1 00:00:02,960 --> 00:00:09,280 Speaker 1: Welcome to Before Breakfast, a production of iHeartRadio. Good Morning. 2 00:00:10,119 --> 00:00:15,080 Speaker 1: This is Laura, Welcome to the Before Breakfast podcast. Today's 3 00:00:15,120 --> 00:00:17,799 Speaker 1: episode is going to be a longer one part of 4 00:00:17,840 --> 00:00:20,880 Speaker 1: the series where I interview fascinating people about how they 5 00:00:20,920 --> 00:00:24,040 Speaker 1: take their days from great to awesome and any advice 6 00:00:24,120 --> 00:00:26,680 Speaker 1: they have for the rest of us. So today I 7 00:00:26,720 --> 00:00:29,720 Speaker 1: am delighted to welcome Megan SUMMRL to the Before Breakfast. 8 00:00:29,760 --> 00:00:33,120 Speaker 1: Megan is a time management and productivity expert. She is 9 00:00:33,120 --> 00:00:35,920 Speaker 1: the founder of the Pink b and the host of 10 00:00:35,960 --> 00:00:39,479 Speaker 1: the Work Life Harmony podcast, among many other things. So, Megan, 11 00:00:39,560 --> 00:00:41,680 Speaker 1: welcome to the show. Thank you so much. 12 00:00:41,760 --> 00:00:44,320 Speaker 2: I was like, ooh, that sounds like a better show 13 00:00:44,400 --> 00:00:45,879 Speaker 2: up strong here today. 14 00:00:46,000 --> 00:00:48,239 Speaker 1: I know all that people are expecting a lot, but 15 00:00:48,280 --> 00:00:49,879 Speaker 1: I know you're going to give us a lot of 16 00:00:49,920 --> 00:00:52,440 Speaker 1: wisdom over the next twenty five minutes. So why don't 17 00:00:52,440 --> 00:00:54,280 Speaker 1: you tell our listeners a little bit about yourself? 18 00:00:54,360 --> 00:00:56,960 Speaker 2: Yes, so again, I'm the founder of the Pink Bee. 19 00:00:57,640 --> 00:01:01,800 Speaker 2: I am a time management and productivity expert for women, specifically. 20 00:01:02,760 --> 00:01:05,759 Speaker 2: My background was actually in corporate IT. I spent over 21 00:01:05,840 --> 00:01:09,840 Speaker 2: twenty years in the software and IT space, where actually 22 00:01:09,959 --> 00:01:11,720 Speaker 2: towards the end of my career. I would go in 23 00:01:11,840 --> 00:01:15,840 Speaker 2: and basically rebuild software teams from the ground up, optimizing 24 00:01:16,000 --> 00:01:21,600 Speaker 2: their processes, systems, procedures, et cetera. Found myself at a 25 00:01:21,720 --> 00:01:23,880 Speaker 2: place where I got married later in life, started a 26 00:01:23,920 --> 00:01:27,680 Speaker 2: family later and had a very pivotal day when my 27 00:01:27,760 --> 00:01:29,480 Speaker 2: daughter was about two, where I was still in the 28 00:01:29,480 --> 00:01:31,960 Speaker 2: thick of trying to juggle corporate life and motherhood and 29 00:01:32,000 --> 00:01:34,760 Speaker 2: all of that, and a complete stranger asked me, what 30 00:01:34,880 --> 00:01:38,160 Speaker 2: do you do for fun? And I realized I didn't 31 00:01:38,200 --> 00:01:40,080 Speaker 2: have an answer. I couldn't remember the last time I 32 00:01:40,080 --> 00:01:42,760 Speaker 2: had done anything for myself. My life was in service 33 00:01:42,800 --> 00:01:46,040 Speaker 2: to work, family, all of that, and long story short, 34 00:01:46,160 --> 00:01:49,880 Speaker 2: it led me on a path to completely rebuild how 35 00:01:49,920 --> 00:01:52,920 Speaker 2: I plan and manage my time juggling all the roles 36 00:01:52,920 --> 00:01:57,360 Speaker 2: and responsibilities. And now fast forward to today. Through a 37 00:01:57,360 --> 00:02:02,240 Speaker 2: couple of pivotal moments from then to now, I left 38 00:02:02,240 --> 00:02:05,240 Speaker 2: my corporate career, founded the Pink Bee, and we are 39 00:02:05,280 --> 00:02:07,760 Speaker 2: on a mission to bring work life harmony and harmony 40 00:02:07,760 --> 00:02:11,560 Speaker 2: into homes all over the world through this proprietary planning 41 00:02:11,600 --> 00:02:15,400 Speaker 2: framework built specifically for women. The realities of our lives 42 00:02:15,480 --> 00:02:16,720 Speaker 2: and how our brains work. 43 00:02:17,680 --> 00:02:20,040 Speaker 1: Yeah, although I'm sure there's a lot that men could 44 00:02:20,080 --> 00:02:21,960 Speaker 1: learn from it too. So, honey, men are listening to this, 45 00:02:22,040 --> 00:02:24,359 Speaker 1: you don't need to turn off the podcast because everything 46 00:02:24,360 --> 00:02:26,840 Speaker 1: we're going to talk about today is going to be 47 00:02:26,960 --> 00:02:29,200 Speaker 1: relevant for you as well, because there is a lot 48 00:02:29,200 --> 00:02:32,399 Speaker 1: of overlaps between how we manage like our home systems 49 00:02:32,440 --> 00:02:35,079 Speaker 1: and the corporate work systems you were doing right. 50 00:02:35,200 --> 00:02:39,360 Speaker 2: Yes, there absolutely is the couple shifts that I highlight 51 00:02:39,440 --> 00:02:42,160 Speaker 2: specifically for like the framework works for men and women. 