1 00:00:03,440 --> 00:00:06,680 Speaker 1: Welcome to Before Breakfast, a production of I Heart Radio. 2 00:00:09,000 --> 00:00:15,080 Speaker 1: Good Morning, This is Laura. Welcome to the Before Breakfast podcast. 3 00:00:16,120 --> 00:00:21,800 Speaker 1: Today's tip is to invest time in planning, because planning 4 00:00:21,960 --> 00:00:27,840 Speaker 1: doesn't take time, it makes time. I hear from a 5 00:00:27,920 --> 00:00:30,880 Speaker 1: lot of people that they would like to plan, but 6 00:00:30,960 --> 00:00:35,240 Speaker 1: they just don't feel like they have the time. With 7 00:00:35,280 --> 00:00:38,720 Speaker 1: work and family demands coming at them from all directions. 8 00:00:39,080 --> 00:00:43,400 Speaker 1: They feel too busy or overwhelmed to think long term, 9 00:00:43,400 --> 00:00:46,640 Speaker 1: even if long term just means a week at a time, 10 00:00:48,000 --> 00:00:50,879 Speaker 1: so they never truly take stock of what they need 11 00:00:50,920 --> 00:00:55,320 Speaker 1: to accomplish. They just keep showing up for scheduled appointments, 12 00:00:56,080 --> 00:01:00,600 Speaker 1: scrambling to meet deadlines, and dealing with a never stream 13 00:01:00,760 --> 00:01:05,120 Speaker 1: of urgent tasks. It can feel like putting out one 14 00:01:05,440 --> 00:01:10,720 Speaker 1: fire after another, but it doesn't have to be that way. 15 00:01:11,480 --> 00:01:13,800 Speaker 1: Planning can help you get a handle on what you 16 00:01:13,840 --> 00:01:16,440 Speaker 1: need to do so you can get it done in 17 00:01:16,560 --> 00:01:20,959 Speaker 1: less time and with less stress. If you are worried 18 00:01:21,000 --> 00:01:24,639 Speaker 1: that you just don't have time to plan, then please 19 00:01:24,720 --> 00:01:29,080 Speaker 1: keep in mind two things. One is that it really 20 00:01:29,120 --> 00:01:33,080 Speaker 1: doesn't take much time if you do it right, probably 21 00:01:33,160 --> 00:01:37,280 Speaker 1: less than twenty minutes a week, maybe fifteen. If you're 22 00:01:37,319 --> 00:01:43,119 Speaker 1: speedy for a quick planning session, and second planning actually 23 00:01:43,680 --> 00:01:47,760 Speaker 1: makes time. You will free up so much time and 24 00:01:47,880 --> 00:01:52,080 Speaker 1: energy that you are going to come out massively ahead. 25 00:01:53,760 --> 00:01:58,360 Speaker 1: I usually plan my upcoming weeks on Friday afternoons, which 26 00:01:58,400 --> 00:02:01,080 Speaker 1: tends to be a low energy time for many people. 27 00:02:02,240 --> 00:02:04,920 Speaker 1: You weren't doing anything else big when you were sliding 28 00:02:04,920 --> 00:02:08,880 Speaker 1: into the weekend, so you are probably minimizing the opportunity 29 00:02:08,919 --> 00:02:13,920 Speaker 1: cost of planning right there. Start by identifying your top 30 00:02:13,960 --> 00:02:17,880 Speaker 1: priorities for the upcoming week. What is it that you 31 00:02:17,919 --> 00:02:22,760 Speaker 1: want to accomplish before next Friday. Be sure to consider 32 00:02:22,800 --> 00:02:26,600 Speaker 1: your work priorities and your relationship and personal priorities too. 33 00:02:27,639 --> 00:02:30,639 Speaker 1: For instance, maybe your top priorities are to draft a 34 00:02:30,720 --> 00:02:35,920 Speaker 1: quarterly report, prepare a presentation, and send out invitations for 35 00:02:36,000 --> 00:02:40,560 Speaker 1: your son's birthday party schedule in specific blocks of time 36 00:02:40,600 --> 00:02:44,240 Speaker 1: when you will work on each of these priorities. Maybe 37 00:02:44,240 --> 00:02:47,000 Speaker 1: you'll gather the information and make an outline of the 38 00:02:47,120 --> 00:02:52,360 Speaker 1: quarterly report Monday morning and write it Wednesday morning. Presentation 39 00:02:52,400 --> 00:02:56,840 Speaker 1: prep might happen Tuesday afternoon, and you might address those 40 00:02:56,880 --> 00:03:00,000 Speaker 1: birthday party invitations while you watch The Bachelor on Monday 41 00:03:00,040 --> 00:03:04,600 Speaker 1: day night. Then look at the appointments you have next week, 42 00:03:05,040 --> 00:03:08,840 Speaker 1: any preparation you need to do, if so, get it 43 00:03:08,880 --> 00:03:12,760 Speaker 1: on the calendar. Any appointments you can cancel or opt 44 00:03:12,800 --> 00:03:16,079 Speaker 1: out of. Maybe you see a meeting that you know 45 00:03:16,280 --> 00:03:21,359 Speaker 1: has been rescheduled four times, Please go ahead and put 46 00:03:21,400 --> 00:03:25,760 Speaker 1: it out of its misery. Get that time back. What 47 00:03:25,880 --> 00:03:29,000 Speaker 1: about recurring or smaller tasks that need to get done? 48 00:03:30,160 --> 00:03:35,480 Speaker 1: Schedule times for handling these tasks, either individually or in batches. 