1 00:00:03,200 --> 00:00:06,400 Speaker 1: Welcome to Before Breakfast, a production of I Heart Radio. 2 00:00:09,160 --> 00:00:13,440 Speaker 1: Good Morning, This is Laura. Welcome to the Before Breakfast podcast. 3 00:00:14,000 --> 00:00:16,680 Speaker 1: Today's tip is about a simple strategy you can use 4 00:00:16,720 --> 00:00:20,600 Speaker 1: to help your team become closer and more productive. This 5 00:00:20,640 --> 00:00:22,919 Speaker 1: tip comes from Matt Hall, who's always been one of 6 00:00:22,960 --> 00:00:27,200 Speaker 1: my favorite people to interview. He's a husband, father, cancer survivor, 7 00:00:27,600 --> 00:00:30,720 Speaker 1: co founder of The Hill Investment Group, and author of 8 00:00:30,760 --> 00:00:34,920 Speaker 1: Odds on the Making of an evidence based Investor. He 9 00:00:35,040 --> 00:00:39,159 Speaker 1: also hosts the podcast Take the Long View Anyway. I 10 00:00:39,200 --> 00:00:41,720 Speaker 1: asked Matt for tips on how he runs his business 11 00:00:41,760 --> 00:00:45,159 Speaker 1: and keeps his employees happy. Matt tells me that when 12 00:00:45,200 --> 00:00:47,920 Speaker 1: my business partner and I started our firm, we were 13 00:00:47,920 --> 00:00:50,280 Speaker 1: in the basement and needed to get some fresh air, 14 00:00:50,840 --> 00:00:54,800 Speaker 1: so we adopted the tradition of tea time. He explains, 15 00:00:55,240 --> 00:00:59,200 Speaker 1: at three thirty or so, we'd walk outside gravitt coffee 16 00:00:59,240 --> 00:01:02,480 Speaker 1: or snack and chat for fifteen to twenty minutes, making 17 00:01:02,520 --> 00:01:05,080 Speaker 1: the next couple of hours feel a bit more downhill. 18 00:01:06,160 --> 00:01:08,640 Speaker 1: They have since outgrown the basement, but they have an 19 00:01:08,640 --> 00:01:12,360 Speaker 1: outgrown the idea of taking a conscious all team break. 20 00:01:13,120 --> 00:01:16,080 Speaker 1: Today we have a proper office and still continue the tradition. 21 00:01:16,160 --> 00:01:19,200 Speaker 1: He says, going outdoors is more important to us than 22 00:01:19,240 --> 00:01:22,440 Speaker 1: the drink or snack we consume, and the camaraderie built 23 00:01:22,480 --> 00:01:25,959 Speaker 1: during this time is outsized compared to what one might expect. 24 00:01:26,640 --> 00:01:30,120 Speaker 1: There's something about walking side by side that allows people 25 00:01:30,160 --> 00:01:34,559 Speaker 1: to talk easily and openly. I love that Matt's office 26 00:01:34,560 --> 00:01:36,920 Speaker 1: has adopted the British tradition of tea time for their 27 00:01:36,920 --> 00:01:40,839 Speaker 1: own purposes. The truth is, by mid afternoon, just about 28 00:01:40,920 --> 00:01:43,839 Speaker 1: everyone needs a break. In the morning, after that first 29 00:01:43,840 --> 00:01:46,080 Speaker 1: cup of coffee, you feel like you can take on 30 00:01:46,120 --> 00:01:49,360 Speaker 1: the world. But an hour or two after lunch, it's 31 00:01:49,360 --> 00:01:52,200 Speaker 1: easy to fall into a fog. You start reading the 32 00:01:52,240 --> 00:01:55,680 Speaker 1: same emails over and over again, or disappear into some 33 00:01:55,760 --> 00:01:59,200 Speaker 1: sort of Facebook rabbit hole. We can all know this. 34 00:01:59,560 --> 00:02:02,120 Speaker 1: At many of us want to look tough. If everyone 35 00:02:02,160 --> 00:02:04,120 Speaker 1: else in the office seems to still be sitting at 36 00:02:04,120 --> 00:02:06,880 Speaker 1: their desks, we might feel guilty getting up to walk 37 00:02:06,920 --> 00:02:10,440 Speaker 1: to Starbucks. By making a mid afternoon break, the default 38 00:02:10,560 --> 00:02:14,280 Speaker 1: behavior in the office, Matt is getting rid of any stigma. 