52 00:02:42,160 --> 00:02:43,440 Speaker 2: I have a lot of women go through the program 53 00:02:43,520 --> 00:02:45,200 Speaker 2: and then they're like, and I made my husband come 54 00:02:45,240 --> 00:02:46,880 Speaker 2: sit down and watch it with me, and now we're 55 00:02:46,919 --> 00:02:51,119 Speaker 2: running our household this way is really acknowledging. Women tend 56 00:02:51,160 --> 00:02:53,480 Speaker 2: to absorb a lot of the uncertainty and the mental 57 00:02:53,560 --> 00:02:56,480 Speaker 2: load of the household. And the way our brains are 58 00:02:56,520 --> 00:03:00,000 Speaker 2: wired is we actually multitask more than our male counterpart 59 00:03:00,160 --> 00:03:02,240 Speaker 2: to do, and so we have to have systems that 60 00:03:02,440 --> 00:03:05,680 Speaker 2: understand that and acknowledge it and have a path forward 61 00:03:05,720 --> 00:03:06,639 Speaker 2: for it. 62 00:03:07,080 --> 00:03:09,519 Speaker 1: Well, we're going to talk a lot about systems over 63 00:03:09,560 --> 00:03:12,280 Speaker 1: the next few minutes, but one thing I wanted to 64 00:03:12,320 --> 00:03:14,519 Speaker 1: talk with you about first this is we're coming toward 65 00:03:14,600 --> 00:03:16,960 Speaker 1: the end of the year when this episode is airing, 66 00:03:17,320 --> 00:03:19,560 Speaker 1: and I know that you have something I believe it's 67 00:03:19,600 --> 00:03:22,840 Speaker 1: called plan a Palooza that is an annual planning workshop 68 00:03:22,919 --> 00:03:25,720 Speaker 1: that you run around this time as people look forward 69 00:03:25,800 --> 00:03:28,160 Speaker 1: to their next year. And I'm I'm a big fan 70 00:03:28,200 --> 00:03:30,639 Speaker 1: of doing this in like November, you know, and we 71 00:03:30,720 --> 00:03:34,360 Speaker 1: got to really build up to the end of the year. 72 00:03:34,840 --> 00:03:38,000 Speaker 1: But I wonder, how do you have people think through 73 00:03:38,200 --> 00:03:40,880 Speaker 1: the upcoming year? Any fun tips for our listeners. Yeah, 74 00:03:40,920 --> 00:03:41,800 Speaker 1: so are embarking on. 75 00:03:41,760 --> 00:03:44,600 Speaker 2: This the big fundamental shift that I teach in the 76 00:03:44,680 --> 00:03:47,560 Speaker 2: annual planning process? And why I do it so early? 77 00:03:47,840 --> 00:03:49,720 Speaker 2: You know what's considered early. I'm not doing it the 78 00:03:49,720 --> 00:03:52,960 Speaker 2: week before January is man Q four is a doozy 79 00:03:53,040 --> 00:03:55,840 Speaker 2: November December. There's so much going on, and that's why 80 00:03:55,840 --> 00:03:58,400 Speaker 2: I like to intentionally do this work early so that 81 00:03:58,440 --> 00:04:01,120 Speaker 2: when January hits, I'm not now stuck going what am 82 00:04:01,120 --> 00:04:02,640 Speaker 2: I going to? What am I gonna do this year? 83 00:04:02,680 --> 00:04:06,000 Speaker 2: Like how are we operating? A lot of people when 84 00:04:06,000 --> 00:04:10,080 Speaker 2: they go to annual planning workshops or events, it's always 85 00:04:10,200 --> 00:04:13,520 Speaker 2: kind of this dreamcasting or visioning kind of workshop, right 86 00:04:13,520 --> 00:04:15,800 Speaker 2: where we get really excited about all the things that 87 00:04:15,800 --> 00:04:17,800 Speaker 2: we want to do next year, we break them down 88 00:04:17,839 --> 00:04:20,880 Speaker 2: into milestones. Then we get back into our real life 89 00:04:20,920 --> 00:04:23,200 Speaker 2: and the real world smacks us upside the head with 90 00:04:23,560 --> 00:04:25,880 Speaker 2: the sick kid and the flu season and then the 91 00:04:25,920 --> 00:04:28,839 Speaker 2: big event at work and all of that, and you know, 92 00:04:29,000 --> 00:04:31,760 Speaker 2: six months later we find that worksheet or workbook from 93 00:04:31,800 --> 00:04:33,320 Speaker 2: the event and we're like, oh, yeah, I forgot all 94 00:04:33,320 --> 00:04:36,560 Speaker 2: about that. I haven't done anything. So what's fundamentally different 95 00:04:36,560 --> 00:04:39,359 Speaker 2: with the way I really like to teach annual planning 96 00:04:40,000 --> 00:04:42,200 Speaker 2: is we do some of that dream work, but then 97 00:04:42,279 --> 00:04:46,840 Speaker 2: we start our plan with what's your reality for next year? Right, 98 00:04:47,000 --> 00:04:50,719 Speaker 2: so actually understanding do you already have commitments and in 99 00:04:50,800 --> 00:04:53,960 Speaker 2: what months? And when are there seasonality of when you 100 00:04:54,000 --> 00:04:56,480 Speaker 2: know it's like is May usually a crazy month for you? 101 00:04:56,600 --> 00:04:59,720 Speaker 2: Or December? And we build all of that in f 102 00:05:00,560 --> 00:05:03,000 Speaker 2: think of it kind of like financing, like what time 103 00:05:03,080 --> 00:05:07,239 Speaker 2: is already spoken for? So that now we're working realistically 104 00:05:07,520 --> 00:05:11,160 Speaker 2: with hey, what kind of time do I have? That 105 00:05:11,279 --> 00:05:15,000 Speaker 2: then supports our core values, our boundaries, and our priorities 106 00:05:15,320 --> 00:05:17,479 Speaker 2: with those extra things that we want to layer in. 107 00:05:18,600 --> 00:05:20,080 Speaker 1: I love that. I Mean, one of the things I'm 108 00:05:20,080 --> 00:05:22,800 Speaker 1: always doing with people is having them track their time, 109 00:05:23,440 --> 00:05:26,919 Speaker 1: so we know what a week really looks like. And 110 00:05:26,960 --> 00:05:30,560 Speaker 1: then when you're setting goals, Yeah, you're setting goals, it's like, okay, 111 00:05:30,720 --> 00:05:32,839 Speaker 1: and this is what a week really looks like. So 112 00:05:32,880 --> 00:05:34,560 Speaker 1: it's fine to say, you know, I want to run 113 00:05:34,560 --> 00:05:36,760 Speaker 1: four times a week, but that means we need to 114 00:05:36,800 --> 00:05:38,960 Speaker 1: look at where those are going to be saying, you know, 115 00:05:39,000 --> 00:05:41,719 Speaker 1: the big goal is, yeah, I'm want to run a marathon. Okay, 116 00:05:41,720 --> 00:05:43,640 Speaker 1: where are the four runs a week going to happen 117 00:05:43,680 --> 00:05:44,719 Speaker 1: in your life exactly? 118 00:05:44,839 --> 00:05:47,960 Speaker 2: And when is the marathons? And now you're building out 119 00:05:48,000 --> 00:05:50,200 Speaker 2: what do you have time a month before to do 120 00:05:50,240 --> 00:05:52,880 Speaker 2: an eighteen mile run? Or are you traveling every weekend? 