1 00:00:03,440 --> 00:00:06,680 Speaker 1: Welcome to Before Breakfast, a production of I Heart Radio. 2 00:00:09,240 --> 00:00:15,320 Speaker 1: Good Morning, This is Laura. Welcome to the Before Breakfast podcast. 3 00:00:16,239 --> 00:00:19,400 Speaker 1: Today's tip is to take a good look at how 4 00:00:19,440 --> 00:00:24,880 Speaker 1: you are spending your hours. While overall life satisfaction matters. 5 00:00:25,680 --> 00:00:28,640 Speaker 1: It is hard to feel happy if you are not 6 00:00:28,720 --> 00:00:33,559 Speaker 1: spending at least some hours in enjoyable ways, so it 7 00:00:33,680 --> 00:00:39,440 Speaker 1: is worth getting this right. It is the human condition 8 00:00:39,560 --> 00:00:44,600 Speaker 1: to wonder why we aren't happier. On paper, someone's life 9 00:00:44,600 --> 00:00:50,120 Speaker 1: can look amazing, good job, a functional family, active kids, 10 00:00:50,840 --> 00:00:54,800 Speaker 1: nice house, and yet day to day life can still 11 00:00:54,920 --> 00:00:58,800 Speaker 1: feel like a slog. The alarm goes off too early. 12 00:00:59,600 --> 00:01:03,959 Speaker 1: You spend hours in traffic and work days in dull meetings, 13 00:01:04,760 --> 00:01:07,520 Speaker 1: You shuttle kids around, and then spend the later hours 14 00:01:07,600 --> 00:01:13,440 Speaker 1: tidying up that beautiful house. None of this is particularly enjoyable, 15 00:01:14,680 --> 00:01:22,360 Speaker 1: and so grumpiness ensues. Worse, you probably feel guilty about 16 00:01:22,360 --> 00:01:26,920 Speaker 1: that grumpiness. The only solution to this is to realize 17 00:01:27,000 --> 00:01:31,240 Speaker 1: that life is made up of hours. How we feel 18 00:01:31,280 --> 00:01:36,640 Speaker 1: about life stems from whether we enjoy those hours. That 19 00:01:36,720 --> 00:01:41,119 Speaker 1: doesn't get us out of our responsibilities, but it does 20 00:01:41,200 --> 00:01:45,080 Speaker 1: suggest really thinking about how more minutes could be spent 21 00:01:45,600 --> 00:01:50,600 Speaker 1: in more enjoyable ways. It is okay to start small. 22 00:01:52,040 --> 00:01:56,120 Speaker 1: How about a hobby you genuinely enjoy for a few 23 00:01:56,160 --> 00:02:00,640 Speaker 1: minutes instead of picking up the house at night. Even 24 00:02:00,720 --> 00:02:04,600 Speaker 1: fifteen or twenty minutes of reading or puzzles or crafting 25 00:02:05,280 --> 00:02:08,720 Speaker 1: can introduce a spot of pure fun into the schedule. 26 00:02:10,240 --> 00:02:14,960 Speaker 1: Then you can get more creative. How about calling a 27 00:02:15,000 --> 00:02:19,800 Speaker 1: friend during a kid's activity instead of scrolling through disturbing headlines. 28 00:02:21,080 --> 00:02:23,120 Speaker 1: Maybe you can go on a little adventure during your 29 00:02:23,200 --> 00:02:27,200 Speaker 1: lunch break. Maybe you can do real work sometimes during 30 00:02:27,200 --> 00:02:30,560 Speaker 1: your work day, you know, the stuff that drew you 31 00:02:30,600 --> 00:02:36,000 Speaker 1: to your job in the first place. Over time, you 32 00:02:36,040 --> 00:02:41,160 Speaker 1: can make bigger changes. We now know that many jobs 33 00:02:41,200 --> 00:02:46,160 Speaker 1: could be done at home. Commuting tends to make people miserable, 34 00:02:47,040 --> 00:02:49,480 Speaker 1: so make sure you skip the commute at least a 35 00:02:49,560 --> 00:02:52,120 Speaker 1: day or two a week if you can, and use 36 00:02:52,160 --> 00:02:55,160 Speaker 1: that time for something that doesn't have you wishing the 37 00:02:55,240 --> 00:03:01,880 Speaker 1: minutes away. Join a group that energizes you, a softball team, 38 00:03:01,919 --> 00:03:06,560 Speaker 1: a book club, a Friday morning breakfast group, and commit 39 00:03:06,760 --> 00:03:11,640 Speaker 1: to going every week. You'll have something to look forward to. 40 00:03:13,200 --> 00:03:17,080 Speaker 1: Make space for things you like. When you find yourself 41 00:03:17,120 --> 00:03:20,560 Speaker 1: wanting the clock to move faster, ask what you could 42 00:03:20,600 --> 00:03:24,680 Speaker 1: do that would make you want to slow time down. 43 00:03:26,040 --> 00:03:30,320 Speaker 1: If your kid loves those eternal swim meets on weekends, great, 44 00:03:31,240 --> 00:03:34,079 Speaker 1: But if no one enjoys it, maybe it's time to 45 00:03:34,160 --> 00:03:37,120 Speaker 1: let it go, or at least go at a long 46 00:03:37,200 --> 00:03:40,800 Speaker 1: hike during the swim meet. It's okay if you only 47 00:03:40,840 --> 00:03:49,360 Speaker 1: see some of the races. Life satisfaction does matter. We 48 00:03:49,440 --> 00:03:52,640 Speaker 1: want the big things in life, the good job, the 49 00:03:52,760 --> 00:03:56,840 Speaker 1: nice house, and so forth, but those things are not 50 00:03:57,320 --> 00:04:02,560 Speaker 1: all that matter. Ours and how we spend them matter 51 00:04:02,640 --> 00:04:07,320 Speaker 1: a lot too. So take a good look at your hours. 52 00:04:08,560 --> 00:04:12,920 Speaker 1: See what you can change, see what you can savor. 53 00:04:14,280 --> 00:04:19,880 Speaker 1: It might be more then you've imagined. In the meantime, 54 00:04:21,040 --> 00:04:25,720 Speaker 1: this is Laura. Thanks for listening, and here's to making 55 00:04:25,760 --> 00:04:35,520 Speaker 1: the most of our time. Hey, everybody, I'd love to 56 00:04:35,560 --> 00:04:38,520 Speaker 1: hear from you. You can send me your tips, your questions, 57 00:04:38,600 --> 00:04:42,360 Speaker 1: or anything else. Just connect with me on Twitter, Facebook 58 00:04:42,480 --> 00:04:47,279 Speaker 1: and Instagram at Before Breakfast Pod that's b E the 59 00:04:47,360 --> 00:04:51,600 Speaker 1: number four, then breakfast p o D. You can also 60 00:04:51,600 --> 00:04:54,960 Speaker 1: shoot me an email at Before Breakfast Podcast at i 61 00:04:55,120 --> 00:04:58,120 Speaker 1: heeart media dot com. That Before Breakfast is spelled out 62 00:04:58,120 --> 00:05:00,600 Speaker 1: with all the letters. Thanks so much. Should I look 63 00:05:00,640 --> 00:05:08,960 Speaker 1: forward to staying in touch. Before Breakfast is a production 64 00:05:09,000 --> 00:05:12,440 Speaker 1: of I heart Radio. For more podcasts from i heart Radio, 65 00:05:12,920 --> 00:05:16,440 Speaker 1: visit the i heart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever 66 00:05:16,520 --> 00:05:17,839 Speaker 1: you listen to your favorite shows.