1 00:00:09,640 --> 00:00:09,840 Speaker 1: Hi. 2 00:00:10,039 --> 00:00:13,920 Speaker 2: I'm Laura Vanderkamp. I'm a mother of five, an author, journalist, 3 00:00:13,960 --> 00:00:14,520 Speaker 2: and speaker. 4 00:00:15,400 --> 00:00:19,240 Speaker 3: And I'm Sarah Hart Hunger, a mother of three, practicing physician, writer, 5 00:00:19,560 --> 00:00:22,360 Speaker 3: and course creator. We are two working parents who love 6 00:00:22,400 --> 00:00:24,080 Speaker 3: our careers and our families. 7 00:00:24,800 --> 00:00:27,400 Speaker 2: Welcome to best of both worlds. Here we talk about 8 00:00:27,440 --> 00:00:30,440 Speaker 2: how real women manage work, family, and time for fun, 9 00:00:30,960 --> 00:00:34,280 Speaker 2: from figuring out childcare to mapping out long term career goals. 10 00:00:34,520 --> 00:00:39,880 Speaker 2: We want you to get the most out of life. 11 00:00:41,240 --> 00:00:43,640 Speaker 1: Welcome to best of both worlds. This is Laura. 12 00:00:43,840 --> 00:00:46,960 Speaker 2: This episode is airing in mid to late July of 13 00:00:47,000 --> 00:00:49,600 Speaker 2: twenty twenty four. We are going to be talking about 14 00:00:49,680 --> 00:00:53,560 Speaker 2: rest and also what we're calling a trade Off manifesto, 15 00:00:53,760 --> 00:00:57,120 Speaker 2: a way that people can get enough rest despite having 16 00:00:57,240 --> 00:01:00,319 Speaker 2: a busy life. So we're going to be rethinking what 17 00:01:00,440 --> 00:01:04,759 Speaker 2: rest means and also talking strategies for getting rest. 18 00:01:05,200 --> 00:01:07,679 Speaker 1: Sarah, why did you want to do this topic? 19 00:01:07,760 --> 00:01:10,320 Speaker 2: So sometimes we have different ones of us suggest different topics, 20 00:01:10,360 --> 00:01:13,399 Speaker 2: and this was definitely a Sarah suggestion. So maybe you 21 00:01:13,400 --> 00:01:15,320 Speaker 2: can talk a little bit about why you wanted to 22 00:01:15,440 --> 00:01:16,039 Speaker 2: do the topic. 23 00:01:16,240 --> 00:01:18,280 Speaker 3: Yeah, I think I came up with rest actually, and 24 00:01:18,319 --> 00:01:20,400 Speaker 3: you came up with trade off, which makes sense. You're like, 25 00:01:20,440 --> 00:01:24,480 Speaker 3: I have a practical solution to your rest dilemma. I 26 00:01:24,520 --> 00:01:26,440 Speaker 3: just feel like I see this a lot. I mean, 27 00:01:26,480 --> 00:01:28,040 Speaker 3: we had that period of time when a lot of 28 00:01:28,080 --> 00:01:30,720 Speaker 3: books were about doing nothing and resting, etc. And they 29 00:01:30,760 --> 00:01:33,160 Speaker 3: were interesting, So I feel like it continues to be 30 00:01:33,200 --> 00:01:35,080 Speaker 3: a little bit of a hot topic. I think I've 31 00:01:35,080 --> 00:01:37,959 Speaker 3: gotten some questions about this, both in my Best Laid 32 00:01:38,000 --> 00:01:40,480 Speaker 3: Plans universe and also to our Best of Both Worlds. 33 00:01:40,800 --> 00:01:44,240 Speaker 3: Listeners have asked about this, and I think a lot 34 00:01:44,240 --> 00:01:47,320 Speaker 3: of people kind of talk about being frustrated with the 35 00:01:47,360 --> 00:01:50,480 Speaker 3: ways they use their downtime, or like maybe saying something 36 00:01:50,520 --> 00:01:53,440 Speaker 3: like I don't have any downtime, but then if you 37 00:01:53,520 --> 00:01:56,400 Speaker 3: question them, they may actually spend a lot of their 38 00:01:56,440 --> 00:01:58,320 Speaker 3: time doing things they don't want to be doing and 39 00:01:58,360 --> 00:02:00,880 Speaker 3: feel a certain way about it. So I thought this 40 00:02:00,880 --> 00:02:02,600 Speaker 3: would be a fun way for us to just kind 41 00:02:02,640 --> 00:02:06,280 Speaker 3: of explore this topic and talk about it a little more, 42 00:02:06,320 --> 00:02:08,680 Speaker 3: including the ways that we rest, ways to enjoy rest. 43 00:02:08,919 --> 00:02:11,480 Speaker 3: And then you came up with the idea that one 44 00:02:11,600 --> 00:02:14,680 Speaker 3: way that we can get some rest as parents is 45 00:02:14,720 --> 00:02:18,360 Speaker 3: to make sure our partners are helping us achieve our 46 00:02:18,400 --> 00:02:19,640 Speaker 3: rest goals. I guess I. 47 00:02:19,639 --> 00:02:22,920 Speaker 2: Don't know our rest goals. Yes, we have goals about 48 00:02:22,960 --> 00:02:27,040 Speaker 2: everything around here. I have to admit I'm a little 49 00:02:27,040 --> 00:02:29,720 Speaker 2: bit skeptical of all the rest stuff. I mean, there's 50 00:02:29,720 --> 00:02:34,000 Speaker 2: certainly books talking about how we're all so overworked and 51 00:02:34,120 --> 00:02:37,040 Speaker 2: busy and we have to grab at rest from some 52 00:02:37,320 --> 00:02:40,040 Speaker 2: evil culture that doesn't want us to rest. 53 00:02:40,240 --> 00:02:42,160 Speaker 1: The culture doesn't care if you rest or not. 54 00:02:42,280 --> 00:02:49,280 Speaker 2: Honestly, and I think practically, the data is that the 55 00:02:49,320 --> 00:02:55,040 Speaker 2: average person has a reasonable amount of downtime in their lives. 56 00:02:56,040 --> 00:02:59,480 Speaker 2: The American Time You Survey comes out every June. Came 57 00:02:59,480 --> 00:03:02,240 Speaker 2: out in twenty twenty four. Looking at all the days 58 00:03:02,240 --> 00:03:05,760 Speaker 2: of twenty twenty three, thousands of Americans talking through their 59 00:03:05,800 --> 00:03:10,480 Speaker 2: previous day four am to four am on an average day, 60 00:03:10,520 --> 00:03:14,239 Speaker 2: I am quoting nearly everyone aged fifteen and over engaged 61 00:03:14,280 --> 00:03:20,280 Speaker 2: in some sort of leisure. The vast majority had many hours. 62 00:03:21,000 --> 00:03:23,760 Speaker 2: Most of this is spent on screens. If you look 63 00:03:23,800 --> 00:03:26,560 Speaker 2: at the time devoted to different things, a lot of 64 00:03:26,560 --> 00:03:29,799 Speaker 2: people still watching TV. Interestingly enough, I don't know exactly 65 00:03:29,840 --> 00:03:34,240 Speaker 2: how the American Time Youth Survey is counting all sorts 66 00:03:34,240 --> 00:03:36,720 Speaker 2: of video watching, Like is video watching on a phone 67 00:03:36,760 --> 00:03:39,800 Speaker 2: now being counted as sort of watching TV. It's hard 68 00:03:39,800 --> 00:03:44,120 Speaker 2: to know, but point being that the average American is 69 00:03:44,200 --> 00:03:48,480 Speaker 2: watching two point seven hours of television per day even 70 00:03:48,520 --> 00:03:51,440 Speaker 2: in this day and age, different proportions of people using 71 00:03:52,280 --> 00:03:56,839 Speaker 2: screens for leisure, games, socializing, and communicating whatever. It's all 72 00:03:57,680 --> 00:04:02,520 Speaker 2: a long list. People who have kids young kids at 73 00:04:02,520 --> 00:04:06,080 Speaker 2: home under age six have fewer hours per day of 74 00:04:06,200 --> 00:04:10,240 Speaker 2: leisure than other people. It comes out to about three 75 00:04:10,280 --> 00:04:13,480 Speaker 2: point three hours per day versus at least an hour 76 00:04:13,560 --> 00:04:15,800 Speaker 2: more than that for people who do not have kids 77 00:04:15,840 --> 00:04:19,120 Speaker 2: at home. And also that people between the ages of 78 00:04:19,160 --> 00:04:21,480 Speaker 2: like thirty five and forty four, I think have the 79 00:04:21,839 --> 00:04:25,960 Speaker 2: least about And so what was coming out of this 80 00:04:26,120 --> 00:04:31,919 Speaker 2: data for me is not that people who are like 81 00:04:31,960 --> 00:04:34,960 Speaker 2: in the demographic who watch listen to this podcast, so 82 00:04:35,000 --> 00:04:38,920 Speaker 2: you know, working parents with generally younger kids don't have 83 00:04:39,279 --> 00:04:42,760 Speaker 2: zero downtime, is that they tend to have less than 84 00:04:43,240 --> 00:04:47,760 Speaker 2: other people. And that may be parents versus non parents. 85 00:04:48,440 --> 00:04:51,160 Speaker 2: To some degree, men versus women. Men have a little 86 00:04:51,160 --> 00:04:54,280 Speaker 2: bit more than women do, and I think this may 87 00:04:54,320 --> 00:04:56,839 Speaker 2: explain why it's a sore point. So again, not that 88 00:04:56,880 --> 00:05:00,320 Speaker 2: working mothers get zero downtime, is that they get less 89 00:05:00,320 --> 00:05:04,240 Speaker 2: than other people in their lives, and so the comparison 90 00:05:04,560 --> 00:05:07,400 Speaker 2: is the part that can really start to irk. 91 00:05:08,320 --> 00:05:11,480 Speaker 3: I could see that question when they get this data, 92 00:05:11,520 --> 00:05:14,760 Speaker 3: are they asking people to recall a twenty four hour 93 00:05:14,880 --> 00:05:18,000 Speaker 3: window or are they like buzzing people on their phones 94 00:05:18,080 --> 00:05:20,000 Speaker 3: at three pm and saying, what are you doing now? 95 00:05:20,839 --> 00:05:24,839 Speaker 2: Well, it's yesterday, right, So it's talking through yesterday, which 96 00:05:24,880 --> 00:05:29,000 Speaker 2: is the American Timey Survey day. If I remember correctly, 97 00:05:29,000 --> 00:05:30,880 Speaker 2: it starts at four am, goes to four am, so 98 00:05:30,880 --> 00:05:32,960 Speaker 2: they're like, what were you doing at four am yesterday? 99 00:05:33,360 --> 00:05:34,279 Speaker 1: What did you do next? 100 00:05:34,640 --> 00:05:38,719 Speaker 2: And people can generally recall the previous twenty four hours 101 00:05:38,839 --> 00:05:44,120 Speaker 2: quite well. Past that, it starts to disappear rapidly, so 102 00:05:44,560 --> 00:05:48,520 Speaker 2: you remember, you know, lunch yesterday, You don't remember lunch 103 00:05:48,560 --> 00:05:51,039 Speaker 2: two days ago. I don't know why that is. There's 104 00:05:51,040 --> 00:05:54,240 Speaker 2: something with the human brain of how this goes. But 105 00:05:55,520 --> 00:05:59,320 Speaker 2: there have been comparisons of doing this reconstructive method of 106 00:05:59,360 --> 00:06:03,719 Speaker 2: talking it through versus like checking in buzzing, And it's 107 00:06:03,839 --> 00:06:06,600 Speaker 2: pretty accurate. It's not one hundred percent accurate, but it's 108 00:06:06,760 --> 00:06:11,120 Speaker 2: very close. And so you know, I mean, we have 109 00:06:11,279 --> 00:06:13,280 Speaker 2: often these stories we tell about our lives of like oh, 110 00:06:13,320 --> 00:06:14,599 Speaker 2: I have no free time whatsoever. 111 00:06:14,720 --> 00:06:16,440 Speaker 1: But that's based on the. 112 00:06:16,440 --> 00:06:20,080 Speaker 2: Day where you were working late and you had three 113 00:06:20,160 --> 00:06:25,039 Speaker 2: kid activities and some plumbing went awry and so you 114 00:06:25,080 --> 00:06:28,240 Speaker 2: spent all potential leisure time dealing with the plumber. 