1 00:00:03,520 --> 00:00:09,400 Speaker 1: Welcome to Before Breakfast, a production of iHeartRadio. Good Morning, 2 00:00:10,600 --> 00:00:14,720 Speaker 1: This is Laura. Welcome to the Before Breakfast podcast. 3 00:00:15,880 --> 00:00:17,680 Speaker 2: Today's tip is to. 4 00:00:17,680 --> 00:00:22,560 Speaker 1: Log your pauses when you stop work for a little bit, 5 00:00:23,440 --> 00:00:27,840 Speaker 1: see what you do and how you feel. You might 6 00:00:27,880 --> 00:00:31,800 Speaker 1: get some insights that will help you get more done 7 00:00:32,040 --> 00:00:37,559 Speaker 1: and take better breaks too. People who bill by the 8 00:00:37,640 --> 00:00:40,880 Speaker 1: hour are used to noting when they start and stop 9 00:00:40,920 --> 00:00:45,320 Speaker 1: working and how long they take for these breaks. When 10 00:00:45,360 --> 00:00:49,360 Speaker 1: you are logging your workday in six minute increments, you 11 00:00:49,520 --> 00:00:53,200 Speaker 1: are aware of exactly how long it takes to run 12 00:00:53,240 --> 00:00:56,920 Speaker 1: a quick errand to grab coffee, to take a call 13 00:00:56,960 --> 00:01:00,600 Speaker 1: from your spouse to coordinate dinner plans, or how long 14 00:01:00,640 --> 00:01:05,960 Speaker 1: that quick personal email check actually was. People who bill 15 00:01:06,040 --> 00:01:08,760 Speaker 1: this way are well aware that working from nine to 16 00:01:08,840 --> 00:01:14,240 Speaker 1: six does not mean working nine hours. Most likely it 17 00:01:14,400 --> 00:01:18,840 Speaker 1: wasn't even eight hours. It might have been seven if 18 00:01:18,880 --> 00:01:22,319 Speaker 1: you are really good about focusing and moving like a 19 00:01:22,360 --> 00:01:26,920 Speaker 1: machine from one thing to the next. But if you 20 00:01:26,959 --> 00:01:30,440 Speaker 1: are not billing in six minute increments, you might not 21 00:01:30,520 --> 00:01:33,880 Speaker 1: be aware of just how much time goes to pauses 22 00:01:34,240 --> 00:01:39,360 Speaker 1: or transitions. Now, let me be clear, the goal is 23 00:01:39,440 --> 00:01:42,840 Speaker 1: not to get rid of them, because they are inevitable 24 00:01:43,760 --> 00:01:48,520 Speaker 1: and in many cases desirable. I certainly do not want 25 00:01:48,600 --> 00:01:52,640 Speaker 1: anyone to feel guilty about taking breaks or about chatting 26 00:01:52,640 --> 00:01:56,720 Speaker 1: with colleagues. Instead, the goal is just to be aware 27 00:01:56,880 --> 00:02:00,040 Speaker 1: of where this time goes, so you can ask what 28 00:02:00,240 --> 00:02:05,360 Speaker 1: is working and what isn't. Just as it is valuable 29 00:02:05,400 --> 00:02:07,880 Speaker 1: to use a time log to identify what you are 30 00:02:07,920 --> 00:02:11,760 Speaker 1: mostly doing during each thirty minute block of the day, 31 00:02:11,840 --> 00:02:15,840 Speaker 1: it is also useful to keep a pause log to 32 00:02:15,960 --> 00:02:20,280 Speaker 1: track what you are actually doing within those thirty minute blocks. 33 00:02:21,800 --> 00:02:26,399 Speaker 1: For a few workdays, anytime you stop working, jot down 34 00:02:26,440 --> 00:02:30,560 Speaker 1: the time, then record the time when you start working again. 35 00:02:32,280 --> 00:02:35,840 Speaker 1: Particularly if you feel like there is more work than 36 00:02:35,880 --> 00:02:40,040 Speaker 1: there are hours in the workday, a pause log can 37 00:02:40,040 --> 00:02:42,640 Speaker 1: help you figure out whether there is an opportunity to 38 00:02:42,680 --> 00:02:45,720 Speaker 1: fit more in during the workday so you don't have 39 00:02:45,760 --> 00:02:50,640 Speaker 1: to stay late or work on weekends. Maybe you wind 40 00:02:50,720 --> 00:02:53,240 Speaker 1: up making a lot of calls for appointments and such. 41 00:02:54,480 --> 00:02:58,080 Speaker 1: Could you batch these They might need to happen during 42 00:02:58,120 --> 00:03:01,480 Speaker 1: business hours, But could you plan to start work at 43 00:03:01,760 --> 00:03:06,000 Speaker 1: nine thirty am someday