1 00:00:03,000 --> 00:00:09,360 Speaker 1: Welcome to Before Breakfast, a production of iHeartRadio. Good Morning. 2 00:00:10,720 --> 00:00:16,560 Speaker 1: This is Laura. Welcome to the Before Breakfast podcast. Today's 3 00:00:16,560 --> 00:00:21,239 Speaker 1: tip is a reminder that January comes right after December. 4 00:00:22,640 --> 00:00:25,480 Speaker 1: Things that are happening in January may feel like they 5 00:00:25,520 --> 00:00:28,680 Speaker 1: are a long time off, being in an entirely new 6 00:00:28,760 --> 00:00:32,880 Speaker 1: year and all, but they really aren't. So make sure 7 00:00:32,920 --> 00:00:39,120 Speaker 1: your mental model of the calendar is right. Longtime listeners 8 00:00:39,159 --> 00:00:43,440 Speaker 1: know that I use a paper calendar. Yes, I know, 9 00:00:44,479 --> 00:00:46,680 Speaker 1: but I like it for various reasons we don't need 10 00:00:46,720 --> 00:00:51,000 Speaker 1: to go into now. Paper calendars have their upsides, but 11 00:00:51,080 --> 00:00:53,800 Speaker 1: a downside, at least for my version, is that the 12 00:00:53,840 --> 00:00:59,440 Speaker 1: calendar ends on December thirty first. Anything happening in January 13 00:01:00,240 --> 00:01:05,560 Speaker 1: is happening in a new calendar will Intellectually, I know 14 00:01:05,920 --> 00:01:09,399 Speaker 1: that the week beginning January fifth is the week right 15 00:01:09,440 --> 00:01:12,720 Speaker 1: after the one beginning December twenty ninth, and the week 16 00:01:12,760 --> 00:01:16,400 Speaker 1: beginning January twelfth is a mere two weeks after the 17 00:01:16,440 --> 00:01:20,280 Speaker 1: one beginning December twenty ninth. The calendar break makes it 18 00:01:20,319 --> 00:01:26,800 Speaker 1: feel like a chasm. Something happening on January thirteenth feels 19 00:01:26,800 --> 00:01:30,199 Speaker 1: like it is far in the future. From the perspective 20 00:01:30,280 --> 00:01:36,640 Speaker 1: of late December, even though well it isn't I get 21 00:01:36,640 --> 00:01:40,120 Speaker 1: caught up on this Every year. I have two kids 22 00:01:40,160 --> 00:01:43,920 Speaker 1: with birthdays immediately after Christmas, and I would not think 23 00:01:43,959 --> 00:01:47,319 Speaker 1: to plan their parties, even though I know that getting 24 00:01:47,400 --> 00:01:51,240 Speaker 1: an in demand spot requires booking five to six weeks 25 00:01:51,240 --> 00:01:56,680 Speaker 1: ahead of time. So a public service announcement six weeks before, 26 00:01:56,760 --> 00:02:02,040 Speaker 1: let's say, January seventeenth is December sixth, It is not 27 00:02:02,840 --> 00:02:06,680 Speaker 1: January fifth, when I have come up for air and 28 00:02:06,760 --> 00:02:11,359 Speaker 1: am looking at my calendar again. Likewise, as I think 29 00:02:11,360 --> 00:02:14,600 Speaker 1: about planning my annual time tracking challenges, which tend to 30 00:02:14,600 --> 00:02:17,920 Speaker 1: happen in January, I feel like that is far in 31 00:02:17,960 --> 00:02:21,720 Speaker 1: the future, but I have planned other challenges one to 32 00:02:21,760 --> 00:02:26,800 Speaker 1: two months out. Two months before January twelfth is wait 33 00:02:26,840 --> 00:02:31,760 Speaker 1: for it, November twelfth, but that was in a whole 34 00:02:31,800 --> 00:02:36,880 Speaker 1: different year. It just doesn't seem rgent until, of course 35 00:02:37,480 --> 00:02:41,160 Speaker 1: it is. I am not sure there's a good way 36 00:02:41,280 --> 00:02:46,120 Speaker 1: around this mental block, but fortunately when we know we 37 00:02:46,200 --> 00:02:49,320 Speaker 1: have certain mental blocks, we can build in systems to 38 00:02:49,360 --> 00:02:53,280 Speaker 1: avoid the downsides. For instance, I now put on my 39 00:02:53,400 --> 00:02:57,920 Speaker 1: calendar in late November to plan my post Christmas baby's 40 00:02:57,960 --> 00:03:01,960 Speaker 1: birthday parties. I may scratch my head when I see 41 00:03:01,960 --> 00:03:06,160 Speaker 1: that entry and first think, but that is ages from now, 42 00:03:06,280 --> 00:03:09,480 Speaker 1: and then I remind myself that, nope, it is not. 43 00:03:11,280 --> 00:03:14,880 Speaker 1: If you likewise have something big at work happening during 44 00:03:14,960 --> 00:03:18,800 Speaker 1: the first three weeks of January, do yourself a favor 45 00:03:19,520 --> 00:03:23,280 Speaker 1: and start building it into your mental picture before the holidays. 46 00:03:24,520 --> 00:03:27,000 Speaker 1: If you would normally start thinking about a big thing 47 00:03:27,200 --> 00:03:30,919 Speaker 1: a month in advance, well a month ahead of mid 48 00:03:31,000 --> 00:03:36,400 Speaker 1: January is mid December. There is likely nothing different about 49 00:03:36,440 --> 00:03:40,000 Speaker 1: this big project versus any other big project, and you 50 00:03:40,040 --> 00:03:43,240 Speaker 1: don't have to do everything. But you might be kicking 51 00:03:43,240 --> 00:03:48,320 Speaker 1: yourself on January fifth when you realize how close the 52 00:03:48,360 --> 00:03:53,520 Speaker 1: deadline is. A little knowledge and planning can help you 53 00:03:53,560 --> 00:03:59,240 Speaker 1: get something of a head start in the meantime. This 54 00:03:59,400 --> 00:04:03,800 Speaker 1: is Laura. Thanks for listening, and here's to making the 55 00:04:03,840 --> 00:04:14,120 Speaker 1: most of our time. Thanks for listening to Before Breakfast. 56 00:04:14,680 --> 00:04:18,400 Speaker 1: If you've got questions, ideas, or feedback, you can reach 57 00:04:18,480 --> 00:04:28,159 Speaker 1: me at Laura at Laura vandercam dot com. Before Breakfast 58 00:04:28,200 --> 00:04:32,480 Speaker 1: is a production of iHeartMedia. For more podcasts from iHeartMedia, 59 00:04:32,520 --> 00:04:36,560 Speaker 1: please visit the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you 60 00:04:36,600 --> 00:04:37,839 Speaker 1: listen to your favorite shows.