1 00:00:00,080 --> 00:00:02,840 Speaker 1: Welcome to How the Money. I'm Joel and I'm Matt, 2 00:00:02,960 --> 00:00:25,520 Speaker 1: and today we're discussing striving for work life balance. Yeah, Joel, 3 00:00:25,560 --> 00:00:30,240 Speaker 1: the percentage of professional, college educated workers working over fifty 4 00:00:30,400 --> 00:00:34,040 Speaker 1: hours a week and that has dramatically increased over the 5 00:00:34,040 --> 00:00:36,599 Speaker 1: past few decades. And I think this is something our 6 00:00:36,600 --> 00:00:38,760 Speaker 1: listeners can resonate with as well. I'm sure there have 7 00:00:38,800 --> 00:00:41,479 Speaker 1: been times in everyone's life where you you feel like 8 00:00:41,479 --> 00:00:44,080 Speaker 1: you're just working way too much, and so I think 9 00:00:44,120 --> 00:00:46,000 Speaker 1: it's great that we're gonna discuss some of the things 10 00:00:46,200 --> 00:00:49,120 Speaker 1: that can lead to over working in that imbalance in 11 00:00:49,159 --> 00:00:51,199 Speaker 1: our work life balance, as well as things that we 12 00:00:51,240 --> 00:00:53,080 Speaker 1: can do to fix that as well. Yeah, for sure, 13 00:00:53,080 --> 00:00:54,840 Speaker 1: I think it's gonna be a great conversation. I'm looking 14 00:00:54,880 --> 00:00:57,120 Speaker 1: forward to it. But Matt, before we get to that, 15 00:00:57,520 --> 00:00:58,840 Speaker 1: you just got a new bike for your little five 16 00:00:58,880 --> 00:01:00,720 Speaker 1: year old and it looks pretty sweet. Tell me more 17 00:01:00,720 --> 00:01:03,160 Speaker 1: about it. It It is very sweet, man. Yeah, Well, so Clover, 18 00:01:03,360 --> 00:01:06,240 Speaker 1: she has been really into biking, Like she rides like 19 00:01:06,280 --> 00:01:08,320 Speaker 1: we have a little balance bike that we only keep 20 00:01:08,319 --> 00:01:11,000 Speaker 1: inside the house. It's like this, it stays clean, it's 21 00:01:11,000 --> 00:01:12,520 Speaker 1: really light weight, and we're like, no, you can't take 22 00:01:12,520 --> 00:01:14,720 Speaker 1: that bike outside, but she rides it all the time 23 00:01:14,760 --> 00:01:17,399 Speaker 1: inside and need somewhere outside. She also loves riding on 24 00:01:17,400 --> 00:01:19,600 Speaker 1: the balance bike, and so you know, we thought for 25 00:01:19,640 --> 00:01:22,600 Speaker 1: her birthday, she like, she's a perfect candidate for you know, 26 00:01:22,640 --> 00:01:25,160 Speaker 1: stepping it up to the next level, skipping the training 27 00:01:25,160 --> 00:01:27,240 Speaker 1: wheels and going with this fancy bike that I came 28 00:01:27,280 --> 00:01:29,280 Speaker 1: across a few years ago. It's it's by this company 29 00:01:29,319 --> 00:01:31,440 Speaker 1: called Womb. Well, I will say to the whole reason 30 00:01:31,480 --> 00:01:35,000 Speaker 1: behind balanced bikes, the purposes to skip training wheels all together. Yeah, exactly. 31 00:01:35,000 --> 00:01:36,840 Speaker 1: There are a lot of arguments out there that say that, 32 00:01:36,920 --> 00:01:39,080 Speaker 1: I mean, the balance is the hardest part, so it 33 00:01:39,120 --> 00:01:41,559 Speaker 1: can be a lot easier for folks to skip training 34 00:01:41,560 --> 00:01:43,759 Speaker 1: wheels all together and goes straight to like a big 35 00:01:43,840 --> 00:01:45,959 Speaker 1: kid bike. Like I mentioned though, So womb is this 36 00:01:46,000 --> 00:01:48,680 Speaker 1: company that came across a few years ago, and they 37 00:01:48,720 --> 00:01:52,200 Speaker 1: make bikes specifically for like little kids. The center of 38 00:01:52,200 --> 00:01:54,480 Speaker 1: gravity is really low to the ground and the little cranks, 39 00:01:54,480 --> 00:01:56,360 Speaker 1: you know, like they got their little feet pedaling. They're 40 00:01:56,400 --> 00:01:58,640 Speaker 1: also really short so that the you know, their feet 41 00:01:58,680 --> 00:02:00,480 Speaker 1: are always close to the ground in case they need 42 00:02:00,520 --> 00:02:02,120 Speaker 1: to kind of set their feet down for like a 43 00:02:02,200 --> 00:02:04,720 Speaker 1: quick stop they've just thought through all these different design 44 00:02:04,800 --> 00:02:08,560 Speaker 1: decisions with like a little kid writer in mind. But 45 00:02:08,680 --> 00:02:11,640 Speaker 1: here's the thing, man, these bikes are not cheap. Like 46 00:02:11,680 --> 00:02:14,600 Speaker 1: this is not a frugal or cheap segment. This is 47 00:02:14,639 --> 00:02:18,640 Speaker 1: more like a splurge segment of our show, because like, 48 00:02:18,720 --> 00:02:21,000 Speaker 1: these bikes can cost a few hundred bucks for the 49 00:02:21,040 --> 00:02:23,959 Speaker 1: little ones, like for the littlest ones, and I will 50 00:02:24,000 --> 00:02:26,800 Speaker 1: say I was a little bit more frugal this particular company. 51 00:02:26,880 --> 00:02:29,120 Speaker 1: They have a a nice eBay store where they do 52 00:02:29,200 --> 00:02:31,399 Speaker 1: sell some used ones, they don't have a ton of them, 53 00:02:31,639 --> 00:02:34,160 Speaker 1: and so that's where we actually purchased hours for Clover. 54 00:02:34,639 --> 00:02:36,120 Speaker 1: But I think it's good for us to to talk 55 00:02:36,160 --> 00:02:39,000 Speaker 1: about this because we talk about biking a lot, right, 56 00:02:39,040 --> 00:02:41,080 Speaker 1: Like it's something that you and I that we both value. 57 00:02:41,120 --> 00:02:43,400 Speaker 1: It's something that I want to see, you know, as 58 00:02:43,440 --> 00:02:46,200 Speaker 1: part of my family culture. And yes, these little bikes 59 00:02:46,240 --> 00:02:49,600 Speaker 1: are pretty expensive. But what I'm specifically looking for is 60 00:02:49,600 --> 00:02:51,520 Speaker 1: is for you know, my kids to have a great 61 00:02:51,560 --> 00:02:53,760 Speaker 1: experience as they learn how to ride bikes. So that 62 00:02:53,919 --> 00:02:57,120 Speaker 1: is something that they can take to a little more easily, 63 00:02:57,240 --> 00:02:59,240 Speaker 1: right than if they were to you know, pick up 64 00:02:59,320 --> 00:03:02,200 Speaker 1: that secondhand uffe which we have picked up literally on 65 00:03:02,240 --> 00:03:03,600 Speaker 1: the side of the road. Like, I've got three or 66 00:03:03,639 --> 00:03:06,880 Speaker 1: four bikes in our cross base in our basement because folks, 67 00:03:07,000 --> 00:03:08,120 Speaker 1: I mean, they toss them out and it's like, oh, 68 00:03:08,120 --> 00:03:10,600 Speaker 1: this is a great, perfectly fine bike, but in fact 69 00:03:10,639 --> 00:03:13,240 Speaker 1: they're crazy heavy. You know that these wound bikes are 70 00:03:13,240 --> 00:03:15,840 Speaker 1: really lightweight. They're not designed for new riders in mind, 71 00:03:15,880 --> 00:03:17,240 Speaker 1: like and a lot of times too, they have the 72 00:03:17,240 --> 00:03:20,720 Speaker 1: coaster break, which you know kid bikes in the US 73 00:03:20,800 --> 00:03:23,800 Speaker 1: they're required to have a coaster break. But again there's 74 00:03:23,800 --> 00:03:26,560 Speaker 1: all these reports talking about how like that is a 75 00:03:26,639 --> 00:03:29,880 Speaker 1: more difficult way for a kid to stop the bike 76 00:03:30,160 --> 00:03:32,519 Speaker 1: because it puts them off balance. And so all of 77 00:03:32,560 --> 00:03:35,320 Speaker 1: their bikes they have actual handbrakes. Uh, start teaching them 78 00:03:35,360 --> 00:03:37,120 Speaker 1: from an early age that that is how you stop 79 00:03:37,160 --> 00:03:39,200 Speaker 1: the bike. Yeah, that's great, And I think it's always 80 00:03:39,240 --> 00:03:41,080 Speaker 1: good for us to be able to share the ways 81 00:03:41,120 --> 00:03:43,960 Speaker 1: in which we have spent more money and potentially regretted it, 82 00:03:44,000 --> 00:03:47,200 Speaker 1: and then and then the ways in which we've spent 83 00:03:47,240 --> 00:03:49,600 Speaker 1: more money and we feel like it's really paid off. 84 00:03:49,640 --> 00:03:51,760 Speaker 1: And it sounds like this bike for Clover has been 85 00:03:52,160 --> 00:03:54,840 Speaker 1: just this step up from the balance bike, and then 86 00:03:54,920 --> 00:03:58,400 Speaker 1: she's really enjoying bike riding, and she loves it, like literally, 87 00:03:58,440 --> 00:04:00,560 Speaker 1: I mean, it's been raining a lot recently, but every 88 00:04:00,760 --> 00:04:03,000 Speaker 1: stinking day after school she wants to go outside and 89 00:04:03,080 --> 00:04:05,080 Speaker 1: ride her bike. And I'm like, oh, I'm sorry, it's 90 00:04:05,080 --> 00:04:06,960 Speaker 1: been raining for like five days in a row. We 91 00:04:07,000 --> 00:04:09,320 Speaker 1: can't go out again. But no joke. When we first 92 00:04:09,360 --> 00:04:11,240 Speaker 1: got it, it took her two or three minutes to 93 00:04:11,280 --> 00:04:13,960 Speaker 1: get started riding on that thing. And you could not 94 00:04:14,040 --> 00:04:16,559 Speaker 1: have seen me smiling any bigger than you know, seeing 95 00:04:16,560 --> 00:04:18,440 Speaker 1: one of my kids ride a bike, ride a big 96 00:04:18,480 --> 00:04:20,760 Speaker 1: kid bike for the first time ever. I was so proud, 97 00:04:20,839 --> 00:04:23,920 Speaker 1: so happy, And it's totally worth the money when that happens, right, Yes, 98 00:04:24,600 --> 00:04:27,040 Speaker 1: that's a great investment right there, And truly is I mean, 99 00:04:27,040 --> 00:04:29,680 Speaker 1: we we we I'm kind of finicky about using the 100 00:04:29,680 --> 00:04:33,080 Speaker 1: word investment, but really I really only want to use 101 00:04:33,120 --> 00:04:34,560 Speaker 1: it and when I'm talking about something that is going 102 00:04:34,600 --> 00:04:36,800 Speaker 1: to pay off in the end. Uh, And we use 103 00:04:36,880 --> 00:04:40,360 Speaker 1: investment about buying couches or just stupid stuff that actually 104 00:04:40,400 --> 00:04:42,600 Speaker 1: isn't really an investment, but but a bike is kind 105 00:04:42,640 --> 00:04:44,920 Speaker 1: of an investment in your kids future for loving biking. 