121 00:05:53,000 --> 00:05:56,159 Speaker 2: And yeah, so we've got to really marry and integrate 122 00:05:56,680 --> 00:06:00,920 Speaker 2: your reality with your want tos, if you will, and 123 00:06:01,160 --> 00:06:03,839 Speaker 2: make sure that there's a cohesive plan and construct it 124 00:06:03,880 --> 00:06:06,760 Speaker 2: in a way that sets you up for success instead 125 00:06:06,760 --> 00:06:09,200 Speaker 2: of for feeling like a failure of four months into 126 00:06:09,240 --> 00:06:09,520 Speaker 2: the year. 127 00:06:10,400 --> 00:06:13,240 Speaker 1: Yeah, and I love this idea of planning ahead. You know, 128 00:06:13,240 --> 00:06:15,480 Speaker 1: we're saying we're getting started on it in November because 129 00:06:15,480 --> 00:06:18,920 Speaker 1: December is so crazy. And one of your recent podcast 130 00:06:19,000 --> 00:06:21,520 Speaker 1: episodes what was like a while ago now, but it 131 00:06:21,600 --> 00:06:24,680 Speaker 1: caught my eye because you have Christmas in July. Every 132 00:06:24,800 --> 00:06:28,200 Speaker 1: year that you do, you do some of your holiday 133 00:06:28,240 --> 00:06:30,640 Speaker 1: planning in July. Can you talk about that? 134 00:06:30,760 --> 00:06:33,159 Speaker 2: Yeah, So it kind of came. It stemmed from a 135 00:06:33,240 --> 00:06:37,279 Speaker 2: need for myself. Of I remember one particularly rough holiday 136 00:06:37,279 --> 00:06:39,440 Speaker 2: season and it was like the morning after Christmas, it 137 00:06:39,520 --> 00:06:42,679 Speaker 2: was like holiday hangover, you know, just wrapping paper, stuff, 138 00:06:42,880 --> 00:06:45,440 Speaker 2: crum just I remember sitting there like, this was not 139 00:06:45,560 --> 00:06:48,560 Speaker 2: a fun holiday for me. I gave a great one 140 00:06:48,600 --> 00:06:51,880 Speaker 2: for everybody else. And so that year I started thinking, Okay, 141 00:06:51,880 --> 00:06:54,800 Speaker 2: what could I do to lighten the load in December? 142 00:06:54,800 --> 00:06:56,680 Speaker 2: Are there things I could do earlier? Are there things 143 00:06:56,680 --> 00:07:00,039 Speaker 2: I could stop doing, et cetera. And one of the 144 00:07:00,080 --> 00:07:03,160 Speaker 2: things I landed on is I always loved holiday baking 145 00:07:03,200 --> 00:07:05,880 Speaker 2: with my mom as a kid, and I always thought 146 00:07:05,880 --> 00:07:08,280 Speaker 2: it would be this magical moment with my daughter. And 147 00:07:08,600 --> 00:07:10,560 Speaker 2: I was like, that really wasn't magical. It's just one 148 00:07:10,560 --> 00:07:12,600 Speaker 2: more have to like, one more to do, which just 149 00:07:12,680 --> 00:07:15,160 Speaker 2: takes the fun out of it. So I thought, well, 150 00:07:15,280 --> 00:07:18,040 Speaker 2: a lot of the stuff that we make is stuff 151 00:07:18,040 --> 00:07:21,960 Speaker 2: that freezes really really well, and we're always looking for 152 00:07:22,000 --> 00:07:24,080 Speaker 2: stuff to do Midsummer when you're so sick of going 153 00:07:24,120 --> 00:07:27,120 Speaker 2: to the pool and it's literally one hundred degrees. So 154 00:07:27,400 --> 00:07:30,280 Speaker 2: it's now come to two days long for us, where 155 00:07:30,320 --> 00:07:32,320 Speaker 2: my daughter and I we put on Christmas music, we 156 00:07:32,320 --> 00:07:35,480 Speaker 2: put on Christmas t shirts, and we actually bake a 157 00:07:35,600 --> 00:07:38,760 Speaker 2: ton of holiday stuff over the course of two days, 158 00:07:39,720 --> 00:07:43,360 Speaker 2: all stuff that freezes well. So then when December hits, 159 00:07:43,720 --> 00:07:45,679 Speaker 2: you know, we might be making one or two things 160 00:07:45,680 --> 00:07:48,880 Speaker 2: that don't freeze well, but we can really enjoy like 161 00:07:48,920 --> 00:07:51,720 Speaker 2: we enjoy our gingerbread house making day because it's not 162 00:07:51,880 --> 00:07:53,760 Speaker 2: packed on top of six other days of things that 163 00:07:53,800 --> 00:07:57,080 Speaker 2: we're trying to get done, along with some crafting. So 164 00:07:57,120 --> 00:07:58,520 Speaker 2: we do a lot of baking and we do some 165 00:07:58,600 --> 00:08:02,120 Speaker 2: holiday handcrafting in the middle of July, and it makes 166 00:08:02,280 --> 00:08:04,720 Speaker 2: just breaks up for a really fun, fun time in 167 00:08:04,760 --> 00:08:06,360 Speaker 2: the middle of the summer. And now I have a 168 00:08:06,400 --> 00:08:08,400 Speaker 2: freezer full of stuff ready to roll. 169 00:08:09,040 --> 00:08:10,960 Speaker 1: I would say that's actually showing a lot of discipline 170 00:08:11,000 --> 00:08:12,880 Speaker 1: on your part, because I'm pretty sure the Christmas cookies 171 00:08:12,880 --> 00:08:14,240 Speaker 1: would be eaten in July. 172 00:08:15,240 --> 00:08:19,240 Speaker 2: Talk them way back and garage, do we believe you 173 00:08:19,320 --> 00:08:22,240 Speaker 2: out that we get to enjoys get put back in 174 00:08:22,320 --> 00:08:24,200 Speaker 2: there and it's like out of sight, out of mind. 175 00:08:25,600 --> 00:08:28,280 Speaker 1: Well, good for you guys. We might we might have 176 00:08:28,400 --> 00:08:30,960 Speaker 1: eaten that gingerbread. Well, we're going to take a quick 177 00:08:31,000 --> 00:08:32,679 Speaker 1: ad break and then i'll be back with more from 178 00:08:32,800 --> 00:08:43,199 Speaker 1: Meghan Sumrow. Well, I am back talking with Megan Sumrell, 179 00:08:43,240 --> 00:08:45,600 Speaker 1: who owns the Queen sorry, not the Queen Bee, the 180 00:08:45,720 --> 00:08:49,280 Speaker 1: pig Bee. I've been listening to all that recently and 181 00:08:49,320 --> 00:08:52,120 Speaker 1: she's the host of the Work Life Harmony podcast, among 182 00:08:52,240 --> 00:08:55,439 Speaker 1: other things. So you know, we've been talking about doing 183 00:08:55,480 --> 00:08:57,160 Speaker 1: