middle.

Toward the end, Mike highlights the growing library of “young band” teaching resources he’s created, including YouTube and Instagram tips that cover practical beginner-to-early-intermediate band problems, plus his best advice for any lone wolf director: bring in a trusted consultant to watch you teach in real time and help you grow faster.

Website: www.mikeperezband.com

Instagram: @mastering_the_young_band

Payhip: www.payhip.com/mikeperez

If middle school band feels like triage some days, this episode is for you.

Lesley Moffat sits down with Florida middle school band director Tim Ostrow, who has spent 19 years building a thriving program and collecting the kind of practical, real-world tools most of us wish we had on day one. Tim shares the story behind his “Middle School Band Director Help List”, a curated framework packed with links, templates, and editable resources designed to make running a band program smoother, more engaging, and way more sustainable.

You’ll hear Tim break down the three big buckets his list focuses on: management, curriculum and assessment, and performance, plus why he insists recruitment and retention still matter even when you’re putting out fires.

In the management section, Tim walks through why a clear band handbook matters (especially for grading policies and expectations), and how a band room procedures video plus a quick follow-up quiz can save your sanity. He shares favorite tools and “band room hacks” that streamline daily operations, including seating chart strategies, classroom screen tools (timers, agendas, widgets), and systems that keep routines consistent even after long breaks.

Then Tim digs into curriculum and assessment, including how he handles instrument selection, his instrument listening “scoreboard,” and a mastery-based “pass-off” approach that teaches kids to practice until they can’t get it wrong. He also explains his bead achievement system, why middle schoolers will do anything for a bead, and how tracking growth over multiple years helps keep assessment fair and motivation high.

This episode is a gold mine for brand new teachers, teachers moving into a new program, and veteran directors who want systems that help them teach more music and do less spiraling.

Link to Middle School Director Help List.