106 00:04:45,080 --> 00:04:46,920 Speaker 1: That's going to save them money in the long term, 107 00:04:46,960 --> 00:04:49,800 Speaker 1: So I think I can use it appropriately in that context. Yeah. Man, 108 00:04:49,800 --> 00:04:51,680 Speaker 1: It's something else that I feel like you could get behind, 109 00:04:51,880 --> 00:04:54,719 Speaker 1: is that this specific bike, it's gonna work for two 110 00:04:54,720 --> 00:04:56,880 Speaker 1: other kids. Like, we've got two more kids who will 111 00:04:56,960 --> 00:04:59,520 Speaker 1: be able to ride on that bike. And so when 112 00:04:59,520 --> 00:05:00,919 Speaker 1: you know that you can take a purchase like that 113 00:05:00,960 --> 00:05:02,960 Speaker 1: and stretch it out, you're not just dividing it by 114 00:05:03,040 --> 00:05:05,159 Speaker 1: one kid, You're dividing it by three kids. That is 115 00:05:05,200 --> 00:05:08,000 Speaker 1: a lot of use. And Uh, well, I'll let you 116 00:05:08,000 --> 00:05:09,520 Speaker 1: guys borrow it soon as well, so you can kind 117 00:05:09,520 --> 00:05:11,280 Speaker 1: of get a field for it. Man, sounds good. I'm 118 00:05:11,600 --> 00:05:14,120 Speaker 1: get you on board, all right, Matt, let's talk about 119 00:05:14,120 --> 00:05:15,920 Speaker 1: the beer that we're having on the show today. Our 120 00:05:15,960 --> 00:05:19,480 Speaker 1: friends Waffles on Wednesday. They write a blog about pursuing 121 00:05:19,480 --> 00:05:21,960 Speaker 1: financial independence, and they tossed a beer are away last 122 00:05:21,960 --> 00:05:23,600 Speaker 1: time they were in town. This one's called I learned 123 00:05:23,600 --> 00:05:26,800 Speaker 1: it by watching you, and it's a collaboration by literally 124 00:05:26,880 --> 00:05:30,360 Speaker 1: two of our favorite breweries, Burial and Other Half. I've 125 00:05:30,360 --> 00:05:32,840 Speaker 1: been to both breweries, Matt, and I love what these 126 00:05:32,839 --> 00:05:35,120 Speaker 1: guys are pumping out, and I'm excited to try this 127 00:05:35,200 --> 00:05:38,000 Speaker 1: one that they've created together with you. Today on the show, 128 00:05:38,040 --> 00:05:39,880 Speaker 1: my friend yeah man, and you may have noticed, I'm 129 00:05:39,920 --> 00:05:42,720 Speaker 1: wearing my other half half like I do so often 130 00:05:42,760 --> 00:05:45,440 Speaker 1: these days, step in that swag. I really like that 131 00:05:45,480 --> 00:05:47,840 Speaker 1: brewery man, the other half up in Brooklyn. They're really good, 132 00:05:47,960 --> 00:05:49,960 Speaker 1: so good, so good. All right, Matt, let's get onto 133 00:05:50,000 --> 00:05:51,720 Speaker 1: the topic at hand. Today on the show, we're talking 134 00:05:51,760 --> 00:05:54,920 Speaker 1: about striving for work life balance. And I will say 135 00:05:54,920 --> 00:05:57,080 Speaker 1: that work life balance, well, it's it's not really the 136 00:05:57,080 --> 00:06:01,039 Speaker 1: most popular term when we're discussing this topic anymore. You know. 137 00:06:01,080 --> 00:06:04,160 Speaker 1: We had author Kurt Steinhorst on recently, and he prefers 138 00:06:04,200 --> 00:06:07,040 Speaker 1: to discuss how you can integrate the worlds of work 139 00:06:07,080 --> 00:06:09,520 Speaker 1: and life. So he's talking about work life integration and 140 00:06:09,560 --> 00:06:12,400 Speaker 1: I understand that. I understand why he's choosing those terms instead, 141 00:06:12,720 --> 00:06:16,880 Speaker 1: but I still appreciate the desire to achieve work life 142 00:06:16,880 --> 00:06:19,400 Speaker 1: balance in our lives, and I think striving for balance 143 00:06:19,440 --> 00:06:21,919 Speaker 1: in and of itself it takes effort, right, It's like 144 00:06:21,920 --> 00:06:24,479 Speaker 1: pursuing margin, And we talked about that the very first 145 00:06:24,480 --> 00:06:28,040 Speaker 1: episode of this year. It feels like we're a salmon, 146 00:06:28,160 --> 00:06:31,680 Speaker 1: like swimming upstream, fighting the current. It's not easy, but 147 00:06:31,680 --> 00:06:33,839 Speaker 1: but it's possible. And I think it's worth making that 148 00:06:33,920 --> 00:06:36,560 Speaker 1: effort because all work and no play, well, it makes 149 00:06:36,640 --> 00:06:39,800 Speaker 1: us really dull. And this effort, well, it might feel 150 00:06:39,960 --> 00:06:42,560 Speaker 1: very much like a pendulum at times where we never 151 00:06:42,680 --> 00:06:45,920 Speaker 1: quite hit it exactly right. So while there's not really 152 00:06:45,920 --> 00:06:47,640 Speaker 1: any sort of silver bullet, I don't think that we're 153 00:06:47,640 --> 00:06:49,719 Speaker 1: gonna offer up in this episode, Matt when it comes 154 00:06:49,720 --> 00:06:52,320 Speaker 1: to the question of work life balance and how to 155 00:06:52,440 --> 00:06:54,600 Speaker 1: find it, we can at least find ways to help 156 00:06:54,640 --> 00:06:58,080 Speaker 1: ourselves achieve more balance, just a greater level of it 157 00:06:58,120 --> 00:07:00,480 Speaker 1: in our everyday lives. Yeah, man, this is something I 158 00:07:00,680 --> 00:07:03,200 Speaker 1: definitely want to make sure that I am striving after myself, 159 00:07:03,360 --> 00:07:07,200 Speaker 1: because in a culture that idolizes work, we find ourselves 160 00:07:07,279 --> 00:07:10,680 Speaker 1: chronically fatigued and exhausted because we give too much of 161 00:07:10,720 --> 00:07:15,200 Speaker 1: ourselves to our work while leaving little left for ourselves 162 00:07:15,200 --> 00:07:17,800 Speaker 1: and for the folks around us. Like most Americans don't 163 00:07:17,840 --> 00:07:21,080 Speaker 1: even take all of their vacation time, and when they do, 164 00:07:21,200 --> 00:07:24,800 Speaker 1: they find it impossible to actually stop working. When we 165 00:07:24,840 --> 00:07:27,880 Speaker 1: do that, that that leads to burn out. Burnout can cause 166 00:07:27,960 --> 00:07:31,120 Speaker 1: us to make worse decisions, and then oftentimes that causes 167 00:07:31,200 --> 00:07:33,600 Speaker 1: us to become impulsive with our money. So this is 168 00:07:33,640 --> 00:07:35,640 Speaker 1: really important stuff for us to talk about. And so 169 00:07:35,720 --> 00:07:38,239 Speaker 1: regardless of the job that you have and what fields 170 00:07:38,240 --> 00:07:41,240 Speaker 1: you're in, I think there is room for more balance 171 00:07:41,280 --> 00:07:43,480 Speaker 1: and striving after that in all of our lives. Yeah, 172 00:07:43,520 --> 00:07:45,120 Speaker 1: all right, so, Matt, let's talk about some of the 173 00:07:45,200 --> 00:07:48,280 Speaker 1: symptoms that someone might be experiencing that would indicate a 174 00:07:48,360 --> 00:07:51,080 Speaker 1: lack of balance in their lives. I feel like I'm 175 00:07:51,080 --> 00:07:55,800 Speaker 1: a doctor or something trying to diagnose somebody right now. 176 00:07:56,000 --> 00:07:58,280 Speaker 1: But I think some of these symptoms that we're gonna 177 00:07:58,320 --> 00:08:00,960 Speaker 1: discuss here, well, the ones that you and I've experienced before, 178 00:08:01,240 --> 00:08:04,920 Speaker 1: because we're normal human beings that have prioritized work over 179 00:08:04,960 --> 00:08:08,520 Speaker 1: life at different times. Finding that balance is hard to do, 180 00:08:08,720 --> 00:08:11,000 Speaker 1: and and we know these symptoms because there are things 181 00:08:11,080 --> 00:08:13,280 Speaker 1: we've dealt with over time, or maybe we're even dealing 182 00:08:13,320 --> 00:08:14,920 Speaker 1: with now. I mean, let's be honest, you know, like 183 00:08:15,000 --> 00:08:17,480 Speaker 1: launching a podcast and trying to maintain that while we 184 00:08:17,520 --> 00:08:20,840 Speaker 1: have full time jobs, new born children. It's not super easy. 185 00:08:21,120 --> 00:08:23,480 Speaker 1: And so like, these are things that are are kind 186 00:08:23,480 --> 00:08:25,480 Speaker 1: of hitting close to home for us, and so I 187 00:08:25,480 --> 00:08:26,960 Speaker 1: think maybe for both of us, this is a good 188 00:08:26,960 --> 00:08:28,880 Speaker 1: reminder to to keep our eyes open to some of 189 00:08:28,920 --> 00:08:31,920 Speaker 1: these different signs yeah for sure. So all right, those symptoms, 190 00:08:32,040 --> 00:08:34,760 Speaker 1: Let's start with stress. That's an obvious one, right, being 191 00:08:34,800 --> 00:08:38,160 Speaker 1: consistently stressed out, that's a major indicator that we might 192 00:08:38,200 --> 00:08:41,360 Speaker 1: be working too much. And depending on the individual, well, 193 00:08:41,440 --> 00:08:44,480 Speaker 1: this stress can manifest itself in all sorts of ways, 194 00:08:44,760 --> 00:08:48,280 Speaker 1: and that can be debilitating, like an inability to get 195 00:08:48,360 --> 00:08:50,800 Speaker 1: proper sleep every night. So if we find it hard 196 00:08:50,880 --> 00:08:53,160 Speaker 1: to rest, what's a good chance that we're working too 197 00:08:53,240 --> 00:08:56,839 Speaker 1: much and enjoying life too little. And stress can leads 198 00:08:56,840 --> 00:08:59,160 Speaker 1: to physical pain as well, that you know, like physical 199 00:08:59,160 --> 00:09:02,240 Speaker 1: being that we actually experience in our bodies, right, like headaches, 200 00:09:02,679 --> 00:09:04,400 Speaker 1: that strain that you feel in your neck, like if 201 00:09:04,400 --> 00:09:05,880 Speaker 1: you're sitting there at the office, you know it kind 202 00:09:05,880 --> 00:09:07,640 Speaker 1: of hunched over in your chair, staring at your computer. 203 00:09:08,240 --> 00:09:10,880 Speaker 1: It can have a literal effect on our sumas ability 204 00:09:11,000 --> 00:09:14,280 Speaker 1: to digest food properly, and it even affects our health 205 00:09:14,280 --> 00:09:16,760 Speaker 1: and more serious ways as well, Like it's documented that 206 00:09:16,880 --> 00:09:20,080 Speaker 1: working more than fifty five hours a week that raises 207 00:09:20,160 --> 00:09:24,000 Speaker 1: our risk of heart attack and stroke by a significant amounts. Man, 208 00:09:24,040 --> 00:09:26,800 Speaker 1: this is serious stuff. Yeah, we talk about money, right, 209 00:09:26,840 --> 00:09:29,520 Speaker 1: but money isn't as important as your life. And I 210 00:09:29,520 --> 00:09:31,920 Speaker 1: think when we're super stressed out because we're working too 211 00:09:32,000 --> 00:09:34,520 Speaker 1: much and too much of our faculties, too much of 212 00:09:34,520 --> 00:09:37,160 Speaker 1: our focus, too much of our attention is going to 213 00:09:37,559 --> 00:09:40,680 Speaker 1: our everyday nine to five, but it turns into more 214 00:09:40,760 --> 00:09:43,719 Speaker 1: like an eight to seven or something like that, then 215 00:09:43,880 --> 00:09:46,359 Speaker 1: it is going to lead to a lot of unhealthiness. 