49 00:03:36,360 --> 00:03:39,280 Speaker 1: For instance, every week I need to write, record and 50 00:03:39,360 --> 00:03:43,280 Speaker 1: send in five before breakfast podcasts, so I might block 51 00:03:43,360 --> 00:03:47,640 Speaker 1: off Tuesday morning and Thursday morning for that work. You 52 00:03:47,680 --> 00:03:50,760 Speaker 1: may realize that some of the tasks you identify are 53 00:03:51,120 --> 00:03:54,960 Speaker 1: low priority and can be put off till a rainy day, 54 00:03:55,640 --> 00:03:58,720 Speaker 1: or maybe they can be delegated to someone on your team, 55 00:03:58,840 --> 00:04:01,520 Speaker 1: or maybe they don't need to be done at all. 56 00:04:03,040 --> 00:04:05,840 Speaker 1: Once you know when you'll accomplish your top priorities and 57 00:04:05,960 --> 00:04:09,720 Speaker 1: you're recurring or smaller tasks and what scheduled commitments you 58 00:04:09,760 --> 00:04:12,080 Speaker 1: have and what you need to do to prepare for these, 59 00:04:12,560 --> 00:04:18,680 Speaker 1: you are able to work purposefully planning prompts prioritization, so 60 00:04:18,760 --> 00:04:21,680 Speaker 1: you start your week knowing what your most important work 61 00:04:21,800 --> 00:04:26,120 Speaker 1: is and when you're going to get it done. Planning 62 00:04:26,160 --> 00:04:30,119 Speaker 1: also lets you delegate what you can, minimize or defer 63 00:04:30,200 --> 00:04:33,880 Speaker 1: activities that don't add much value, and group similar activities 64 00:04:33,920 --> 00:04:40,359 Speaker 1: together for efficiency. In addition, planning lets you avoid losing 65 00:04:40,400 --> 00:04:43,960 Speaker 1: time to transitions. If you know what you need to 66 00:04:44,000 --> 00:04:47,839 Speaker 1: accomplish each morning and each afternoon, you don't spend thirty 67 00:04:47,839 --> 00:04:52,800 Speaker 1: minutes between projects spinning your wheels. You move elegantly from 68 00:04:52,839 --> 00:04:56,320 Speaker 1: task to task. Once you get in the habit, you 69 00:04:56,360 --> 00:04:59,960 Speaker 1: can do this all quite quickly, and then you start 70 00:05:00,040 --> 00:05:04,680 Speaker 1: to see the results. Those twenty minutes spent planning can 71 00:05:04,760 --> 00:05:10,320 Speaker 1: literally free up hours for productive output. You gain efficiencies 72 00:05:10,360 --> 00:05:16,000 Speaker 1: by making intentional choices about what to do when, so 73 00:05:16,320 --> 00:05:20,760 Speaker 1: this Friday, even if you are busy, especially if you 74 00:05:20,800 --> 00:05:24,599 Speaker 1: are busy, invest twenty minutes in planning the week ahead. 75 00:05:25,680 --> 00:05:29,559 Speaker 1: If you do, you will prioritize your most important work, 76 00:05:30,360 --> 00:05:35,479 Speaker 1: maximize your productivity, and streamline your schedule. It will get 77 00:05:35,480 --> 00:05:40,279 Speaker 1: more done and feel less trust And that sounds like 78 00:05:40,279 --> 00:05:45,880 Speaker 1: a great plan to me. In the meantime, this is Laura, 79 00:05:47,040 --> 00:05:50,880 Speaker 1: Thanks for listening, and here's to making the most of 80 00:05:50,880 --> 00:05:59,599 Speaker 1: our time. Hey everybody, I'd love to hear from you 81 00:06:00,160 --> 00:06:03,040 Speaker 1: You can send me your tips, your questions, or anything else. 82 00:06:03,800 --> 00:06:07,400 Speaker 1: Just connect with me on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram at 83 00:06:07,400 --> 00:06:12,279 Speaker 1: Before Breakfast Pod. That's b E the number four, then 84 00:06:12,360 --> 00:06:15,760 Speaker 1: Breakfast p o D. You can also shoot me an 85 00:06:15,760 --> 00:06:19,560 Speaker 1: email at Before Breakfast podcast at i heeart media dot 86 00:06:19,600 --> 00:06:22,520 Speaker 1: com that Before Breakfast is spelled out with all the letters. 87 00:06:23,120 --> 00:06:25,200 Speaker 1: Thanks so much, I look forward to staying in touch. 88 00:06:31,040 --> 00:06:34,159 Speaker 1: Before Breakfast is a production of I heart Radio. For 89 00:06:34,240 --> 00:06:37,279 Speaker 1: more podcasts from I heart Radio, visit the i heart 90 00:06:37,360 --> 00:06:40,720 Speaker 1: Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to your 91 00:06:40,720 --> 00:06:41,440 Speaker 1: favorite shows.