1 00:00:02,120 --> 00:00:06,480 Speaker 1: Good morning, This is Laura. Welcome to the Before Breakfast podcast. 2 00:00:07,280 --> 00:00:10,879 Speaker 1: Today's tip is to plan a mini adventure into your day. 3 00:00:12,240 --> 00:00:14,720 Speaker 1: A few years ago, I came across a great quote 4 00:00:14,760 --> 00:00:18,479 Speaker 1: from Alan Burdick in his book Why Time Flies. He 5 00:00:18,560 --> 00:00:22,120 Speaker 1: wrote that very often when we remark how did time 6 00:00:22,160 --> 00:00:25,880 Speaker 1: fly by so quickly, what's actually meant is some version 7 00:00:25,920 --> 00:00:30,880 Speaker 1: of I don't remember where the time went. Memories and 8 00:00:30,920 --> 00:00:35,800 Speaker 1: time are closely related. When time isn't memorable, we don't 9 00:00:35,800 --> 00:00:40,319 Speaker 1: remember it. When time is memorable, we do remember it, 10 00:00:41,040 --> 00:00:43,200 Speaker 1: and that can make us feel like we have more time. 11 00:00:44,520 --> 00:00:47,239 Speaker 1: I saw this relationship in action when I had nine 12 00:00:47,600 --> 00:00:49,680 Speaker 1: busy people track their time for a day a few 13 00:00:49,720 --> 00:00:53,000 Speaker 1: years ago from my book Off the Clock. I asked 14 00:00:53,040 --> 00:00:56,040 Speaker 1: them questions about how they felt about their time. I 15 00:00:56,080 --> 00:00:58,720 Speaker 1: found that the people with the most abundant perspective on 16 00:00:58,800 --> 00:01:02,000 Speaker 1: time were highly likely to have done something very memorable. 17 00:01:02,320 --> 00:01:05,280 Speaker 1: On the March Monday, I had them track. One woman 18 00:01:05,319 --> 00:01:08,400 Speaker 1: went to sels the dancing lessons. Somebody else went to 19 00:01:08,440 --> 00:01:12,720 Speaker 1: a big band concert on a Monday night. Now this 20 00:01:12,800 --> 00:01:15,000 Speaker 1: might seem like a bit of a paradox that going 21 00:01:15,040 --> 00:01:17,319 Speaker 1: to a big band concert might make you feel like 22 00:01:17,360 --> 00:01:21,360 Speaker 1: you have more time. After all, buying tickets creates something 23 00:01:21,400 --> 00:01:25,160 Speaker 1: of an obligation. You have to go do something rather 24 00:01:25,200 --> 00:01:27,800 Speaker 1: than just crash on the couch. So this should make 25 00:01:27,840 --> 00:01:31,839 Speaker 1: you feel like you have less time, right, But time 26 00:01:32,000 --> 00:01:36,039 Speaker 1: isn't that simple. Time moves at different paces depending on 27 00:01:36,080 --> 00:01:39,640 Speaker 1: how we interact with it. Our perception of any given 28 00:01:39,720 --> 00:01:42,720 Speaker 1: length of time is shaped by how many memories we 29 00:01:42,800 --> 00:01:45,480 Speaker 1: have of that length of time. This is why the 30 00:01:45,560 --> 00:01:48,919 Speaker 1: first day of a vacation somewhere exotic seems very long. 31 00:01:49,520 --> 00:01:52,000 Speaker 1: Your brain has no idea what it needs to remember, 32 00:01:52,520 --> 00:01:56,760 Speaker 1: so it's remembering all of it. More memories means more time. 33 00:01:57,920 --> 00:02:01,440 Speaker 1: An evening spent on the couch isn't particularly memorable, so 34 00:02:01,480 --> 00:02:05,160 Speaker 1: we don't remember it. That time disappears as if it 35 00:02:05,200 --> 00:02:09,680 Speaker 1: doesn't exist. Too many days like this, and whole years 36 00:02:09,760 --> 00:02:13,600 Speaker 1: can disappear into memory sinkholes. Times ceases to