115 00:06:28,720 --> 00:06:30,080 Speaker 1: It's like, okay, well that was one day. 116 00:06:31,680 --> 00:06:33,640 Speaker 3: On another day you were on a disney cruise with 117 00:06:33,880 --> 00:06:36,040 Speaker 3: childcare all day and massage. 118 00:06:36,400 --> 00:06:37,200 Speaker 1: For now, it just. 119 00:06:37,120 --> 00:06:39,920 Speaker 2: Depends which day do we find you that we decide 120 00:06:40,360 --> 00:06:42,440 Speaker 2: which is typical. And of course, you know, one of 121 00:06:42,440 --> 00:06:44,320 Speaker 2: the things we like to talk about in this podcast 122 00:06:44,360 --> 00:06:45,800 Speaker 2: is that we want to look at all of life, 123 00:06:45,839 --> 00:06:52,320 Speaker 2: not one particular moment, but the comparison thing is what 124 00:06:53,040 --> 00:06:54,840 Speaker 2: I think gets a lot of people, and so we'll 125 00:06:54,880 --> 00:06:59,720 Speaker 2: definitely talk about that. But first, you don't want to 126 00:06:59,760 --> 00:07:05,320 Speaker 2: talk little bit about rethinking rest. Rest doesn't always need 127 00:07:05,360 --> 00:07:08,360 Speaker 2: to look like a day at the spa, nor does 128 00:07:08,400 --> 00:07:10,680 Speaker 2: it actually need to look at like sitting on the couch, 129 00:07:11,160 --> 00:07:15,480 Speaker 2: because in many cases, sitting on the couch scrolling around 130 00:07:15,520 --> 00:07:17,480 Speaker 2: online doesn't. 131 00:07:17,200 --> 00:07:18,920 Speaker 1: Actually feel all that RESTful. 132 00:07:20,120 --> 00:07:22,600 Speaker 2: It can in certain moments, I guess, But the purpose 133 00:07:22,640 --> 00:07:27,360 Speaker 2: of rest, I would say, is to rejuvenate you and 134 00:07:27,520 --> 00:07:30,040 Speaker 2: add to your energy levels. I mean, I don't know, 135 00:07:30,520 --> 00:07:32,360 Speaker 2: is that what you were thinking about with rest? 136 00:07:32,920 --> 00:07:35,200 Speaker 3: That's such an interesting question, because you're right, Like, and 137 00:07:35,240 --> 00:07:38,160 Speaker 3: I made a joke about rest goals, and I don't 138 00:07:38,240 --> 00:07:40,679 Speaker 3: love the idea of like rest framed as like something 139 00:07:40,720 --> 00:07:43,160 Speaker 3: you have to do to be more productive later. Like 140 00:07:43,240 --> 00:07:46,560 Speaker 3: I think there should be enjoyment of rest for rest's sake, 141 00:07:46,760 --> 00:07:49,160 Speaker 3: and for me, a lot of the activities that I 142 00:07:49,200 --> 00:07:53,320 Speaker 3: find RESTful are also inherently enjoyable in and of themselves. 143 00:07:53,360 --> 00:07:56,520 Speaker 3: So but you're right, I guess you could have sort 144 00:07:56,520 --> 00:07:59,119 Speaker 3: of some of each. That's an interesting question. 145 00:08:00,120 --> 00:08:00,920 Speaker 1: Yeah, well, I. 146 00:08:00,840 --> 00:08:04,480 Speaker 2: Mean that rest could be lying down closing your eyes, 147 00:08:04,520 --> 00:08:09,200 Speaker 2: but rest could also be going for a solo walk 148 00:08:09,200 --> 00:08:12,160 Speaker 2: outside to clear your head. I mean, rest could be 149 00:08:12,240 --> 00:08:17,920 Speaker 2: doing a hobby that you find relaxing. So there's different 150 00:08:17,960 --> 00:08:20,600 Speaker 2: ways to think about it. So I would encourage people 151 00:08:20,680 --> 00:08:22,800 Speaker 2: not to just think of it as I need more 152 00:08:22,800 --> 00:08:24,920 Speaker 2: time on the couch, because for some of this that 153 00:08:25,520 --> 00:08:29,120 Speaker 2: doesn't actually sound that appealing to me. I don't know, 154 00:08:29,800 --> 00:08:32,439 Speaker 2: maybe it does to other people. Sometimes it really does. 155 00:08:32,520 --> 00:08:34,839 Speaker 3: As we'll talk about our own favorite forms of rest, 156 00:08:34,920 --> 00:08:38,439 Speaker 3: mine often does involve a couch, So that's I guess 157 00:08:38,520 --> 00:08:42,839 Speaker 3: okay too. If that brings you joy and rejuvenation, And 158 00:08:44,000 --> 00:08:45,760 Speaker 3: I don't know the right kind of what you need 159 00:08:45,800 --> 00:08:49,360 Speaker 3: to recover from the rest of life. My running coach 160 00:08:49,520 --> 00:08:52,800 Speaker 3: likes to say that there are no recovery runs. It's 161 00:08:52,840 --> 00:08:56,040 Speaker 3: only like preparation runs or something. But I don't know. 162 00:08:56,080 --> 00:08:58,480 Speaker 3: I kind of think there should be recovery time built 163 00:08:58,520 --> 00:09:03,040 Speaker 3: into our lives, particularly if we do maybe push hard 164 00:09:03,080 --> 00:09:05,520 Speaker 3: in other realms with our kids, with work, et cetera. 165 00:09:06,080 --> 00:09:08,240 Speaker 2: Exactly, All right, Well, we're going to take a quick 166 00:09:08,240 --> 00:09:10,200 Speaker 2: ad break and then we'll be back to talk about 167 00:09:10,240 --> 00:09:12,280 Speaker 2: what rest looks like and how we can get more 168 00:09:12,280 --> 00:09:27,600 Speaker 2: of it. Well, we are back talking all things rest 169 00:09:27,840 --> 00:09:30,840 Speaker 2: and then how we might be able to engineer more 170 00:09:31,000 --> 00:09:36,040 Speaker 2: RESTful times into a busy life with work and young kids. So, Sarah, 171 00:09:36,080 --> 00:09:38,640 Speaker 2: what are your favorite forms of rest if you are 172 00:09:38,640 --> 00:09:41,480 Speaker 2: going to make a list of things you find RESTful. 173 00:09:42,320 --> 00:09:46,080 Speaker 3: So, my most favorite RESTful activities are to have a 174 00:09:46,080 --> 00:09:49,160 Speaker 3: book that is fun to read, and to lie down 175 00:09:49,200 --> 00:09:51,440 Speaker 3: on the couch and read it and then maybe even 176 00:09:51,559 --> 00:09:54,240 Speaker 3: let it turn into a nap or perhaps lie down 177 00:09:54,240 --> 00:09:56,000 Speaker 3: with the purposes of taking a nap, but like kind 178 00:09:56,000 --> 00:09:58,920 Speaker 3: of to read first as like a little prelude and 179 00:09:58,960 --> 00:10:02,240 Speaker 3: I would say my kind of alternate form of rest 180 00:10:02,320 --> 00:10:05,920 Speaker 3: if I'm even kind of too tired to read or 181 00:10:06,000 --> 00:10:08,439 Speaker 3: just not in the mood to read, would be letting 182 00:10:08,440 --> 00:10:11,640 Speaker 3: myself lie around and either text with friends or a 183 00:10:11,679 --> 00:10:15,120 Speaker 3: family member, or maybe even watch like one of my 184 00:10:15,160 --> 00:10:18,280 Speaker 3: favorite YouTube creators that do planning stuff. And I'm not 185 00:10:18,360 --> 00:10:21,120 Speaker 3: a heavy YouTube user, so it's not like I'm like 186 00:10:21,160 --> 00:10:23,760 Speaker 3: clicking around constantly or keeping up with certain things, but 187 00:10:23,840 --> 00:10:26,800 Speaker 3: there are like very few channels I enjoy checking in on, 188 00:10:26,960 --> 00:10:30,360 Speaker 3: and if I'm just completely like unable to do much else, 189 00:10:30,440 --> 00:10:34,160 Speaker 3: then that is often what I will go to. We've 190 00:10:34,200 --> 00:10:38,120 Speaker 3: talked at length about various social media et cetera. I 191 00:10:38,400 --> 00:10:40,319 Speaker 3: quit read It one month ago. I have not been 192 00:10:40,360 --> 00:10:44,240 Speaker 3: on since June fifteenth, so that's kind of exciting, and 193 00:10:44,880 --> 00:10:48,679 Speaker 3: I feel like I did after. I mean, there were 194 00:10:48,679 --> 00:10:50,600 Speaker 3: times when I use social media for rest, but I 195 00:10:50,640 --> 00:10:54,720 Speaker 3: found it very unrestful and actually probably a little bit stressful, 196 00:10:56,000 --> 00:10:58,000 Speaker 3: and had kind of found Reddit creeping in as like 197 00:10:58,080 --> 00:11:03,640 Speaker 3: my social media substitute, so intentionally talk about manifestos. Quitting 198 00:11:03,720 --> 00:11:07,080 Speaker 3: that has been very very positive for me, and so 199 00:11:07,200 --> 00:11:09,280 Speaker 3: that is no longer a former rest that I turned to. 200 00:11:09,400 --> 00:11:11,920 Speaker 3: But I will say that I in the past did 201 00:11:11,960 --> 00:11:12,680 Speaker 3: some of that as well. 202 00:11:13,320 --> 00:11:14,240 Speaker 1: So I have a question. 203 00:11:14,760 --> 00:11:17,080 Speaker 2: When you read with the idea that it's going to 204 00:11:17,080 --> 00:11:19,280 Speaker 2: turn into a nap, do like actually put down your 205 00:11:19,280 --> 00:11:23,160 Speaker 2: book to then consciously go to sleep or does it kind. 206 00:11:23,000 --> 00:11:26,440 Speaker 1: Of like fall on you? Like how does this work? 207 00:11:27,120 --> 00:11:28,880 Speaker 3: Oh? No, I consciously put it down. So I do 208 00:11:29,200 --> 00:11:31,439 Speaker 3: a lot of my fiction reading lying down, So I'm 209 00:11:31,480 --> 00:11:34,240 Speaker 3: like laying on the couch on pillows, maybe with a blanket, 210 00:11:34,280 --> 00:11:36,120 Speaker 3: and then like when I'm like, oh, I'm I just 211 00:11:36,160 --> 00:11:38,800 Speaker 3: read this page three times. Perfect, put the book down, 212 00:11:38,960 --> 00:11:41,080 Speaker 3: go to sleep, go to sever nap. Okay. 213 00:11:41,800 --> 00:11:43,640 Speaker 2: I was just wondering, you know, if this is one 214 00:11:43,640 --> 00:11:45,400 Speaker 2: of these things. I know some people fall asleep reading, 215 00:11:45,440 --> 00:11:48,520 Speaker 2: and I've always wondered exactly what that looks like, because 216 00:11:48,559 --> 00:11:50,439 Speaker 2: it feels like then there's a heavy book that winds 217 00:11:50,520 --> 00:11:52,360 Speaker 2: up on you some way, shape or form. 218 00:11:52,800 --> 00:11:54,439 Speaker 3: I know what that looks like because my husband does 219 00:11:54,440 --> 00:11:57,200 Speaker 3: it sometimes. Yeah, so does one of my kids. But no, 220 00:11:57,280 --> 00:11:58,840 Speaker 3: I usually like actually put it down. 221 00:11:59,520 --> 00:11:59,840 Speaker 1: Yeah. 222 00:12:00,200 --> 00:12:02,480 Speaker 2: Well, the humor with that, I remember somebody telling me 223 00:12:02,520 --> 00:12:05,520 Speaker 2: about this. I was talking about somebody how they made 224 00:12:05,559 --> 00:12:07,360 Speaker 2: more time to read, and she mentioned you often is 225 00:12:07,360 --> 00:12:10,600 Speaker 2: falling asleep reading and then she wakes up because her 226 00:12:10,679 --> 00:12:12,319 Speaker 2: husban's like taking her glasses off. 227 00:12:13,200 --> 00:12:14,240 Speaker 1: She's in her bed. 228 00:12:15,160 --> 00:12:17,400 Speaker 2: I was like, you can fall asleep with your glasses 229 00:12:17,440 --> 00:12:18,760 Speaker 2: on while holding a book. 230 00:12:18,800 --> 00:12:24,320 Speaker 1: That's impressive. I don't believe I can do that. My 231 00:12:24,480 --> 00:12:27,480 Speaker 1: rest is there's a couple of things I like to do. 232 00:12:27,679 --> 00:12:30,040 Speaker 2: I like to sit in our hammock when the weather 233 00:12:30,160 --> 00:12:36,400 Speaker 2: is nice and read, or maybe it's reading stories and books, 234 00:12:36,400 --> 00:12:38,800 Speaker 2: but it could also be on my phone. I don't 235 00:12:38,800 --> 00:12:42,360 Speaker 2: mind using my phone for a little bit of downtime. 