216 00:09:46,600 --> 00:09:49,000 Speaker 1: And that stuff impacts your wallet, but more than anything, 217 00:09:49,000 --> 00:09:51,040 Speaker 1: it just impacts the way you feel. It impacts the 218 00:09:51,040 --> 00:09:53,240 Speaker 1: way you move through life, and it just makes life 219 00:09:53,240 --> 00:09:55,160 Speaker 1: a whole lot less fun. And so, yeah, I think 220 00:09:55,160 --> 00:09:57,280 Speaker 1: it really is important to talk about this topic from 221 00:09:57,280 --> 00:09:59,560 Speaker 1: a bunch of different angles today. And that leads into 222 00:09:59,559 --> 00:10:02,640 Speaker 1: one of the night symptoms that people often experience when 223 00:10:02,679 --> 00:10:06,120 Speaker 1: they're overworked and they're lacking balance, and that's pessimism. Well, 224 00:10:06,200 --> 00:10:09,280 Speaker 1: we tend to have more negative thoughts and respond poorly 225 00:10:09,360 --> 00:10:11,520 Speaker 1: to the good things that we experience when we're overwhelmed 226 00:10:11,520 --> 00:10:14,240 Speaker 1: and overworked. If you kind of find yourself having more 227 00:10:14,240 --> 00:10:16,360 Speaker 1: of a negative outlook in general, well it's time to 228 00:10:16,480 --> 00:10:19,600 Speaker 1: kind of reassess how balance your life currently is. Yeah, 229 00:10:19,640 --> 00:10:21,640 Speaker 1: and will not just a sort of negative alok on 230 00:10:21,720 --> 00:10:25,000 Speaker 1: on things. Another sign is just an overall lack of 231 00:10:25,400 --> 00:10:28,160 Speaker 1: the other good and healthy things in our lives. If 232 00:10:28,320 --> 00:10:31,199 Speaker 1: you find yourself cutting back in other areas of your 233 00:10:31,200 --> 00:10:34,160 Speaker 1: life that you know are important, right, then you might 234 00:10:34,200 --> 00:10:37,760 Speaker 1: be working too much, Like maybe you've eliminated exercise from 235 00:10:37,800 --> 00:10:41,280 Speaker 1: your weekly routine, or maybe like your relationships are suffering. Right, 236 00:10:41,520 --> 00:10:45,720 Speaker 1: If important healthy habits are consistently missing from your daily life, 237 00:10:46,160 --> 00:10:48,800 Speaker 1: I think that's a key sign that you are in 238 00:10:48,840 --> 00:10:52,240 Speaker 1: an imbalanced states. Yeah, these symptoms, well, they can be 239 00:10:52,280 --> 00:10:54,360 Speaker 1: a huge sign that the more that we notice these 240 00:10:54,360 --> 00:10:57,360 Speaker 1: things cropping up in our lives that things just aren't balanced. 241 00:10:57,480 --> 00:11:00,480 Speaker 1: They'll work in life just aren't aligned properly. Yeah, And 242 00:11:00,520 --> 00:11:02,360 Speaker 1: a lot of folks would argue that the sort of 243 00:11:02,360 --> 00:11:04,720 Speaker 1: the main cause for this that it's noble, right, Like 244 00:11:04,760 --> 00:11:06,720 Speaker 1: we're working hard because we're trying to make more money 245 00:11:06,760 --> 00:11:08,400 Speaker 1: because we want to get ahead, like we we're trying 246 00:11:08,440 --> 00:11:09,960 Speaker 1: to set our families up to be in a better 247 00:11:09,960 --> 00:11:12,440 Speaker 1: position down the road. But unfortunately that can mean that 248 00:11:12,480 --> 00:11:14,880 Speaker 1: a lot of other areas in our life suffer. Yeah. 249 00:11:14,880 --> 00:11:17,040 Speaker 1: For sure, money plays a huge part in this whole 250 00:11:17,120 --> 00:11:20,000 Speaker 1: discussion about work life balance, and so we'll talk more 251 00:11:20,040 --> 00:11:22,360 Speaker 1: about that in just a second. Right after this break 252 00:11:31,720 --> 00:11:33,720 Speaker 1: al right here, we are back for the break, we're 253 00:11:33,720 --> 00:11:36,080 Speaker 1: talking about how important it is for us to strive 254 00:11:36,160 --> 00:11:39,360 Speaker 1: after work life balance, man. And you know what, I 255 00:11:39,360 --> 00:11:41,520 Speaker 1: think it's important for us to address the fact that 256 00:11:42,240 --> 00:11:44,360 Speaker 1: we talk about side hustles all the time, right, Like 257 00:11:44,360 --> 00:11:47,240 Speaker 1: we talk about working hard to get ahead, and so 258 00:11:47,280 --> 00:11:51,480 Speaker 1: how does suggesting more work help you to achieve greater balance? Right? Yeah, 259 00:11:51,480 --> 00:11:52,920 Speaker 1: Matt and Jewel are always trying to give me to 260 00:11:52,920 --> 00:11:54,959 Speaker 1: work more to make more money. What's up with that? 261 00:11:55,920 --> 00:11:57,640 Speaker 1: And now here we are talking about work life balance. 262 00:11:57,679 --> 00:11:59,720 Speaker 1: But I think it's important for us to talk about 263 00:11:59,760 --> 00:12:01,800 Speaker 1: side hustles and trying to make more on the side, 264 00:12:02,200 --> 00:12:05,200 Speaker 1: and fact that side hustles are not for everyone. You 265 00:12:05,280 --> 00:12:08,000 Speaker 1: might be currently tapped out with what you are already doing, 266 00:12:08,080 --> 00:12:10,240 Speaker 1: and so if that's you, starting a side hustle is 267 00:12:10,280 --> 00:12:12,920 Speaker 1: probably going to be a bad idea. And then if 268 00:12:12,920 --> 00:12:15,160 Speaker 1: you do start one, If you do have a side hustle, 269 00:12:15,600 --> 00:12:19,200 Speaker 1: do not be afraid to reassess your situation. Is it 270 00:12:19,280 --> 00:12:21,480 Speaker 1: actually bringing you closer to your goals? Like do you 271 00:12:21,480 --> 00:12:23,280 Speaker 1: have an actual goal set that you know that you're 272 00:12:23,320 --> 00:12:27,160 Speaker 1: working towards. Oftentimes the perfect side hustle can stem out 273 00:12:27,200 --> 00:12:29,840 Speaker 1: of expanding a hobby and it could allow you to 274 00:12:29,920 --> 00:12:32,720 Speaker 1: replace your full time job. Certainly, for a while you're 275 00:12:32,760 --> 00:12:36,760 Speaker 1: gonna be pulling double duty, right, But eventually, hopefully that 276 00:12:36,920 --> 00:12:39,040 Speaker 1: side hustle might be able to scale up into a 277 00:12:39,040 --> 00:12:41,640 Speaker 1: full fledged business and you can replace that time that 278 00:12:41,640 --> 00:12:44,040 Speaker 1: you're spending at your full time job with this new 279 00:12:44,120 --> 00:12:47,800 Speaker 1: side hustle. We're not necessarily advocating for you to add 280 00:12:47,840 --> 00:12:51,440 Speaker 1: hours that you're spending working to your life. And definitely, yeah, 281 00:12:51,440 --> 00:12:53,320 Speaker 1: and a side hustle is just not for everyone, and 282 00:12:53,320 --> 00:12:55,600 Speaker 1: it's not for everyone at all times. It makes me 283 00:12:55,640 --> 00:12:58,760 Speaker 1: think of our our friend Paul, and he kind of 284 00:12:58,800 --> 00:13:01,840 Speaker 1: worked for this major corporation. He didn't hate it, but 285 00:13:02,000 --> 00:13:04,640 Speaker 1: it wasn't really his jam either, and so he kind 286 00:13:04,640 --> 00:13:08,120 Speaker 1: of started to get into real estate investing, and you know, 287 00:13:08,160 --> 00:13:10,679 Speaker 1: over time, he just found it more interesting and he 288 00:13:10,720 --> 00:13:12,080 Speaker 1: found that he was doing well at it, and so 289 00:13:12,080 --> 00:13:14,360 Speaker 1: he just continued to kind of ramp that up, and 290 00:13:14,400 --> 00:13:16,320 Speaker 1: at this point in time he's been able to quit 291 00:13:16,320 --> 00:13:18,840 Speaker 1: his full time job. He does consulting on the side, 292 00:13:18,880 --> 00:13:20,680 Speaker 1: so he is able to go back and work for 293 00:13:20,720 --> 00:13:23,600 Speaker 1: that corporation on his terms and other places too, like 294 00:13:23,720 --> 00:13:26,720 Speaker 1: very right, which is which is a huge benefit and 295 00:13:26,840 --> 00:13:29,360 Speaker 1: his real estate essentially funds his lifestyle, So all that 296 00:13:29,400 --> 00:13:32,319 Speaker 1: consulting stuff, that's just kind of the icing on top 297 00:13:32,360 --> 00:13:34,199 Speaker 1: of the cake. But yeah, if you were to try 298 00:13:34,240 --> 00:13:36,600 Speaker 1: to continue once he reached at certain point of real 299 00:13:36,679 --> 00:13:40,040 Speaker 1: estate to work that full time job as well, I 300 00:13:40,040 --> 00:13:41,760 Speaker 1: think he realized that it would have led to a 301 00:13:41,840 --> 00:13:44,679 Speaker 1: massive imbalance. At some point, something's got to give, right 302 00:13:44,720 --> 00:13:46,720 Speaker 1: and and so yeah, I think that's an important thing 303 00:13:46,800 --> 00:13:48,920 Speaker 1: to note when we're talking about side hustles. At some 304 00:13:48,960 --> 00:13:50,960 Speaker 1: point something has to give, and maybe it's a side 305 00:13:51,000 --> 00:13:53,160 Speaker 1: hustle and maybe it's a day job, but trying to 306 00:13:53,200 --> 00:13:56,240 Speaker 1: continue both in perpetuity, that's definitely gonna lead you to 307 00:13:56,280 --> 00:13:58,160 Speaker 1: a place where you're gonna find yourself in a in 308 00:13:58,200 --> 00:14:01,480 Speaker 1: a massive situation of balance. Well, so let's ahead and 309 00:14:01,480 --> 00:14:03,959 Speaker 1: talk about some of the things that can lead to imbalance, 310 00:14:04,000 --> 00:14:06,000 Speaker 1: that can lead to us over working when it comes 311 00:14:06,040 --> 00:14:08,760 Speaker 1: to work in our life. And you touched on this 312 00:14:08,840 --> 00:14:11,280 Speaker 1: with Paul a little bit, but when someone doesn't know 313 00:14:11,720 --> 00:14:13,840 Speaker 1: why they are working, right, Like we talked about the 314 00:14:13,840 --> 00:14:16,079 Speaker 1: why behind our money, If you don't know why you're 315 00:14:16,080 --> 00:14:19,480 Speaker 1: doing what you're doing, that can seriously lead to overwork. 316 00:14:20,120 --> 00:14:23,040 Speaker 1: Not having a mission statement can lead to that imbalance. 317 00:14:23,520 --> 00:14:27,280 Speaker 1: You might feel conflicted consistently by how you are spending 318 00:14:27,320 --> 00:14:29,920 Speaker 1: your time if you do not have a clear direction. 