be a 37 00:02:13,680 --> 00:02:19,720 Speaker 1: rich tapestry and feels more like a slick linoleum floor. Obviously, 38 00:02:19,760 --> 00:02:22,840 Speaker 1: it's not feasible to go to big band concerts every night, 39 00:02:23,440 --> 00:02:25,840 Speaker 1: but it is possible to do something to make each 40 00:02:25,919 --> 00:02:30,000 Speaker 1: day memorable, so we're more likely to remember it. In 41 00:02:30,040 --> 00:02:33,960 Speaker 1: the Jewish tradition, before the passover meal, the youngest person 42 00:02:34,000 --> 00:02:37,560 Speaker 1: at the table asks why is tonight different from all 43 00:02:37,639 --> 00:02:41,160 Speaker 1: other nights? For passover, the answer is clear, it's a 44 00:02:41,240 --> 00:02:45,760 Speaker 1: holiday and you're celebrating at defining event in extended family history. 45 00:02:46,040 --> 00:02:49,000 Speaker 1: But you can ask this question of any day. Why 46 00:02:49,120 --> 00:02:53,480 Speaker 1: is today different from all other days? Indeed, let's ask 47 00:02:53,560 --> 00:02:57,519 Speaker 1: this for today. How is today going to be different 48 00:02:57,560 --> 00:03:01,720 Speaker 1: from other days? Take some time to about this. What 49 00:03:01,960 --> 00:03:06,360 Speaker 1: many adventure could you plan into today so that today 50 00:03:06,400 --> 00:03:10,160 Speaker 1: stands out in memory. Your adventure doesn't have to be 51 00:03:10,200 --> 00:03:13,720 Speaker 1: expensive or time consuming. You might grab lunch with a 52 00:03:13,720 --> 00:03:16,240 Speaker 1: new group of people from work. You might take a 53 00:03:16,240 --> 00:03:18,639 Speaker 1: walk through a nearby park to perk yourself up. In 54 00:03:18,680 --> 00:03:22,200 Speaker 1: the afternoon. You might stop at an intriguing store you 55 00:03:22,240 --> 00:03:24,760 Speaker 1: see as you walk back to your apartment. You might 56 00:03:24,840 --> 00:03:27,400 Speaker 1: catch a weeknight movie or take your kids to a 57 00:03:27,440 --> 00:03:30,840 Speaker 1: playground after dinner. Rather than going through the usual march 58 00:03:30,880 --> 00:03:35,120 Speaker 1: of bath and bed. But plan in some little adventure, 59 00:03:37,400 --> 00:03:40,520 Speaker 1: and as you're having your adventure, pause to note that 60 00:03:40,560 --> 00:03:44,600 Speaker 1: it's happening. Really, take everything in. This will make your 61 00:03:44,600 --> 00:03:49,200 Speaker 1: memories deeper, and really, in the end, memories are all 62 00:03:49,240 --> 00:03:53,640 Speaker 1: we have. In the meantime, this is Laura. Thanks for 63 00:03:53,720 --> 00:04:03,520 Speaker 1: listening and here's to making the most of our time. Hey, everybody, 64 00:04:03,760 --> 00:04:05,880 Speaker 1: I'd love to hear from you. You can send me 65 00:04:05,920 --> 00:04:09,560 Speaker 1: your tips, your questions, or anything else. Just connect with 66 00:04:09,560 --> 00:04:13,960 Speaker 1: me on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram at Before Breakfast Pod. 67 00:04:14,680 --> 00:04:19,000 Speaker 1: That's b E the number four, then Breakfast p o D. 68 00:04:19,839 --> 00:04:22,720 Speaker 1: You can also shoot me an email at Before Breakfast 69 00:04:22,800 --> 00:04:26,360 Speaker 1: Podcast at iHeart media dot com that Before Breakfast is 70 00:04:26,400 --> 00:04:29,159 Speaker 1: spelled out with all the letters. Thanks so much, I 71 00:04:29,160 --> 00:04:30,359 Speaker 1: look forward to staying in touch.