things ahead of time. Now we're going to talk a 184 00:08:57,200 --> 00:09:02,079 Speaker 1: little bit about planning and work and other systems. You 185 00:09:02,280 --> 00:09:05,360 Speaker 1: recently had a podcast episode about making sure that meetings 186 00:09:05,520 --> 00:09:07,400 Speaker 1: do not take over your life. And one of my 187 00:09:07,520 --> 00:09:11,320 Speaker 1: favorite rules that you shared was not to schedule meetings 188 00:09:11,679 --> 00:09:13,959 Speaker 1: on Monday mornings. And I know a lot of my 189 00:09:14,040 --> 00:09:18,800 Speaker 1: listeners have probably sat through endless Monday morning staff meetings, 190 00:09:19,440 --> 00:09:21,880 Speaker 1: So tell us why they should rethink that. 191 00:09:22,080 --> 00:09:26,040 Speaker 2: Yes, so most people, there's always exceptions to the rule. 192 00:09:26,360 --> 00:09:28,520 Speaker 2: Most people fall in one of two buckets on a 193 00:09:28,559 --> 00:09:32,120 Speaker 2: Monday morning. Person A is the kind of person that 194 00:09:32,200 --> 00:09:34,760 Speaker 2: is so rest and refueled over the weekend and like 195 00:09:34,920 --> 00:09:37,640 Speaker 2: they come in Monday morning hot, ready to roll, highest 196 00:09:37,760 --> 00:09:42,559 Speaker 2: energy levels, ready for the week super productive, and if 197 00:09:42,600 --> 00:09:46,120 Speaker 2: you throw that person right into a meeting at the 198 00:09:46,120 --> 00:09:49,760 Speaker 2: start of Monday, you are missing out on capitalizing on 199 00:09:49,840 --> 00:09:53,640 Speaker 2: potentially their most productive time all week. So if they 200 00:09:53,679 --> 00:09:55,480 Speaker 2: spend their first because I mean, let's say it's even 201 00:09:55,520 --> 00:09:57,439 Speaker 2: only an hour meeting, that's gonna be an hour and 202 00:09:57,480 --> 00:09:59,600 Speaker 2: a half minimum, right, because then there's the after the meeting, 203 00:09:59,600 --> 00:10:01,520 Speaker 2: then getting the coffee, Like they haven't had a minute 204 00:10:01,520 --> 00:10:04,160 Speaker 2: to think. And now you've taken that energy level, you've 205 00:10:04,160 --> 00:10:07,160 Speaker 2: thrown it into a meeting, and now like that window's 206 00:10:07,240 --> 00:10:11,160 Speaker 2: kind of gone. You don't recapture that person. B might 207 00:10:11,200 --> 00:10:12,960 Speaker 2: be the person who comes in is like, I'm a 208 00:10:12,960 --> 00:10:16,520 Speaker 2: slow roll. I need a little time, I need to 209 00:10:16,559 --> 00:10:19,520 Speaker 2: reorient myself. I need to kind of get settled at 210 00:10:19,559 --> 00:10:21,400 Speaker 2: my desk, I need to kind of gear up for 211 00:10:21,440 --> 00:10:24,600 Speaker 2: the week. And so that person sitting in a meeting 212 00:10:24,640 --> 00:10:28,280 Speaker 2: on Monday morning is probably only fifty percent present and 213 00:10:28,320 --> 00:10:32,000 Speaker 2: could be missing out on really important stuff, key things. 214 00:10:32,040 --> 00:10:34,840 Speaker 2: Their energy is not quite aligned well, and then those 215 00:10:34,880 --> 00:10:37,839 Speaker 2: two personalities in a meeting tend to butt heads as well. Right, 216 00:10:37,880 --> 00:10:40,640 Speaker 2: You've got the we're going to conquer world hunger, and 217 00:10:40,720 --> 00:10:43,480 Speaker 2: you've got that I'm gonna need another cup of coffee 218 00:10:43,840 --> 00:10:47,560 Speaker 2: before I can talk about this. And so oftentimes those 219 00:10:47,679 --> 00:10:51,920 Speaker 2: Monday morning meetings end up not producing the desired output 220 00:10:51,960 --> 00:10:55,120 Speaker 2: that you really wanted. If maybe you had just shifted 221 00:10:55,120 --> 00:10:58,280 Speaker 2: that to like an eleven am or a one pm 222 00:10:58,320 --> 00:11:02,160 Speaker 2: meeting on Monday instead of taking that prime real estate 223 00:11:02,280 --> 00:11:05,320 Speaker 2: to start the week and not allowing everybody to settle 224 00:11:05,320 --> 00:11:08,160 Speaker 2: into their their work rhythm in a way that supports them. 225 00:11:08,880 --> 00:11:11,720 Speaker 1: I love that. I love that for sure. And another 226 00:11:11,760 --> 00:11:15,960 Speaker 1: way you have people reframing meetings is that I think 227 00:11:15,960 --> 00:11:17,959 Speaker 1: this is a quote. I've wrote this down because I 228 00:11:18,000 --> 00:11:20,960 Speaker 1: loved it so much, that being excluded from a meeting 229 00:11:21,080 --> 00:11:22,760 Speaker 1: is a gift to your time. 230 00:11:23,720 --> 00:11:29,720 Speaker 2: People feel like the more meetings they're in, it validates 231 00:11:29,720 --> 00:11:32,840 Speaker 2: their importance. Right, And so if they see if they're 232 00:11:32,840 --> 00:11:35,480 Speaker 2: walking by a conference room, you know, I used to 233 00:11:35,480 --> 00:11:37,640 Speaker 2: work in a conference room. Now we're more zoom style, 234 00:11:37,880 --> 00:11:39,960 Speaker 2: But they see a group of people around a table, 235 00:11:40,480 --> 00:11:43,120 Speaker 2: They're instantly wondering like, why was I not invited? 236 00:11:43,280 --> 00:11:43,400 Speaker 1: Right? 