1 00:00:03,440 --> 00:00:06,720 Speaker 1: Welcome to Before Breakfast, a production of I Heart Radio. 2 00:00:09,080 --> 00:00:14,800 Speaker 1: Good Morning. This is Laura. Welcome to the Before Breakfast podcast. 3 00:00:15,760 --> 00:00:19,520 Speaker 1: Today's tip is that Monday mornings aren't a great time 4 00:00:19,760 --> 00:00:23,000 Speaker 1: for figuring out your week. When you track your time, 5 00:00:23,400 --> 00:00:26,360 Speaker 1: Ideally you should see a big chunk of time on 6 00:00:26,440 --> 00:00:30,840 Speaker 1: Monday morning devoted to your most important projects. If there's 7 00:00:30,880 --> 00:00:34,720 Speaker 1: a lot of running around or dithering, then maybe something 8 00:00:35,000 --> 00:00:41,159 Speaker 1: needs to change. When this episode is first airing in January, 9 00:00:41,800 --> 00:00:45,280 Speaker 1: I am leading a time tracking challenge where hundreds of 10 00:00:45,320 --> 00:00:48,800 Speaker 1: people are logging their time for a week. We are 11 00:00:48,840 --> 00:00:51,240 Speaker 1: all trying to figure out where the time really goes 12 00:00:51,760 --> 00:00:55,080 Speaker 1: so we can make wise decisions. If that sounds good 13 00:00:55,120 --> 00:00:58,240 Speaker 1: to you, then feel free to join in. You just 14 00:00:58,280 --> 00:01:01,040 Speaker 1: write down what you're doing as often as you remember, 15 00:01:01,440 --> 00:01:05,399 Speaker 1: and keep going for a week. Then you can celebrate, 16 00:01:05,920 --> 00:01:11,839 Speaker 1: reflect or change. My weekly time logs start on Mondays 17 00:01:11,959 --> 00:01:15,640 Speaker 1: at five am. Now. I know that Monday is seldom 18 00:01:15,720 --> 00:01:19,720 Speaker 1: anyone's favorite day of the week, but what you write 19 00:01:19,720 --> 00:01:24,160 Speaker 1: down about how you spent Monday morning can provide important 20 00:01:24,240 --> 00:01:27,679 Speaker 1: clues to whether you are maximizing time or whether there 21 00:01:27,720 --> 00:01:30,880 Speaker 1: is an opportunity to make steadier progress toward your goals. 22 00:01:32,360 --> 00:01:34,680 Speaker 1: Many people show up at work on Monday morning and 23 00:01:34,720 --> 00:01:37,479 Speaker 1: then figure out what they intend to do with the day. 24 00:01:38,080 --> 00:01:41,400 Speaker 1: Some industrious folks use this time to figure out the 25 00:01:41,440 --> 00:01:44,480 Speaker 1: rest of the week as well, and it makes sense. 26 00:01:45,200 --> 00:01:50,200 Speaker 1: But here's the problem. Most people have more energy at 27 00:01:50,240 --> 00:01:54,200 Speaker 1: the start of things then later on. If you make 28 00:01:54,240 --> 00:01:56,840 Speaker 1: a New Year's resolution to go to the gym, you 29 00:01:56,920 --> 00:01:59,520 Speaker 1: go more times during the first two weeks of January 30 00:02:00,040 --> 00:02:03,880 Speaker 1: than you do any other fortnight. If you decide to 31 00:02:03,920 --> 00:02:08,120 Speaker 1: clean out the garage, you tend not to gain momentum 32 00:02:08,160 --> 00:02:12,960 Speaker 1: as you go. Instead, you start strong and then have 33 00:02:13,080 --> 00:02:18,560 Speaker 1: to keep yourself motivated through heavy bribery later. This means 34 00:02:18,600 --> 00:02:21,600 Speaker 1: that even though many people show up Monday morning a 35 00:02:21,639 --> 00:02:25,960 Speaker 1: bit sleep deprived, they still have more energy for executing 36 00:02:25,960 --> 00:02:30,639 Speaker 1: on things than they will on say, Friday afternoon. If 37 00:02:30,639 --> 00:02:33,880 Speaker 1: you spend Monday