319 00:14:29,960 --> 00:14:32,000 Speaker 1: It sounds like with Paul, perhaps he was looking for 320 00:14:32,080 --> 00:14:34,160 Speaker 1: a little more flexibility when it came to his time, 321 00:14:34,520 --> 00:14:36,680 Speaker 1: or even a slightly different challenge when it came to 322 00:14:36,720 --> 00:14:38,880 Speaker 1: his work. For everyone out there, it's going to be 323 00:14:39,000 --> 00:14:41,760 Speaker 1: something different. But it's hard to know what your why 324 00:14:42,120 --> 00:14:45,280 Speaker 1: is if you haven't taken some time to consider what 325 00:14:45,320 --> 00:14:47,920 Speaker 1: it is that you truly want your life to look like. Yeah, 326 00:14:48,000 --> 00:14:50,640 Speaker 1: so really, I guess the marching orders when you hear 327 00:14:50,640 --> 00:14:53,400 Speaker 1: something like that is to find out what your why 328 00:14:53,600 --> 00:14:57,320 Speaker 1: is spend some time because oftentimes I think, Matt, you're right, 329 00:14:57,320 --> 00:14:59,880 Speaker 1: like we're we're looking at someone else's why. We're living 330 00:15:00,000 --> 00:15:02,800 Speaker 1: life according to somebody else's terms and kind of what 331 00:15:02,880 --> 00:15:06,360 Speaker 1: they think is important, and we as individuals need to 332 00:15:06,440 --> 00:15:09,080 Speaker 1: do some soul searching to figure out what what it 333 00:15:09,160 --> 00:15:11,560 Speaker 1: is that we want our life to look like, and 334 00:15:11,600 --> 00:15:15,040 Speaker 1: that might involve big changes like moving or downsizing. But 335 00:15:15,200 --> 00:15:18,240 Speaker 1: when we can identify our goals and then reframe our 336 00:15:18,320 --> 00:15:21,240 Speaker 1: work as a means to achieve those goals, then I 337 00:15:21,240 --> 00:15:23,400 Speaker 1: think we're on the right track. Yeah, And if you 338 00:15:23,440 --> 00:15:25,720 Speaker 1: don't identify your why, it's gonna be really easy for 339 00:15:25,760 --> 00:15:28,320 Speaker 1: your boss or if your company to identify that thing 340 00:15:28,360 --> 00:15:30,680 Speaker 1: for you. Right, Because, like I mean, we live in 341 00:15:30,720 --> 00:15:34,240 Speaker 1: a culture, like an American culture, where achievement and you know, 342 00:15:34,280 --> 00:15:37,760 Speaker 1: getting ahead, that's kind of the defaults. And while those 343 00:15:37,840 --> 00:15:41,760 Speaker 1: can be great things, if left unchecked, those things can 344 00:15:42,000 --> 00:15:43,600 Speaker 1: kind of ruin the rest of our life. It can 345 00:15:43,600 --> 00:15:45,680 Speaker 1: cut them up, Yes, exactly. I think if it as 346 00:15:45,760 --> 00:15:48,640 Speaker 1: like this flame, this fire, right, a camp fire is 347 00:15:48,680 --> 00:15:51,720 Speaker 1: this beautiful, wonderful thing when it's sitting there where it's 348 00:15:51,720 --> 00:15:54,160 Speaker 1: supposed to be, you know, like the bear wants it 349 00:15:54,520 --> 00:15:56,280 Speaker 1: exactly where the kids can sit there and they've got 350 00:15:56,320 --> 00:15:58,480 Speaker 1: their smores, right, But if that fire gets out of 351 00:15:58,480 --> 00:16:01,040 Speaker 1: that firing, well, then it's a se reous problem. So 352 00:16:01,080 --> 00:16:02,520 Speaker 1: I think it can be helpful for us to view 353 00:16:02,840 --> 00:16:06,400 Speaker 1: achievement in getting ahead through that lens. Only you can 354 00:16:06,440 --> 00:16:11,400 Speaker 1: prevent achievement fires. Right, So we're going with that, Okay, perfect, 355 00:16:11,440 --> 00:16:14,320 Speaker 1: all right. So another root cause that can really lead 356 00:16:14,320 --> 00:16:17,440 Speaker 1: to a good amount of work life and balance is 357 00:16:17,800 --> 00:16:21,240 Speaker 1: out of control spending. It's not having our finances in order. Finally, 358 00:16:21,280 --> 00:16:24,600 Speaker 1: we're talking about money, it's in the title of the podcast, like, 359 00:16:24,640 --> 00:16:26,600 Speaker 1: we should get to that a little bit sooner, but yeah, 360 00:16:26,720 --> 00:16:29,640 Speaker 1: we're we're there now, so out of control spending truly 361 00:16:29,680 --> 00:16:31,720 Speaker 1: can force us to work more than we want to, 362 00:16:31,920 --> 00:16:34,400 Speaker 1: and that's a real problem, racking up debt, buying more 363 00:16:34,400 --> 00:16:37,400 Speaker 1: stuff that means being forced to up our income. Man, 364 00:16:37,480 --> 00:16:40,120 Speaker 1: we I hate hearing about that, Matt, where the where 365 00:16:40,120 --> 00:16:43,240 Speaker 1: people have essentially pigeonholed themselves in the corner by racking 366 00:16:43,320 --> 00:16:46,120 Speaker 1: up credit card debt because they found curbing their spending 367 00:16:46,160 --> 00:16:48,600 Speaker 1: to be just too difficult. And I know it's easier 368 00:16:48,600 --> 00:16:50,920 Speaker 1: said than done, right, we talked about it a lot, 369 00:16:51,160 --> 00:16:53,400 Speaker 1: but it is something that we have to do if 370 00:16:53,400 --> 00:16:55,080 Speaker 1: we do want more of a work life balance, if 371 00:16:55,120 --> 00:16:57,680 Speaker 1: we don't want to have to work more to fund 372 00:16:57,680 --> 00:16:59,800 Speaker 1: our lifestyle, well then we need to have a simpler 373 00:16:59,800 --> 00:17:01,920 Speaker 1: life style, that's right. And so the solution here is 374 00:17:02,000 --> 00:17:04,639 Speaker 1: to create and stick to a budget, which, like you said, 375 00:17:04,720 --> 00:17:07,199 Speaker 1: easier said than done for a lot of people. If 376 00:17:07,200 --> 00:17:09,960 Speaker 1: you're in bad shape, get some help and some accountability, 377 00:17:10,080 --> 00:17:12,440 Speaker 1: Like do not let the reason for your work life 378 00:17:12,440 --> 00:17:16,480 Speaker 1: imbalance be that you are consistently spending more than you make. 379 00:17:16,680 --> 00:17:19,280 Speaker 1: We are actually gonna do an episode on Budgets next week, 380 00:17:19,359 --> 00:17:21,280 Speaker 1: so you can look forward to that one showing up 381 00:17:21,280 --> 00:17:24,119 Speaker 1: in your podcatchers soon. I'm at the edge of my 382 00:17:24,160 --> 00:17:27,399 Speaker 1: seat right now. It's gonna be a good one, yeah, man. 383 00:17:27,400 --> 00:17:28,840 Speaker 1: And I think another root cause that we need to 384 00:17:28,880 --> 00:17:32,879 Speaker 1: discuss that leads to a work life imbalance is difficulty 385 00:17:33,040 --> 00:17:36,400 Speaker 1: actually working. You might be on the clock, but constant 386 00:17:36,400 --> 00:17:39,679 Speaker 1: distractions could be keeping you from working efficiently on the 387 00:17:39,680 --> 00:17:42,320 Speaker 1: good stuff. And you're not the only one that has 388 00:17:42,320 --> 00:17:44,720 Speaker 1: this issue either. It takes an average of twenty three 389 00:17:44,800 --> 00:17:49,960 Speaker 1: minutes for an individual to refocus after getting distracted. Believes 390 00:17:50,000 --> 00:17:53,240 Speaker 1: that as someone who works from home, I'm pretty sure 391 00:17:53,240 --> 00:17:55,280 Speaker 1: it takes me that long to like fully get back 392 00:17:55,320 --> 00:17:58,000 Speaker 1: into the groove. Yes, completely. If you're distracted from a 393 00:17:58,040 --> 00:18:00,920 Speaker 1: specific task you're working on by any mail or your 394 00:18:00,920 --> 00:18:04,159 Speaker 1: phone buzzing in your pocket, or just a coworker coming in, 395 00:18:04,280 --> 00:18:05,959 Speaker 1: you know how hard it is to get re engaged 396 00:18:06,000 --> 00:18:08,720 Speaker 1: in that task that you were working hard at. So 397 00:18:09,160 --> 00:18:10,960 Speaker 1: how do we tahle this, Well, we have to make 398 00:18:11,040 --> 00:18:14,240 Speaker 1: changes so that we can actually get the things accomplished. 399 00:18:14,480 --> 00:18:16,879 Speaker 1: Then we need to get accomplished instead of just quote 400 00:18:16,920 --> 00:18:21,280 Speaker 1: unquote like being at work, having our work day dictated 401 00:18:21,520 --> 00:18:25,120 Speaker 1: by whatever email comes has come across our inbox most recently. 402 00:18:25,520 --> 00:18:27,360 Speaker 1: That's how we kind of fight back. And I think 403 00:18:27,359 --> 00:18:30,320 Speaker 1: that's why we're seeing kind of a rising popularity of 404 00:18:30,359 --> 00:18:33,639 Speaker 1: companies going to five hour workdays because they're realizing that 405 00:18:33,680 --> 00:18:36,280 Speaker 1: a traditional forty hour workweek well involve just a lot 406 00:18:36,280 --> 00:18:39,280 Speaker 1: of employee distraction, and if they can get their employees 407 00:18:39,400 --> 00:18:42,439 Speaker 1: to buy into working fewer hours but being a hun 408 00:18:42,600 --> 00:18:45,040 Speaker 1: percent focused during those work hours, they're going to have 409 00:18:45,080 --> 00:18:48,119 Speaker 1: employees that are just as productive, if not more so. Yeah. So, 410 00:18:48,160 --> 00:18:50,639 Speaker 1: one of the things that man I would suggest as 411 00:18:50,680 --> 00:18:54,080 Speaker 1: doing a time audits, which sounds like a fancy term 412 00:18:54,160 --> 00:18:57,040 Speaker 1: for just keeping track of your time. Right. This has 413 00:18:57,080 --> 00:18:59,479 Speaker 1: made a huge difference in my life. Just like you 414 00:18:59,480 --> 00:19:01,560 Speaker 1: want your money being spent towards the things that you 415 00:19:01,640 --> 00:19:04,440 Speaker 1: actually value, we want your time going in the same direction, 416 00:19:04,480 --> 00:19:06,919 Speaker 1: towards the things that you actually care about. When you 417 00:19:06,960 --> 00:19:09,359 Speaker 1: are spending your time in a way that prioritizes the 418 00:19:09,440 --> 00:19:12,679 Speaker 1: people you love and and includes the interests you value, 419 00:19:12,960 --> 00:19:15,960 Speaker 1: you are far less likely to feel out of whack. So, 420 00:19:16,080 --> 00:19:18,800 Speaker 1: just like with our budgets and tracking our spending our dollars, 421 00:19:18,920 --> 00:19:20,920 Speaker 1: should reflect the things that we value in our life. 422 00:19:20,920 --> 00:19:24,320 Speaker 1: In the same way our schedules should also reflect the 423 00:19:24,320 --> 00:19:26,960 Speaker 1: things that we value. Yeah, and I think, Matt, another 424 00:19:27,160 --> 00:19:32,320 Speaker 1: helpful way to combat a difficulty actually working while we're 425 00:19:32,600 --> 00:19:35,399 Speaker 1: supposed to be working is shutting out the noise around 426 00:19:35,480 --> 00:19:37,679 Speaker 1: us so that we can get those important and crucial 427 00:19:37,720 --> 00:19:41,320 Speaker 1: things done. And so, Matt, my job in particular is 428 00:19:41,359 --> 00:19:43,840 Speaker 1: one where I feel like I have to be responsive 429 00:19:43,920 --> 00:19:48,240 Speaker 1: more immediately. I do have timely things happening a large 430 00:19:48,280 --> 00:19:49,919 Speaker 1: part of the day and that I have to be 431 00:19:49,920 --> 00:19:52,280 Speaker 1: able to react to quickly, and so I can't always 432 00:19:52,320 --> 00:19:54,480 Speaker 1: shut these things off, but I do have to find 433 00:19:54,600 --> 00:19:57,560 Speaker 1: key times to be away from email and slack in 434 00:19:57,680 --> 00:20:00,119 Speaker 1: order to accomplish the bigger tasks that I want to 435 00:20:00,160 --> 00:20:02,640 Speaker 1: get done. So this is obviously get to vary by job, 436 00:20:02,680 --> 00:20:05,760 Speaker 1: by industry, by the culture of your workplace. But the 437 