237 00:11:43,480 --> 00:11:46,079 Speaker 2: Do they not value my mind? Do they not think 238 00:11:46,120 --> 00:11:48,800 Speaker 2: I'm important? And so suddenly someone's like, oh, hey, could 239 00:11:48,800 --> 00:11:51,560 Speaker 2: I come to that next meeting? And we start to 240 00:11:51,679 --> 00:11:55,640 Speaker 2: feel like our worth in the workplace is kind of 241 00:11:55,800 --> 00:11:58,280 Speaker 2: defined by the number of meetings we're in, Right, they 242 00:11:58,400 --> 00:12:01,240 Speaker 2: value my opinion, They want me sitting in there instead 243 00:12:01,240 --> 00:12:05,080 Speaker 2: of recognizing ninety nine percent of the time when I 244 00:12:05,280 --> 00:12:08,320 Speaker 2: work with companies, we recognize that half the people in 245 00:12:08,360 --> 00:12:12,400 Speaker 2: the meeting don't need to be there. They're consumers of 246 00:12:12,440 --> 00:12:15,200 Speaker 2: what the decisions are made in the meeting, but they're 247 00:12:15,200 --> 00:12:18,640 Speaker 2: not actually a key decision makers. And so I always 248 00:12:18,679 --> 00:12:21,920 Speaker 2: love to encourage people to say, hey, realize, not being 249 00:12:22,000 --> 00:12:25,240 Speaker 2: in a meeting is the biggest gift you can have 250 00:12:25,360 --> 00:12:28,400 Speaker 2: because now, guess what, you have an hour to sit 251 00:12:28,679 --> 00:12:31,480 Speaker 2: and work instead of an hour to sit and talk 252 00:12:31,640 --> 00:12:35,920 Speaker 2: about work. That the decisions maybe you didn't need to 253 00:12:35,920 --> 00:12:37,720 Speaker 2: be a part of. You just needed to know what 254 00:12:37,800 --> 00:12:41,360 Speaker 2: the output was. And so it can be a real 255 00:12:42,800 --> 00:12:47,000 Speaker 2: It can ruffle some feathers first when people start being excluded, 256 00:12:47,040 --> 00:12:48,640 Speaker 2: but this is why I will tell people, when you're 257 00:12:48,679 --> 00:12:52,599 Speaker 2: building the agenda, the agenda can be visible. Here's the 258 00:12:52,640 --> 00:12:54,960 Speaker 2: purpose of the meeting, here's how we're planning on getting 259 00:12:55,000 --> 00:12:56,840 Speaker 2: from point A to point B, and here are the 260 00:12:56,880 --> 00:12:59,600 Speaker 2: people that have the knowledge and the ability to make 261 00:12:59,600 --> 00:13:02,760 Speaker 2: the decision. That's why they're in the meeting. Everybody who 262 00:13:02,840 --> 00:13:05,800 Speaker 2: needs to know the output of it, here's where those 263 00:13:05,800 --> 00:13:08,280 Speaker 2: decisions will be, so that you can go have the 264 00:13:08,320 --> 00:13:10,920 Speaker 2: info you need to carry on with your work. And 265 00:13:11,000 --> 00:13:13,240 Speaker 2: that kind of helps to reframe it a little bit 266 00:13:13,280 --> 00:13:15,080 Speaker 2: for people of like, oh, yeah, I need to know 267 00:13:15,120 --> 00:13:16,920 Speaker 2: the output, I just don't have to watch them come 268 00:13:17,000 --> 00:13:18,040 Speaker 2: up with a plan to get there. 269 00:13:18,520 --> 00:13:20,600 Speaker 1: Yeah, sort of frame it is like, well, John will 270 00:13:20,640 --> 00:13:23,439 Speaker 1: report back to Bob. That's how important Bob is he 271 00:13:23,480 --> 00:13:24,880 Speaker 1: gets a report on this meeting. 272 00:13:27,240 --> 00:13:31,000 Speaker 2: Because people complain about meetings, yet then they complain when 273 00:13:31,040 --> 00:13:34,160 Speaker 2: they're not in the meeting because oh, we're all. 274 00:13:33,840 --> 00:13:36,200 Speaker 1: In the middle school cafees here. I mean, this is 275 00:13:36,280 --> 00:13:39,280 Speaker 1: it's honestly what it is. It's the same social fear 276 00:13:39,320 --> 00:13:42,920 Speaker 1: of being excluded from something. So you spent years and 277 00:13:43,080 --> 00:13:45,840 Speaker 1: in corporate logistics and systems. I wonder you know maybe 278 00:13:45,880 --> 00:13:49,559 Speaker 1: one or two of your favorite sort of transferable systems 279 00:13:49,559 --> 00:13:52,160 Speaker 1: things you learn from that that people could put to 280 00:13:52,400 --> 00:13:54,320 Speaker 1: work in their own lives. 281 00:13:54,480 --> 00:13:56,200 Speaker 2: Yeah, I mean I think a lot and a lot 282 00:13:56,240 --> 00:13:59,440 Speaker 2: of where I pull from with the time management framework 283 00:13:59,440 --> 00:14:01,920 Speaker 2: that I teach. I'm a really big fan of Lean 284 00:14:02,000 --> 00:14:04,720 Speaker 2: six sigma and I went through all those belt trainings, 285 00:14:04,720 --> 00:14:10,520 Speaker 2: there is really looking at everything you do, everything you 286 00:14:10,600 --> 00:14:13,320 Speaker 2: spend time on with the lens of where is their 287 00:14:13,480 --> 00:14:17,839 Speaker 2: waste and what can I get rid of? Is it 288 00:14:18,080 --> 00:14:22,080 Speaker 2: that the waste is that I'm rewriting every morning half 289 00:14:22,120 --> 00:14:25,280 Speaker 2: of yesterday's to do list onto today's and then adding 290 00:14:25,320 --> 00:14:28,280 Speaker 2: to it and then tomorrow rints and repeating like that's waste. 291 00:14:28,280 --> 00:14:31,120 Speaker 2: If you are it's suddenly Friday and you've rewritten half 292 00:14:31,160 --> 00:14:34,520 Speaker 2: of the same list Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, right now, 293 00:14:34,560 --> 00:14:36,200 Speaker 2: we can look at it as this is a waste 294 00:14:36,240 --> 00:14:38,600 Speaker 2: of time, it's a waste of paper. What can I 295 00:14:38,720 --> 00:14:42,160 Speaker 2: do to eliminate that waste? And then even in your 296 00:14:42,160 --> 00:14:45,080 Speaker 2: personal life, same thing. Right do you find that you 297 00:14:45,120 --> 00:14:48,320 Speaker 2: are stopping by the grocery store every night on the 298 00:14:48,320 --> 00:14:51,600 Speaker 2: way home to pick up something for dinner? Like think 299 00:14:51,640 --> 00:14:54,440 Speaker 2: through the amount of time that is being spent as 300 00:14:54,480 --> 00:14:57,840 Speaker 2: opposed to what if I just sat down on Sunday 301 00:14:57,880 --> 00:15:00,760 Speaker 2: for ten minutes and said, all right, or as a family, 302 00:15:00,880 --> 00:15:03,080 Speaker 2: what are we having for dinners this week? Make the 303 00:15:03,120 --> 00:15:05,560 Speaker 2: decision once in one sitting, go to the store once 304 00:15:06,120 --> 00:15:09,320 Speaker 2: and then everything's there. But because we live in such 305 00:15:09,360 --> 00:15:13,120 Speaker 2: a fast paced you know Amazon Prime everything right now, 306 00:15:13,680 --> 00:15:17,600 Speaker 2: We often just keep rinsing and repeating without taking a 307 00:15:17,640 --> 00:15:23,400 Speaker 2: pause to say where am I wasting either time resources, 308 00:15:23,800 --> 00:15:27,640 Speaker 2: my own energy levels from decision making to then say 309 00:15:27,720 --> 00:15:31,720 Speaker 2: what can I shift to be able to eliminate that waste? Yeah, 310 00:15:31,720 --> 00:15:34,320 Speaker 2: and it doesn't have to be even all or nothing. 