1 00:00:03,440 --> 00:00:06,680 Speaker 1: Welcome to Before Breakfast, a production of I Heart Radio. 2 00:00:09,440 --> 00:00:14,000 Speaker 1: Good Morning, This is Laura. Welcome to the Before Breakfast podcast. 3 00:00:14,720 --> 00:00:18,079 Speaker 1: Today's tip is to think ahead of time about what 4 00:00:18,160 --> 00:00:22,120 Speaker 1: will be today's highlight. Done right, this can make your 5 00:00:22,200 --> 00:00:27,080 Speaker 1: day feel far more pleasant and productive. This tip comes 6 00:00:27,080 --> 00:00:31,240 Speaker 1: from Jake Knap and John Zeratsky's book Make Time. In 7 00:00:31,240 --> 00:00:34,280 Speaker 1: this book, they argue that focusing on activities that fall 8 00:00:34,320 --> 00:00:38,000 Speaker 1: between long term goals and short term tasks is the 9 00:00:38,120 --> 00:00:41,840 Speaker 1: key to slowing down, bringing satisfaction to your daily life, 10 00:00:42,280 --> 00:00:46,440 Speaker 1: and helping you make time. Long Term goals are useful 11 00:00:46,479 --> 00:00:49,440 Speaker 1: for orienting you in the right direction, but make it 12 00:00:49,479 --> 00:00:51,840 Speaker 1: hard to enjoy the time spent working along the way, 13 00:00:52,800 --> 00:00:55,920 Speaker 1: and tasks are necessary to get things done, but without 14 00:00:55,960 --> 00:01:00,160 Speaker 1: a focal point, they fly by in a forgettable haze. 15 00:01:00,720 --> 00:01:03,680 Speaker 1: The middle ground between the two is a daily highlight. 16 00:01:04,600 --> 00:01:07,080 Speaker 1: Nap and Zaratski right that we want you to begin 17 00:01:07,240 --> 00:01:09,800 Speaker 1: each day by thinking about what you hope will be 18 00:01:09,840 --> 00:01:12,760 Speaker 1: the bright spot. If at the end of the day 19 00:01:12,800 --> 00:01:15,800 Speaker 1: someone asks you what was the highlight of your day? 20 00:01:16,160 --> 00:01:18,720 Speaker 1: What do you want your answer to be? When you 21 00:01:18,760 --> 00:01:21,640 Speaker 1: look back on your day, what activity or accomplishment or 22 00:01:21,720 --> 00:01:25,840 Speaker 1: moment do you want to save her. That's your highlight. Now, 23 00:01:25,840 --> 00:01:28,240 Speaker 1: a highlight doesn't have to be an obvious high point, 24 00:01:28,280 --> 00:01:31,199 Speaker 1: like spending half the day at a spa. On some days, 25 00:01:31,240 --> 00:01:33,520 Speaker 1: the highlight might be finishing a work task that really 26 00:01:33,560 --> 00:01:37,720 Speaker 1: needed to get done. It could be something satisfying if difficult, 27 00:01:38,120 --> 00:01:40,680 Speaker 1: like hitting a speed goal during your post work run. 28 00:01:41,680 --> 00:01:44,679 Speaker 1: Or maybe it's something joyful, like lunch with the colleague 29 00:01:44,680 --> 00:01:48,600 Speaker 1: that you always find hilarious. In any case, Nap and 30 00:01:48,720 --> 00:01:51,639 Speaker 1: Zaratski recommend choosing a highlight that will take about sixty 31 00:01:51,680 --> 00:01:54,880 Speaker 1: to ninety minutes. This isn't a huge amount of time 32 00:01:55,200 --> 00:01:58,240 Speaker 1: in your waking six to eighteen hours per day, but 33 00:01:58,400 --> 00:02:00,760 Speaker 1: figuring out the highlight ahead of time time will do 34 00:02:00,840 --> 00:02:05,120 Speaker 1: several positive things. First, you'll look forward to the highlight 35 00:02:05,720 --> 00:02:10,360 Speaker 1: and structure the day's logistics to make sure it happens. Second, 36 00:02:10,800 --> 00:02:14,000 Speaker 1: you'll notice the highlight while it's happening. It can be 37 00:02:14,080 --> 00:02:17,000 Speaker 1: easy to trudge through even good things in a distracted 38 00:02:17,040 --> 00:02:19,639 Speaker 1: frame of mind, but if you know lunch with your 39 00:02:19,680 --> 00:02:22,360 Speaker 1: colleague is a highlight, you'll