00:20:05,840 --> 00:20:09,080 Speaker 1: more time that you can separate yourself from the constant 438 00:20:09,119 --> 00:20:12,560 Speaker 1: buzzing and distraction and people around you and focus on 439 00:20:12,640 --> 00:20:15,879 Speaker 1: a particular item of work, the more productive you're gonna be. 440 00:20:15,960 --> 00:20:17,760 Speaker 1: And you might even find yourself being able to leave 441 00:20:17,800 --> 00:20:20,760 Speaker 1: work earlier than you thought you normally could have, getting 442 00:20:20,760 --> 00:20:22,560 Speaker 1: home in time for dinner where you weren't able to 443 00:20:22,640 --> 00:20:25,160 Speaker 1: do that before, by letting those less important things wait 444 00:20:25,280 --> 00:20:28,280 Speaker 1: and actually having more time for those more important tasks 445 00:20:28,359 --> 00:20:30,960 Speaker 1: that are things that you have to get done well, man. 446 00:20:31,160 --> 00:20:33,160 Speaker 1: I will share a quick little tip, a little strategy 447 00:20:33,240 --> 00:20:36,160 Speaker 1: that I've been able to incorporate into my life as 448 00:20:36,160 --> 00:20:38,800 Speaker 1: someone who works from home. Right, I've got my little 449 00:20:38,800 --> 00:20:41,520 Speaker 1: home office, but that doesn't mean I can't hear my 450 00:20:41,600 --> 00:20:45,440 Speaker 1: family and my kids screaming in the background. And so 451 00:20:45,720 --> 00:20:47,840 Speaker 1: I would suggest you know, you're talking about the noise 452 00:20:47,880 --> 00:20:49,879 Speaker 1: of the office, Well, I've got the noise of my house, 453 00:20:50,200 --> 00:20:52,879 Speaker 1: and so I would completely recommend that you get some 454 00:20:53,080 --> 00:20:56,520 Speaker 1: nice earplugs, the soft kind you can kind of roll 455 00:20:56,600 --> 00:20:58,640 Speaker 1: up in your fingers and jam in your ears. Dude, 456 00:20:58,680 --> 00:21:01,480 Speaker 1: I am able to work so much better when I 457 00:21:01,480 --> 00:21:04,359 Speaker 1: can hear nothing Like I'm not one of these people 458 00:21:04,400 --> 00:21:05,879 Speaker 1: who like to turn on, you know, a bunch of 459 00:21:05,920 --> 00:21:07,680 Speaker 1: music and have all this kind of stuff going on. 460 00:21:08,160 --> 00:21:10,080 Speaker 1: You know, a lot of people will go to like Comfitivity. 461 00:21:10,200 --> 00:21:12,000 Speaker 1: Have you ever used that app? Or I don't know 462 00:21:12,040 --> 00:21:13,199 Speaker 1: if it's an app. I used to go to it 463 00:21:13,200 --> 00:21:15,760 Speaker 1: on on my web browser, but it like mimics the 464 00:21:15,800 --> 00:21:18,200 Speaker 1: sounds of a cafe and you can do like lunch, 465 00:21:18,280 --> 00:21:22,440 Speaker 1: murmur and like because some people, for them, they are 466 00:21:22,480 --> 00:21:24,240 Speaker 1: able to work better when there's this sort of white 467 00:21:24,320 --> 00:21:26,720 Speaker 1: noise surrounding them where it feels like they're in a 468 00:21:26,800 --> 00:21:29,960 Speaker 1: sort of work office environment. But for me, man, it's 469 00:21:29,960 --> 00:21:34,639 Speaker 1: the complete opposite. I want like zen yoga like silence, 470 00:21:35,200 --> 00:21:37,440 Speaker 1: and I'm able to achieve that when I actually use 471 00:21:37,480 --> 00:21:39,200 Speaker 1: ear plugs. So I know that kind of sounds silly. 472 00:21:39,200 --> 00:21:40,840 Speaker 1: It might be silly for a lot of folks who 473 00:21:40,920 --> 00:21:42,760 Speaker 1: who do work in an office, But if you find 474 00:21:42,800 --> 00:21:45,040 Speaker 1: yourself being distracted by the things that you hear being 475 00:21:45,080 --> 00:21:47,359 Speaker 1: overset are just different noises in your office, man, I 476 00:21:47,400 --> 00:21:50,119 Speaker 1: would completely recommend that. If that's something you can get 477 00:21:50,160 --> 00:21:52,600 Speaker 1: away with ear plugs, that's a good recommendation. Seriously, dude. 478 00:21:52,600 --> 00:21:55,399 Speaker 1: Al Right, So I think another core root cause, uh 479 00:21:55,440 --> 00:21:57,639 Speaker 1: that could lead to more work life and balance, and 480 00:21:57,640 --> 00:21:59,760 Speaker 1: it often does for a lot of people. It could 481 00:21:59,800 --> 00:22:02,879 Speaker 1: just be your job is a big issue and you 482 00:22:02,920 --> 00:22:04,760 Speaker 1: could be in a field that's demanding, or have a 483 00:22:04,800 --> 00:22:08,280 Speaker 1: boss who only cares about the profitability of the company 484 00:22:08,359 --> 00:22:11,040 Speaker 1: and ringing as much productivity out of you as as 485 00:22:11,080 --> 00:22:13,680 Speaker 1: they can. So if your supervisor is the problem, Well, 486 00:22:13,720 --> 00:22:15,800 Speaker 1: you might need to seek to work in a different 487 00:22:15,840 --> 00:22:19,160 Speaker 1: department or even consider switching companies. And if you work 488 00:22:19,160 --> 00:22:21,399 Speaker 1: in a soul sucking industry, you might want to consider 489 00:22:21,440 --> 00:22:24,080 Speaker 1: what it would look like to switch careers altogether. And 490 00:22:24,119 --> 00:22:26,360 Speaker 1: it might not be as crazy as it sounds, especially 491 00:22:26,520 --> 00:22:28,639 Speaker 1: if it allows you to spend your time in a 492 00:22:28,680 --> 00:22:30,800 Speaker 1: way that reflects what you value. And I know that 493 00:22:30,840 --> 00:22:33,439 Speaker 1: these decisions, well they're not made overnight, Matt, right, Like 494 00:22:33,560 --> 00:22:36,439 Speaker 1: people aren't like cool, Yeah, all right, I'll switch jobs tomorrow. 495 00:22:36,920 --> 00:22:38,320 Speaker 1: But it is one of those things that you might 496 00:22:38,320 --> 00:22:40,640 Speaker 1: need to start working towards. If you realize that your 497 00:22:40,640 --> 00:22:42,800 Speaker 1: life is in a state of imbalance, if you're if 498 00:22:42,800 --> 00:22:45,760 Speaker 1: you're exhibiting some of those symptoms as that we mentioned earlier, well, 499 00:22:45,800 --> 00:22:49,240 Speaker 1: then kind of making the long play to switch careers 500 00:22:49,520 --> 00:22:53,280 Speaker 1: or to find another employer that can start today, although 501 00:22:53,280 --> 00:22:55,080 Speaker 1: it might take a few months or even longer to 502 00:22:55,080 --> 00:22:57,760 Speaker 1: actually get there. Right. Yeah, for a lot of folks, though, 503 00:22:57,920 --> 00:23:01,920 Speaker 1: leaving your job or changing industries altogether, that may not 504 00:23:02,040 --> 00:23:04,679 Speaker 1: at all be a possibility for you. If so, it 505 00:23:04,800 --> 00:23:07,480 Speaker 1: is crucial to develop hard boundaries. And so after the 506 00:23:07,520 --> 00:23:10,080 Speaker 1: break we'll discuss more of what some of those boundaries 507 00:23:10,200 --> 00:23:21,480 Speaker 1: might look like. Alight, Matt, we're back from the break 508 00:23:21,640 --> 00:23:24,600 Speaker 1: and we're talking about work life balance. Let's talk about 509 00:23:24,920 --> 00:23:28,600 Speaker 1: the ultimate way to achieve it. Quitting your job. I'm 510 00:23:28,600 --> 00:23:32,960 Speaker 1: out of here. Some people might need to do that 511 00:23:33,000 --> 00:23:35,440 Speaker 1: if it's that bad, right, And I just want to 512 00:23:35,480 --> 00:23:37,879 Speaker 1: give a personal example from my life. Man, I had 513 00:23:37,920 --> 00:23:41,080 Speaker 1: this job where I was producing a morning news show 514 00:23:41,200 --> 00:23:43,680 Speaker 1: that was basically my first big time job out of college, 515 00:23:44,080 --> 00:23:47,000 Speaker 1: and it was it was terrible. I gotta be honest. 516 00:23:47,080 --> 00:23:49,919 Speaker 1: I didn't like it. I learned a lot, and I 517 00:23:50,000 --> 00:23:52,159 Speaker 1: was glad I took it because the learning curve was steep, 518 00:23:52,400 --> 00:23:55,000 Speaker 1: and I feel like, you know, I basically got initiated 519 00:23:55,040 --> 00:23:58,960 Speaker 1: into the radio production world in no time flat. You 520 00:23:59,000 --> 00:24:03,119 Speaker 1: paid your dues, Yeah, very very much so. But my 521 00:24:03,280 --> 00:24:06,399 Speaker 1: job was based around the news and the news never stopped. 522 00:24:06,440 --> 00:24:09,840 Speaker 1: I've heard that before. And I had to book guests 523 00:24:10,200 --> 00:24:12,160 Speaker 1: for the next day, and so I had to stay 524 00:24:12,160 --> 00:24:13,920 Speaker 1: on top of the news and basically at the same time, 525 00:24:13,960 --> 00:24:17,040 Speaker 1: I had to wake up just ridiculously early. The show 526 00:24:17,080 --> 00:24:19,919 Speaker 1: was like that started five in the morning, so I 527 00:24:19,960 --> 00:24:21,560 Speaker 1: had to be up at like three. Yeah, I remember, 528 00:24:21,640 --> 00:24:23,720 Speaker 1: you've talked about this before, and then maybe you would 529 00:24:23,760 --> 00:24:25,960 Speaker 1: get a nap like later that day, but otherwise you're 530 00:24:25,960 --> 00:24:28,399 Speaker 1: still hanging out with your friends like during their normal hours. 531 00:24:29,200 --> 00:24:31,119 Speaker 1: And and then you know, after my nap, I had 532 00:24:31,160 --> 00:24:33,080 Speaker 1: to look at the news again and try to book 533 00:24:33,160 --> 00:24:35,439 Speaker 1: then the other guests for the for the upcoming for 534 00:24:35,480 --> 00:24:37,920 Speaker 1: the show the next day. It was just too much. 535 00:24:38,119 --> 00:24:41,040 Speaker 1: The job wasn't conducive to having real boundaries, at least 536 00:24:41,040 --> 00:24:43,760 Speaker 1: for me, and so I quit five months later, and 537 00:24:43,800 --> 00:24:45,960 Speaker 1: I didn't really have kind of the next thing lined 538 00:24:46,040 --> 00:24:48,639 Speaker 1: up yet, but I just knew I couldn't continue. And 539 00:24:48,680 --> 00:24:51,320 Speaker 1: the great news was I was financially okay to be 540 00:24:51,320 --> 00:24:53,800 Speaker 1: able to do that. But yeah, maybe for some people, 541 00:24:54,119 --> 00:24:57,359 Speaker 1: quitting is the only way to achieve work life balance. 