236 00:12:43,080 --> 00:12:45,960 Speaker 2: Going on a solo swim. 237 00:12:45,840 --> 00:12:46,800 Speaker 1: Again, this is summer. 238 00:12:47,000 --> 00:12:49,319 Speaker 2: Being in the pool on my own, just sort of 239 00:12:49,320 --> 00:12:52,160 Speaker 2: floating around is very RESTful to me. Doesn't happen very 240 00:12:52,200 --> 00:12:55,120 Speaker 2: often because I tend to be lifeguarding other people. But 241 00:12:55,360 --> 00:12:57,080 Speaker 2: I will take the moments when I'm there on my 242 00:12:57,120 --> 00:13:02,480 Speaker 2: own doing puzzles, like doing a puzzle. Although I've had 243 00:13:02,520 --> 00:13:05,240 Speaker 2: to choose the right kinds of puzzles because now that 244 00:13:05,280 --> 00:13:07,360 Speaker 2: I've done enough of them, I have definite preferences, and 245 00:13:07,400 --> 00:13:10,680 Speaker 2: sometimes I really want ones that are not mentally that taxing. 246 00:13:11,080 --> 00:13:12,960 Speaker 2: It's like a little taxing, but I kind of like 247 00:13:13,000 --> 00:13:16,960 Speaker 2: the ones where you're not totally stumped of where things go. 248 00:13:17,040 --> 00:13:21,079 Speaker 2: I find one hundred and fifty pieces of blue Sky 249 00:13:21,400 --> 00:13:24,400 Speaker 2: to be just tedious and not my favorite form of 250 00:13:24,400 --> 00:13:28,120 Speaker 2: puzzle doing. So I've been making sure to find puzzles 251 00:13:28,160 --> 00:13:31,280 Speaker 2: that are a little bit more filled in than that, 252 00:13:31,760 --> 00:13:35,600 Speaker 2: so I don't have to text my brain too much. 253 00:13:36,760 --> 00:13:38,800 Speaker 2: I like you, I find I spend a lot of 254 00:13:38,800 --> 00:13:40,760 Speaker 2: time texting. I don't know I was adding up my 255 00:13:40,800 --> 00:13:43,240 Speaker 2: texting time looking at my screen time function as many 256 00:13:43,280 --> 00:13:46,680 Speaker 2: hours a week, which I have not really included in 257 00:13:46,720 --> 00:13:50,880 Speaker 2: my mental model of what life looks like because it's 258 00:13:50,920 --> 00:13:53,520 Speaker 2: so quick, usually back and forth, like you know, three 259 00:13:53,559 --> 00:13:56,640 Speaker 2: minutes here and there are not even that. But obviously 260 00:13:56,720 --> 00:13:58,120 Speaker 2: it adds up if you look at the amount of 261 00:13:58,160 --> 00:14:01,200 Speaker 2: time you spend on messages on your phone. 262 00:14:01,360 --> 00:14:04,480 Speaker 3: And I find texting like one of my favorite uses 263 00:14:04,480 --> 00:14:07,520 Speaker 3: of the phone. I love my various groups that I have, 264 00:14:07,640 --> 00:14:11,520 Speaker 3: my college friends, texting you, texting my sister, texting my parents. Like, 265 00:14:11,880 --> 00:14:13,480 Speaker 3: there's a lot of texting in my day to day, 266 00:14:13,559 --> 00:14:17,320 Speaker 3: and I'm not sad about that particular motive device use. 267 00:14:18,200 --> 00:14:20,880 Speaker 2: Yeah, and then I also just like to sit with 268 00:14:20,920 --> 00:14:22,640 Speaker 2: my cup of coffee for a little bit. 269 00:14:23,480 --> 00:14:24,320 Speaker 1: One thing I've been doing. 270 00:14:24,320 --> 00:14:26,320 Speaker 2: If I'm up early enough, is sometimes I will make 271 00:14:26,320 --> 00:14:29,160 Speaker 2: my coffee and go sit outside. Again, morning tends to 272 00:14:29,200 --> 00:14:31,920 Speaker 2: be nice in Pennsylvania in summer, although it's been a 273 00:14:31,920 --> 00:14:36,160 Speaker 2: bit muggy lately. But if I just challenge myself to 274 00:14:36,240 --> 00:14:38,240 Speaker 2: kind of sit and not look at my phone, or 275 00:14:38,280 --> 00:14:40,520 Speaker 2: sit and look at the sky and all that, even 276 00:14:41,280 --> 00:14:46,040 Speaker 2: five minutes can feel pretty long with no distractions, and 277 00:14:46,120 --> 00:14:51,880 Speaker 2: so being aware of what time is available, and if 278 00:14:51,880 --> 00:14:54,200 Speaker 2: you're not trying to distract yourself with other things, you 279 00:14:54,240 --> 00:14:57,160 Speaker 2: can get into that kind of WHOA. 280 00:14:57,200 --> 00:15:01,040 Speaker 1: I've had some downtime state fairly quickly with that. 281 00:15:01,680 --> 00:15:03,880 Speaker 2: But we encourage people to make a list, like make 282 00:15:03,920 --> 00:15:06,360 Speaker 2: a list of the things that you find RESTful, so 283 00:15:06,400 --> 00:15:10,480 Speaker 2: you at least have these top of mind. You also 284 00:15:10,480 --> 00:15:12,520 Speaker 2: want to think about how you are building in rest 285 00:15:12,640 --> 00:15:15,600 Speaker 2: into your life. And sometimes this is again if we're 286 00:15:15,600 --> 00:15:17,800 Speaker 2: thinking one hundred and sixty eight hours, not twenty four, 287 00:15:17,960 --> 00:15:21,240 Speaker 2: thinking through busy periods and less busy periods. Sarah, you've 288 00:15:21,280 --> 00:15:24,080 Speaker 2: actually made a conscious choice of how to structure your 289 00:15:24,120 --> 00:15:29,000 Speaker 2: schedule to deal with post call needing a little bit 290 00:15:29,000 --> 00:15:30,920 Speaker 2: more downtime. Maybe you can talk about that. 291 00:15:31,200 --> 00:15:34,720 Speaker 3: Yes, I find myself absolutely use. So my call is 292 00:15:34,760 --> 00:15:37,880 Speaker 3: from Monday morning to the next Monday morning, and currently 293 00:15:37,960 --> 00:15:39,720 Speaker 3: I also have Monday as a clinic day, so that 294 00:15:39,760 --> 00:15:43,800 Speaker 3: means basically, I mean until Monday at five pm. I'm like, 295 00:15:44,720 --> 00:15:48,040 Speaker 3: it's just all clinical stuff and a lot of responsibility 296 00:15:48,160 --> 00:15:50,120 Speaker 3: and a lot of stress no matter how long I 297 00:15:50,200 --> 00:15:53,440 Speaker 3: do it, and that's okay. Again not resenting the stress, 298 00:15:53,480 --> 00:15:56,120 Speaker 3: but I have to acknowledge it at the same time. 299 00:15:56,840 --> 00:16:00,000 Speaker 3: And the next day is a Tuesday, which is usually 300 00:16:00,080 --> 00:16:02,960 Speaker 3: a like podcasting day, et cetera. And I have found that, 301 00:16:03,040 --> 00:16:06,760 Speaker 3: like I don't want to do anything on that day 302 00:16:06,840 --> 00:16:12,720 Speaker 3: and I very much just crave some quiet, some silence, 303 00:16:12,800 --> 00:16:15,040 Speaker 3: some just downtime because I didn't get any on that 304 00:16:15,160 --> 00:16:17,480 Speaker 3: past weekend. Even if it wasn't a busy weekend, I'm 305 00:16:17,480 --> 00:16:19,760 Speaker 3: still thinking about the patients. I'm still sort of like 306 00:16:19,840 --> 00:16:21,920 Speaker 3: in it. So I just need like a I need 307 00:16:21,960 --> 00:16:25,560 Speaker 3: a recharge period. So my very low tech and ridiculous 308 00:16:25,600 --> 00:16:27,520 Speaker 3: solution is that my next call week, I was like, 309 00:16:27,960 --> 00:16:30,360 Speaker 3: let me just write on my planner, don't schedule anything, 310 00:16:30,560 --> 00:16:33,080 Speaker 3: because I will if I don't, like specifically have some 311 00:16:33,240 --> 00:16:36,600 Speaker 3: kind of block, I will put stuff and you know, 312 00:16:36,680 --> 00:16:38,960 Speaker 3: sometimes you end up putting stuff anyway. But at least 313 00:16:38,960 --> 00:16:43,120 Speaker 3: I can be mindful of the intensity of those activities, 314 00:16:43,120 --> 00:16:45,440 Speaker 3: like I'm not going to schedule a talk and invited 315 00:16:45,480 --> 00:16:47,640 Speaker 3: talk on that day or something like that, or a 316 00:16:47,720 --> 00:16:50,160 Speaker 3: mega recording session with Laura, as fun as those are, 317 00:16:50,200 --> 00:16:52,280 Speaker 3: Like I need some time not to be on stage, 318 00:16:52,280 --> 00:16:54,520 Speaker 3: and that post call day is really really important. 319 00:16:55,320 --> 00:16:58,800 Speaker 2: Yeah, I've learned over the years that after I give 320 00:16:58,840 --> 00:17:02,640 Speaker 2: a speech, I tend not to be able to do 321 00:17:02,760 --> 00:17:06,720 Speaker 2: much focused work. And so especially if I'm like getting 322 00:17:06,760 --> 00:17:10,240 Speaker 2: on an airplane after a speech. In my mind, I'm like, well, 323 00:17:10,240 --> 00:17:12,560 Speaker 2: that's great work time, and then I've sort of realized, no, 324 00:17:12,640 --> 00:17:14,639 Speaker 2: it's not great work time. I tend to be like 325 00:17:14,720 --> 00:17:17,399 Speaker 2: I've been on and performing and then I need to 326 00:17:17,600 --> 00:17:20,520 Speaker 2: kind of not do that for a while. And I've 327 00:17:20,960 --> 00:17:23,440 Speaker 2: done back to back speeches, like I have done two 328 00:17:23,480 --> 00:17:25,919 Speaker 2: in a day, but it is very taxing when you 329 00:17:26,040 --> 00:17:27,960 Speaker 2: need to do that, and so I need to be 330 00:17:28,040 --> 00:17:31,320 Speaker 2: mindful of like, Okay, probably I'll just read a magazine 331 00:17:31,480 --> 00:17:35,160 Speaker 2: on the flight on the way home and give myself 332 00:17:35,200 --> 00:17:38,240 Speaker 2: permission to do that and build that into my model 333 00:17:38,280 --> 00:17:40,600 Speaker 2: of how the work is getting done in the course 334 00:17:40,720 --> 00:17:44,080 Speaker 2: of the week. Fine to do work on the flight 335 00:17:44,119 --> 00:17:47,880 Speaker 2: there flight home maybe not happening so much unless it's 336 00:17:47,960 --> 00:17:51,680 Speaker 2: the next day that I'm flying out. Totally makes sense. 