1 00:00:03,440 --> 00:00:06,680 Speaker 1: Welcome to Before Breakfast, a production of I Heart Radio. 2 00:00:09,400 --> 00:00:13,920 Speaker 1: Good Morning. This is Laura. Welcome to the Before Breakfast podcast. 3 00:00:14,640 --> 00:00:18,600 Speaker 1: Today's tip is about how to handle situations when people 4 00:00:18,640 --> 00:00:22,240 Speaker 1: do not value your time. I was thinking about this 5 00:00:22,320 --> 00:00:24,479 Speaker 1: after receiving a note from a listener who was a 6 00:00:24,520 --> 00:00:28,960 Speaker 1: frequent volunteer. Some of the organizations she serves are well run, 7 00:00:29,800 --> 00:00:34,200 Speaker 1: others are less, so she described the frustration of showing 8 00:00:34,240 --> 00:00:36,720 Speaker 1: up at a board meeting at six thirty pm and 9 00:00:36,760 --> 00:00:41,319 Speaker 1: not achieving a quorum until seven. She noted that this 10 00:00:41,400 --> 00:00:44,199 Speaker 1: was especially galling since the group had originally planned to 11 00:00:44,200 --> 00:00:46,680 Speaker 1: meet at seven, but had changed the start time to 12 00:00:46,760 --> 00:00:51,920 Speaker 1: six thirty pm to accommodate people's requests. Then they started 13 00:00:52,000 --> 00:00:55,960 Speaker 1: late anyway, This is incredibly frustrating, but she wasn't sure 14 00:00:55,960 --> 00:00:59,920 Speaker 1: what to do. After all, she truly supports the organization's mission, 15 00:01:00,680 --> 00:01:05,200 Speaker 1: but having your time wasted like this is disrespectful. In 16 00:01:05,240 --> 00:01:08,839 Speaker 1: her case, this happened in a volunteer context. She mused 17 00:01:08,840 --> 00:01:10,840 Speaker 1: that she didn't think it would happen in a workplace. 18 00:01:10,920 --> 00:01:14,240 Speaker 1: But I've gotten enough notes about this topic to know 19 00:01:14,319 --> 00:01:19,640 Speaker 1: that getting paid doesn't necessarily solve the problem. A disorganized 20 00:01:19,680 --> 00:01:23,520 Speaker 1: supervisor might have people waiting around needlessly, but figure he's 21 00:01:23,560 --> 00:01:27,360 Speaker 1: paying for their time, so it's all good, But really 22 00:01:28,120 --> 00:01:33,319 Speaker 1: it isn't. Time is precious, and ultimately, when people feel 23 00:01:33,360 --> 00:01:36,800 Speaker 1: their time is not respected, they look for other opportunities, 24 00:01:37,720 --> 00:01:40,440 Speaker 1: or they stay but they don't perform at their best. 25 00:01:41,560 --> 00:01:44,720 Speaker 1: I'd also add that if a business is not respecting 26 00:01:44,800 --> 00:01:49,800 Speaker 1: customer time, the customers will go elsewhere, maybe not immediately, 27 00:01:50,600 --> 00:01:55,160 Speaker 1: but eventually, and they'll warn their friends too. There are 28 00:01:55,160 --> 00:01:57,320 Speaker 1: a few things you can do in situations where your 29 00:01:57,360 --> 00:02:00,560 Speaker 1: time might not be respected. I tried to be careful 30 00:02:00,560 --> 00:02:03,520 Speaker 1: about the volunteer opportunities I seek out and agree to. 31 00:02:04,560 --> 00:02:07,160 Speaker 1: In general, I look for ones where I know that 32 00:02:07,240 --> 00:02:09,480 Speaker 1: I will be able to spend time with people I 33 00:02:09,520 --> 00:02:12,520 Speaker 1: care about, So with my kids schools, I like to 34 00:02:12,520 --> 00:02:14,360 Speaker 1: do things where I know I'll be able to spend 35 00:02:14,360 --> 00:02:18,160 Speaker 1: time with my kids or my kids teachers. That way, 36 00:02:18,840 --> 00:02:22,280 Speaker 1: even if things don't necessarily happen efficiently, I know my 37 00:02:22,400 --> 00:02:27,239 Speaker 1: time is being well spent nurturing relationships. For projects where 38 00:02:27,280 --> 00:02:29,240 Speaker 1: this won't be an opportunity, I try to see if 39 00:02:29,240 --> 00:02:33,440 Speaker 1: there's a way I could donate instead. I'd also suggest 40 00:02:33,480 --> 00:02:37,399 Speaker 1: seeking out volunteer opportunities where you can actually be in charge. 41 00:02:37,880 --> 00:02:39,880 Speaker 1: In our listeners case, it sounds like the board she 42 00:02:39,960 --> 00:02:44,160 Speaker 1: served on had some serious issues, she could quit. This 43 00:02:44,240 --> 00:02:47,480 Speaker 1: is always an option. There are infinite problems in the 44 00:02:47,480 --> 00:02:50,399 Speaker 1: world and you cannot solve all of them, So even 45 00:02:50,440 --> 00:02:53,720 Speaker 1: if you do support an organization's mission, you might be 46 00:02:53,720 --> 00:02:57,560 Speaker 1: best off targeting your time differently. But our listener wouldn't 47 00:02:57,600 --> 00:03:00,320 Speaker 1: have to quit. Another option is that she could work 48 00:03:00,440 --> 00:03:02,919 Speaker 1: over the next year or so to become the president 49 00:03:02,960 --> 00:03:06,520 Speaker 1: of the board. Then she could rework policies and schedules 50 00:03:06,800 --> 00:03:10,959 