542 00:24:57,880 --> 00:24:59,760 Speaker 1: I just want to throw that out there, that that 543 00:25:00,080 --> 00:25:03,200 Speaker 1: a possibility. We mentioned the job being the biggest issue, 544 00:25:03,320 --> 00:25:04,720 Speaker 1: and it might be that the only way to get 545 00:25:04,800 --> 00:25:07,240 Speaker 1: rid of that issue is to to leave all together. Yeah, Juel, 546 00:25:07,280 --> 00:25:08,600 Speaker 1: And what I want to point out here is that 547 00:25:08,680 --> 00:25:11,320 Speaker 1: you were in a financial position to take that step. 548 00:25:11,480 --> 00:25:13,719 Speaker 1: Right when you first took that job. You didn't know 549 00:25:13,840 --> 00:25:17,000 Speaker 1: that eventually you were gonna want out, but you started 550 00:25:17,000 --> 00:25:19,199 Speaker 1: doing smart things with your money, and that allowed you 551 00:25:19,280 --> 00:25:21,120 Speaker 1: to be in a position were you were able to say, 552 00:25:21,160 --> 00:25:22,680 Speaker 1: peace out. You know, I'm out of here, I'm gonna 553 00:25:22,680 --> 00:25:24,439 Speaker 1: go travel. Yeah, I sure didn't know it was going 554 00:25:24,480 --> 00:25:27,800 Speaker 1: to be that quick. But well, for a lot of folks, though, 555 00:25:27,880 --> 00:25:30,080 Speaker 1: quitting may not be an option. Uh. And if so, 556 00:25:30,240 --> 00:25:33,480 Speaker 1: it's important to figure out what the expectations are and 557 00:25:33,520 --> 00:25:36,000 Speaker 1: when it comes to communicating and getting your work done 558 00:25:36,200 --> 00:25:40,160 Speaker 1: with your employer. Right your your boss might even commend 559 00:25:40,240 --> 00:25:43,560 Speaker 1: you if you proactively draw some hard lines around your 560 00:25:43,560 --> 00:25:47,560 Speaker 1: personal time and so hopefully you know through conversation you 561 00:25:47,600 --> 00:25:50,960 Speaker 1: can define those hours with your boss. You can figure 562 00:25:51,000 --> 00:25:52,320 Speaker 1: out what it is that you need to get done. 563 00:25:52,520 --> 00:25:54,240 Speaker 1: And then the other vital part of that is making 564 00:25:54,280 --> 00:25:56,920 Speaker 1: sure that you're able to communicate that to your colleagues. 565 00:25:56,960 --> 00:25:59,040 Speaker 1: That way, you're still an important part of the team, right, Like, 566 00:25:59,080 --> 00:26:00,720 Speaker 1: you don't want to just say like, okay, these are 567 00:26:00,760 --> 00:26:02,960 Speaker 1: my boundaries now and have that be a detriment to 568 00:26:03,040 --> 00:26:05,320 Speaker 1: what you would be able to contribute to your team, Like, 569 00:26:05,400 --> 00:26:07,200 Speaker 1: you still want to be able to get the work done, 570 00:26:07,440 --> 00:26:09,280 Speaker 1: and hopefully this will allow you to get your work 571 00:26:09,320 --> 00:26:12,159 Speaker 1: done more efficiently and at a higher caliber. At the 572 00:26:12,200 --> 00:26:14,800 Speaker 1: same time. Yeah, and and that in in our culture 573 00:26:14,920 --> 00:26:18,600 Speaker 1: right now of basically constant connection and our employer thinking 574 00:26:18,600 --> 00:26:22,040 Speaker 1: that we should respond at all hours of the night. Well, 575 00:26:22,400 --> 00:26:25,359 Speaker 1: that constant connection to technology, I think can make us 576 00:26:25,359 --> 00:26:27,679 Speaker 1: think that we're more productive than we actually are. And 577 00:26:27,720 --> 00:26:30,639 Speaker 1: if we're always present via email and slack, are we 578 00:26:30,680 --> 00:26:33,600 Speaker 1: giving ourselves the time to think through our bigger goals 579 00:26:33,800 --> 00:26:35,880 Speaker 1: and the impact that we're actually having. And I think 580 00:26:35,920 --> 00:26:38,399 Speaker 1: we're not oftentimes right because we're just responding to the 581 00:26:38,440 --> 00:26:41,520 Speaker 1: immediate things and so basically always being in touch, it's 582 00:26:41,560 --> 00:26:44,719 Speaker 1: not really a good thing for us. So consider taking 583 00:26:44,760 --> 00:26:47,719 Speaker 1: work email off your phone. I deleted work email and 584 00:26:47,800 --> 00:26:51,560 Speaker 1: Slack from my phone because I realized that it was 585 00:26:51,600 --> 00:26:54,680 Speaker 1: more of a distraction than it was helping me actually 586 00:26:54,720 --> 00:26:57,000 Speaker 1: get things done at work, and that the things that 587 00:26:57,040 --> 00:27:00,320 Speaker 1: were more pressing and needed what my direct super visor 588 00:27:00,320 --> 00:27:02,359 Speaker 1: could text or call me. And I let her know that, 589 00:27:02,400 --> 00:27:04,719 Speaker 1: I said, you can reach out to me via via 590 00:27:05,040 --> 00:27:07,119 Speaker 1: a phone call or a text if there's something that's urgent, 591 00:27:07,359 --> 00:27:09,160 Speaker 1: and that happens, you know, a couple of times a year. 592 00:27:09,520 --> 00:27:11,760 Speaker 1: But at least now I have this kind of clear 593 00:27:11,760 --> 00:27:13,720 Speaker 1: conscience when I go home that I don't need to 594 00:27:13,720 --> 00:27:16,040 Speaker 1: be checking any of that stuff. It just doesn't need 595 00:27:16,080 --> 00:27:18,160 Speaker 1: a factor into my evening. And I know that not 596 00:27:18,200 --> 00:27:20,359 Speaker 1: everyone can set such clear boundaries, but a lot of 597 00:27:20,440 --> 00:27:22,800 Speaker 1: us can. Many of us can, I think a lot 598 00:27:22,840 --> 00:27:25,399 Speaker 1: of us can, but we're afraid to sure, like like 599 00:27:25,400 --> 00:27:27,840 Speaker 1: we're just afraid of taking those steps because we think 600 00:27:27,840 --> 00:27:29,480 Speaker 1: that like, oh that you know, that's not going to 601 00:27:29,520 --> 00:27:31,840 Speaker 1: allow us to get that advancement, or oh, this is 602 00:27:31,880 --> 00:27:33,879 Speaker 1: gonna affect this. But I think that's a great challenge 603 00:27:33,880 --> 00:27:35,800 Speaker 1: for us to take and to see, like, does this 604 00:27:35,960 --> 00:27:38,800 Speaker 1: actually affect the quality and the quantity of work that 605 00:27:38,840 --> 00:27:41,160 Speaker 1: I'm truly able to get done. I think it will 606 00:27:41,200 --> 00:27:44,960 Speaker 1: affect it in the positive if instead of constantly doing 607 00:27:45,000 --> 00:27:47,440 Speaker 1: work or constantly replying to emails, if we're able to 608 00:27:47,520 --> 00:27:50,440 Speaker 1: essentially batch our work right. Like it makes me think 609 00:27:50,480 --> 00:27:53,600 Speaker 1: of like doing dishes. We don't do dishes all day long, 610 00:27:53,680 --> 00:27:55,760 Speaker 1: like every time there's a dirty plate or dirty fork 611 00:27:56,160 --> 00:27:57,800 Speaker 1: or at least I mean, that's not how we roll, Like, 612 00:27:58,119 --> 00:28:00,200 Speaker 1: but we put everything in the sink, and at the 613 00:28:00,280 --> 00:28:01,600 Speaker 1: end of the night, after the kids are in bed, 614 00:28:01,960 --> 00:28:03,720 Speaker 1: I go and I tackle the dishes and it and 615 00:28:03,760 --> 00:28:05,960 Speaker 1: I can knock them all out and no time. When 616 00:28:05,960 --> 00:28:09,280 Speaker 1: we have this constant trickle something like email, I feel 617 00:28:09,280 --> 00:28:11,919 Speaker 1: like it just wears on us. And I just think 618 00:28:11,960 --> 00:28:16,399 Speaker 1: those constant notifications, though not necessarily urgent, can just you know, 619 00:28:16,480 --> 00:28:19,080 Speaker 1: like a like a dripping faucet. It just wears on 620 00:28:19,160 --> 00:28:21,960 Speaker 1: us mentally. And man, I would even suggest for folks. 621 00:28:21,960 --> 00:28:23,680 Speaker 1: This is something I've done recently, is like I still 622 00:28:23,720 --> 00:28:27,280 Speaker 1: have email on my phone, but turn off your notifications. 623 00:28:27,400 --> 00:28:30,960 Speaker 1: I'm not talking about your sound notifications or like the banners, 624 00:28:31,000 --> 00:28:33,400 Speaker 1: like the pop up banners, but something I've done recently 625 00:28:33,800 --> 00:28:36,760 Speaker 1: is I've turned off badges notifications like the icons that 626 00:28:36,880 --> 00:28:38,120 Speaker 1: you can show up at the top of your phone. 627 00:28:38,320 --> 00:28:40,200 Speaker 1: So you've got your email app, and when you have 628 00:28:40,200 --> 00:28:42,920 Speaker 1: an email, there's a little red dot with a little 629 00:28:42,960 --> 00:28:45,360 Speaker 1: number in there. You can turn that off, and so 630 00:28:45,480 --> 00:28:47,480 Speaker 1: I can still go to my email and check my email. 631 00:28:47,640 --> 00:28:49,400 Speaker 1: I know there's unread emails there, but you know what 632 00:28:49,480 --> 00:28:51,880 Speaker 1: I don't need is for that number just to constantly 633 00:28:51,920 --> 00:28:55,880 Speaker 1: increase when I'm off the clock, one constant reminder, yes exactly. 634 00:28:55,920 --> 00:28:58,320 Speaker 1: And so why have that on? You know, why why 635 00:28:58,400 --> 00:29:00,560 Speaker 1: have it looked like something that needs address, because like 636 00:29:00,600 --> 00:29:02,680 Speaker 1: they make it read for a reason like, it's to 637 00:29:02,680 --> 00:29:05,440 Speaker 1: get your attention. And so that's an easy little change 638 00:29:05,440 --> 00:29:07,760 Speaker 1: that you can do on your phone, going to notifications, 639 00:29:07,760 --> 00:29:10,680 Speaker 1: go down to your email, and turn off notifications altogether. 640 00:29:10,880 --> 00:29:13,320 Speaker 1: Ma I mean that reminds me just kind of of, 641 00:29:13,480 --> 00:29:15,720 Speaker 1: you know, something I briefly mentioned at the beginning of 642 00:29:15,720 --> 00:29:18,760 Speaker 1: the episode, which was certain employers going to five hour 643 00:29:18,800 --> 00:29:22,200 Speaker 1: workdays and they've found that their employees are more productive. 644 00:29:22,360 --> 00:29:25,840 Speaker 1: And it's because so much of what we do when 645 00:29:25,880 --> 00:29:29,880 Speaker 1: we think we're productive by just being at work right that, well, 646 00:29:29,920 --> 00:29:31,520 Speaker 1: we spend a lot of time it turns out on 647 00:29:31,560 --> 00:29:34,120 Speaker 1: social media or walking down the hallway or having lunch. 