311 00:15:34,680 --> 00:15:37,400 Speaker 1: Somebody who is going to the Absimos store every night 312 00:15:37,480 --> 00:15:40,200 Speaker 1: could go twice, go three times, but just not every 313 00:15:40,280 --> 00:15:41,000 Speaker 1: day exactly. 314 00:15:41,240 --> 00:15:41,560 Speaker 2: Yeah. 315 00:15:41,640 --> 00:15:43,560 Speaker 1: Yeah, I can't plan a week, but I could plan 316 00:15:44,000 --> 00:15:46,560 Speaker 1: Monday Tuesday, maybe you know, and then yeah it would 317 00:15:46,560 --> 00:15:46,840 Speaker 1: be better. 318 00:15:46,920 --> 00:15:47,240 Speaker 2: Yeah. 319 00:15:47,360 --> 00:15:50,080 Speaker 1: Yeah. Are there any other examples of sort of common 320 00:15:50,120 --> 00:15:52,200 Speaker 1: waste that people have in their schedules? 321 00:15:52,560 --> 00:15:56,680 Speaker 2: I do see a lot of common waste with emails. 322 00:15:57,320 --> 00:16:02,120 Speaker 2: So the people that leave emails open or email notifications 323 00:16:02,160 --> 00:16:06,680 Speaker 2: on are wasting so much mental capacity and time jumping 324 00:16:06,800 --> 00:16:09,800 Speaker 2: in and out of email all day long, and we 325 00:16:09,920 --> 00:16:13,680 Speaker 2: think we have to, but very few of us are 326 00:16:13,920 --> 00:16:17,760 Speaker 2: actually saving lives in our email right, Like, nobody is 327 00:16:17,800 --> 00:16:22,080 Speaker 2: going to likely die because thirty minutes went by before 328 00:16:22,120 --> 00:16:24,720 Speaker 2: you got the email. And so one of the biggest 329 00:16:24,760 --> 00:16:28,400 Speaker 2: shifts I always encourage people to do is have set 330 00:16:28,480 --> 00:16:31,600 Speaker 2: times of your day you can even I have it 331 00:16:31,720 --> 00:16:35,840 Speaker 2: blocked on my calendar and appointment with myself for this 332 00:16:35,920 --> 00:16:38,760 Speaker 2: is when I'm sitting down to actually go in and 333 00:16:38,840 --> 00:16:42,000 Speaker 2: process my email, meaning I go through them all. If 334 00:16:42,040 --> 00:16:43,840 Speaker 2: it's something I can do in two minutes or less, 335 00:16:43,840 --> 00:16:47,000 Speaker 2: it gets handled. If it's something that needs a significant 336 00:16:47,000 --> 00:16:50,320 Speaker 2: amount of time, it then goes into my calendar with 337 00:16:50,400 --> 00:16:53,880 Speaker 2: specificity of when am I working on this, and then 338 00:16:53,920 --> 00:16:57,200 Speaker 2: when the email processing is done, it is closed out. 339 00:16:57,600 --> 00:17:01,600 Speaker 2: Email is not open. I usually do mine three times 340 00:17:01,640 --> 00:17:03,720 Speaker 2: a day. Some people are like, there's no way I 341 00:17:03,760 --> 00:17:05,479 Speaker 2: could do that. So I start off and say, how 342 00:17:05,480 --> 00:17:07,399 Speaker 2: about we just start at the top of the hour, 343 00:17:08,160 --> 00:17:10,720 Speaker 2: You go in for ten minutes, you check your email, 344 00:17:11,000 --> 00:17:12,639 Speaker 2: and then you shut it down, and then at the 345 00:17:12,680 --> 00:17:14,879 Speaker 2: top of the next hour you can do that. And 346 00:17:15,040 --> 00:17:17,960 Speaker 2: usually when people start that way, three weeks later they're like, 347 00:17:18,000 --> 00:17:19,840 Speaker 2: I'm only checking it twice a day now, Megan, this 348 00:17:19,920 --> 00:17:23,320 Speaker 2: is magical, But I think from a work perspective, email 349 00:17:23,400 --> 00:17:25,200 Speaker 2: is the biggest waste of time. 350 00:17:25,880 --> 00:17:28,800 Speaker 1: Absolutely agreed. All right, We're going to take one more 351 00:17:28,840 --> 00:17:30,359 Speaker 1: quick ad break and then I will be back with 352 00:17:30,440 --> 00:17:40,320 Speaker 1: more from Megan Summrew. Well, I am back talking with 353 00:17:40,480 --> 00:17:44,280 Speaker 1: Megan Sumrel who is a time management expert host of 354 00:17:44,359 --> 00:17:47,720 Speaker 1: the Work Life Harmony podcast. So I'm curious. This is 355 00:17:47,760 --> 00:17:51,159 Speaker 1: a show called Before Breakfast. Do you have a morning 356 00:17:51,240 --> 00:17:54,320 Speaker 1: routine or something you do most mornings at least I do. 357 00:17:55,040 --> 00:17:57,720 Speaker 2: And you know, I talk a lot about the importance 358 00:17:57,720 --> 00:18:00,879 Speaker 2: of morning routines. I do differentiate a morning routine versus 359 00:18:00,880 --> 00:18:04,160 Speaker 2: a morning task list. So for me, when I talk 360 00:18:04,160 --> 00:18:06,480 Speaker 2: about a morning routine, I'm talking about the things I 361 00:18:06,520 --> 00:18:10,240 Speaker 2: do just for myself that fuel me, that fill me 362 00:18:10,359 --> 00:18:12,760 Speaker 2: up for the day, that allow me to wake up, 363 00:18:13,280 --> 00:18:15,800 Speaker 2: you know, interact with my family in a way where 364 00:18:15,840 --> 00:18:19,000 Speaker 2: I'm coming and I'm pleasant as opposed to like, you know, 365 00:18:19,200 --> 00:18:23,320 Speaker 2: kind of gritchy mode. So my morning routine is not 366 