1 00:00:03,440 --> 00:00:06,720 Speaker 1: Welcome to Before Breakfast, a production of I Heart Radio. 2 00:00:09,119 --> 00:00:14,240 Speaker 1: Good Morning. This is Laura. Welcome to the Before Breakfast podcast. 3 00:00:15,000 --> 00:00:18,480 Speaker 1: Today's tip is for all those tasks you do regularly, 4 00:00:19,360 --> 00:00:23,480 Speaker 1: make a template, that is something that serves as a model. 5 00:00:24,360 --> 00:00:28,639 Speaker 1: Templates help us get things done efficiently and successfully. You 6 00:00:28,720 --> 00:00:31,720 Speaker 1: don't have to approach familiar situations as though you've never 7 00:00:31,760 --> 00:00:35,760 Speaker 1: seen them before. Instead, use a template to make getting 8 00:00:35,800 --> 00:00:40,760 Speaker 1: started easier. For instance, in a past episode, I suggested 9 00:00:40,960 --> 00:00:45,080 Speaker 1: creating go to gifts. This is really a gift giving template. 10 00:00:45,640 --> 00:00:48,400 Speaker 1: For instance, you decide that you'll narrow the universe of 11 00:00:48,440 --> 00:00:52,120 Speaker 1: baby gifts down to a monogrammed rattle, a canvas tote 12 00:00:52,120 --> 00:00:55,000 Speaker 1: bag with the baby's name, or a favorite children's book 13 00:00:55,120 --> 00:00:58,480 Speaker 1: from your own childhood. You decide which of these gifts 14 00:00:58,480 --> 00:01:01,720 Speaker 1: you give to any given family, and the personalization makes 15 00:01:01,720 --> 00:01:04,959 Speaker 1: it less cookie cutter, but the choices are simple, which 16 00:01:05,000 --> 00:01:09,240 Speaker 1: makes the process straightforward. You can make packing templates too. 17 00:01:09,880 --> 00:01:12,000 Speaker 1: Maybe you realize that every time you spend a week 18 00:01:12,040 --> 00:01:15,480 Speaker 1: at the beach, you need two bathing suits to cover ups, 19 00:01:15,480 --> 00:01:18,800 Speaker 1: four sets of exercise clothes, two dinner out outfits, five 20 00:01:18,840 --> 00:01:22,640 Speaker 1: casual tops, five casual bottoms. Flip flops, running shoes, and 21 00:01:22,760 --> 00:01:25,679 Speaker 1: dressing sandals. It can be helpful to make a packing 22 00:01:25,720 --> 00:01:28,360 Speaker 1: list before you pack, and then after you get back 23 00:01:28,360 --> 00:01:31,279 Speaker 1: from the trip, edit the packing list with notes about 24 00:01:31,280 --> 00:01:35,679 Speaker 1: anything you'll do differently next time. Grocery shopping and meal 25 00:01:35,720 --> 00:01:39,520 Speaker 1: planning are more efficient with templates too. Make a recurring 26 00:01:39,520 --> 00:01:42,360 Speaker 1: grocery list. Start with the items you buy every week, 27 00:01:42,480 --> 00:01:45,600 Speaker 1: like milk and salad greens, so those are already typed in. 28 00:01:46,240 --> 00:01:49,440 Speaker 1: Then have sections for various categories like fruit and vegetables, 29 00:01:49,800 --> 00:01:51,480 Speaker 1: and write the items you need that week in the 30 00:01:51,520 --> 00:01:54,960 Speaker 1: appropriate category. The sections guide you to think about what 31 00:01:55,000 --> 00:01:57,440 Speaker 1: you'd like in each category, so you end up with 32 00:01:57,560 --> 00:02:00,200 Speaker 1: enough of everything, but not more than you can end ay. 33 00:02:01,240 --> 00:02:03,920 Speaker 1: As for meal planning, a template for the week means 34 00:02:03,960 --> 00:02:07,520 Speaker 1: this chore is much less overwhelming and my family these 35 00:02:07,600 --> 00:02:10,760 Speaker 1: days we're cooking up something simple on Monday. This week 36 00:02:10,800 --> 00:02:13,960 Speaker 1: it was salmon