648 00:29:34,160 --> 00:29:35,880 Speaker 1: I mean, there are all these things that take our 649 00:29:35,920 --> 00:29:38,520 Speaker 1: focus away from the task at hand. And if we 650 00:29:38,560 --> 00:29:41,520 Speaker 1: can just kind of concentrated in this smaller amount of 651 00:29:41,560 --> 00:29:45,120 Speaker 1: time but we're uber focused, then it changes our workflow 652 00:29:45,320 --> 00:29:47,720 Speaker 1: and allows us to have more freedom in the other 653 00:29:47,760 --> 00:29:50,080 Speaker 1: hours of our lives. And those employers seem to be 654 00:29:50,120 --> 00:29:52,840 Speaker 1: talking about how successful, how good it's been for their 655 00:29:52,880 --> 00:29:55,400 Speaker 1: company and for their employees, and so I think you're 656 00:29:55,480 --> 00:29:57,920 Speaker 1: right starting the conversation with your employer or with your 657 00:29:57,960 --> 00:30:01,880 Speaker 1: direct manager using some of these stories as kind of 658 00:30:02,000 --> 00:30:04,880 Speaker 1: fuel for the fire as kind of your artillery right 659 00:30:04,960 --> 00:30:07,120 Speaker 1: in the fight to take back some of some more 660 00:30:07,160 --> 00:30:09,440 Speaker 1: of your life and some more of your autonomy. That's 661 00:30:09,440 --> 00:30:11,120 Speaker 1: a great place to start, and I think you can 662 00:30:11,120 --> 00:30:14,200 Speaker 1: help kind of start that conversation going with your boss 663 00:30:14,440 --> 00:30:16,760 Speaker 1: and it can help lead to a greater work life 664 00:30:16,760 --> 00:30:19,720 Speaker 1: balance in your life. We're talking essentially about kind of 665 00:30:19,720 --> 00:30:23,160 Speaker 1: like technological boundaries, and we're talking about time boundaries, but 666 00:30:23,240 --> 00:30:26,000 Speaker 1: let's dive into our minds a little bit. Let's talk 667 00:30:26,000 --> 00:30:30,120 Speaker 1: about mental boundaries. So many jobs today involve information and 668 00:30:30,200 --> 00:30:33,240 Speaker 1: ideas that it makes it even more difficult to turn 669 00:30:33,280 --> 00:30:36,560 Speaker 1: off our work in order to achieve that work life balance. Right, 670 00:30:36,720 --> 00:30:39,400 Speaker 1: got to admit that's my main struggle really. I mean, like, 671 00:30:39,440 --> 00:30:41,760 Speaker 1: forget about our cell phones, like our brains, like they 672 00:30:41,800 --> 00:30:43,920 Speaker 1: are the real culprits here when it comes to the 673 00:30:43,920 --> 00:30:46,640 Speaker 1: inability to truly turn off our work. And so how 674 00:30:46,640 --> 00:30:48,480 Speaker 1: do we take the steps in order to make sure 675 00:30:48,520 --> 00:30:50,280 Speaker 1: that our minds are in a healthy spot. We want 676 00:30:50,280 --> 00:30:52,840 Speaker 1: to make sure that not only are our bodies off 677 00:30:52,880 --> 00:30:54,720 Speaker 1: the clock, but that our minds are off the clock 678 00:30:54,800 --> 00:30:57,160 Speaker 1: as well. And the first thing we need to do 679 00:30:57,360 --> 00:31:00,680 Speaker 1: is start with eliminating these physical cused of work that 680 00:31:00,720 --> 00:31:03,200 Speaker 1: we've been talking about, right, like removing your work email 681 00:31:03,240 --> 00:31:06,600 Speaker 1: from your phone, if that's what's necessary, turn off those notifications. 682 00:31:06,760 --> 00:31:09,080 Speaker 1: Maybe for a lot of folks, that's actually leaving at 683 00:31:09,080 --> 00:31:12,320 Speaker 1: five pm from the office and even taking vacations, right Like, 684 00:31:12,520 --> 00:31:14,600 Speaker 1: we a lot of employers say that there are a 685 00:31:14,600 --> 00:31:17,720 Speaker 1: certain number of vacation days that you have, but oftentimes 686 00:31:17,840 --> 00:31:21,200 Speaker 1: people do not take those vacations and maybe sometimes there's 687 00:31:21,200 --> 00:31:23,240 Speaker 1: a lot of guilts associated with that. Oh yeah, I 688 00:31:23,240 --> 00:31:25,720 Speaker 1: think there's a ton of guilt associated with taking vacation 689 00:31:25,880 --> 00:31:28,360 Speaker 1: in our modern workforce. We feel like we're slacking and 690 00:31:28,400 --> 00:31:30,360 Speaker 1: we're leaving, you know, our work to other people to 691 00:31:30,400 --> 00:31:32,280 Speaker 1: do while we're gone. And I think that's why people 692 00:31:32,480 --> 00:31:34,640 Speaker 1: want to stay connected, because they don't want to let 693 00:31:34,680 --> 00:31:36,800 Speaker 1: their colleagues down. But you have to be able to 694 00:31:36,840 --> 00:31:40,360 Speaker 1: take vacation in order to get that break, that mind 695 00:31:40,440 --> 00:31:43,640 Speaker 1: rest from work. You're gonna come back more recharged than ever. 696 00:31:43,880 --> 00:31:45,560 Speaker 1: Just like if you work a few hours in a day, 697 00:31:45,600 --> 00:31:47,760 Speaker 1: but you're more focused, you're probably going to be more 698 00:31:47,800 --> 00:31:50,160 Speaker 1: productive too. And I think another step that we can 699 00:31:50,160 --> 00:31:51,760 Speaker 1: take to make sure our minds are in a healthy 700 00:31:51,760 --> 00:31:55,400 Speaker 1: spot is giving ourselves time to be still and quiet, 701 00:31:55,640 --> 00:31:57,920 Speaker 1: to remind ourselves to the things that truly matter and 702 00:31:57,920 --> 00:32:00,280 Speaker 1: that that can be prayer, that can be meditation, however 703 00:32:00,360 --> 00:32:02,920 Speaker 1: you incorporate that into your life. But Matt, I mean, 704 00:32:02,960 --> 00:32:05,000 Speaker 1: we talked with five am Joel about waking up early, 705 00:32:05,040 --> 00:32:07,280 Speaker 1: and I'm I'm telling you that time in the morning 706 00:32:07,280 --> 00:32:11,680 Speaker 1: where it's just me is so helpful to have some stillness, 707 00:32:11,720 --> 00:32:15,200 Speaker 1: to not have tasks kind of flying my way for 708 00:32:15,280 --> 00:32:18,239 Speaker 1: at least a part of the morning. That's become one 709 00:32:18,240 --> 00:32:20,200 Speaker 1: of my favorite parts of the day. That's the rest 710 00:32:20,240 --> 00:32:23,120 Speaker 1: of your day, like you, right out of the gate, right, Yeah, 711 00:32:23,440 --> 00:32:25,520 Speaker 1: So for me, that's been really important. I think the 712 00:32:25,600 --> 00:32:27,760 Speaker 1: more that we can incorporate a little bit of stillness 713 00:32:27,760 --> 00:32:30,040 Speaker 1: and quietness into our lives, that's good. And that's coming 714 00:32:30,080 --> 00:32:32,520 Speaker 1: from a guy who's a complete extrovert and has a 715 00:32:32,600 --> 00:32:35,360 Speaker 1: really really hard time doing that, but I've realized the 716 00:32:35,360 --> 00:32:37,840 Speaker 1: importance of it, so I'm making it happen. And once 717 00:32:37,880 --> 00:32:41,200 Speaker 1: you've done those things, I think the next important step 718 00:32:41,240 --> 00:32:43,640 Speaker 1: is to replace the cues that would lead you to 719 00:32:43,680 --> 00:32:47,160 Speaker 1: work with cues that will lead you to live life. 720 00:32:47,640 --> 00:32:49,280 Speaker 1: And a lot of that is going to and all 721 00:32:49,280 --> 00:32:54,200 Speaker 1: likelihood involved some scheduling, scheduling time with friends, time for hobbies, 722 00:32:54,240 --> 00:32:56,600 Speaker 1: time for your community, time to volunteer, and time to 723 00:32:56,640 --> 00:33:00,000 Speaker 1: work on your personal health. Yeah, often times for all 724 00:33:00,000 --> 00:33:01,680 Speaker 1: a lot of people. These are the kind of things 725 00:33:01,720 --> 00:33:04,479 Speaker 1: that if you sit them down at a seminar or 726 00:33:04,480 --> 00:33:07,440 Speaker 1: like at a personal development meeting or something, right like, 727 00:33:07,440 --> 00:33:09,120 Speaker 1: they'll write these things down at the top of their 728 00:33:09,120 --> 00:33:10,960 Speaker 1: list and they'll say, like, these are all the things 729 00:33:11,080 --> 00:33:13,680 Speaker 1: that are important to me. But when it comes to 730 00:33:13,840 --> 00:33:16,080 Speaker 1: how we spend our days, like, do we actually do 731 00:33:16,160 --> 00:33:18,760 Speaker 1: these things? I mean, not as much as we work. 732 00:33:19,200 --> 00:33:21,160 Speaker 1: And I'm not saying that we should match every hour 733 00:33:21,240 --> 00:33:23,600 Speaker 1: that we work with family time or community time, you know, 734 00:33:23,640 --> 00:33:26,560 Speaker 1: just all these different things. But we are so intentional 735 00:33:26,600 --> 00:33:28,520 Speaker 1: with the time that we spend working, right Like, We've 736 00:33:28,560 --> 00:33:31,360 Speaker 1: got deadlines that we have to meet, we have calendar reminders, 737 00:33:31,400 --> 00:33:34,480 Speaker 1: we have you know, events scheduled on our calendars throughout 738 00:33:34,480 --> 00:33:37,080 Speaker 1: the week that have to do with work. And we 739 00:33:37,120 --> 00:33:40,160 Speaker 1: need to be just as intentional and just as proactive 740 00:33:40,440 --> 00:33:42,880 Speaker 1: with the other non work areas of our life. And 741 00:33:42,960 --> 00:33:45,120 Speaker 1: so this makes me think of just a few days ago, 742 00:33:45,240 --> 00:33:47,160 Speaker 1: you and I with a bunch of buddies, we hit 743 00:33:47,240 --> 00:33:50,160 Speaker 1: up a local bar slash restaurant that's gonna be closing 744 00:33:50,480 --> 00:33:52,920 Speaker 1: later this week. A friend of ours, he shot out 745 00:33:52,920 --> 00:33:55,040 Speaker 1: of text and he said, Fellas, we need to hit 746 00:33:55,120 --> 00:33:58,280 Speaker 1: up the Graveyard one more time to enjoy their delicious 747 00:33:58,280 --> 00:34:00,440 Speaker 1: wings on half price wing nin of course that's how 748 00:34:00,440 --> 00:34:03,440 Speaker 1: we do. Yeah, we're getting that deal. But all it 749 00:34:03,520 --> 00:34:05,640 Speaker 1: took was just a little nudge a text from a 750 00:34:05,680 --> 00:34:09,040 Speaker 1: friend to get seven guys together who haven't seen each 751 00:34:09,040 --> 00:34:10,600 Speaker 1: other in a while, and we caught up and had 752 00:34:10,600 --> 00:34:12,840 Speaker 1: a fantastic time. I just know that I want to 753 00:34:12,840 --> 00:34:14,840 Speaker 1: see myself and I want to challenge myself to be 754 00:34:15,080 --> 00:34:18,000 Speaker 1: that intentional and that proactive with the time that I 755 00:34:18,000 --> 00:34:20,319 Speaker 1: am not spending working. Yeah, man, I think as as 756 00:34:20,320 --> 00:34:22,960 Speaker 1: we're talking about striving for work life balance, it's really 757 00:34:23,040 --> 00:34:25,640 Speaker 1: important after all the things that we've discussed to really 758 00:34:25,640 --> 00:34:30,359 Speaker 1: give yourself reasonable expectations. Because of perfect work life balance, well, 759 00:34:30,360 --> 00:34:33,640 Speaker 1: it's it's not always achievable. As our lives EBB and flow, 760 00:34:34,120 --> 00:34:37,560 Speaker 1: we can't always have it exactly like we want, and 761 00:34:37,600 --> 00:34:41,080 Speaker 1: that's okay. I think there are seasons where more work 762 00:34:41,120 --> 00:34:44,160 Speaker 1: and less life or vice versa is going to happen 763 00:34:44,480 --> 00:34:47,360 Speaker 1: because we're not perfect and I've had to tell myself 764 00:34:47,360 --> 00:34:49,919 Speaker 1: too at times, Matt. In a season where where I've 765 00:34:49,920 --> 00:34:53,160 Speaker 1: been a little bit busier with you doing the podcast 766 00:34:53,480 --> 00:34:55,080 Speaker 1: and