00:18:23,400 --> 00:18:26,520 Speaker 2: what you'd hear from a typical productivity expert. I don't meditate, 367 00:18:26,560 --> 00:18:28,720 Speaker 2: I don't journal, I don't do yoga, I don't drink 368 00:18:28,760 --> 00:18:31,159 Speaker 2: lemon water. I do what works for me. So I 369 00:18:31,200 --> 00:18:33,840 Speaker 2: get up before my family. I come downstairs, I make 370 00:18:33,880 --> 00:18:36,840 Speaker 2: a cup of coffee, I let my dogs out, and 371 00:18:36,880 --> 00:18:38,760 Speaker 2: I take my warm cup of coffee and I do 372 00:18:38,920 --> 00:18:41,840 Speaker 2: four games in the New York Times Games app every 373 00:18:41,840 --> 00:18:47,119 Speaker 2: morning first thing, and then I actually review my plan 374 00:18:47,320 --> 00:18:50,359 Speaker 2: for the day that that reduces my overwhelming anxiety, so 375 00:18:50,359 --> 00:18:52,320 Speaker 2: I can kind of like, see, Okay, here's what's coming 376 00:18:52,520 --> 00:18:55,399 Speaker 2: for the day, so I'm i am level set for that. 377 00:18:56,359 --> 00:18:58,080 Speaker 2: And then, depending upon the day of the week, if 378 00:18:58,119 --> 00:19:01,199 Speaker 2: I'm driving or if my husband's driving our daughter to school, 379 00:19:01,680 --> 00:19:03,680 Speaker 2: some days, I go in and actually do my first 380 00:19:03,680 --> 00:19:07,080 Speaker 2: email process after I've done that, because that quiets my 381 00:19:08,200 --> 00:19:10,600 Speaker 2: anxiety of knowing is there anything out there looming that 382 00:19:10,640 --> 00:19:13,720 Speaker 2: I need to adjust for for the day. So if 383 00:19:13,720 --> 00:19:15,600 Speaker 2: I'm driving her to school, I do plan in that 384 00:19:15,680 --> 00:19:18,280 Speaker 2: quick little email check before then, and if not, once 385 00:19:18,320 --> 00:19:21,480 Speaker 2: that's done, then I shift into kind of morning taskless 386 00:19:21,480 --> 00:19:24,080 Speaker 2: mode of you know, being with the family, making breakfast, 387 00:19:24,119 --> 00:19:27,120 Speaker 2: packing lunches, walking dogs, all of that, and then it's 388 00:19:27,520 --> 00:19:29,359 Speaker 2: hit the showers and ready to roll for work. 389 00:19:30,080 --> 00:19:32,480 Speaker 1: Ready to roll. Yeah, I love the games. It's always 390 00:19:32,560 --> 00:19:34,680 Speaker 1: a good way wake up your brain as well. I've 391 00:19:34,720 --> 00:19:37,840 Speaker 1: always loved logic puzzle all of that. So that's like 392 00:19:37,920 --> 00:19:40,399 Speaker 1: my warm cup of coffee and my New York Times 393 00:19:40,440 --> 00:19:43,639 Speaker 1: games app is how I start every day. I love it. 394 00:19:43,680 --> 00:19:46,960 Speaker 1: I love it. So a question I ask every guest 395 00:19:47,040 --> 00:19:49,920 Speaker 1: on this show is what is something you have done 396 00:19:50,080 --> 00:19:53,920 Speaker 1: recently to take a day from great to awesome. 397 00:19:59,040 --> 00:20:03,600 Speaker 2: The I've done this a few times recently. It is 398 00:20:04,000 --> 00:20:08,320 Speaker 2: I think the biggest challenge that everyone has is honoring 399 00:20:08,359 --> 00:20:12,800 Speaker 2: and protecting time for themselves when things start getting crazy. 400 00:20:12,960 --> 00:20:15,960 Speaker 2: The first thing we let go of is that time 401 00:20:16,000 --> 00:20:18,679 Speaker 2: that you had blocked for yourself, whether it was to 402 00:20:18,720 --> 00:20:20,960 Speaker 2: go for that you know, squeeze in a workout over 403 00:20:21,040 --> 00:20:23,959 Speaker 2: lunch that you know is great for you, or have 404 00:20:24,040 --> 00:20:25,680 Speaker 2: dinner with that friend. And then all of a sudden 405 00:20:25,680 --> 00:20:28,240 Speaker 2: things work starts getting crazy, everything's to get crazy. We 406 00:20:28,359 --> 00:20:31,240 Speaker 2: start canceling those and double down on work in an 407 00:20:31,240 --> 00:20:33,840 Speaker 2: effort to think that that's actually going to get us 408 00:20:33,880 --> 00:20:36,520 Speaker 2: on top of things and feel better. And I recently 409 00:20:36,560 --> 00:20:39,320 Speaker 2: just went through our busiest season here for you know, 410 00:20:39,440 --> 00:20:41,440 Speaker 2: over the entire year during. 411 00:20:42,840 --> 00:20:43,840 Speaker 1: For the pink Bee. 412 00:20:44,560 --> 00:20:47,359 Speaker 2: And the first thing I always block off thirty minutes 413 00:20:47,359 --> 00:20:49,359 Speaker 2: every day on my calendar to practice my cello, and 414 00:20:49,440 --> 00:20:51,440 Speaker 2: I usually do that kind of after lunch, and that's 415 00:20:51,640 --> 00:20:53,480 Speaker 2: my me time. It resets me for the rest of 416 00:20:53,520 --> 00:20:57,199 Speaker 2: the day. And I started finding myself letting that go 417 00:20:58,200 --> 00:21:00,560 Speaker 2: because I was like, well, I'll just get it thirty 418 00:21:00,600 --> 00:21:04,119 Speaker 2: minutes in for work, and so I reset it for 419 00:21:04,160 --> 00:21:07,080 Speaker 2: a week and said, no matter what, no matter how 420 00:21:07,119 --> 00:21:11,679 Speaker 2: busy things are, I'm honoring that. And those five days 421 00:21:12,280 --> 00:21:18,160 Speaker 2: were the most productive, the most calming, the most fulfilling 422 00:21:18,840 --> 00:21:21,720 Speaker 2: for myself in what on paper would have looked like 423 00:21:21,720 --> 00:21:25,040 Speaker 2: a really bad decision right from a work perspective, But 424 00:21:25,200 --> 00:21:29,680 Speaker 2: it's just that that recognition of turning your brain off 425 00:21:29,720 --> 00:21:32,040 Speaker 2: for a little while and doing something for you what 426 00:21:32,040 --> 00:21:34,200 Speaker 2: you're able to then come back and do when you've 427 00:21:34,240 --> 00:21:37,639 Speaker 2: had that break is kind of ten X level, And 428 00:21:37,720 --> 00:21:41,040 Speaker 2: so I would say honoring that for the week changed 429 00:21:41,080 --> 00:21:43,479 Speaker 2: the entire week from one that was going to be 430 00:21:43,640 --> 00:21:48,920 Speaker 2: good to begin with and productive to amazing and hyper productive. 