1 00:00:03,480 --> 00:00:09,600 Speaker 1: Welcome to Before Breakfast, a production of iHeartRadio. Good Morning. 2 00:00:10,880 --> 00:00:17,080 Speaker 2: This is Laura. Welcome to the Before Breakfast podcast. Today's 3 00:00:17,079 --> 00:00:22,520 Speaker 2: tip is to set your summer hours. Work might look 4 00:00:22,560 --> 00:00:25,599 Speaker 2: a little bit different in the summer, and that's okay. 5 00:00:26,640 --> 00:00:30,200 Speaker 2: It's better to be mindful of it and acknowledge it 6 00:00:31,240 --> 00:00:37,920 Speaker 2: than to set expectations that won't work with reality. So 7 00:00:38,120 --> 00:00:42,320 Speaker 2: after Memorial Day, some companies switch to what are known 8 00:00:42,440 --> 00:00:43,839 Speaker 2: as summer hours. 9 00:00:44,920 --> 00:00:49,280 Speaker 1: Generally, these are shorter half days on Fridays are common, 10 00:00:50,200 --> 00:00:54,760 Speaker 1: and I view them as a nod to reality. The 11 00:00:54,800 --> 00:00:59,040 Speaker 1: opportunity cost of working into the evening just feels different. 12 00:00:59,520 --> 00:01:03,640 Speaker 1: When it's light and nice out. People want to be 13 00:01:03,800 --> 00:01:07,640 Speaker 1: out in parks and restaurants and such. They want to 14 00:01:07,720 --> 00:01:12,040 Speaker 1: leave for the beach on Friday afternoon. You can have 15 00:01:12,200 --> 00:01:17,160 Speaker 1: resentful employees watching the clock and sneaking out, or you 16 00:01:17,160 --> 00:01:22,520 Speaker 1: can seem magnanimous, build it in and get the exact 17 00:01:22,680 --> 00:01:27,240 Speaker 1: same amount of work out of your people. Even if 18 00:01:27,240 --> 00:01:31,600 Speaker 1: you work for yourself, though, there are just certain summer realities. 19 00:01:32,800 --> 00:01:36,039 Speaker 1: Many of us have different childcare situations than we do 20 00:01:36,200 --> 00:01:39,959 Speaker 1: during the school year. We might have more days off 21 00:01:40,520 --> 00:01:44,640 Speaker 1: or half days because of out of work commitments. Colleagues 22 00:01:45,000 --> 00:01:49,960 Speaker 1: might be gone, which slows things down to If that 23 00:01:50,120 --> 00:01:54,120 Speaker 1: is the case, it might help to decide on summer 24 00:01:54,160 --> 00:02:00,760 Speaker 1: hours so you can set your expectations accordingly. If you 25 00:02:00,840 --> 00:02:04,400 Speaker 1: might normally be able to tackle two projects in a week, 26 00:02:05,200 --> 00:02:08,880 Speaker 1: but that assumes a forty hour work week and you 27 00:02:08,960 --> 00:02:12,960 Speaker 1: wind up working thirty hours in the summer, you are 28 00:02:13,000 --> 00:02:16,720 Speaker 1: going to feel behind. But if you know that you 29 00:02:16,760 --> 00:02:20,680 Speaker 1: are working those summer hours, you might set the timeline 30 00:02:20,760 --> 00:02:25,560 Speaker 1: as eight working days for completing those two projects rather 31 00:02:25,600 --> 00:02:29,519 Speaker 1: than five days, and you'll wind up feeling a lot 32 00:02:29,560 --> 00:02:34,480 Speaker 1: better about it. Setting summer hours can also give you 33 00:02:34,560 --> 00:02:39,880 Speaker 1: permission to relax. You might not be getting much done 34 00:02:39,960 --> 00:02:44,120 Speaker 1: on Friday afternoons anyway, but if you do have control 35 00:02:44,160 --> 00:02:47,960 Speaker 1: over your time and you decide that work is