337 00:17:52,080 --> 00:17:54,359 Speaker 2: What about during drink Oh, go ahead, Yeah, I was 338 00:17:54,359 --> 00:17:57,199 Speaker 2: gonna say during individual days, right, there are times that 339 00:17:57,320 --> 00:18:01,000 Speaker 2: you find you need some rest. I mean again fun 340 00:18:01,000 --> 00:18:03,200 Speaker 2: as these recording sessions are, I find if I've been 341 00:18:03,240 --> 00:18:06,240 Speaker 2: talking into a microphone for several hours, I probably need 342 00:18:06,240 --> 00:18:10,040 Speaker 2: to like not do anything for at least thirty minutes 343 00:18:10,080 --> 00:18:12,359 Speaker 2: after I finally turned the microphone off. 344 00:18:13,160 --> 00:18:16,160 Speaker 3: I would say, for me, it's like during my clinical days, 345 00:18:16,160 --> 00:18:18,520 Speaker 3: I've been talking, talking, talking, and also kind of moving 346 00:18:18,560 --> 00:18:21,840 Speaker 3: as fast as possible, like writing my notes, like kind 347 00:18:21,840 --> 00:18:24,880 Speaker 3: of an overdrive, and so I really crave that. It's 348 00:18:24,920 --> 00:18:27,439 Speaker 3: not always a full hour, but from like twelve fifteen 349 00:18:27,480 --> 00:18:30,720 Speaker 3: to one, I'm usually able to just do things that 350 00:18:30,760 --> 00:18:33,320 Speaker 3: are much lower speed and for me or it's like 351 00:18:33,400 --> 00:18:36,440 Speaker 3: lunch with friends or whatever. My manager was like, oh, 352 00:18:36,480 --> 00:18:38,600 Speaker 3: do you want to start your afternoon earlier so you 353 00:18:38,640 --> 00:18:40,439 Speaker 3: can finish earlier, because I guess some of my colleagues 354 00:18:40,440 --> 00:18:44,480 Speaker 3: wanted that, and I was like, absolutely not. I know 355 00:18:44,560 --> 00:18:46,840 Speaker 3: that I won't be able to go into the afternoon 356 00:18:47,040 --> 00:18:50,280 Speaker 3: with the right energy and mindset if I don't have 357 00:18:50,320 --> 00:18:53,399 Speaker 3: at least like a little bit of unwinding between the 358 00:18:53,440 --> 00:18:54,480 Speaker 3: two sessions. 359 00:18:55,000 --> 00:18:57,760 Speaker 2: Yeah, and I've found it's helpful when I'm trying to 360 00:18:57,800 --> 00:19:00,160 Speaker 2: get into a RESTful mindset. A phrase that I I've 361 00:19:00,160 --> 00:19:05,880 Speaker 2: been using a lot is cultivate a Saturday vibe. And now, 362 00:19:05,920 --> 00:19:08,479 Speaker 2: again both of us have lived through Saturdays with like 363 00:19:08,640 --> 00:19:09,520 Speaker 2: two year olds. 364 00:19:10,480 --> 00:19:15,000 Speaker 1: That is not what we mean. We mean more the. 365 00:19:15,640 --> 00:19:20,359 Speaker 2: Ideal Saturday where you maybe ease into the day and 366 00:19:20,400 --> 00:19:22,200 Speaker 2: you have a few things you need to get done, 367 00:19:22,240 --> 00:19:24,399 Speaker 2: but you're sort of moving a little bit slower and 368 00:19:24,480 --> 00:19:27,960 Speaker 2: doing fun things and interspersed with it. If you have 369 00:19:28,040 --> 00:19:31,160 Speaker 2: that kind of mindset of being in a Saturday mode, 370 00:19:31,200 --> 00:19:34,760 Speaker 2: that can kind of help you think about restfulness and 371 00:19:34,800 --> 00:19:35,919 Speaker 2: what you're trying to achieve. 372 00:19:36,760 --> 00:19:39,080 Speaker 3: So is your summer Saturday mode in general or no. 373 00:19:39,880 --> 00:19:42,639 Speaker 2: I'm trying to Yeah, I say, well, if June is 374 00:19:42,680 --> 00:19:45,560 Speaker 2: the Friday night of summer, I guess July is a Saturday. 375 00:19:45,640 --> 00:19:48,800 Speaker 2: So I've been telling myself to have a Saturday vibe 376 00:19:48,800 --> 00:19:51,159 Speaker 2: for July. Sometimes that's happening more than others. 377 00:19:51,160 --> 00:19:53,360 Speaker 1: But you know, super fun. 378 00:19:53,359 --> 00:19:53,800 Speaker 3: I like it. 379 00:19:53,800 --> 00:19:57,640 Speaker 1: It's all good. It's all good. So why is rest 380 00:19:57,680 --> 00:19:58,320 Speaker 1: a hot topic? 381 00:19:58,400 --> 00:20:00,280 Speaker 2: I mean, I think I read somewhere that like does 382 00:20:00,280 --> 00:20:03,320 Speaker 2: a feminist issue, which I don't know if that's the case, 383 00:20:03,400 --> 00:20:08,560 Speaker 2: but because I think many people don't feel that rest 384 00:20:08,640 --> 00:20:11,800 Speaker 2: is entirely equal in their lives, whether it's with other 385 00:20:11,920 --> 00:20:15,000 Speaker 2: people they know, sometimes with their own partners, or even 386 00:20:15,240 --> 00:20:20,600 Speaker 2: like their older children, I think that this is the 387 00:20:21,040 --> 00:20:23,560 Speaker 2: thing that needs to be addressed. I know I've found 388 00:20:23,560 --> 00:20:27,040 Speaker 2: myself feeling slightly resentful. If you know, we've just had 389 00:20:27,080 --> 00:20:30,399 Speaker 2: dinner and my kids all like walk off and the 390 00:20:30,480 --> 00:20:32,920 Speaker 2: kitchen still has to be cleaned up, and I'm like, 391 00:20:32,960 --> 00:20:35,359 Speaker 2: wait a minute, why do you go get to watch 392 00:20:35,400 --> 00:20:39,480 Speaker 2: your phone while I'm loading the dishwasher. This doesn't seem right. 393 00:20:39,720 --> 00:20:42,399 Speaker 2: Why do you feel even entitled to walk off and 394 00:20:42,480 --> 00:20:45,920 Speaker 2: go on your phone? If because obviously I will stop 395 00:20:45,920 --> 00:20:47,760 Speaker 2: people and ask them to help. But then it gets 396 00:20:47,760 --> 00:20:49,960 Speaker 2: a little bit like, wait a minute, why. 397 00:20:49,840 --> 00:20:52,440 Speaker 3: Did I even have to ask? Why is this considered 398 00:20:52,520 --> 00:20:53,840 Speaker 3: part of your purview as well? 399 00:20:53,960 --> 00:20:56,920 Speaker 2: Yes, yeah that why are you going to rest so quickly? 400 00:20:57,000 --> 00:21:01,200 Speaker 2: And I do not automatically get this. So this brings 401 00:21:01,280 --> 00:21:04,560 Speaker 2: us to part two, which is the trade off manifesto. 402 00:21:05,200 --> 00:21:07,840 Speaker 3: I'm so glad you called it a manifesto because I 403 00:21:08,040 --> 00:21:09,159 Speaker 3: love manifestos. 404 00:21:09,240 --> 00:21:10,359 Speaker 1: You love manifestos. 405 00:21:10,640 --> 00:21:13,800 Speaker 3: I just think that it's perfect trade off manifesto. 406 00:21:14,720 --> 00:21:17,280 Speaker 2: How do you for sure get rest if you have 407 00:21:17,840 --> 00:21:21,800 Speaker 2: little kids, for instance, and a busy life, and if 408 00:21:21,800 --> 00:21:25,680 Speaker 2: you are in a two parent family, Adopting a very 409 00:21:25,720 --> 00:21:29,840 Speaker 2: explicit strategy of trading off for blocks of time over 410 00:21:29,880 --> 00:21:35,360 Speaker 2: who is with the kids allows each party to have 411 00:21:35,600 --> 00:21:40,320 Speaker 2: some moments of real rest, even though there are little 412 00:21:40,359 --> 00:21:43,480 Speaker 2: people around who need constant vigilance. 413 00:21:43,920 --> 00:21:45,560 Speaker 1: And one way to think about this. 414 00:21:46,359 --> 00:21:50,600 Speaker 2: Which I know some folks who gotten divorced and wound 415 00:21:50,680 --> 00:21:54,119 Speaker 2: up with fifty to fifty co parenting arrangements. Each of 416 00:21:54,160 --> 00:21:57,840 Speaker 2: them is then fully on with the kids fifty percent 417 00:21:57,880 --> 00:22:01,199 Speaker 2: of the time, and for many people that has been 418 00:22:01,240 --> 00:22:03,840 Speaker 2: a growing and learning experience if they were not used 419 00:22:03,840 --> 00:22:06,679 Speaker 2: to being fully on with the kids fifty percent of 420 00:22:06,720 --> 00:22:10,160 Speaker 2: the time, but now they are doing it and everyone 421 00:22:10,480 --> 00:22:12,960 Speaker 2: is dealing, and the idea is, well, why not do 422 00:22:13,000 --> 00:22:16,359 Speaker 2: at least some of that while you're still married so 423 00:22:16,400 --> 00:22:19,800 Speaker 2: you don't necessarily wind up in a resentful situation over 424 00:22:19,800 --> 00:22:22,679 Speaker 2: this where it confess to and lead to problems in 425 00:22:22,720 --> 00:22:25,840 Speaker 2: the marriage long term, or you know, hopefully not ending 426 00:22:25,920 --> 00:22:26,840 Speaker 2: over something like. 427 00:22:26,800 --> 00:22:29,640 Speaker 3: This where you want your free time so badly, you're like, fine, 428 00:22:29,680 --> 00:22:30,840 Speaker 3: fifty to fifty. 429 00:22:31,000 --> 00:22:32,240 Speaker 1: Fifty to fifty sounds great. 430 00:22:32,880 --> 00:22:35,160 Speaker 2: Yeah, Now we want to make sure that you can 431 00:22:35,240 --> 00:22:39,399 Speaker 2: have free time while remaining happily partnered, if that is 432 00:22:39,440 --> 00:22:44,640 Speaker 2: your current state. So the idea is that you actually 433 00:22:45,200 --> 00:22:48,520 Speaker 2: map it out because I think many women, and again 434 00:22:48,640 --> 00:22:51,040 Speaker 2: we speak mostly with women in this, their partners are 435 00:22:51,119 --> 00:22:53,800 Speaker 2: kind of an under utilized resource in the quest to 436 00:22:53,840 --> 00:22:56,639 Speaker 2: get downtime. Like you all hang out together on weekends 437 00:22:56,720 --> 00:22:58,280 Speaker 2: or evenings, and that's great, but I mean, the guy 438 00:22:58,359 --> 00:23:00,760 Speaker 2: is willing to be helpful. But if you are the 439 00:23:00,800 --> 00:23:04,240 Speaker 2: primary parent and the kids consider you the primary parents, 440 00:23:04,240 --> 00:23:06,199 Speaker 2: and even when you're all hanging out together, like you're 441 00:23:06,240 --> 00:23:08,480 Speaker 2: all sitting on the couch, the kid is asking you 442 00:23:08,560 --> 00:23:10,679 Speaker 2: to go get the drink of water. It is a mommy, 443 00:23:10,680 --> 00:23:12,520 Speaker 2: I need help with the potty or mommy, you know, 444 00:23:12,600 --> 00:23:15,520 Speaker 2: it's just and so you don't get the downtime, and 445 00:23:15,560 --> 00:23:17,840 Speaker 2: it can lead to this resentful because you're all there, 446 00:23:18,440 --> 00:23:21,719 Speaker 2: but neither you are not getting any of the rest 447 00:23:21,920 --> 00:23:24,520 Speaker 2: so half hours where each of. 448 00:23:24,400 --> 00:23:27,360 Speaker 1: You is officially in charge. 449 00:23:27,600 --> 00:23:30,359 Speaker 3: I mean, do you guys, do this at all, I 450 00:23:30,359 --> 00:23:34,119 Speaker 3: would say we at this juncture, do not do it explicitly. 