pay attention to his funny 40 00:02:22,400 --> 00:02:25,320 Speaker 1: jokes and give yourself permission to laugh a bit more 41 00:02:26,080 --> 00:02:29,399 Speaker 1: rather than thinking about your inbox, and rather than going 42 00:02:29,400 --> 00:02:32,120 Speaker 1: through the motions of that post work run, you really 43 00:02:32,120 --> 00:02:34,800 Speaker 1: think about it and celebrate what your body can do. 44 00:02:36,160 --> 00:02:39,119 Speaker 1: And finally, choosing a highlight ahead of time can help 45 00:02:39,200 --> 00:02:42,679 Speaker 1: change the story we tell ourselves about our lives. It's 46 00:02:42,720 --> 00:02:44,760 Speaker 1: easy to fall into a trap of thinking I have 47 00:02:44,880 --> 00:02:48,240 Speaker 1: no time or I'm not in control of anything, But 48 00:02:48,360 --> 00:02:50,919 Speaker 1: even an hour spent on an activity that you are 49 00:02:51,000 --> 00:02:55,480 Speaker 1: executing agency over can go a long ways. Your highlight 50 00:02:55,520 --> 00:02:58,160 Speaker 1: gives each day a focal point. Knapp and Zerotsky right 51 00:02:58,880 --> 00:03:01,440 Speaker 1: research shows that the way you experience your days is 52 00:03:01,480 --> 00:03:05,000 Speaker 1: not determined primarily by what happens to you. In fact, 53 00:03:05,040 --> 00:03:08,160 Speaker 1: you create your own reality by choosing what you pay 54 00:03:08,200 --> 00:03:12,280 Speaker 1: attention to. In a previous episode of Before Breakfast, I 55 00:03:12,320 --> 00:03:15,880 Speaker 1: talked about turning morning time into family time, and if 56 00:03:15,880 --> 00:03:19,440 Speaker 1: you're looking for a family breakfast discussion topic, this could 57 00:03:19,480 --> 00:03:24,240 Speaker 1: be good for everyone. What will today's highlight be? Looking 58 00:03:24,320 --> 00:03:27,200 Speaker 1: forward to the day's schedule, what is the main thing 59 00:03:27,240 --> 00:03:30,839 Speaker 1: you'd like to remember from the next few hours. Now, 60 00:03:30,880 --> 00:03:34,320 Speaker 1: maybe some days the highlights won't happen, or some days 61 00:03:34,400 --> 00:03:37,640 Speaker 1: it will be really tough to identify a highlight. But 62 00:03:37,720 --> 00:03:41,119 Speaker 1: as Nap and Zerotski note the upside of seeking out 63 00:03:41,120 --> 00:03:45,040 Speaker 1: a daily highlight is that we can always try again tomorrow. 64 00:03:46,120 --> 00:03:48,640 Speaker 1: Eventually there's going to be a highlight we can foresee 65 00:03:49,560 --> 00:03:55,320 Speaker 1: and celebrate. In the meantime. This is Laura. Thanks for listening, 66 00:03:55,880 --> 00:04:05,000 Speaker 1: and here's to making the most of our time. Hey, everybody, 67 00:04:05,200 --> 00:04:07,320 Speaker 1: I'd love to hear from you. You can send me 68 00:04:07,360 --> 00:04:11,000 Speaker 1: your tips, your questions, or anything else. Just connect with 69 00:04:11,040 --> 00:04:15,440 Speaker 1: me on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram at Before Breakfast pod 70 00:04:16,120 --> 00:04:20,479 Speaker 1: that's b E the number four, then Breakfast p o D. 71 00:04:21,320 --> 00:04:24,160 Speaker 1: You can also shoot me an email at Before Breakfast 72 00:04:24,240 --> 00:04:27,640 Speaker 1: podcast at i heeart media dot com that Before Breakfast 73 00:04:27,760 --> 00:04:30,320 Speaker 1: is spelled out with all the letters. Thanks so much, 74 00:04:30,560 --> 00:04:38,640 Speaker 1: I look forward to staying in touch. Before Breakfast is 75 00:04:38,640 --> 00:04:41,920 Speaker 1: a production of I Heart Radio. For more podcasts from 76 00:04:41,920 --> 00:04:45,920 Speaker 1: my heart Radio, visit the i heart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, 77 00:04:46,160 --> 00:04:48,040 Speaker 1: or wherever you listen to your favorite shows.