morning deciding what you need to do 38 00:02:33,960 --> 00:02:37,079 Speaker 1: for the week, you will miss out on that initial 39 00:02:37,160 --> 00:02:41,320 Speaker 1: burst of motivation. Plus you just have less time to 40 00:02:41,360 --> 00:02:45,240 Speaker 1: work with. If Friday afternoon will be a bit of 41 00:02:45,280 --> 00:02:50,360 Speaker 1: a wash, then losing Monday morning for execution too really 42 00:02:50,400 --> 00:02:54,160 Speaker 1: starts to trim down the work week. The solution is 43 00:02:54,200 --> 00:02:57,520 Speaker 1: to decide how you will spend your time during a 44 00:02:57,520 --> 00:03:03,000 Speaker 1: low energy time. I recommend Friday afternoons. It's during business 45 00:03:03,000 --> 00:03:06,640 Speaker 1: hours so you can make appointments and send meeting requests. 46 00:03:07,320 --> 00:03:11,040 Speaker 1: But most people aren't doing much of consequence during this time. 47 00:03:11,880 --> 00:03:15,919 Speaker 1: It is hard to start anything new. It is easier 48 00:03:16,320 --> 00:03:21,560 Speaker 1: to start something new on Monday morning. So choose on 49 00:03:21,600 --> 00:03:26,440 Speaker 1: Friday what you will tackle on Monday morning. That way 50 00:03:26,480 --> 00:03:28,720 Speaker 1: you can make the most of both blocks of time. 51 00:03:29,960 --> 00:03:32,200 Speaker 1: And if you really want to level up your game, 52 00:03:33,320 --> 00:03:38,280 Speaker 1: assign yourself either your toughest task or your most important 53 00:03:38,320 --> 00:03:42,120 Speaker 1: task for Monday morning. That way you can use that 54 00:03:42,320 --> 00:03:47,880 Speaker 1: start up momentum to plow through it and then it 55 00:03:48,000 --> 00:03:52,720 Speaker 1: is done. You have already won the week by lunch time. 56 00:03:54,480 --> 00:03:57,800 Speaker 1: So as you track your time, look at how you 57 00:03:57,840 --> 00:04:02,880 Speaker 1: spend Monday morning. Is a big, solid chunk devoted to 58 00:04:02,920 --> 00:04:06,760 Speaker 1: one substantial task or are you all over the place? 59 00:04:08,040 --> 00:04:11,680 Speaker 1: Choosing the former rather than the latter can make you 60 00:04:11,920 --> 00:04:16,679 Speaker 1: a lot more productive. It's worth giving it a try. 61 00:04:18,360 --> 00:04:23,720 Speaker 1: In the meantime, this is Laura. Thanks for listening, and 62 00:04:23,800 --> 00:04:33,440 Speaker 1: here's to making the most of our time. Hey everybody, 63 00:04:33,680 --> 00:04:35,760 Speaker 1: I'd love to hear from you. You can send me 64 00:04:35,800 --> 00:04:39,440 Speaker 1: your tips, your questions or anything else. Just connect with 65 00:04:39,480 --> 00:04:43,880 Speaker 1: me on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram at Before Breakfast pod. 66 00:04:44,560 --> 00:04:48,919 Speaker 1: That's B the number four, then Breakfast p o D. 67 00:04:49,760 --> 00:04:52,600 Speaker 1: You can also shoot me an email at Before Breakfast 68 00:04:52,680 --> 00:04:56,240 Speaker 1: podcast at iHeart media dot com that Before Breakfast is 69 00:04:56,279 --> 00:04:59,080 Speaker 1: spelled out with all the letters. Thanks so much, I 70 00:04:59,080 --> 00:05:07,160 Speaker 1: look forward to staying in touch. Before Breakfast is a 71 00:05:07,200 --> 00:05:10,440 Speaker 1: production of I heart Radio. For more podcasts from I 72 00:05:10,520 --> 00:05:14,360 Speaker 1: heart Radio, visit the i heart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, 73 00:05:14,600 --> 00:05:16,480 Speaker 1: or wherever you listen to your favorite shows.