done 36 00:02:48,520 --> 00:02:52,200 Speaker 1: at two pm on Fridays, then you won't feel bad 37 00:02:52,280 --> 00:02:55,240 Speaker 1: about reading a book or going for a walk at 38 00:02:55,280 --> 00:03:00,440 Speaker 1: three pm. The key realization here is that if the 39 00:03:00,560 --> 00:03:05,920 Speaker 1: work isn't getting done anyway, it's best to spend the 40 00:03:06,000 --> 00:03:13,280 Speaker 1: time on something worthwhile rather than just puttering around. Now. 41 00:03:13,360 --> 00:03:16,079 Speaker 1: I know that not everyone can set their own hours, 42 00:03:16,120 --> 00:03:19,960 Speaker 1: and some people are busier over the summers, but if 43 00:03:20,000 --> 00:03:23,160 Speaker 1: you've got a different slow season, then by all means, 44 00:03:23,680 --> 00:03:27,360 Speaker 1: set winter hours or fall hours or whatever it happens 45 00:03:27,400 --> 00:03:31,560 Speaker 1: to be for you, and if nothing else, you might 46 00:03:31,720 --> 00:03:37,560 Speaker 1: try setting a true ending time during the summer. Many 47 00:03:37,600 --> 00:03:41,160 Speaker 1: people who don't get paid by the hour drift out 48 00:03:41,200 --> 00:03:44,800 Speaker 1: of work at various points based on when they think 49 00:03:44,840 --> 00:03:48,000 Speaker 1: it is acceptable, or when their boss leaves or whatever. 50 00:03:49,120 --> 00:03:52,680 Speaker 1: So go ahead and set your forty hours and stick 51 00:03:52,720 --> 00:03:57,360 Speaker 1: to it and see how it goes. You might find 52 00:03:57,400 --> 00:04:01,120 Speaker 1: that you are getting just as much done and that 53 00:04:01,200 --> 00:04:05,800 Speaker 1: you like having the boundary when you get outside and 54 00:04:05,920 --> 00:04:12,880 Speaker 1: explore those summer nights. Do you have summer hours. I'd 55 00:04:12,880 --> 00:04:15,240 Speaker 1: love to hear about how they differ from your work 56 00:04:15,280 --> 00:04:18,880 Speaker 1: hours in other seasons. You can let me know about 57 00:04:18,920 --> 00:04:25,520 Speaker 1: it at Laura at Laura Vanderkam dot com. In the meantime, 58 00:04:26,560 --> 00:04:31,159 Speaker 1: this is Laura. Thanks for listening, and here's to making 59 00:04:31,200 --> 00:04:41,120 Speaker 1: the most of our time. Hey, everybody, I'd love to 60 00:04:41,120 --> 00:04:44,120 Speaker 1: hear from you. You can send me your tips, your questions, 61 00:04:44,200 --> 00:04:45,040 Speaker 1: or anything else. 62 00:04:45,839 --> 00:04:49,400 Speaker 2: Just connect with me on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram at 63 00:04:49,440 --> 00:04:54,280 Speaker 2: before Breakfast Pod that's b E the number four then 64 00:04:54,360 --> 00:04:55,839 Speaker 2: breakfast Pod. 65 00:04:56,720 --> 00:04:59,560 Speaker 1: You can also shoot me an email at before Breakfast 66 00:04:59,600 --> 00:05:03,560 Speaker 1: podcast at iHeartMedia dot com that before Breakfast is spelled 67 00:05:03,560 --> 00:05:06,000 Speaker 1: out with all the letters thanks so much, should I 68 00:05:06,040 --> 00:05:14,120 Speaker 1: look forward to staying in touch. Before Breakfast is a 69 00:05:14,160 --> 00:05:18,880 Speaker 1: production of iHeartRadio. For more podcasts from iHeartRadio, visit the 70 00:05:18,920 --> 00:05:22,720 Speaker 1: iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to your 71 00:05:22,720 --> 00:05:28,920 Speaker 1: favorite shows.