451 00:23:34,720 --> 00:23:37,479 Speaker 3: I did find a blog post and I had a 452 00:23:37,520 --> 00:23:41,680 Speaker 3: memory of doing it very explicitly when we had one 453 00:23:42,080 --> 00:23:45,919 Speaker 3: like eight month old, and I really felt like I 454 00:23:45,960 --> 00:23:48,720 Speaker 3: needed some time to just not be I think she 455 00:23:48,800 --> 00:23:50,880 Speaker 3: was newly crawling, so it was at that stage where 456 00:23:50,880 --> 00:23:54,359 Speaker 3: you're like, I am on injury prevention every single second 457 00:23:54,400 --> 00:23:58,480 Speaker 3: she is awake, because it's like otherwise head injuries happen 458 00:23:58,560 --> 00:24:01,560 Speaker 3: and it's my fault. So one weekend I was like, 459 00:24:01,680 --> 00:24:04,240 Speaker 3: let's literally take shifts. And by the way, the naps 460 00:24:04,240 --> 00:24:05,680 Speaker 3: don't count, so you don't get to be like, oh, well, 461 00:24:05,680 --> 00:24:06,240 Speaker 3: my shift she. 462 00:24:06,320 --> 00:24:10,760 Speaker 1: Happened one to three in the afternoon. Yes, And I 463 00:24:10,840 --> 00:24:11,440 Speaker 1: like mapped it. 464 00:24:11,359 --> 00:24:14,439 Speaker 3: Out specifically so that like during her awake time we 465 00:24:14,440 --> 00:24:16,639 Speaker 3: were sharing. And I think I remember when I first 466 00:24:16,920 --> 00:24:19,960 Speaker 3: posed this, it was like huh, like why and it's 467 00:24:20,000 --> 00:24:22,120 Speaker 3: like but then actually he was like, Okay, I kind 468 00:24:22,119 --> 00:24:23,800 Speaker 3: of see it because the fact that I was like 469 00:24:24,080 --> 00:24:25,960 Speaker 3: why means that maybe you. 470 00:24:25,960 --> 00:24:28,000 Speaker 1: Were doing defaults. 471 00:24:28,440 --> 00:24:30,159 Speaker 3: Yeah, I mean he was like doing it, but I 472 00:24:30,200 --> 00:24:32,400 Speaker 3: was like the default doing it. And again there was breastfeeding, 473 00:24:32,440 --> 00:24:35,480 Speaker 3: like there were reasons for that to some extent, but anyway, 474 00:24:36,400 --> 00:24:40,000 Speaker 3: it did work on that day. The blog post strikes 475 00:24:40,000 --> 00:24:43,480 Speaker 3: me as somewhat embarrassing for whatever reason now, but yes, 476 00:24:43,520 --> 00:24:45,480 Speaker 3: we did it in a very explicit way back then, 477 00:24:45,640 --> 00:24:48,760 Speaker 3: and I think that can work in certain scenarios. At 478 00:24:48,800 --> 00:24:52,720 Speaker 3: this point, I don't feel I need quite that level 479 00:24:53,400 --> 00:24:57,639 Speaker 3: of like scheduling, mostly because the kids do not really 480 00:24:57,720 --> 00:25:01,440 Speaker 3: need like one on one following at ages six, ten 481 00:25:01,480 --> 00:25:03,640 Speaker 3: and twelve. So instead I just try to be really 482 00:25:03,680 --> 00:25:06,600 Speaker 3: really upfront about what I do need, and I will 483 00:25:06,640 --> 00:25:10,159 Speaker 3: announce I'm taking a nap and dare anyone to challenge me, 484 00:25:10,560 --> 00:25:13,879 Speaker 3: and usually they don't, which is wonderful, and then I 485 00:25:13,920 --> 00:25:16,920 Speaker 3: take my nap, or I will specifically say, like, hey, 486 00:25:17,240 --> 00:25:19,720 Speaker 3: I'm going to take the girls to get our nails done, 487 00:25:19,720 --> 00:25:21,760 Speaker 3: like can you do something? Well that's splitting the kids, 488 00:25:21,920 --> 00:25:24,280 Speaker 3: But sometimes it'll be I'm taking all three kids to this, 489 00:25:24,520 --> 00:25:26,320 Speaker 3: can you take them all three to a movie tomorrow? 490 00:25:26,440 --> 00:25:28,280 Speaker 3: So that like I can get some time And so 491 00:25:28,600 --> 00:25:30,920 Speaker 3: I'll make a suggestion and then that will kind of 492 00:25:30,960 --> 00:25:33,760 Speaker 3: work out, and then maybe it also serves you know, 493 00:25:33,800 --> 00:25:35,199 Speaker 3: with the ages of the kids, we can kind of 494 00:25:35,200 --> 00:25:37,400 Speaker 3: fit the interest to the activities as. 495 00:25:37,280 --> 00:25:42,120 Speaker 2: Well, yeah, I've definitely had. I mean, I remember when 496 00:25:43,280 --> 00:25:45,560 Speaker 2: the kids were really little, like when we were living 497 00:25:45,600 --> 00:25:48,600 Speaker 2: in New York, we had going for quite a while 498 00:25:48,600 --> 00:25:51,560 Speaker 2: that Michael would take them out of the house on 499 00:25:52,040 --> 00:25:57,399 Speaker 2: Saturday or Sunday for excursion of some variety, and the 500 00:25:57,440 --> 00:25:59,359 Speaker 2: idea is that they would go out and do something 501 00:25:59,800 --> 00:26:03,399 Speaker 2: and not be home right because then I could be 502 00:26:03,480 --> 00:26:03,840 Speaker 2: in the. 503 00:26:03,720 --> 00:26:06,200 Speaker 1: House by myself. That was good. 504 00:26:06,320 --> 00:26:08,600 Speaker 2: That was a recognition that I was doing more of 505 00:26:08,640 --> 00:26:11,160 Speaker 2: it during the week, and then he needed to do 506 00:26:11,600 --> 00:26:15,080 Speaker 2: his shift on the weekend. And again, as the kids 507 00:26:15,119 --> 00:26:16,600 Speaker 2: get older, you need less of it. But we're still 508 00:26:16,600 --> 00:26:19,120 Speaker 2: tell you with Henry like, Okay, this is your time. 509 00:26:19,119 --> 00:26:21,960 Speaker 2: You're gonna go play this video game with him. That's 510 00:26:22,000 --> 00:26:24,960 Speaker 2: one thing they do together. And then I can go 511 00:26:25,040 --> 00:26:28,040 Speaker 2: outside and sit on my hammock and relax and then 512 00:26:28,720 --> 00:26:30,879 Speaker 2: make sure that it's explicit like who is in charge 513 00:26:30,880 --> 00:26:32,760 Speaker 2: of him at any given time. 514 00:26:32,840 --> 00:26:34,520 Speaker 1: So there is definitely some of it. 515 00:26:34,680 --> 00:26:36,359 Speaker 2: We're gonna take one more quick ad break and then 516 00:26:36,400 --> 00:26:38,680 Speaker 2: we'll be back with more on how we can make 517 00:26:38,840 --> 00:26:54,520 Speaker 2: trading off work. Well, we are back talking how we 518 00:26:54,560 --> 00:26:58,040 Speaker 2: can have rest and downtime, particularly if there are little 519 00:26:58,080 --> 00:27:00,959 Speaker 2: kids involved. And we're saying that in families that have 520 00:27:01,000 --> 00:27:04,520 Speaker 2: two parents, having a very explicit schedule of trading off 521 00:27:04,840 --> 00:27:09,040 Speaker 2: can increase the chances that both parties get adequate downtime, 522 00:27:09,080 --> 00:27:12,000 Speaker 2: both the person that might more automatically get it and 523 00:27:12,080 --> 00:27:15,080 Speaker 2: the person who might be less likely to automatically get 524 00:27:15,119 --> 00:27:18,040 Speaker 2: the rest that they feel that they need. Now, are 525 00:27:18,040 --> 00:27:20,560 Speaker 2: we saying it has to be every single one hour 526 00:27:20,600 --> 00:27:22,359 Speaker 2: of the one hundred and sixty eight hours in a week. Well, no, 527 00:27:22,440 --> 00:27:24,720 Speaker 2: if you are not divorced and co parenting and so 528 00:27:24,760 --> 00:27:29,680 Speaker 2: actually you're totally splitting the week, then obviously there's gonna 529 00:27:29,680 --> 00:27:31,600 Speaker 2: be time when you're all together. But you might need 530 00:27:31,640 --> 00:27:35,560 Speaker 2: to think about what would make it feel adequate for me. 531 00:27:35,840 --> 00:27:38,159 Speaker 2: And maybe it's that one party gets Saturday morning and 532 00:27:38,200 --> 00:27:41,280 Speaker 2: one gets Saturday after noon and you spend Saturday evening 533 00:27:41,359 --> 00:27:44,520 Speaker 2: together as a family. Or maybe one party gets Friday night, 534 00:27:44,640 --> 00:27:48,280 Speaker 2: the other gets a few hours on Sunday afternoon. Maybe 535 00:27:48,280 --> 00:27:51,240 Speaker 2: one party wants the mornings to themselves during the week 536 00:27:51,320 --> 00:27:54,040 Speaker 2: and that works and then the other party. You know, 537 00:27:54,080 --> 00:27:56,600 Speaker 2: then that party who is off on the mornings will 538 00:27:56,600 --> 00:27:59,679 Speaker 2: do the early evenings or whatever it happens to be. 539 00:28:00,960 --> 00:28:03,560 Speaker 2: But thinking about what it might look like in the 540 00:28:03,560 --> 00:28:04,400 Speaker 2: family schedule. 541 00:28:05,200 --> 00:28:07,720 Speaker 3: I think this is just such an important conversation because 542 00:28:07,760 --> 00:28:11,240 Speaker 3: one thing that sometimes strikes me as I'm listening to 543 00:28:11,359 --> 00:28:14,800 Speaker 3: podcasts with male hosts and them talking about fitting in 544 00:28:14,840 --> 00:28:18,400 Speaker 3: their workout and getting their downtime, is I love hearing 545 00:28:18,440 --> 00:28:21,639 Speaker 3: about them taking their retreat, but like, please normalize it 546 00:28:21,680 --> 00:28:25,719 Speaker 3: for the female have to And I think that's actually important. 547 00:28:25,760 --> 00:28:28,679 Speaker 3: Even if one partner is more staying at home or 548 00:28:28,720 --> 00:28:32,680 Speaker 3: has a less demanding job, that persons still going to 549 00:28:32,720 --> 00:28:34,840 Speaker 3: need some like alone time and some rich charge times. 550 00:28:34,840 --> 00:28:38,080 Speaker 3: So I think this just has to really really go 551 00:28:38,200 --> 00:28:41,040 Speaker 3: both ways. And I don't necessarily mean a fifty to 552 00:28:41,320 --> 00:28:44,320 Speaker 3: fifty split. I mean we can talk about that, but 553 00:28:44,520 --> 00:28:48,520 Speaker 3: instead each person truly getting what they want a need 554 00:28:48,720 --> 00:28:51,160 Speaker 3: out of life, out of the relationship, out of the partnership, 555 00:28:51,320 --> 00:28:54,440 Speaker 3: et cetera. And I guess I feel like this isn't. 556 00:28:54,240 --> 00:28:55,000 Speaker 1: Talked about enough. 557 00:28:55,000 --> 00:28:58,240 Speaker 3: People love to talk about their own stuff, and then 558 00:28:58,320 --> 00:29:02,080 Speaker 3: sometimes there's just this like nebulous partner lurking in the 559 00:29:02,080 --> 00:29:04,200 Speaker 3: distance that seems to be soaking up all the excess. 