1 00:00:03,480 --> 00:00:09,520 Speaker 1: Welcome to Before Breakfast, a production of iHeartRadio. Good Morning, 2 00:00:11,039 --> 00:00:17,120 Speaker 1: This is Laura. Welcome to the Before Breakfast podcast. Today's 3 00:00:17,120 --> 00:00:21,360 Speaker 1: tip is that when you are scheduling things, communicate when 4 00:00:21,400 --> 00:00:28,160 Speaker 1: you are currently available and when that might change. That way, 5 00:00:28,240 --> 00:00:30,600 Speaker 1: you aren't stuck holding more time than you need to 6 00:00:31,920 --> 00:00:38,120 Speaker 1: or no longer available when someone finally confirms so. I 7 00:00:38,200 --> 00:00:41,159 Speaker 1: have always found it a bit unfortunate when people request 8 00:00:41,560 --> 00:00:45,120 Speaker 1: lots of slots of availability as an please list the 9 00:00:45,159 --> 00:00:48,559 Speaker 1: times you are available next week. I mean, what is 10 00:00:48,600 --> 00:00:51,880 Speaker 1: one supposed to do with that? If it's a meeting 11 00:00:51,920 --> 00:00:55,240 Speaker 1: with your most important client, I mean, of course you 12 00:00:55,280 --> 00:00:58,720 Speaker 1: want to give them options. Same befo're talking about a 13 00:00:58,800 --> 00:01:01,800 Speaker 1: job interview, had a place where you are dying to work. 14 00:01:03,120 --> 00:01:06,800 Speaker 1: But for most run of the mill stuff, giving people 15 00:01:07,000 --> 00:01:11,160 Speaker 1: half a dozen multi hour options and then having them 16 00:01:11,200 --> 00:01:14,720 Speaker 1: not come back to you immediately is going to result 17 00:01:15,360 --> 00:01:21,959 Speaker 1: in schedule chaos. That's because schedules are dynamic. If someone 18 00:01:22,040 --> 00:01:26,120 Speaker 1: asks today, you may be available any morning next week, 19 00:01:27,040 --> 00:01:29,959 Speaker 1: but three days from now you will probably not be 20 00:01:30,040 --> 00:01:34,479 Speaker 1: available any morning next week. Things will come up plenty 21 00:01:34,480 --> 00:01:36,880 Speaker 1: of work meetings, of course, or even your need to 22 00:01:36,920 --> 00:01:40,760 Speaker 1: schedule a follow up dentist appointment. If the person who 23 00:01:40,840 --> 00:01:45,360 Speaker 1: asked for your availability doesn't confirm for three days, you 24 00:01:45,440 --> 00:01:49,400 Speaker 1: are going to have a problem. So instead it might 25 00:01:49,480 --> 00:01:53,760 Speaker 1: help to indicate that your availability windows won't last forever. 26 00:01:55,120 --> 00:01:59,160 Speaker 1: I am currently available Tuesday evening anytime and Wednesday evening 27 00:01:59,200 --> 00:02:02,200 Speaker 1: between six and eight. I am also in the process 28 00:02:02,240 --> 00:02:05,120 Speaker 1: of scheduling a few other things, so I'll need to 29 00:02:05,160 --> 00:02:07,400 Speaker 1: know in the next day if we are going to 30 00:02:07,440 --> 00:02:11,960 Speaker 1: confirm for one of those times, or you could just 31 00:02:12,000 --> 00:02:16,040 Speaker 1: indicate but my availability may change quickly as I'm trying 32 00:02:16,040 --> 00:02:19,880 Speaker 1: to schedule some other things too. That way, the person 33 00:02:19,880 --> 00:02:22,560 Speaker 1: you are scheduling with will hopefully go ahead and confirm 34 00:02:22,600 --> 00:02:27,200 Speaker 1: a time, or will at least not be surprised if 35 00:02:27,200 --> 00:02:32,280 Speaker 1: your schedule changes if they delay. You can communicate this 36 00:02:32,320 --> 00:02:36,760 Speaker 1: with scheduling apps too. If a doodle pole or similar 37 00:02:36,800 --> 00:02:42,040 Speaker 