1 00:00:03,200 --> 00:00:06,400 Speaker 1: Welcome to Before Breakfast, a production of I Heart Radio. 2 00:00:09,320 --> 00:00:13,800 Speaker 1: Good Morning, This is Laura. Welcome to the Before Breakfast podcast. 3 00:00:14,560 --> 00:00:17,840 Speaker 1: This week we've been discussing strategies from Gretchen Ruben's new 4 00:00:17,880 --> 00:00:21,799 Speaker 1: book Outer Order in her Calm. Today's tip is to 5 00:00:21,840 --> 00:00:27,120 Speaker 1: observe what Gretchen calls a power hour. She explains, most 6 00:00:27,160 --> 00:00:29,680 Speaker 1: of us have a long list of unpleasant chores that 7 00:00:29,720 --> 00:00:34,120 Speaker 1: aren't urgent, so we just keep postponing them. Over time, 8 00:00:34,400 --> 00:00:39,720 Speaker 1: this procrastination drains us. So to tackle this problem, Gretchen 9 00:00:39,840 --> 00:00:43,640 Speaker 1: suggests scheduling a power hour. Make a list of all 10 00:00:43,680 --> 00:00:46,280 Speaker 1: the tasks you'd like to accomplish, and once a week, 11 00:00:46,479 --> 00:00:49,920 Speaker 1: for just one hour, steadily work on these chores, she says. 12 00:00:50,880 --> 00:00:54,120 Speaker 1: Gretchen reports that recent items on my power our list 13 00:00:54,160 --> 00:00:57,680 Speaker 1: included getting pants tailored, choosing a guide to hikes in 14 00:00:57,720 --> 00:01:00,360 Speaker 1: the Hudson Valley, and looking for a book that I'd 15 00:01:00,440 --> 00:01:05,399 Speaker 1: maddeningly misplaced somewhere in my apartment. Here's why I, Laura, 16 00:01:05,760 --> 00:01:09,520 Speaker 1: love the idea of a nagging tasks power our. First, 17 00:01:09,640 --> 00:01:13,560 Speaker 1: to intentionally allocate these tasks to a particular hour, you 18 00:01:13,600 --> 00:01:16,360 Speaker 1: have to know what the tasks are, and that means 19 00:01:16,600 --> 00:01:19,880 Speaker 1: you keep a list. Writing down a list of nagging 20 00:01:19,920 --> 00:01:22,720 Speaker 1: tasks gets them out of your head and somewhere you 21 00:01:22,720 --> 00:01:26,119 Speaker 1: can actually do something about them. Otherwise, you'll be trying 22 00:01:26,120 --> 00:01:28,680 Speaker 1: to concentrate on a client's problem and all of a sudden, 23 00:01:28,680 --> 00:01:30,759 Speaker 1: the thought that wow, I'm pretty sure I never sent 24 00:01:30,800 --> 00:01:35,080 Speaker 1: in those reimbursement forms will pop into your brain. Second. 25 00:01:35,400 --> 00:01:39,480 Speaker 1: Assigning these tasks a specific hour keeps them from cluttering 26 00:01:39,520 --> 00:01:43,360 Speaker 1: your entire schedule. Theoretically, you could take a few minutes 27 00:01:43,400 --> 00:01:45,800 Speaker 1: to fill out and send in those forms at any point, 28 00:01:46,319 --> 00:01:50,280 Speaker 1: but if it's always a possibility, you'll always feel somewhat 29 00:01:50,280 --> 00:01:53,280 Speaker 1: guilty that you're not doing it. Now. You might think 30 00:01:53,320 --> 00:01:55,720 Speaker 1: you shouldn't carve out twenty minutes over your lunch break 31 00:01:55,760 --> 00:01:58,160 Speaker 1: to read a novel because you have so much to do, 32 00:01:58,880 --> 00:02:01,760 Speaker 1: and that would be a shame. So think about what 33 00:02:01,800 --> 00:02:05,400 Speaker 1: tasks can go on your nagging task list, then think 34 00:02:05,440 --> 00:02:08,640 Speaker 1: about what hour might work to tackle them. I like 35 00:02:08,720 --> 00:02:12,200 Speaker 1: the idea of Friday right after lunch. Friday's tend to 36 00:02:12,240 --> 00:02:16,040 Speaker 1: be a low opportunity cost time. After lunch, your energy 37 00:02:16,120 --> 00:02:19,440 Speaker 1: might be flagging, so it's hard to do more important tasks, 38 00:02:20,000 --> 00:02:22,400 Speaker 1: but it's still business hours. So if you need to 39 00:02:22,400 --> 00:02:25,640 Speaker 1: call your banks customer service line or visit the post office, 40 00:02:25,880 --> 00:02:28,560 Speaker 1: you can still do it. An hour isn't much, but 41 00:02:28,600 --> 00:02:32,040 Speaker 1: a few tasks a week can make life feel doable, or, 42 00:02:32,120 --> 00:02:36,360 Speaker 1: as Gretchen says, little by little, hour by hour, we 43 00:02:36,400 --> 00:02:40,360 Speaker 1: can get a lot accomplished in the meantime. This is Laura. 44 00:02:40,840 --> 00:02:43,480 Speaker 1: Thanks for listening, and here's to making the most of 45 00:02:43,480 --> 00:02:52,519 Speaker 1: our time. Hey, everybody, I'd love to hear from you. 46 00:02:52,520 --> 00:02:55,440 Speaker 1: You can send me your tips, your questions, or anything else. 47 00:02:56,160 --> 00:02:59,720 Speaker 1: Just connect with me on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram at 48 00:02:59,720 --> 00:03:04,639 Speaker 1: beef for Breakfast pod that's B the number four, then 49 00:03:04,720 --> 00:03:08,080 Speaker 1: Breakfast p o D. You can also shoot me an 50 00:03:08,120 --> 00:03:12,360 Speaker 1: email at Before Breakfast podcast at iHeart media dot com. 51 00:03:12,360 --> 00:03:14,880 Speaker 1: That before Breakfast is spelled out with all the letters. 52 00:03:15,480 --> 00:03:17,560 Speaker 1: Thanks so much, I look forward to staying in touch. 53 00:03:23,400 --> 00:03:26,480 Speaker 1: Before Breakfast is a production of I Heart Radio. For 54 00:03:26,639 --> 00:03:29,639 Speaker 1: more podcasts from my heart Radio, visit the i Heart 55 00:03:29,720 --> 00:03:33,080 Speaker 1: Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to your 56 00:03:33,120 --> 00:03:33,799 Speaker 1: favorite shows.