560 00:29:04,240 --> 00:29:06,800 Speaker 3: And I guess this conversation will tell you. I guess 561 00:29:06,800 --> 00:29:09,680 Speaker 3: we are that partner and we want our own time too. 562 00:29:10,680 --> 00:29:13,920 Speaker 2: Well, and we're saying it could be a couple hours 563 00:29:13,960 --> 00:29:16,760 Speaker 2: built into sort of the weekly schedule. It can also 564 00:29:16,760 --> 00:29:19,640 Speaker 2: be that when you are on vacation with a family, 565 00:29:19,720 --> 00:29:23,240 Speaker 2: maybe you trade off days, like one of you covers 566 00:29:23,280 --> 00:29:25,640 Speaker 2: one day and then the other partner covers the other day, 567 00:29:25,680 --> 00:29:29,120 Speaker 2: so we each get some downtime on vacation. I well 568 00:29:29,160 --> 00:29:32,040 Speaker 2: remember Michael and I did this when we were with 569 00:29:32,120 --> 00:29:34,880 Speaker 2: the family in San Diego in twenty sixteens. We had 570 00:29:34,920 --> 00:29:39,760 Speaker 2: four very young kids at that point, and he took 571 00:29:39,840 --> 00:29:42,920 Speaker 2: them all, which, by the way, our nanny at the 572 00:29:42,920 --> 00:29:45,440 Speaker 2: time came too, So it's a we were trading off 573 00:29:45,480 --> 00:29:48,680 Speaker 2: with help, but it was still one partner was going 574 00:29:48,760 --> 00:29:50,840 Speaker 2: with it. They went to Disneyland for the day, so 575 00:29:50,880 --> 00:29:54,200 Speaker 2: I had a whole day all to myself. It was awesome, 576 00:29:55,440 --> 00:29:58,360 Speaker 2: and I covered another day for sure. Or you could 577 00:29:58,360 --> 00:30:01,640 Speaker 2: also do long weekends like I think. I think each 578 00:30:01,760 --> 00:30:05,360 Speaker 2: partner should ideally get at least one long weekend away 579 00:30:05,360 --> 00:30:07,320 Speaker 2: in the course of the year to do what you want. 580 00:30:07,840 --> 00:30:10,120 Speaker 2: You don't have to spend all your PTO together. It's 581 00:30:10,160 --> 00:30:12,920 Speaker 2: really hard also for many families to get an overnight 582 00:30:12,960 --> 00:30:16,320 Speaker 2: babysitter but it is not at all hard for one 583 00:30:16,920 --> 00:30:21,320 Speaker 2: parent to be the overnight coverage, so you can take 584 00:30:21,360 --> 00:30:24,719 Speaker 2: a couple days away pretty easily if the partner is covering, 585 00:30:24,840 --> 00:30:26,960 Speaker 2: versus if both of you are trying to go. It's 586 00:30:26,960 --> 00:30:29,800 Speaker 2: this huge trying to fit together all sorts of different 587 00:30:29,880 --> 00:30:31,600 Speaker 2: kinds of childcare to make it work. 588 00:30:32,360 --> 00:30:35,360 Speaker 3: I struggle with this one, mostly because I seem to 589 00:30:35,360 --> 00:30:39,360 Speaker 3: be the only one that really wants these weekends. But 590 00:30:39,440 --> 00:30:41,960 Speaker 3: I guess it is what it is, and I'll continue 591 00:30:42,000 --> 00:30:44,720 Speaker 3: to encourage Josh to I don't know, not that he 592 00:30:44,800 --> 00:30:47,280 Speaker 3: specifically has to go away, but if there's some event 593 00:30:47,400 --> 00:30:49,280 Speaker 3: or thing that excites him to make sure that he 594 00:30:49,520 --> 00:30:51,600 Speaker 3: carves out time to do that. It's a concert or 595 00:30:51,600 --> 00:30:54,720 Speaker 3: a sports event or whatever it is. So addressing a 596 00:30:54,720 --> 00:30:59,160 Speaker 3: few objections with the trade off philosophy here. Obviously, if 597 00:30:59,160 --> 00:31:03,880 Speaker 3: people don't have a partner co parent, this is much harder, 598 00:31:05,080 --> 00:31:10,080 Speaker 3: but you can perhaps co op with another mom who 599 00:31:10,120 --> 00:31:12,040 Speaker 3: is in a similar situation. So if you have a 600 00:31:12,040 --> 00:31:15,040 Speaker 3: good friend who is also a single parent, a neighbor 601 00:31:15,040 --> 00:31:17,200 Speaker 3: who is also a single parent, or you know a 602 00:31:17,240 --> 00:31:20,520 Speaker 3: relative in a similar situation, the two of you can say, okay, well, 603 00:31:20,560 --> 00:31:22,480 Speaker 3: I host the play date on Saturday. She hosts the 604 00:31:22,480 --> 00:31:25,520 Speaker 3: play date on Sunday. That gives each of us some 605 00:31:25,760 --> 00:31:29,440 Speaker 3: time off to do whatever we need to for ourselves 606 00:31:29,520 --> 00:31:30,760 Speaker 3: and hopefully relax. 607 00:31:31,760 --> 00:31:33,360 Speaker 1: There are some people who have. 608 00:31:33,360 --> 00:31:38,160 Speaker 2: Agreements with families, So perhaps a single mom's extended family 609 00:31:38,200 --> 00:31:40,360 Speaker 2: takes the kid one weekend a month. That might be 610 00:31:40,560 --> 00:31:44,560 Speaker 2: a really great situation that an extended family might be 611 00:31:44,640 --> 00:31:49,400 Speaker 2: willing to offer as something to help make life feel 612 00:31:49,480 --> 00:31:54,080 Speaker 2: more sustainable for her. You can budget for your rest. 613 00:31:54,880 --> 00:31:59,400 Speaker 2: Think about if you were co parenting with somebody, your 614 00:31:59,480 --> 00:32:01,360 Speaker 2: kids were going off to that person, like, what would 615 00:32:01,400 --> 00:32:04,000 Speaker 2: it look like and sort of there was an old 616 00:32:04,480 --> 00:32:07,480 Speaker 2: custody arrangement. I guess where the kids would go to 617 00:32:07,880 --> 00:32:11,800 Speaker 2: dad for Wednesday evening and every other Saturday or something 618 00:32:11,840 --> 00:32:13,840 Speaker 2: like that. So maybe that's what you budget for, right 619 00:32:14,080 --> 00:32:18,000 Speaker 2: one every weekday, one Wednesday evening and a couple of 620 00:32:18,000 --> 00:32:18,960 Speaker 2: hours on Saturday. 621 00:32:19,600 --> 00:32:21,840 Speaker 3: You're talking about paid care, and that ye care, right 622 00:32:21,920 --> 00:32:23,200 Speaker 3: to hire a sitter, that makes. 623 00:32:23,120 --> 00:32:25,640 Speaker 2: Hire a sitter for that and or even if you 624 00:32:25,680 --> 00:32:28,680 Speaker 2: have regular work childcare being able to stretch it a 625 00:32:28,720 --> 00:32:31,680 Speaker 2: tiny bit. So maybe it's something like your daycare is 626 00:32:31,760 --> 00:32:34,520 Speaker 2: from eight to six, but you are often done with 627 00:32:34,600 --> 00:32:37,240 Speaker 2: work at five. You normally just get your kid then, 628 00:32:37,240 --> 00:32:39,960 Speaker 2: and that is awesome, But maybe two days a week 629 00:32:40,080 --> 00:32:42,600 Speaker 2: you let it go a little closer to six and 630 00:32:42,640 --> 00:32:46,240 Speaker 2: give yourself that fifty minutes to just chill and try 631 00:32:46,280 --> 00:32:49,200 Speaker 2: to rejuvenate yourself before you have the evening on. 632 00:32:50,120 --> 00:32:53,760 Speaker 3: Yeah, I mean, I absolutely acknowledge that all of this 633 00:32:54,040 --> 00:32:58,160 Speaker 3: does become more complicated when you are single, and I 634 00:32:58,160 --> 00:33:01,600 Speaker 3: can hear some arguments from single people close to me, 635 00:33:01,800 --> 00:33:04,960 Speaker 3: but I think that still there are probably something is 636 00:33:05,000 --> 00:33:08,040 Speaker 3: better than nothing in many cases, and even small doses 637 00:33:08,040 --> 00:33:11,360 Speaker 3: of extra downtime can feel like a lot when it's 638 00:33:11,360 --> 00:33:12,680 Speaker 3: going from zero to something. 639 00:33:13,480 --> 00:33:14,080 Speaker 1: Yeah. 640 00:33:14,320 --> 00:33:16,760 Speaker 2: Now, of course, the related objection is I have a partner, 641 00:33:16,760 --> 00:33:20,440 Speaker 2: but he's never reliably around. I would push back on 642 00:33:20,480 --> 00:33:22,920 Speaker 2: this for the vast. 643 00:33:22,800 --> 00:33:24,480 Speaker 1: Majority of jobs. 644 00:33:24,480 --> 00:33:30,160 Speaker 2: Now, obviously, if your husband is deployed somewhere for nine months, 645 00:33:30,200 --> 00:33:33,720 Speaker 2: that is a different scenario, and then you can go 646 00:33:34,000 --> 00:33:37,000 Speaker 2: back to the ways you might build and rest in 647 00:33:37,040 --> 00:33:40,360 Speaker 2: downtime if you don't have a partner around. But if 648 00:33:40,360 --> 00:33:42,800 Speaker 2: we're talking to somebody with a fairly normal job, they 649 00:33:42,840 --> 00:33:45,720 Speaker 2: just tend to work longer hours, there's probably at least 650 00:33:45,840 --> 00:33:48,000 Speaker 2: some point that they could take. You know, maybe it's 651 00:33:48,000 --> 00:33:51,240 Speaker 2: that they're almost never working on Saturday mornings, well maybe 652 00:33:51,320 --> 00:33:54,880 Speaker 2: that could be your time, or maybe it's that you 653 00:33:55,080 --> 00:33:59,560 Speaker 2: also then hopefully your partner's being compensated for all this availability, 654 00:33:59,640 --> 00:34:02,040 Speaker 2: and you can hire a sitter, right, Sarah. 655 00:34:02,160 --> 00:34:04,520 Speaker 3: Yes. And my favorite reminder is like, if that is 656 00:34:04,560 --> 00:34:07,600 Speaker 3: the case, the sitter is not covering you, they're really 657 00:34:07,600 --> 00:34:10,760 Speaker 3: covering your partner. If you're doing ninety percent of stuff 658 00:34:10,760 --> 00:34:12,399 Speaker 3: and you want to do eighty percent and you want 659 00:34:12,440 --> 00:34:14,839 Speaker 3: that ten percent help and your partner really can't do it, 660 00:34:14,920 --> 00:34:19,000 Speaker 3: then again you should feel very much good about getting 661 00:34:19,000 --> 00:34:22,160 Speaker 3: that help and not even feel like it's kind of 662 00:34:22,200 --> 00:34:26,560 Speaker 3: subbing your labor. It's really subbing the other person. Yeah, exactly. 663 00:34:27,680 --> 00:34:31,600 Speaker 2: A second objection is that this all seems so transactional 664 00:34:31,800 --> 00:34:34,520 Speaker 2: and petty, Like, if we're in a loving family, why 665 00:34:34,560 --> 00:34:39,720 Speaker 2: do we need to explicitly say that Dad covers Thursday evening, 666 00:34:39,760 --> 00:34:42,240 Speaker 2: Mom covers Wednesday evening, and we split Saturday. 667 00:34:42,320 --> 00:34:43,560 Speaker 1: So, Sarah, what would you say to that? 668 00:34:44,800 --> 00:34:47,040 Speaker 3: And this is not from, by the way, not from 669 00:34:47,040 --> 00:34:50,719 Speaker 3: personal experience myself, but from more hearing other people, But 670 00:34:50,760 --> 00:34:52,960 Speaker 3: I feel like from what people have told me, the 671 00:34:53,000 --> 00:34:54,879 Speaker 3: ones who object to with the most are the ones 672 00:34:54,920 --> 00:34:57,239 Speaker 3: who are kind of slept with this striking realization that 673 00:34:57,280 --> 00:34:58,839 Speaker 3: they're going to have to do a lot more than 674 00:34:58,920 --> 00:35:02,839 Speaker 3: they are current. So it may not seem petty if 675 00:35:02,840 --> 00:35:04,160 Speaker 3: it's not a big change, but if all of a 676 00:35:04,160 --> 00:35:06,120 Speaker 3: sudden they're like, wait, I have to do bedtime twice 677 00:35:06,160 --> 00:35:06,479 Speaker 3: a week. 678 00:35:06,560 --> 00:35:10,560 Speaker 2: Oh, that's so petty. Like, hm, I don't know, maybe 679 00:35:10,560 --> 00:35:13,239 Speaker 2: it's not so petty. Maybe it's time to step up 680 00:35:13,239 --> 00:35:15,880 Speaker 2: to the game. Yeah. And the earlier you start, the 681 00:35:15,880 --> 00:35:18,760 Speaker 2: more natural it will seem for everyone, because everyone becomes 682 00:35:18,800 --> 00:35:21,520 Speaker 2: competent with taking care of the kids on their own. 683 00:35:21,560 --> 00:35:25,400 Speaker 2: I know we've both laughed when we've heard some mostly 684 00:35:25,560 --> 00:35:27,879 Speaker 2: fathers make the joke when they have the third kid 685 00:35:27,920 --> 00:35:29,960 Speaker 2: of like, oh, we're moving from man to man to 686 00:35:30,080 --> 00:35:32,160 Speaker 2: zone defense. It's like, well, that means you have never 687 00:35:32,280 --> 00:35:35,000 Speaker 2: taken the two kids on your own. It's like, that 688 00:35:35,120 --> 00:35:37,759 Speaker 2: is a pretty embarrassing revelation if you're already by your 689 00:35:37,760 --> 00:35:44,200 Speaker 2: third child. So let's make sure that everyone can do 690 00:35:44,360 --> 00:35:47,359 Speaker 2: all the parenting on their own should they need to. 691 00:35:48,520 --> 00:35:50,800 Speaker 2: And you know, in some of my studies, you know, 692 00:35:50,840 --> 00:35:53,080 Speaker 2: I've suggested people go take one night for them to 693 00:35:53,080 --> 00:35:55,680 Speaker 2: do a hobby and people like women. It's always women 694 00:35:55,760 --> 00:35:59,960 Speaker 2: have said, well my partner can't handle multiple kid bedtimes. 