1 00:00:03,440 --> 00:00:06,720 Speaker 1: Welcome to Before Breakfast, a production of I Heart Radio. 2 00:00:09,480 --> 00:00:14,280 Speaker 1: Good Morning, This is Laura. Welcome to the Before Breakfast podcast. 3 00:00:14,960 --> 00:00:18,040 Speaker 1: Today's tip is to throw caution to the wind and 4 00:00:18,160 --> 00:00:22,479 Speaker 1: invite people over this weekend. Your house may not be 5 00:00:22,600 --> 00:00:26,840 Speaker 1: perfect and you may not serve anything fancy, but small, 6 00:00:27,040 --> 00:00:32,200 Speaker 1: relaxed gatherings in people's homes definitely nurture relationships and tend 7 00:00:32,240 --> 00:00:36,080 Speaker 1: to make for some of the most fun experiences. There's 8 00:00:36,159 --> 00:00:40,080 Speaker 1: never a perfect time, so this weekend is as good 9 00:00:40,120 --> 00:00:43,840 Speaker 1: as any. Long time listeners know that. I'm a big 10 00:00:43,880 --> 00:00:48,239 Speaker 1: fan of thinking through weekends ahead of time. Wednesday can 11 00:00:48,240 --> 00:00:50,920 Speaker 1: be a good day for this strategizing, as it gives 12 00:00:50,960 --> 00:00:54,040 Speaker 1: you enough time to get tickets or reservations, to hire 13 00:00:54,080 --> 00:00:57,320 Speaker 1: babysitters if you need them, or to make arrangements with friends. 14 00:00:58,280 --> 00:01:01,040 Speaker 1: If you make your weekend plans on when day, then 15 00:01:01,040 --> 00:01:03,240 Speaker 1: you'll also be able to look forward to your plans 16 00:01:03,240 --> 00:01:06,039 Speaker 1: on Thursday and Friday, which can make the latter half 17 00:01:06,080 --> 00:01:10,000 Speaker 1: of the work week feel far more doable. I also 18 00:01:10,040 --> 00:01:13,920 Speaker 1: recommend setting what I call anchor events. These are three 19 00:01:13,920 --> 00:01:17,399 Speaker 1: to five things that you'll enjoy doing. This will make 20 00:01:17,400 --> 00:01:21,360 Speaker 1: the weekend feel rich and memorable, but not too over stuffed. 21 00:01:22,280 --> 00:01:27,200 Speaker 1: Since studies of human happiness find that socializing, exercising, and 22 00:01:27,240 --> 00:01:31,640 Speaker 1: participating in spiritual activities tend to score pretty high, I 23 00:01:31,680 --> 00:01:35,440 Speaker 1: often recommend planning a weekend that includes one thing from 24 00:01:35,480 --> 00:01:40,320 Speaker 1: each of these categories. Socializing can occur anywhere, but I 25 00:01:40,360 --> 00:01:42,679 Speaker 1: want to make the case for inviting people over to 26 00:01:42,760 --> 00:01:46,920 Speaker 1: your house for starters. It just changes the time frame. 27 00:01:47,920 --> 00:01:51,120 Speaker 1: Even the most relaxed restaurant is going to want to 28 00:01:51,160 --> 00:01:54,360 Speaker 1: move you on from your table after a fashion, but 29 00:01:54,440 --> 00:01:57,840 Speaker 1: at your house you can control the speed. You can 30 00:01:57,880 --> 00:02:01,920 Speaker 1: also control the costs survey wine without the restaurant markups. 31 00:02:02,680 --> 00:02:04,800 Speaker 1: You can allow for more diverse groups than might work 32 00:02:04,800 --> 00:02:08,120 Speaker 1: at a restaurant, meaning people can bring their kids. If 33 00:02:08,160 --> 00:02:10,240 Speaker 1: all the kids are over the age of about four, 34 00:02:10,639 --> 00:02:13,000 Speaker 1: they can be sent to watch a movie, thus allowing 35 00:02:13,040 --> 00:02:16,359 Speaker 1: the adults to relax and have full conversations. If the 36 00:02:16,440 --> 00:02:18,919 Speaker 1: children are under four, well, everyone can chip in to 37 00:02:19,040 --> 00:02:21,800 Speaker 1: help supervise, and there tends to be more diversions for 38 00:02:21,840 --> 00:02:24,520 Speaker 1: young children in a house than at a boring restaurant. 