Emily and I'm Att. We we've had to have 767 00:34:55,160 --> 00:34:59,280 Speaker 1: discussions about this that I'm going to at times fail 768 00:34:59,640 --> 00:35:02,120 Speaker 1: or I do as well at something as I would 769 00:35:02,400 --> 00:35:04,880 Speaker 1: really like to do, and that's because of the specific 770 00:35:04,920 --> 00:35:07,960 Speaker 1: season that we're in. But even in the midst of that, 771 00:35:08,360 --> 00:35:11,040 Speaker 1: I can identify the key components that are gonna help 772 00:35:11,040 --> 00:35:14,160 Speaker 1: me feel connected to the highly valuable things in my life. 773 00:35:14,160 --> 00:35:16,880 Speaker 1: For for example, dinner every single night with my family, 774 00:35:16,960 --> 00:35:19,840 Speaker 1: I'm not going to miss that, for pretty much anything 775 00:35:20,400 --> 00:35:22,600 Speaker 1: three times a week, riding my bike, not gonna miss 776 00:35:22,600 --> 00:35:26,000 Speaker 1: that either, and just basically not being in tune with 777 00:35:26,040 --> 00:35:29,719 Speaker 1: social media almost at all. That has led to just 778 00:35:29,800 --> 00:35:33,319 Speaker 1: a greater ability to enjoy work life balance, even in 779 00:35:33,320 --> 00:35:36,120 Speaker 1: the midst of kind of a busier season for me. Men, 780 00:35:36,120 --> 00:35:38,480 Speaker 1: I like what you said. They're right, perfection, It is 781 00:35:38,520 --> 00:35:41,640 Speaker 1: not the goal. There are going to be certain busy 782 00:35:41,760 --> 00:35:43,319 Speaker 1: seasons in our life. But I think as long as 783 00:35:43,320 --> 00:35:47,160 Speaker 1: we were working towards an average of a balanced life, 784 00:35:47,280 --> 00:35:49,319 Speaker 1: that there are some key areas and components of our 785 00:35:49,360 --> 00:35:52,160 Speaker 1: life that we shouldn't be willing to compromise on, but 786 00:35:52,239 --> 00:35:55,160 Speaker 1: taking time for ourselves, creating more rigid boundaries around when 787 00:35:55,200 --> 00:35:57,719 Speaker 1: we work and when we play, actually using all of 788 00:35:57,800 --> 00:36:01,560 Speaker 1: our vacation time, like that's some must. That's one that 789 00:36:01,560 --> 00:36:04,040 Speaker 1: I feel like you've mentioned recently as well, like making 790 00:36:04,080 --> 00:36:05,960 Speaker 1: sure like I'm going to take that vacation time right, 791 00:36:06,000 --> 00:36:08,359 Speaker 1: this is the year the vacation for me. I'm taking 792 00:36:08,400 --> 00:36:11,040 Speaker 1: it all. But doing all these different things like these 793 00:36:11,080 --> 00:36:14,200 Speaker 1: are important steps to helping us to achieve a better 794 00:36:14,320 --> 00:36:17,560 Speaker 1: work life balance. And when we feel more rested and 795 00:36:17,600 --> 00:36:20,000 Speaker 1: fulfilled in our lives away from work, I think a 796 00:36:20,000 --> 00:36:21,960 Speaker 1: lot of us will be surprised to see that we 797 00:36:22,080 --> 00:36:25,600 Speaker 1: become actually more productive when we are at work. Yeah. 798 00:36:25,600 --> 00:36:27,640 Speaker 1: They say absence makes the heart grow fonder, and I 799 00:36:27,640 --> 00:36:30,319 Speaker 1: think it's definitely true for work. Yeah. You know when 800 00:36:30,600 --> 00:36:32,239 Speaker 1: you spend like a few days away from work and 801 00:36:32,239 --> 00:36:35,080 Speaker 1: you're thinking, oh, I just can't wait to dive back 802 00:36:35,080 --> 00:36:37,560 Speaker 1: into it. Well, I love my job, but it's also 803 00:36:37,760 --> 00:36:39,720 Speaker 1: nice to get away from from a week and remember 804 00:36:39,760 --> 00:36:42,560 Speaker 1: that I love my job, because I think in the 805 00:36:42,600 --> 00:36:44,080 Speaker 1: middle of it, I don't feel like I love my 806 00:36:44,160 --> 00:36:46,400 Speaker 1: job every day. Everybody needs a break man. But ultimately, 807 00:36:46,440 --> 00:36:48,720 Speaker 1: when I look back and I'm looking at the ability 808 00:36:48,760 --> 00:36:51,000 Speaker 1: to get to do what I do every day, I'm like, oh, yeah, 809 00:36:51,040 --> 00:36:53,440 Speaker 1: I do love my job. But I especially realized that 810 00:36:53,480 --> 00:36:54,839 Speaker 1: when I get away from it for a little while, 811 00:36:55,200 --> 00:36:58,200 Speaker 1: I will say, absence of this beer that we had 812 00:36:58,280 --> 00:37:01,120 Speaker 1: today on the episode also makes my heart grows ponder 813 00:37:01,880 --> 00:37:03,359 Speaker 1: be gives you want more of it? Yes, I do. 814 00:37:03,800 --> 00:37:05,239 Speaker 1: The beer that we had on the show today was 815 00:37:05,239 --> 00:37:06,960 Speaker 1: called I learned it by watching you, and it was 816 00:37:07,000 --> 00:37:12,160 Speaker 1: a collaboration beer between Other Half and Burial Brewing Company. Matt. 817 00:37:12,560 --> 00:37:14,839 Speaker 1: This was delicious, It was wonderful. What was your take 818 00:37:14,880 --> 00:37:16,759 Speaker 1: on it? Well, I'll tell you, but first let me 819 00:37:16,800 --> 00:37:19,360 Speaker 1: tell you what I think of this collaboration, which is 820 00:37:19,520 --> 00:37:22,640 Speaker 1: so this is between Burial and Other Half, And honestly, 821 00:37:22,680 --> 00:37:25,360 Speaker 1: what I imagined was, what if you picked up Asheville 822 00:37:25,719 --> 00:37:28,560 Speaker 1: with its mountains, and you like transplanted it up into 823 00:37:28,640 --> 00:37:32,440 Speaker 1: Brooklyn and so like right across the river, you had 824 00:37:32,640 --> 00:37:36,480 Speaker 1: Asheville across from Manhattan and all of its crunchy Asheville 825 00:37:36,600 --> 00:37:40,320 Speaker 1: granola goodness? Right, how cool would this like bizarro world 826 00:37:40,320 --> 00:37:43,680 Speaker 1: fantasy land be with all of its amazing breweries? Right? 827 00:37:43,680 --> 00:37:46,839 Speaker 1: Across from Manhattan. Yeah, I mean Brooklyn. Brooklyn has its 828 00:37:46,880 --> 00:37:49,640 Speaker 1: own I think claims to coolness for sure, But what 829 00:37:49,719 --> 00:37:53,560 Speaker 1: if what if you married it with Asheville and that's 830 00:37:53,640 --> 00:37:57,399 Speaker 1: too fantastic American cities put together. I mean that'd that'd 831 00:37:57,400 --> 00:37:59,120 Speaker 1: be a good That'd be a match made in heaven. 832 00:37:59,160 --> 00:38:02,279 Speaker 1: And I don't know if I couldn ndle it. But yeah, 833 00:38:02,360 --> 00:38:05,040 Speaker 1: these are two of my all time favorite breweries. So 834 00:38:05,440 --> 00:38:08,160 Speaker 1: when they do something together, I totally want to taste 835 00:38:08,200 --> 00:38:10,400 Speaker 1: it and when they take note for sure. Yeah, and 836 00:38:10,640 --> 00:38:12,959 Speaker 1: this beer was super tasty. Yeah, what were your thoughts 837 00:38:12,960 --> 00:38:15,680 Speaker 1: on the actual beer? So I had high expectations because 838 00:38:15,680 --> 00:38:18,959 Speaker 1: I'm assuming, you know, based on two of the top 839 00:38:19,000 --> 00:38:22,080 Speaker 1: tier breweries in the country making beer together, that it's 840 00:38:22,080 --> 00:38:25,880 Speaker 1: going to be ridiculously good. And I gotta say it was. 841 00:38:26,520 --> 00:38:29,400 Speaker 1: This was like darn near a perfect I p A. 842 00:38:29,920 --> 00:38:33,399 Speaker 1: I just really appreciated the attention to detail, the fact 843 00:38:33,400 --> 00:38:36,799 Speaker 1: that it wasn't overwhelming, but it was also just incredibly 844 00:38:36,960 --> 00:38:39,960 Speaker 1: juicy and delicious. And yeah, I feel like the hot 845 00:38:40,000 --> 00:38:44,319 Speaker 1: profile stood out enormously. Uh, And that's exactly what you 846 00:38:44,360 --> 00:38:46,719 Speaker 1: want in an I p A like this. So two 847 00:38:46,719 --> 00:38:48,880 Speaker 1: of the best at the top of their game making 848 00:38:48,920 --> 00:38:52,880 Speaker 1: something just utterly delicious. Oh yeah, man, for me, it 849 00:38:53,000 --> 00:38:56,000 Speaker 1: was juicy. It was a little bit tingly from from 850 00:38:56,000 --> 00:38:58,200 Speaker 1: that hot bites. That's how you know they didn't skimp 851 00:38:58,320 --> 00:39:01,040 Speaker 1: on the hop them out exactly. It's like you're licking 852 00:39:01,040 --> 00:39:03,920 Speaker 1: a nine vault battery. Um Like, I feel like that 853 00:39:04,000 --> 00:39:06,319 Speaker 1: this was just a great example of a double dry 854 00:39:06,320 --> 00:39:08,280 Speaker 1: hopp I p a um. I feel like it almost 855 00:39:08,280 --> 00:39:10,680 Speaker 1: had like a sort of like jasmine kind of honeysuckle 856 00:39:10,760 --> 00:39:13,640 Speaker 1: floral notes to it as well. Just lots of flavor, 857 00:39:13,680 --> 00:39:16,200 Speaker 1: but at the same time, real light, real lazy to drink, 858 00:39:16,640 --> 00:39:19,880 Speaker 1: very delicious. I'm incredibly thankful for our friends Waffles on 859 00:39:19,960 --> 00:39:22,840 Speaker 1: Wednesday for swinging through Atlanta and dropping this one off 860 00:39:22,880 --> 00:39:24,960 Speaker 1: for us. For sure, they picked this one up at Burial. 861 00:39:25,000 --> 00:39:27,920 Speaker 1: I guess the road trip very cool. I think it 862 00:39:27,960 --> 00:39:29,719 Speaker 1: was a barrel. Yeah. But yeah, they've got a great 863 00:39:29,719 --> 00:39:32,719 Speaker 1: blog and they're great people to boot. So all right, Matt, 864 00:39:32,760 --> 00:39:35,279 Speaker 1: that's gonna do it for this episode. For folks that 865 00:39:35,320 --> 00:39:37,640 Speaker 1: are listening and you want show notes for this episode, 866 00:39:37,640 --> 00:39:40,279 Speaker 1: we'll just check out our website how to money dot 867 00:39:40,360 --> 00:39:43,080 Speaker 1: com and they'll be right there for you. Yeah, and 868 00:39:43,120 --> 00:39:45,800 Speaker 1: also if you are looking for a new credit card. 869 00:39:46,239 --> 00:39:47,759 Speaker 1: While you're there on the site, go to how do 870 00:39:47,840 --> 00:39:51,160 Speaker 1: money dot com forward slash credit cards and there you'll 871 00:39:51,160 --> 00:39:54,560 Speaker 1: see our favorite picks for credit cards, for what credit 872 00:39:54,560 --> 00:39:57,520 Speaker 1: card you should use based on how you spend your money, 873 00:39:57,800 --> 00:39:59,400 Speaker 1: and if you sign up for a new card via 874 00:39:59,400 --> 00:40:01,400 Speaker 1: any of those thinks, it helps out the show. So 875 00:40:01,560 --> 00:40:03,480 Speaker 1: thank you in advance. All Right, buddy, that's going to 876 00:40:03,560 --> 00:40:06,839 Speaker 1: be it until next time. Best Friends Out, Best Friends Out.