695 00:36:00,080 --> 00:36:03,359 Speaker 2: It's like, well, because that's he's never had to. But 696 00:36:03,480 --> 00:36:09,440 Speaker 2: if he is not completely incompetent, my guess is he 697 00:36:09,480 --> 00:36:10,279 Speaker 2: can do it. 698 00:36:10,480 --> 00:36:13,000 Speaker 1: If he needs to, he can learn. 699 00:36:13,160 --> 00:36:16,879 Speaker 2: And so the earlier you start with that, the more 700 00:36:17,400 --> 00:36:20,920 Speaker 2: comfortable and confident everyone will feel in their parenting. 701 00:36:21,680 --> 00:36:25,319 Speaker 3: I will say, as a related note, I personally find 702 00:36:25,360 --> 00:36:28,839 Speaker 3: it sometimes easier to parent, especially in the bedtime hour 703 00:36:29,440 --> 00:36:32,360 Speaker 3: when I am by myself with all three kids. Because 704 00:36:33,400 --> 00:36:35,319 Speaker 3: we've talked about this before. It's like it's becomes like 705 00:36:35,360 --> 00:36:38,600 Speaker 3: a dictator ship or something like I'm the only one 706 00:36:38,640 --> 00:36:40,919 Speaker 3: we'll do there's no one to diffuse, like well mom 707 00:36:41,000 --> 00:36:42,920 Speaker 3: said this, but Dad usually lets me do that, and 708 00:36:42,920 --> 00:36:44,560 Speaker 3: blah blah blah. It's like, nope, sorry, I'm the only 709 00:36:44,560 --> 00:36:46,160 Speaker 3: one here. To the point where my kids will be 710 00:36:46,200 --> 00:36:49,839 Speaker 3: like is daddy home and I'm like nope. That means 711 00:36:49,880 --> 00:36:52,000 Speaker 3: you have to listen to me, and it actually kind 712 00:36:52,040 --> 00:36:52,440 Speaker 3: of works. 713 00:36:52,480 --> 00:36:54,480 Speaker 1: So yeah, well I found this. 714 00:36:54,560 --> 00:36:57,040 Speaker 2: I mean, because we've split the family for I mean, 715 00:36:57,040 --> 00:36:59,120 Speaker 2: with five kids, use less of this. You know, one 716 00:36:59,120 --> 00:37:01,319 Speaker 2: person taking all five often, but you know we have, 717 00:37:02,239 --> 00:37:04,480 Speaker 2: but like if we have split family trips that I'm 718 00:37:04,480 --> 00:37:06,839 Speaker 2: taking some of the kids and Michael's taking some of 719 00:37:06,840 --> 00:37:09,920 Speaker 2: the others, you are fully in charge, right, There's no 720 00:37:10,040 --> 00:37:12,040 Speaker 2: question of who's in charge. Whereas if the both of 721 00:37:12,080 --> 00:37:14,600 Speaker 2: us are together, we're negotiating over different things, what we're 722 00:37:14,640 --> 00:37:17,480 Speaker 2: doing at different points. We may have different interests and 723 00:37:17,520 --> 00:37:20,960 Speaker 2: we're both sort of figuring out what we're going to 724 00:37:21,040 --> 00:37:24,400 Speaker 2: go with. Whereas, yes, when you are the only adult 725 00:37:24,520 --> 00:37:27,480 Speaker 2: that you can run it as your benevolent dictatorship, and 726 00:37:27,520 --> 00:37:30,640 Speaker 2: sometimes that is easier even if you don't have the 727 00:37:30,680 --> 00:37:35,640 Speaker 2: support of the other person. The last objection, the problem 728 00:37:35,640 --> 00:37:38,360 Speaker 2: with all this trading off is we like family time altogether. 729 00:37:39,200 --> 00:37:40,680 Speaker 1: Say, well, great, I do too. 730 00:37:41,400 --> 00:37:43,399 Speaker 2: Covering for each other for a few hours per week 731 00:37:43,480 --> 00:37:46,040 Speaker 2: so everyone can get adequate rest does not negate that 732 00:37:46,120 --> 00:37:48,160 Speaker 2: at all. There are one hundred and sixty eight hours 733 00:37:48,160 --> 00:37:50,840 Speaker 2: in a week, fifty two weeks in a year, right, Sarah, 734 00:37:51,000 --> 00:37:51,720 Speaker 2: you can still. 735 00:37:51,560 --> 00:37:53,880 Speaker 3: Have a lot of time together. Yes, so I think 736 00:37:53,960 --> 00:37:55,920 Speaker 3: this is really important. It doesn't have to be an 737 00:37:56,000 --> 00:37:57,640 Speaker 3: all or nothing thing. It does not have to be 738 00:37:57,640 --> 00:37:59,920 Speaker 3: an even split. We're not dividing one hundred and six 739 00:38:00,280 --> 00:38:03,000 Speaker 3: into two and you'll never see each other again. But 740 00:38:03,320 --> 00:38:05,320 Speaker 3: at the same time, I think many of us find 741 00:38:05,320 --> 00:38:08,120 Speaker 3: that having some solo, non kid experiences is very life 742 00:38:08,160 --> 00:38:10,920 Speaker 3: and enriching, and there should be ways that we can 743 00:38:10,960 --> 00:38:12,800 Speaker 3: all have a little of that in our lives. 744 00:38:13,200 --> 00:38:14,839 Speaker 1: Absolutely well. 745 00:38:14,920 --> 00:38:21,640 Speaker 2: Today's question is somewhat about trading off, but figuring out 746 00:38:22,120 --> 00:38:25,120 Speaker 2: what somebody wants to be when they grow up when 747 00:38:25,120 --> 00:38:27,719 Speaker 2: they have had their kids quite young. So i'll paraphrase 748 00:38:27,840 --> 00:38:30,879 Speaker 2: this question, then Sarah can give her answers that she's 749 00:38:30,920 --> 00:38:35,320 Speaker 2: sent to this person. This listener had her fourth and 750 00:38:35,640 --> 00:38:38,799 Speaker 2: she says final baby about six months ago, so she 751 00:38:38,880 --> 00:38:43,120 Speaker 2: has four kids who are ages six to baby. 752 00:38:43,239 --> 00:38:45,640 Speaker 1: She is only twenty nine years old. 753 00:38:46,120 --> 00:38:49,560 Speaker 2: She has taken some time off work for various reasons 754 00:38:49,600 --> 00:38:53,440 Speaker 2: while her kids were little. During this time, her husband's 755 00:38:53,600 --> 00:38:57,440 Speaker 2: income has gone up considerably. However, now that she has 756 00:38:57,560 --> 00:39:00,919 Speaker 2: done with having her babies, she is itching to get 757 00:39:00,960 --> 00:39:05,240 Speaker 2: back into the workforce to some degree. However, she's wondering 758 00:39:05,280 --> 00:39:08,480 Speaker 2: if maybe it seems like the only reason she needs 759 00:39:08,760 --> 00:39:12,520 Speaker 2: she would be working is to keep herself from being bored, 760 00:39:13,640 --> 00:39:16,160 Speaker 2: So she's a little wondering if that's okay. She's also 761 00:39:16,200 --> 00:39:19,440 Speaker 2: feeling like all the universe is open to her given 762 00:39:19,440 --> 00:39:21,000 Speaker 2: that she is so young. I mean, she could go 763 00:39:21,040 --> 00:39:23,440 Speaker 2: back to school, she could try a completely different career, 764 00:39:23,600 --> 00:39:27,239 Speaker 2: she could get re licensed in her particular area. So 765 00:39:27,280 --> 00:39:32,520 Speaker 2: she's just unclear how to proceed from there and wondering 766 00:39:32,560 --> 00:39:35,279 Speaker 2: if she should be trying to get back in the 767 00:39:35,320 --> 00:39:39,240 Speaker 2: workforce and also what she should be doing. So, Sarah, 768 00:39:39,320 --> 00:39:42,000 Speaker 2: you had a few thoughts for her. Yeah, this was 769 00:39:42,120 --> 00:39:46,160 Speaker 2: such an interesting question. I want to read one quote 770 00:39:46,200 --> 00:39:48,879 Speaker 2: from this. Very lad did a wonderful paraphrase, but there 771 00:39:48,920 --> 00:39:50,480 Speaker 2: was a good quoting here. 772 00:39:50,520 --> 00:39:52,640 Speaker 3: I'm just gonna read it. And she said she's itching 773 00:39:52,719 --> 00:39:55,719 Speaker 3: to get into more development and MEETI work to dig 774 00:39:55,760 --> 00:39:59,280 Speaker 3: into with newfound intellectual and emotional bandwidth and the buying 775 00:39:59,320 --> 00:40:01,600 Speaker 3: power to me maybe start making space on the calendar. 776 00:40:02,000 --> 00:40:04,000 Speaker 3: She feels like she has all the building blocks. If 777 00:40:04,000 --> 00:40:05,560 Speaker 3: she could just make sure she was going in the 778 00:40:05,640 --> 00:40:08,480 Speaker 3: right direction, she could make it happen. But for a 779 00:40:08,560 --> 00:40:12,359 Speaker 3: career that is quote potentially inconvenient and financially unimportant, I'm 780 00:40:12,360 --> 00:40:14,120 Speaker 3: feeling pressure to make sure it is somehow the most 781 00:40:14,120 --> 00:40:17,480 Speaker 3: fulfilling possible option. Oh my gosh, so much pressure this 782 00:40:17,560 --> 00:40:19,880 Speaker 3: person is putting on herself. So, and I think this 783 00:40:19,920 --> 00:40:22,000 Speaker 3: is such a great question, and she is a very 784 00:40:22,000 --> 00:40:24,680 Speaker 3: thoughtful person for kind of like laying it all out there. 