1 00:00:03,480 --> 00:00:09,640 Speaker 1: Welcome to Before Breakfast, a production of iHeartRadio. Good Morning, 2 00:00:10,920 --> 00:00:16,880 Speaker 1: This is Laura. Welcome to the Before Breakfast podcast. Today's 3 00:00:16,880 --> 00:00:20,320 Speaker 1: tip is that time is what you make of it. 4 00:00:21,560 --> 00:00:24,120 Speaker 1: When you know how you are spending your time, now, 5 00:00:25,200 --> 00:00:27,640 Speaker 1: you can take steps to spend more time on what 6 00:00:27,680 --> 00:00:34,280 Speaker 1: you want and less on what you don't. Longtime listeners 7 00:00:34,360 --> 00:00:38,680 Speaker 1: know that I host regular time tracking challenges. If you 8 00:00:38,760 --> 00:00:43,479 Speaker 1: follow my blog Laura vandercam dot com, you can see 9 00:00:43,520 --> 00:00:46,680 Speaker 1: how I am spending my time this week, all one 10 00:00:46,800 --> 00:00:50,479 Speaker 1: hundred and sixty eight hours starting Monday morning to Sunday. 11 00:00:51,640 --> 00:00:55,520 Speaker 1: If you'd like, you can track along with me. I 12 00:00:55,600 --> 00:00:58,360 Speaker 1: know some people find it more motivating to do something 13 00:00:58,440 --> 00:01:02,720 Speaker 1: when others are doing it too. If you have never 14 00:01:02,800 --> 00:01:05,440 Speaker 1: tracked your time before, I encourage you to try it. 15 00:01:06,240 --> 00:01:09,360 Speaker 1: And if you have tried before, why not try again. 16 00:01:10,600 --> 00:01:15,600 Speaker 1: Life isn't static, and September is always a time of change. 17 00:01:16,760 --> 00:01:21,360 Speaker 1: New schedules require new strategies or at least recommitting to 18 00:01:21,440 --> 00:01:25,640 Speaker 1: the old ones. All you have to do is check 19 00:01:25,680 --> 00:01:29,119 Speaker 1: in three to four times per day and write down 20 00:01:29,200 --> 00:01:32,600 Speaker 1: what you did since the last check in. You can 21 00:01:32,720 --> 00:01:35,640 Speaker 1: use a spreadsheet like I do, or a time tracking 22 00:01:35,680 --> 00:01:38,800 Speaker 1: app or just write things down in a little notebook. 23 00:01:39,640 --> 00:01:42,840 Speaker 1: Just go with whatever is easiest for you and whatever 24 00:01:42,920 --> 00:01:46,680 Speaker 1: you think you will stick with. As you are doing this, 25 00:01:46,800 --> 00:01:50,440 Speaker 1: you can start reflecting on your time. One of the 26 00:01:50,480 --> 00:01:54,360 Speaker 1: things I see most clearly in every time log is 27 00:01:54,400 --> 00:01:58,760 Speaker 1: how much control I have over my time. Now. Granted, 28 00:01:58,840 --> 00:02:01,720 Speaker 1: I work for myself, so it makes sense that the 29 00:02:01,760 --> 00:02:06,040 Speaker 1: work hours will reflect some of that autonomy. But even 30 00:02:06,040 --> 00:02:08,320 Speaker 1: when it comes to the time I am spending with 31 00:02:08,400 --> 00:02:12,160 Speaker 1: my family and dealing with the schedules and needs of 32 00:02:12,200 --> 00:02:16,520 Speaker 1: five kids, there is choice. If I want to do 33 00:02:16,560 --> 00:02:19,800 Speaker 1: something fun in the evening, I can make a plan 34 00:02:20,760 --> 00:02:22,880 Speaker 1: and rally some of the younger kids to do it. 35 00:02:24,120 --> 00:02:26,520 Speaker 1: If I want to create some adventure on the weekend, 36 00:02:27,600 --> 00:02:29,680 Speaker 1: I have the power to make that come to be. 37 00:02:30,800 --> 00:02:34,080 Speaker 1: Even during constrained time, like when I am sitting with 38 00:02:34,120 --> 00:02:37,640 Speaker 1: a kid at an activity, I could be bored and 39 00:02:37,639 --> 00:02:40,960 Speaker 1: staring