39 00:02:25,120 --> 00:02:29,480 Speaker 1: So well, it's not entirely relaxing, it still works. The 40 00:02:29,600 --> 00:02:32,560 Speaker 1: usual excuses people give that they can't cook, or that 41 00:02:32,600 --> 00:02:37,080 Speaker 1: their house isn't clean, aren't really reasons not to extend hospitality. 42 00:02:37,400 --> 00:02:39,960 Speaker 1: Pick up take out and serve that, or have your 43 00:02:39,960 --> 00:02:43,359 Speaker 1: guests bring an appetizer or dessert if they volunteer to help. 44 00:02:44,320 --> 00:02:46,799 Speaker 1: As for the house being clean, all you really need 45 00:02:46,840 --> 00:02:48,560 Speaker 1: to do is pick up the main room you'll hang 46 00:02:48,560 --> 00:02:51,200 Speaker 1: out in and the bathroom that your guests will use. 47 00:02:52,040 --> 00:02:54,320 Speaker 1: Feel free to stuff the clutter in a basket and 48 00:02:54,400 --> 00:02:57,040 Speaker 1: shove it in another room. A little wipe down with 49 00:02:57,080 --> 00:02:59,600 Speaker 1: cleaning spray and a paper towel and you'll be fine. 50 00:03:00,440 --> 00:03:02,720 Speaker 1: But if you wait until the perfect time to have 51 00:03:02,880 --> 00:03:05,959 Speaker 1: people over, when the kitchen is renovated and when the 52 00:03:06,040 --> 00:03:10,240 Speaker 1: kids stop leaving their toys everywhere, you will never do it, 53 00:03:11,080 --> 00:03:14,120 Speaker 1: and you'll miss out on the opportunity to make memories 54 00:03:14,440 --> 00:03:17,799 Speaker 1: and have great times together. So take some time to 55 00:03:17,880 --> 00:03:21,480 Speaker 1: day to think about who you might invade over this weekend, 56 00:03:22,440 --> 00:03:25,600 Speaker 1: think about when it can happen. Then make that call 57 00:03:26,240 --> 00:03:30,040 Speaker 1: or send that text, and start looking forward to your 58 00:03:30,040 --> 00:03:34,960 Speaker 1: fun in the meantime. This is Laura. Thanks for listening, 59 00:03:35,520 --> 00:03:44,520 Speaker 1: and here's to making the most of our time. Hey, everybody, 60 00:03:44,760 --> 00:03:46,880 Speaker 1: I'd love to hear from you. You can send me 61 00:03:46,920 --> 00:03:50,560 Speaker 1: your tips your questions or anything else. Just connect with 62 00:03:50,560 --> 00:03:54,960 Speaker 1: me on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram at Before Breakfast pod. 63 00:03:55,640 --> 00:03:59,720 Speaker 1: That's b E the number four, then Breakfast p O. 64 00:04:00,880 --> 00:04:04,400 Speaker 1: You can also shoot me an email at Before Breakfast podcast. 65 00:04:04,520 --> 00:04:07,360 Speaker 1: At i heeart media dot com that Before Breakfast is 66 00:04:07,400 --> 00:04:10,120 Speaker 1: spelled out with all the letters. Thanks so much, should 67 00:04:10,120 --> 00:04:18,200 Speaker 1: I look forward to staying in touch. Before Breakfast is 68 00:04:18,200 --> 00:04:21,440 Speaker 1: a production of I heart Radio. For more podcasts from 69 00:04:21,440 --> 00:04:25,440 Speaker 1: I heart Radio, visit the i heart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, 70 00:04:25,720 --> 00:04:27,600 Speaker 1: or wherever you listen to your favorite shows.