785 00:40:24,719 --> 00:40:26,600 Speaker 3: So I hope that maybe even just sending the question 786 00:40:26,880 --> 00:40:30,239 Speaker 3: has been helpful. My first few thoughts have been are 787 00:40:30,360 --> 00:40:32,160 Speaker 3: kind of like the like depressing side of this, which 788 00:40:32,200 --> 00:40:35,400 Speaker 3: is like you just never know. I mean, maybe you're okay, 789 00:40:35,440 --> 00:40:37,400 Speaker 3: Like maybe your spouse is like a hedge fund billionaire, 790 00:40:37,400 --> 00:40:39,359 Speaker 3: and this is like a moot point, but like if 791 00:40:39,400 --> 00:40:41,680 Speaker 3: it's just like someone who makes a good high earning, 792 00:40:42,280 --> 00:40:45,839 Speaker 3: that could change. Maybe that person won't have a long 793 00:40:45,920 --> 00:40:48,040 Speaker 3: life and long working life like you expect them to. 794 00:40:48,160 --> 00:40:50,560 Speaker 3: Maybe the relationship won't last like you expected to, Like 795 00:40:50,600 --> 00:40:54,520 Speaker 3: you just kind of never know. So assuming that whatever 796 00:40:54,520 --> 00:40:56,840 Speaker 3: you do is always going to be financially unimportant, I 797 00:40:56,880 --> 00:41:02,400 Speaker 3: think is a little bit dangerous in most cases. Plus, 798 00:41:02,520 --> 00:41:04,200 Speaker 3: there's always the chance that even if they do have 799 00:41:04,239 --> 00:41:06,560 Speaker 3: this wonderful, high powered career, what if at some point 800 00:41:06,640 --> 00:41:09,160 Speaker 3: they decide like they're burned out and they want to 801 00:41:09,360 --> 00:41:11,399 Speaker 3: kind of do something a little more low key, And 802 00:41:11,480 --> 00:41:15,160 Speaker 3: so maybe you would find yourself feeling a little bit 803 00:41:15,239 --> 00:41:18,480 Speaker 3: more important. Another thing on that note, and again, if 804 00:41:18,480 --> 00:41:21,359 Speaker 3: he's a hedge fund billionaire this maybe again, but. 805 00:41:21,320 --> 00:41:23,879 Speaker 2: At which point you can do whatever you want to, right, 806 00:41:24,000 --> 00:41:26,239 Speaker 2: Like I mean, you want to start a business that's 807 00:41:26,280 --> 00:41:30,120 Speaker 2: losing fifty thousand dollars a month, go for it. Yes, 808 00:41:30,200 --> 00:41:33,120 Speaker 2: But I get I mean, you know, honestly like that, 809 00:41:34,040 --> 00:41:37,480 Speaker 2: because right any just do whatever you want just for 810 00:41:37,600 --> 00:41:38,319 Speaker 2: absolute fun. 811 00:41:38,440 --> 00:41:40,759 Speaker 3: But no, I was going to argue the financial piece again, 812 00:41:40,800 --> 00:41:45,200 Speaker 3: which is that I feel like going in when my 813 00:41:45,280 --> 00:41:47,520 Speaker 3: kids were little, I thought X amount of money would 814 00:41:47,520 --> 00:41:49,239 Speaker 3: be like a great amount of money, and that more 815 00:41:49,280 --> 00:41:50,839 Speaker 3: than we could know what to do with. And as 816 00:41:50,840 --> 00:41:53,480 Speaker 3: they've gotten older, I've only like found more and more 817 00:41:53,520 --> 00:41:57,280 Speaker 3: expensive things I want to give to them, experiences whatever, 818 00:41:57,400 --> 00:41:58,560 Speaker 3: I mean, are they needed? 819 00:41:58,880 --> 00:41:59,040 Speaker 2: No? 820 00:41:59,239 --> 00:42:02,719 Speaker 3: But like, do I find value in some of them? Yes? 821 00:42:02,719 --> 00:42:05,080 Speaker 3: And am I glad that I have a job that 822 00:42:05,160 --> 00:42:07,640 Speaker 3: helps making some of them more feasible? But that might 823 00:42:07,680 --> 00:42:11,000 Speaker 3: not be if they're so lopsided, that might not be true. 824 00:42:11,040 --> 00:42:12,719 Speaker 3: But I'm just just throwing that out there that you 825 00:42:12,800 --> 00:42:14,440 Speaker 3: might not know what the magic total will be for 826 00:42:14,480 --> 00:42:16,279 Speaker 3: you when the kids are older. Maybe it's higher than 827 00:42:16,280 --> 00:42:18,120 Speaker 3: you think. Now, I guess that's what I was getting at. 828 00:42:18,960 --> 00:42:21,759 Speaker 3: And then I just thought, like I hear a lot 829 00:42:21,760 --> 00:42:26,360 Speaker 3: of like perfection, like I have to find my perfect thing, 830 00:42:26,520 --> 00:42:30,720 Speaker 3: or like pie in the sky like idea. And I think, remember, 831 00:42:30,719 --> 00:42:32,480 Speaker 3: you can do career crafting, and the only way you're 832 00:42:32,480 --> 00:42:34,080 Speaker 3: going to figure out if certain pass work is to 833 00:42:34,160 --> 00:42:37,880 Speaker 3: probably try them. So I would try to let go 834 00:42:37,960 --> 00:42:41,840 Speaker 3: of the idea of finding the exact passion direction position 835 00:42:42,920 --> 00:42:45,680 Speaker 3: because that may make you kind of stuck in paralysis 836 00:42:45,719 --> 00:42:46,880 Speaker 3: for years. 837 00:42:47,280 --> 00:42:50,279 Speaker 2: Yeah, well, I think she can definitely give herself six 838 00:42:50,320 --> 00:42:52,399 Speaker 2: to twelve months to think about it again because she's 839 00:42:52,400 --> 00:42:53,880 Speaker 2: so young. She's like, well, I can start anything at 840 00:42:53,880 --> 00:42:55,920 Speaker 2: twenty nine, where you can start anything at thirty. 841 00:42:55,640 --> 00:42:58,680 Speaker 1: Two, So it's it's totally fine. 842 00:42:58,680 --> 00:43:00,920 Speaker 2: I mean, even if you do to do a career 843 00:43:00,920 --> 00:43:02,320 Speaker 2: with a long training field, like you want to go 844 00:43:02,360 --> 00:43:04,000 Speaker 2: to law school, you want to go to medical school, 845 00:43:04,040 --> 00:43:07,239 Speaker 2: like you could do that at thirty just like you 846 00:43:07,280 --> 00:43:11,399 Speaker 2: could do it at twenty nine. So think about what 847 00:43:11,440 --> 00:43:14,719 Speaker 2: this is. Spend six to twelve months really actually practically 848 00:43:14,760 --> 00:43:17,200 Speaker 2: trying things out. You know, what do I want to 849 00:43:17,239 --> 00:43:20,960 Speaker 2: be when I grow up? Try little projects in different 850 00:43:21,040 --> 00:43:24,520 Speaker 2: areas that you find interesting, Make long lists of anything 851 00:43:24,560 --> 00:43:27,880 Speaker 2: you think are exciting to do, ways you like spending 852 00:43:27,920 --> 00:43:30,480 Speaker 2: your time, and then you can start weaving these together 853 00:43:30,640 --> 00:43:34,000 Speaker 2: and figuring out what your ideal life will look like, 854 00:43:34,080 --> 00:43:36,600 Speaker 2: doing a lot of networking because people will have ideas 855 00:43:36,680 --> 00:43:40,400 Speaker 2: of what you could try doing, and let go of 856 00:43:40,440 --> 00:43:43,440 Speaker 2: this idea that you're going to find anything perfectly immediately. 857 00:43:44,040 --> 00:43:47,759 Speaker 2: But as you try things out, then you can try 858 00:43:47,840 --> 00:43:49,640 Speaker 2: the next thing out. And again, if you don't have 859 00:43:49,800 --> 00:43:52,439 Speaker 2: to work, which is what we're hearing with this, then 860 00:43:52,560 --> 00:43:56,800 Speaker 2: you don't have to decide this quickly. You can try 861 00:43:56,800 --> 00:43:59,919 Speaker 2: something and then try something else. But over the course 862 00:44:00,040 --> 00:44:02,120 Speaker 2: of a couple years, I think you will figure out 863 00:44:02,680 --> 00:44:06,480 Speaker 2: a job that you really really enjoy and that uses 864 00:44:06,520 --> 00:44:10,560 Speaker 2: your brain and that makes you feel like you're contributing 865 00:44:10,640 --> 00:44:13,360 Speaker 2: in multiple different spheres with all your kids and in 866 00:44:13,400 --> 00:44:17,440 Speaker 2: the larger world as well. Something meaty, as you put it. 867 00:44:17,480 --> 00:44:19,680 Speaker 2: I love that something meaty. I know she's bored. 868 00:44:19,920 --> 00:44:20,200 Speaker 3: She was. 869 00:44:20,840 --> 00:44:21,359 Speaker 1: In her letter. 870 00:44:21,480 --> 00:44:23,319 Speaker 2: She mentioned she'd done all their house projects, she was 871 00:44:23,320 --> 00:44:25,440 Speaker 2: reading one hundred books a year. It was time for 872 00:44:25,520 --> 00:44:27,759 Speaker 2: her to get back to work. So I think she's 873 00:44:27,760 --> 00:44:30,400 Speaker 2: going to find something that will use all that extra 874 00:44:30,480 --> 00:44:35,720 Speaker 2: intellectual capacity that she's dying to put to some different purpose. 875 00:44:35,760 --> 00:44:38,760 Speaker 2: And we can't wait to hear what that is all right, Sarah, 876 00:44:38,840 --> 00:44:40,040 Speaker 2: what is your love of the week. 877 00:44:40,800 --> 00:44:43,560 Speaker 3: Well, the opening ceremonies of the Olympics are this week, 878 00:44:43,600 --> 00:44:46,719 Speaker 3: so I am super excited to tune in. Feel like 879 00:44:47,200 --> 00:44:49,399 Speaker 3: I have reached the promised land of ages of kids 880 00:44:49,440 --> 00:44:51,640 Speaker 3: that will actually sit through watching some of these events 881 00:44:51,719 --> 00:44:54,240 Speaker 3: with me, and that's it's been a while. There's always 882 00:44:54,239 --> 00:44:55,960 Speaker 3: been like a two year old running around the last 883 00:44:56,320 --> 00:44:58,680 Speaker 3: few Olympics. So super super excited for that. 884 00:44:59,400 --> 00:45:03,200 Speaker 2: Yeah, exactly, Kids who can sit still and watch that 885 00:45:03,280 --> 00:45:04,799 Speaker 2: is always a love of the week. Well, I'd say 886 00:45:04,800 --> 00:45:08,120 Speaker 2: the Olympics and Shark Week. We've been watching some of 887 00:45:08,160 --> 00:45:11,480 Speaker 2: the Shark Week programming and it's always a little bit 888 00:45:11,560 --> 00:45:14,640 Speaker 2: over the top and funny, but you know, it's a 889 00:45:14,640 --> 00:45:18,160 Speaker 2: summer tradition at this point. It's a great way to 890 00:45:18,200 --> 00:45:21,560 Speaker 2: spend a little bit of time in July, and most 891 00:45:21,600 --> 00:45:23,680 Speaker 2: years there aren't in Olympics in July. I'm sure we'll 892 00:45:23,680 --> 00:45:26,920 Speaker 2: watch less Shark programming that we've taped once the Olympics start, 893 00:45:27,000 --> 00:45:30,400 Speaker 2: but for non Olympics July that can be great. 894 00:45:31,080 --> 00:45:31,839 Speaker 1: Well, this has been. 895 00:45:31,760 --> 00:45:35,239 Speaker 2: Best of both worlds. We've been talking about rest, rethinking 896 00:45:35,239 --> 00:45:38,040 Speaker 2: what rest looks like and what it means and then 897 00:45:38,239 --> 00:45:42,640 Speaker 2: discussing a way the trade Off Manifesto that people who 898 00:45:42,680 --> 00:45:45,000 Speaker 2: feel they are not getting adequate rest can make sure 899 00:45:45,120 --> 00:45:47,560 Speaker 2: that they do get more rest, even if there are 900 00:45:47,719 --> 00:45:52,279 Speaker 2: young kids involved and who need constant supervision. Well, we 901 00:45:52,320 --> 00:45:54,640 Speaker 2: will be back next week with more on making work 902 00:45:54,680 --> 00:45:55,720 Speaker 2: and life fit together. 903 00:45:57,800 --> 00:46:00,560 Speaker 3: Thanks for listening. You can find me Sarah at the 904 00:46:00,600 --> 00:46:05,200 Speaker 3: shoebox dot com or at the Underscore Shoebox on Instagram, 905 00:46:05,400 --> 00:46:05,799 Speaker 3: and you. 906 00:46:05,680 --> 00:46:09,880 Speaker 2: Can find me Laura at Laura vandercam dot com. This 907 00:46:10,000 --> 00:46:13,279 Speaker 2: has been the best of both worlds podcasts. Please join 908 00:46:13,360 --> 00:46:16,080 Speaker 2: us next time for more on making work and life 909 00:46:16,200 --> 00:46:16,880 Speaker 2: work together.