with broccoli. We make meal kits from 37 00:02:13,960 --> 00:02:17,600 Speaker 1: sun Basket on Tuesday and Wednesday, meaning those nights are 38 00:02:17,600 --> 00:02:21,160 Speaker 1: pretty mindless too. We order in from an area restaurant 39 00:02:21,200 --> 00:02:26,000 Speaker 1: on Thursday. Friday is pizza night. There are very few decisions, 40 00:02:26,280 --> 00:02:29,560 Speaker 1: and that's a good thing. During the week, all we're 41 00:02:29,600 --> 00:02:33,200 Speaker 1: really deciding is Monday night and which restaurant we order 42 00:02:33,280 --> 00:02:36,919 Speaker 1: from on Thursday. Now, you may be thinking that using 43 00:02:36,960 --> 00:02:42,880 Speaker 1: templates sounds boring and repetitive, but think again. We don't 44 00:02:42,880 --> 00:02:45,640 Speaker 1: eat the same thing every Wednesday in my house. The 45 00:02:45,680 --> 00:02:48,960 Speaker 1: meal kits provide some variety. Even with removing the decisions. 46 00:02:49,639 --> 00:02:53,240 Speaker 1: The weekly menu is pretty varied, but a template provides 47 00:02:53,280 --> 00:02:58,240 Speaker 1: basic structure. This saves us from facing the metaphorical blank page, 48 00:02:58,480 --> 00:03:01,640 Speaker 1: the overwhelming feeling of owing that you can choose anything 49 00:03:02,160 --> 00:03:05,280 Speaker 1: and having no idea what you want. Templates give you 50 00:03:05,320 --> 00:03:08,080 Speaker 1: a starting point within which you can make creative choices. 51 00:03:08,960 --> 00:03:11,520 Speaker 1: And if you decide to disregard your templates sometimes, well 52 00:03:11,560 --> 00:03:15,680 Speaker 1: that's totally fine. Templates are designed to help you, not 53 00:03:15,760 --> 00:03:18,880 Speaker 1: to limit. You feel free to give some new baby 54 00:03:18,919 --> 00:03:21,240 Speaker 1: a really cute outfit, or go out for dinner on 55 00:03:21,240 --> 00:03:25,120 Speaker 1: Tuesday just because. But every mundane choice doesn't have to 56 00:03:25,200 --> 00:03:29,200 Speaker 1: consume as much attention, and that saves all kinds of time. 57 00:03:30,280 --> 00:03:33,040 Speaker 1: What do you use templates for in your life? I'd 58 00:03:33,040 --> 00:03:35,560 Speaker 1: love to hear about it. You can reach me at 59 00:03:35,560 --> 00:03:40,360 Speaker 1: Before Breakfast podcast at ihart media dot com. In the meantime, 60 00:03:40,920 --> 00:03:44,480 Speaker 1: this is Laura. Thanks for listening and here's to making 61 00:03:44,520 --> 00:03:53,880 Speaker 1: the most of our time. Hey everybody, I'd love to 62 00:03:53,920 --> 00:03:56,840 Speaker 1: hear from you. You can send me your tips, your questions, 63 00:03:56,960 --> 00:04:00,720 Speaker 1: or anything else. Just connect with me on Twitter, Facebook 64 00:04:00,800 --> 00:04:05,600 Speaker 1: and Instagram at Before Breakfast Pod. That's b E the 65 00:04:05,720 --> 00:04:09,920 Speaker 1: number four, then Breakfast p o D. You can also 66 00:04:09,960 --> 00:04:14,000 Speaker 1: shoot me an email at Before Breakfast podcast at iHeartMedia 67 00:04:14,120 --> 00:04:16,720 Speaker 1: dot com that Before Breakfast is spelled out with all 68 00:04:16,760 --> 00:04:19,560 Speaker 1: the letters. Thanks so much, I look forward to staying 69 00:04:19,560 --> 00:04:28,239 Speaker 1: in touch. Before Breakfast is a production of I heart Radio. 70 00:04:28,839 --> 00:04:31,760 Speaker 1: For more podcasts from I heart Radio, visit the i 71 00:04:31,839 --> 00:04:35,320 Speaker 1: heart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to 72 00:04:35,360 --> 00:04:36,200 Speaker 1: your favorite shows.