Speaker 1: to introduce more accountability. If nothing else, she could bring 51 00:03:11,000 --> 00:03:14,400 Speaker 1: on more reliable people, and regardless of whether she was 52 00:03:14,440 --> 00:03:17,880 Speaker 1: in charge, she could solve the immediate problem by offering 53 00:03:17,919 --> 00:03:20,880 Speaker 1: to drive three volunteers to each meeting so there would 54 00:03:20,880 --> 00:03:25,000 Speaker 1: automatically be a quorum. As for a work situation, it 55 00:03:25,080 --> 00:03:27,239 Speaker 1: might help to track your time and have an honest 56 00:03:27,280 --> 00:03:30,600 Speaker 1: conversation with a supervisor about this. You could show the 57 00:03:30,639 --> 00:03:34,079 Speaker 1: downtime and ask for suggestions of what you could work 58 00:03:34,080 --> 00:03:39,080 Speaker 1: on during these windows. This isn't complaining, it's actually helpful, 59 00:03:39,960 --> 00:03:42,000 Speaker 1: no doubt. There are all kinds of work that does 60 00:03:42,080 --> 00:03:44,440 Speaker 1: need to get done, even if it's not your official 61 00:03:44,560 --> 00:03:47,760 Speaker 1: job description, or if you're high up enough in an 62 00:03:47,880 --> 00:03:51,040 Speaker 1: organization to know the finances, you might point out the 63 00:03:51,040 --> 00:03:55,040 Speaker 1: waste organizing time better might mean you wouldn't have to 64 00:03:55,200 --> 00:03:59,400 Speaker 1: hire new people. Most people do take bottom line arguments seriously. 65 00:04:00,400 --> 00:04:02,880 Speaker 1: If you're wasting a lot of time and meetings, take 66 00:04:02,880 --> 00:04:05,160 Speaker 1: it upon yourself to become the person pushing for an 67 00:04:05,160 --> 00:04:09,800 Speaker 1: agenda in all meetings. Offer to be the timekeeper. If 68 00:04:09,800 --> 00:04:13,480 Speaker 1: the person organizing the meeting seems unfamiliar with this concept, 69 00:04:14,000 --> 00:04:16,880 Speaker 1: you can point them to the vast literature online about 70 00:04:16,880 --> 00:04:22,279 Speaker 1: better meetings. In other situations, play offense to keep people 71 00:04:22,320 --> 00:04:26,719 Speaker 1: from wasting your time. I get particularly frustrated with healthcare 72 00:04:26,760 --> 00:04:30,240 Speaker 1: providers who don't view their patient's time as valuable. I 73 00:04:30,279 --> 00:04:33,440 Speaker 1: will definitely switch to other providers, and you should too, 74 00:04:34,040 --> 00:04:37,000 Speaker 1: But if that's not immediately an option, I'll ask for 75 00:04:37,000 --> 00:04:39,680 Speaker 1: the first appointment of the day or talk to the 76 00:04:39,720 --> 00:04:43,120 Speaker 1: scheduler about when the delays tend to be lowest. I 77 00:04:43,200 --> 00:04:47,040 Speaker 1: also bring something to do While waiting is annoying and frustrating, 78 00:04:47,520 --> 00:04:50,000 Speaker 1: It is less so with a good podcast or book 79 00:04:50,120 --> 00:04:53,640 Speaker 1: to fill the time. If you're waiting with kids, feel 80 00:04:53,720 --> 00:04:56,560 Speaker 1: free to make use of screens during this time. It 81 00:04:56,560 --> 00:04:59,640 Speaker 1: will give you a few minutes to relax. Even if 82 00:04:59,680 --> 00:05:02,960 Speaker 1: the city suation isn't ideal, being able to zone out 83 00:05:03,400 --> 00:05:05,640 Speaker 1: and take some deep breaths in the middle of the 84 00:05:05,720 --> 00:05:09,680 Speaker 1: day can feel pretty good. How do you keep people 85 00:05:09,720 --> 00:05:12,800 Speaker 1: from wasting your time? You can let me know at 86 00:05:12,839 --> 00:05:16,919 Speaker 1: Before Breakfast podcast at i heeart media dot com. In 87 00:05:16,960 --> 00:05:21,239 Speaker 1: the meantime, this is Laura. Thanks for listening, and here's 88 00:05:21,279 --> 00:05:30,360 Speaker 1: to making the most of our time. Hey, everybody, I'd 89 00:05:30,440 --> 00:05:32,840 Speaker 1: love to hear from you. You can send me your tips, 90 00:05:32,920 --> 00:05:36,599 Speaker 1: your questions, or anything else. Just connect with me on Twitter, 91 00:05:36,960 --> 00:05:41,680 Speaker 1: Facebook and Instagram at Before Breakfast pod that's b E 92 00:05:42,360 --> 00:05:46,480 Speaker 1: the number four, then Breakfast p o D. You can 93 00:05:46,520 --> 00:05:50,080 Speaker 1: also shoot me an email at Before Breakfast podcast at 94 00:05:50,080 --> 00:05:53,280 Speaker 1: iHeart media dot com. That Before Breakfast is spelled out 95 00:05:53,279 --> 00:05:56,000 Speaker 1: with all the letters. Thanks so much, I look forward 96 00:05:56,040 --> 00:06:04,240 Speaker 1: to staying in touch. Before Breakfast is a production of 97 00:06:04,279 --> 00:06:07,599 Speaker 1: I heart Radio. For more podcasts from I heart Radio, 98 00:06:08,080 --> 00:06:11,599 Speaker 1: visit the i heart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever 99 00:06:11,680 --> 00:06:13,000 Speaker 1: you listen to your favorite shows.