WEBVTT - Second Cup: Make a quick fix list

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<v Speaker 1>Welcome to Before Breakfast, a production of I Heart Radio.

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<v Speaker 1>Good Morning, This is Laura. Welcome to the Before Breakfast podcast.

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<v Speaker 1>Today's tip is to keep a quick fix list so

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<v Speaker 1>you can use unexpected chunks of time to make your

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<v Speaker 1>home more pleasant and streamlined. When we find ourselves with

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<v Speaker 1>extra time at home, it's easy to fritter it away

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<v Speaker 1>tidying up or watching TV. Then we wonder what we've

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<v Speaker 1>been doing with ourselves, and paradoxically, when we're spending more

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<v Speaker 1>time in our homes, we are probably noticing more annoying

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<v Speaker 1>issues that we really do intend to fix. The pantry

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<v Speaker 1>door that sticks, or the shelf that holds towels and

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<v Speaker 1>several months supply of soap, sugar, and garbonzo beans arranged

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<v Speaker 1>in no particular order. The weird light fixture you meant

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<v Speaker 1>to have replaced when you moved in several years ago.

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<v Speaker 1>We all have nagging mental to do lists like this,

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<v Speaker 1>and it's not really a big deal to tackle these items.

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<v Speaker 1>Most take an hour or less. But it's also not

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<v Speaker 1>a big deal to live with them undone, so we

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<v Speaker 1>do live with them, often for an embarrassingly long time.

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<v Speaker 1>Ask me how long it took to get rid of

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<v Speaker 1>two light fixtures I disliked when we moved into this

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<v Speaker 1>house nine years ago. Now is a great time to

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<v Speaker 1>make a quick fix list with all of these two dus.

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<v Speaker 1>Write the tasks down on paper so they are not

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<v Speaker 1>hanging over your head, and so that when you do

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<v Speaker 1>have time to spare, you're able to remember them. Spraying

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<v Speaker 1>w D forty on a squeaky hinge, organizing the wrapper

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<v Speaker 1>paper bin you get the idea. If you leave the

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<v Speaker 1>quick fix list in a prominent place, others in your

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<v Speaker 1>family may add to the list as well. Or better yet,

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<v Speaker 1>they may pitch in by doing quick fixes and crossing

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<v Speaker 1>things off the list. With a quick fixed list, when

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<v Speaker 1>you find yourself twiddling your thumbs while your family is

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<v Speaker 1>playing a board game that you're not into, or when

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<v Speaker 1>a sudden thundershower nixes your plans for a run, you

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<v Speaker 1>can readily identify something you'd like to have done and

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<v Speaker 1>accomplish it. You can do this in time that you

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<v Speaker 1>otherwise wouldn't have used for anything. In particular, Completing tasks

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<v Speaker 1>is satisfying, especially tasks in your home that are visible.

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<v Speaker 1>A quick fix list won't get your attic cleaned out,

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<v Speaker 1>and it won't get your kitchen painted. Those are a

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<v Speaker 1>little bit more than quick fixes, but it can prompt

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<v Speaker 1>you to do smaller things. And that's no small deal.

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<v Speaker 1>Because little annoyances sap our energy. It's much better to

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<v Speaker 1>invest a little energy in fixing them once and for all.

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<v Speaker 1>In the meantime, this is Laura. Thanks for this thing,

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<v Speaker 1>and here's to making the most of our time. Hey, everybody,

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<v Speaker 1>I'd love to hear from you. You can send me

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<v Speaker 1>your tips, your questions, or anything else. Just connect with

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<v Speaker 1>me on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram at Before Breakfast Pod.

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<v Speaker 1>That's b E the number four, then Breakfast p o D.

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<v Speaker 1>You can also shoot me an email at Before Breakfast

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<v Speaker 1>podcast at i heeart media dot com. That Before Breakfast

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<v Speaker 1>is spelled out with all the letters. Thanks so much,

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<v Speaker 1>I look forward to staying in touch. Before Breakfast is

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<v Speaker 1>a production of I Heart Radio. For more podcasts from

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