1: tool is collecting availability and the organizer gives you a deadline, 38 00:02:42,280 --> 00:02:45,239 Speaker 1: you may want to wait until close to that deadline 39 00:02:45,240 --> 00:02:48,560 Speaker 1: to reply so you can provide the most up to 40 00:02:48,639 --> 00:02:53,520 Speaker 1: date availability. That way, you won't have to go back 41 00:02:53,560 --> 00:02:58,760 Speaker 1: and rework things if your answer changes. On the other hand, 42 00:02:59,280 --> 00:03:03,200 Speaker 1: if you are the one requesting availability using doodle or 43 00:03:03,240 --> 00:03:08,679 Speaker 1: in an email. Consider requesting availability with a quick deadline, 44 00:03:08,880 --> 00:03:14,600 Speaker 1: for instance, by clothes of business tomorrow, please provide your availability. 45 00:03:16,000 --> 00:03:20,480 Speaker 1: Then you can be equally polite by indicating when you 46 00:03:20,480 --> 00:03:24,120 Speaker 1: will announce the time. This should follow swiftly, as in 47 00:03:24,960 --> 00:03:28,160 Speaker 1: tomorrow by six pm, I will confirm the meeting time. 48 00:03:29,680 --> 00:03:34,480 Speaker 1: This benefits everyone by letting you determine a mutually acceptable 49 00:03:34,520 --> 00:03:39,200 Speaker 1: time before everyone's schedule changes. They promise to let you 50 00:03:39,320 --> 00:03:42,880 Speaker 1: know their current availability at five pm or so, and 51 00:03:42,920 --> 00:03:45,160 Speaker 1: they will only have to wait or hold the time 52 00:03:45,200 --> 00:03:48,200 Speaker 1: for an hour to know when you are all confirmed. 53 00:03:50,000 --> 00:03:52,680 Speaker 1: I would note that if all these scheduling logistics give 54 00:03:52,720 --> 00:03:57,000 Speaker 1: you headaches, you also might want to provide a little 55 00:03:57,360 --> 00:04:03,560 Speaker 1: less availability. Some people use calendly type software, and I 56 00:04:03,600 --> 00:04:07,320 Speaker 1: am always intrigued by people who literally offer like four 57 00:04:07,440 --> 00:04:13,320 Speaker 1: spots for an entire month. Okay, but that does mean 58 00:04:13,360 --> 00:04:16,640 Speaker 1: that they are not forced to give a lot of availability. 59 00:04:17,920 --> 00:04:21,440 Speaker 1: If someone emails you and asks when you are available, 60 00:04:21,480 --> 00:04:26,080 Speaker 1: you might just offer two options or three options, ideally 61 00:04:26,120 --> 00:04:29,760 Speaker 1: ones that you are mostly okay with not scheduling over 62 00:04:30,480 --> 00:04:34,000 Speaker 1: in the next day or two. But you are under 63 00:04:34,080 --> 00:04:38,360 Speaker 1: no obligation to hold multiple slots forever. As you wait 64 00:04:38,400 --> 00:04:42,800 Speaker 1: for confirmation. Just let people know this is when you 65 00:04:42,839 --> 00:04:49,479 Speaker 1: are currently available and hopefully they will act fast. In 66 00:04:49,520 --> 00:04:55,360 Speaker 1: the meantime, this is Laura. Thanks for listening and here's 67 00:04:55,400 --> 00:05:05,320 Speaker 1: to making the most of our time. Thanks for listening 68 00:05:05,360 --> 00:05:09,800 Speaker 1: to Before Breakfast. If you've got questions, ideas, or feedback, 69 00:05:10,120 --> 00:05:19,479 Speaker 1: you can reach me at Laura at Laura vandercam dot com. 70 00:05:19,560 --> 00:05:23,640 Speaker 1: Before Breakfast is a production of iHeartMedia. For more podcasts 71 00:05:23,640 --> 00:05:28,240 Speaker 1: from iHeartMedia, please visit the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or 72 00:05:28,279 --> 00:05:30,120 Speaker 1: wherever you listen to your favorite shows.