39 00:02:14,960 --> 00:02:17,680 Speaker 1: If your managers inviting you to go out for tea, 40 00:02:17,919 --> 00:02:20,760 Speaker 1: this no longer seems like you're slacking. It seems like 41 00:02:20,800 --> 00:02:24,400 Speaker 1: the smart thing to do, and it is. People get 42 00:02:24,440 --> 00:02:28,679 Speaker 1: an energy boost from socializing, getting fresh air and physical activity, 43 00:02:28,800 --> 00:02:30,919 Speaker 1: and maybe a little caffeine in the form of the tea. 44 00:02:31,639 --> 00:02:34,080 Speaker 1: So they returned to the office twenty minutes later feeling 45 00:02:34,160 --> 00:02:37,600 Speaker 1: almost like it's eight am again. They can actually get 46 00:02:37,639 --> 00:02:40,079 Speaker 1: through the rest of their to do lists rather than 47 00:02:40,160 --> 00:02:43,480 Speaker 1: mindlessly clicking on a link on social media and realizing 48 00:02:43,800 --> 00:02:47,400 Speaker 1: thirty minutes later that you're shopping for kitchen appliances. Or 49 00:02:47,440 --> 00:02:50,160 Speaker 1: maybe that's just me. So if you're running a hard 50 00:02:50,160 --> 00:02:54,000 Speaker 1: working team, think about if instituting a group afternoon break 51 00:02:54,160 --> 00:02:56,680 Speaker 1: might work for you. Or if you're on a team 52 00:02:56,720 --> 00:02:59,880 Speaker 1: that you've noticed as flagging, try suggesting this idea to 53 00:02:59,919 --> 00:03:02,720 Speaker 1: your manager. And hey, if you're trying to make a 54 00:03:02,720 --> 00:03:06,079 Speaker 1: team bond and feel closer, I'd point out that tea 55 00:03:06,440 --> 00:03:09,760 Speaker 1: is going to be cheaper and quicker than drinks or dinner. 56 00:03:10,320 --> 00:03:13,240 Speaker 1: This is a win for everyone. Let me know if 57 00:03:13,280 --> 00:03:17,120 Speaker 1: your office observes tea time in the meantime. This is Laura. 58 00:03:17,560 --> 00:03:19,960 Speaker 1: Thanks for listening, and here's to making the most of 59 00:03:19,960 --> 00:03:28,519 Speaker 1: our time. Hey, everybody, I'd love to hear from you. 60 00:03:28,520 --> 00:03:31,440 Speaker 1: You can send me your tips, your questions or anything else. 61 00:03:32,160 --> 00:03:35,760 Speaker 1: Just connect with me on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram at 62 00:03:35,760 --> 00:03:40,640 Speaker 1: Before Breakfast Pod. That's b E the number four, then 63 00:03:40,720 --> 00:03:44,120 Speaker 1: Breakfast p o D. You can also shoot me an 64 00:03:44,120 --> 00:03:48,320 Speaker 1: email at Before Breakfast Podcast at iHeart media dot com 65 00:03:48,360 --> 00:03:50,880 Speaker 1: that Before Breakfast is spelled out with all the letters. 66 00:03:51,480 --> 00:03:53,560 Speaker 1: Thanks so much, I look forward to staying in touch. 67 00:03:59,400 --> 00:04:01,840 Speaker 1: Before break Fist is a production of I heart Radio. 68 00:04:02,440 --> 00:04:05,360 Speaker 1: For more podcasts from I heart Radio, visit the i 69 00:04:05,440 --> 00:04:08,920 Speaker 1: heart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to 70 00:04:08,960 --> 00:04:09,800 Speaker 1: your favorite shows.