at my phone, or I could have been proactive 40 00:02:41,800 --> 00:02:45,880 Speaker 1: and gotten something fascinating from the library. Then I could 41 00:02:45,880 --> 00:02:50,799 Speaker 1: spend an hour reading that. During low energy times at night, 42 00:02:50,919 --> 00:02:54,000 Speaker 1: I can putter around the house, or I can think 43 00:02:54,000 --> 00:02:57,800 Speaker 1: about what might be rejuvenating, like sitting on the hammock 44 00:02:57,840 --> 00:03:01,480 Speaker 1: outside and looking at the stars or taking a bubble bath, 45 00:03:02,320 --> 00:03:06,600 Speaker 1: or doing a puzzle, or choose some combination of those things. 46 00:03:07,639 --> 00:03:11,440 Speaker 1: Time is what we make of it. Even within the 47 00:03:11,600 --> 00:03:15,480 Speaker 1: very real limits of life as it is, we have 48 00:03:15,560 --> 00:03:19,840 Speaker 1: the power to shift a lot. If a time log 49 00:03:19,919 --> 00:03:24,760 Speaker 1: shows that life is all work and family responsibilities, that 50 00:03:24,880 --> 00:03:28,080 Speaker 1: can be a nudge to text a friend and schedule 51 00:03:28,120 --> 00:03:33,520 Speaker 1: a get together. If life feels like all chores, that 52 00:03:33,560 --> 00:03:35,920 Speaker 1: can be a nudge to schedule in an hour of 53 00:03:36,000 --> 00:03:39,640 Speaker 1: reading and simply do that first on the weekend before 54 00:03:39,680 --> 00:03:43,760 Speaker 1: cleaning anything up at work. A day could be nothing 55 00:03:43,800 --> 00:03:46,520 Speaker 1: but emails and boring meetings that should have been emails. 56 00:03:47,720 --> 00:03:49,840 Speaker 1: Or maybe there can be a twenty minute coffee with 57 00:03:49,880 --> 00:03:54,480 Speaker 1: that young person that you are thrilled to Mentor we 58 00:03:54,560 --> 00:03:57,480 Speaker 1: can build the lives we want in the time that 59 00:03:57,520 --> 00:04:00,920 Speaker 1: we've got. So why not see where your time is 60 00:04:01,000 --> 00:04:04,360 Speaker 1: going now so you can figure out what to celebrate 61 00:04:05,200 --> 00:04:08,680 Speaker 1: and what to change. This week is a good week 62 00:04:08,720 --> 00:04:11,640 Speaker 1: to track, but any week is a good week to track. 63 00:04:12,840 --> 00:04:15,960 Speaker 1: Time is what we make of it, and I promise 64 00:04:16,560 --> 00:04:22,000 Speaker 1: that it is possible to make something really cool in 65 00:04:22,040 --> 00:04:27,040 Speaker 1: the meantime. This is Laura, Thanks for listening, and here's 66 00:04:27,080 --> 00:04:36,960 Speaker 1: to making the most of our time. Hey, everybody, I'd 67 00:04:36,960 --> 00:04:39,400 Speaker 1: love to hear from you. You can send me your tips, 68 00:04:39,480 --> 00:04:43,200 Speaker 1: your questions, or anything else. Just connect with me on Twitter, 69 00:04:43,520 --> 00:04:48,400 Speaker 1: Facebook and Instagram at Before Breakfast Pod. That's b E 70 00:04:48,920 --> 00:04:53,640 Speaker 1: the number four then Breakfast pod. You can also shoot 71 00:04:53,640 --> 00:04:57,680 Speaker 1: me an email at Before Breakfast Podcasts. At iHeartMedia dot 72 00:04:57,720 --> 00:05:00,640 Speaker 1: com that Before Breakfast is spelled out with all the letters. 73 00:05:01,240 --> 00:05:03,320 Speaker 1: Thanks so much, should I look forward to staying in touch. 74 00:05:09,160 --> 00:05:13,200 Speaker 1: Before Breakfast is a production of iHeartRadio. For more podcasts 75 00:05:13,240 --> 00:05:18,160 Speaker 1: from iHeartRadio, visit the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever 76 00:05:18,200 --> 00:05:25,039 Speaker 1: you listen to your favorite shows.