after consciously using nine to nine 44 00:03:06,120 --> 00:03:11,400 Speaker 1: thirty for such things? Notice whether your five minute break 45 00:03:11,639 --> 00:03:15,680 Speaker 1: to check your personal email or social media actually ends 46 00:03:15,760 --> 00:03:18,960 Speaker 1: up being a twenty minute break, and whether it's really 47 00:03:18,960 --> 00:03:22,840 Speaker 1: worth the time. If your chat's with your work best 48 00:03:22,880 --> 00:03:28,240 Speaker 1: friend average fifteen minutes per conversation, that's great. But maybe 49 00:03:28,280 --> 00:03:31,799 Speaker 1: you could coordinate eating your lunches together so you get 50 00:03:31,800 --> 00:03:35,400 Speaker 1: some extended catch up time and don't have to keep 51 00:03:35,440 --> 00:03:38,760 Speaker 1: feeling like you need to cut the conversation short because 52 00:03:38,800 --> 00:03:43,120 Speaker 1: you are in the middle of doing something else. By 53 00:03:43,160 --> 00:03:46,520 Speaker 1: paying attention to your pauses, you may be able to 54 00:03:46,600 --> 00:03:49,960 Speaker 1: reclaim some time for making forward progress on your work. 55 00:03:51,520 --> 00:03:54,520 Speaker 1: You may also get insight into the pauses that energize 56 00:03:54,520 --> 00:03:57,760 Speaker 1: you for the work ahead, as opposed to those that 57 00:03:58,000 --> 00:04:02,800 Speaker 1: just aren't yielding many benefits. After a ten minute stretch 58 00:04:02,880 --> 00:04:06,400 Speaker 1: break or walk around your floor, you may feel ready 59 00:04:06,400 --> 00:04:11,000 Speaker 1: to tackle an important project. On the other hand, you 60 00:04:11,080 --> 00:04:14,800 Speaker 1: may notice that the five minute breaks, which are really 61 00:04:14,840 --> 00:04:18,880 Speaker 1: more like fifteen minute breaks to check social media, are 62 00:04:18,920 --> 00:04:23,359 Speaker 1: almost never followed by much productive output. Good to know. 63 00:04:25,040 --> 00:04:27,880 Speaker 1: When you pay attention to how long your breaks take 64 00:04:28,680 --> 00:04:31,720 Speaker 1: and how your work goes after them, you may be 65 00:04:31,800 --> 00:04:34,360 Speaker 1: in a position to find some time for getting more 66 00:04:34,400 --> 00:04:38,960 Speaker 1: work done without staying late. You'll take breaks that energize you, 67 00:04:40,000 --> 00:04:44,440 Speaker 1: which can make work days feel better, however long they 68 00:04:44,480 --> 00:04:49,640 Speaker 1: happen to be. If you try logging your pauses, I'd 69 00:04:49,640 --> 00:04:52,479 Speaker 1: love to hear what you notice. You can reach me 70 00:04:53,279 --> 00:04:58,920 Speaker 1: at Laura at Laura vandercam dot com. In the meantime, 71 00:05:00,040 --> 00:05:04,480 Speaker 1: this is Laura. Thanks for listening and here's to making 72 00:05:04,520 --> 00:05:06,440 Speaker 1: the most of our time. 73 00:05:12,920 --> 00:05:15,720 Speaker 2: Hey, everybody, I'd love to hear from you. You can 74 00:05:15,720 --> 00:05:19,240 Speaker 2: send me your tips, your questions, or anything else. Just 75 00:05:19,240 --> 00:05:23,160 Speaker 2: connect with me on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram at Before 76 00:05:23,279 --> 00:05:29,120 Speaker 2: Breakfast Pod. That's b E the number four then Breakfast pod. 77 00:05:30,000 --> 00:05:32,880 Speaker 2: You can also shoot me an email at Before Breakfast 78 00:05:32,960 --> 00:05:35,240 Speaker 2: Podcast at iHeartMedia dot com. 79 00:05:35,279 --> 00:05:37,800 Speaker 3: That Before Breakfast is spelled out with all the letters. 80 00:05:38,440 --> 00:05:40,520 Speaker 3: Thanks so much, should I look forward to staying in touch. 81 00:05:46,320 --> 00:05:50,400 Speaker 3: Before Breakfast is a production of iHeartRadio. For more podcasts 82 00:05:50,400 --> 00:05:55,320 Speaker 3: from iHeartRadio, visit the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever 83 00:05:55,400 --> 00:05:59,960 Speaker 3: you listen to your favorite shows. 84 00:06:00,279 --> 00:06:03,360 Speaker 1: The Gay Gay Gatle