Speaker 1: Welcome to Before Breakfast, a production of iHeartRadio.
Speaker 2: Good Morning.
Speaker 3: This is Laura. Welcome to the Before Breakfast podcast. Today's
Speaker 3: tip is for when you are facing a task that
Speaker 3: you don't want to do but do need to do
Speaker 3: at some point, ask yourself whether you want to do
Speaker 3: the task now or later.
Speaker 2: You may wind up less likely to put the task off.
Speaker 2: We have to do a lot of things in life
Speaker 2: that aren't especially appealing. Filling out a kid's camp form,
Speaker 2: unloading the dishwasher, cleaning the inside of the refrigerator, following
Speaker 2: up about the health insurance reimbursement that still hasn't been processed.
Speaker 2: I am guessing that you don't want to do any
Speaker 2: of those tasks, But if you have to do them,
Speaker 2: then the question of whether you want to do them
Speaker 2: isn't particularly helpful, So better to change the question. Don't
Speaker 2: ask yourself do I want to fill out this camp form?
Speaker 2: Or do I want to call the health insurance company again?
Speaker 2: Of course the answer is going to be no. But
Speaker 2: if you instead ask yourself, do I want to fill
Speaker 2: out this camp form now or later? Or would I
Speaker 2: like to call the health insurance company today or tomorrow?
Speaker 2: You might find it a little easier to choose now.
Speaker 2: After all, if you are headed to the beach tomorrow,
Speaker 2: you don't want to take the camp form that is
Speaker 2: due in three days with you. You'd probably rather empty
Speaker 2: the dishwasher in the morning than at night while you're
Speaker 2: dealing with the dinner dishes that have piled up, because
Speaker 2: nothing could go in that full dishwasher all day. And
Speaker 2: if you've got a quiet moment at work, you'd probably
Speaker 2: rather call the insurance company than during a busier time.
Speaker 2: Asking yourself whether you want to do a task now
Speaker 2: or later is also helpful when you are in suboptimal
Speaker 2: working conditions on a plane, in a doctor's waiting room
Speaker 2: at home, but with loud work happening in a neighbor's yard,
Speaker 2: even interesting work may not seem especially appealing. In those moments,
Speaker 2: you may be inclined to set aside your work until
Speaker 2: there is a better time or place for it. But
Speaker 2: while you don't feel like working with the roofers banging around,
Speaker 2: asking if you'd rather work now or later changes the calculation.
Speaker 2: Would you rather do your work now amid the noise
Speaker 2: or tonight when the roofers are gone and you are
Speaker 2: planning on having a glass of wine by the fire
Speaker 2: pit with your partner. I am guessing now is the
Speaker 2: preferable option. Of course, you won't always decide to do
Speaker 2: your work now and have your leisure later. Maybe on
Speaker 2: a Saturday, you plan to put away your winter clothes
Speaker 2: and get out your spring clothes. But then your best
Speaker 2: friend says she is unexpectedly in town and asks if
Speaker 2: you'd like to have lunch. Well, of course you'd like
Speaker 2: to have lunch. You will take your leisure now and
Speaker 2: you can do your chores later. But in any case,
Speaker 2: when the question is yes or no, as in do
Speaker 2: I feel like working on the plane, the answer might
Speaker 2: be an easy no. But when you realize you are
Speaker 2: choosing when to work and when to have your leisure,
Speaker 2: you can make wiser choices between now and later. In
Speaker 2: the meantime, this is Laura.
Speaker 3: Thanks for listening, and here's to making the most of
Speaker 3: our time. Hey, everybody, I'd love to hear from you.
Speaker 2: You can send me.
Speaker 3: Your tips, your questions, or anything else.
Speaker 1: Just connect with me on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram at
Speaker 1: Before Breakfast Pod that's B the number four then Breakfast Pod.
Speaker 1: You can also shoot me an email at Before Breakfast
Speaker 1: Podcasts at iHeartMedia dot Com that before Breakfast is spelled
Speaker 1: out with all the letters, thanks so much, should I
Speaker 1: look forward to staying in touch. Before Breakfast is a
Speaker 1: production of iHeartRadio. For more podcasts from iHeartRadio, visit the
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Speaker 1: favorite shows.