431 00:21:49,920 --> 00:21:56,719 Speaker 1: Playing music is such a soothing, calming, enjoyable activity. Do 432 00:21:56,760 --> 00:21:59,080 Speaker 1: you do this more for yourself? 433 00:21:59,080 --> 00:21:59,240 Speaker 2: For you? 434 00:21:59,320 --> 00:21:59,960 Speaker 1: An ensemble? 435 00:22:00,080 --> 00:22:02,280 Speaker 2: Someone I don't know, God, no, I don't let anyone listen. 436 00:22:02,359 --> 00:22:05,280 Speaker 2: So it's just it's a goal I'd had for years. 437 00:22:05,359 --> 00:22:07,160 Speaker 2: Was I always wanted to learn how to play the cello. 438 00:22:07,240 --> 00:22:09,000 Speaker 2: I do not have a background in and I played 439 00:22:09,040 --> 00:22:11,480 Speaker 2: other instruments as a child, but never a stringed instrument. 440 00:22:12,400 --> 00:22:14,640 Speaker 2: And so it's been about two and a half years 441 00:22:14,680 --> 00:22:17,359 Speaker 2: now I finally said I'm gonna do this, So I 442 00:22:17,400 --> 00:22:20,560 Speaker 2: found a cello rental place and found a teacher that 443 00:22:20,680 --> 00:22:23,320 Speaker 2: was willing to teach an adult nubie and I do 444 00:22:23,440 --> 00:22:25,640 Speaker 2: this just one hundred percent for myself. 445 00:22:26,400 --> 00:22:29,440 Speaker 1: I love that because yes, you can rent any instrument. 446 00:22:29,480 --> 00:22:32,680 Speaker 1: I have multiple children who have all rented every instrument 447 00:22:32,760 --> 00:22:35,879 Speaker 1: under the sun for school band. And you know, you 448 00:22:35,880 --> 00:22:38,120 Speaker 1: don't think about doing it for yourself. But they don't 449 00:22:38,160 --> 00:22:39,439 Speaker 1: only rent to school children. 450 00:22:40,160 --> 00:22:43,639 Speaker 2: And I if for myself last month was I actually 451 00:22:43,680 --> 00:22:46,359 Speaker 2: just went and bought my very own cello. Now now 452 00:22:46,400 --> 00:22:50,320 Speaker 2: that I know, I love this and I'm enjoying enjoying 453 00:22:50,520 --> 00:22:53,760 Speaker 2: learning it, and it's just it's fun time for me, 454 00:22:53,960 --> 00:22:57,119 Speaker 2: and it feels it just fills a void that was 455 00:22:57,160 --> 00:22:59,760 Speaker 2: missing in my life of something I really love in. 456 00:23:00,640 --> 00:23:02,280 Speaker 2: But it's interesting when you're like, do you do this 457 00:23:02,320 --> 00:23:05,720 Speaker 2: for an ensemble or not? I see so many adults 458 00:23:06,359 --> 00:23:09,520 Speaker 2: we feel like we're not allowed to do something just 459 00:23:09,720 --> 00:23:13,639 Speaker 2: for a hobby, and we fall in this trap of like, 460 00:23:13,680 --> 00:23:15,280 Speaker 2: I'll see it with women all the time. Oh, I 461 00:23:15,640 --> 00:23:18,320 Speaker 2: picked back up knitting or crochet and I started making hats. 462 00:23:18,320 --> 00:23:20,119 Speaker 2: And now all of a sudden they've got an Etsy 463 00:23:20,160 --> 00:23:22,639 Speaker 2: shop and they've turned it into a business or I 464 00:23:22,680 --> 00:23:25,119 Speaker 2: make cookies and now I've got a cookie business, or 465 00:23:25,160 --> 00:23:27,919 Speaker 2: I'm woodworking and now I'm making things, and then they 466 00:23:28,000 --> 00:23:31,520 Speaker 2: end up hating it because they've We feel like, and 467 00:23:31,560 --> 00:23:33,560 Speaker 2: I think it's maybe a gen X thing too as well, 468 00:23:33,760 --> 00:23:35,520 Speaker 2: we feel like we're not allowed to do anything just 469 00:23:35,520 --> 00:23:37,080 Speaker 2: for the sheer joy of doing it. We have to 470 00:23:37,080 --> 00:23:39,800 Speaker 2: find some way to make it quote productive or of value. 471 00:23:40,600 --> 00:23:42,719 Speaker 2: So I had people started asking like, oh, you are 472 00:23:42,720 --> 00:23:44,639 Speaker 2: you going to perform a piece, and I went, nope, 473 00:23:44,680 --> 00:23:46,560 Speaker 2: because it's going to ruin it for me. I'm just 474 00:23:46,640 --> 00:23:47,399 Speaker 2: doing this for me. 475 00:23:48,200 --> 00:23:50,240 Speaker 1: I think, well it could go both ways though, right 476 00:23:50,280 --> 00:23:52,840 Speaker 1: because I think these things we do that we love, 477 00:23:53,080 --> 00:23:54,920 Speaker 1: it's also fun to do it with other people who 478 00:23:54,960 --> 00:23:57,040 Speaker 1: love it too, And so I mean, you know, performing 479 00:23:57,040 --> 00:23:59,480 Speaker 1: with it ensemble could be like, well, yeah, friends who 480 00:23:59,520 --> 00:24:01,160 Speaker 1: play straight and that's even better. 481 00:24:01,240 --> 00:24:04,560 Speaker 2: Yeah, it's like a hangout jam session. Absolutely. Yeah. 482 00:24:04,640 --> 00:24:07,840 Speaker 1: Yeah. So Megan, what's something that you are looking forward 483 00:24:07,880 --> 00:24:11,600 Speaker 1: to right now? I am looking forward to honestly, the 484 00:24:11,680 --> 00:24:16,080 Speaker 1: month of December. I very intentionally plan for a real 485 00:24:16,520 --> 00:24:20,440 Speaker 1: wind down, and because of the way we do plan 486 00:24:20,520 --> 00:24:23,040 Speaker 1: and manage our time with both the business and personally, 487 00:24:23,800 --> 00:24:27,359 Speaker 1: I am looking forward to closing offices for several days, 488 00:24:27,400 --> 00:24:29,960 Speaker 1: and then I actually pretty much just disappear for the 489 00:24:30,080 --> 00:24:33,960 Speaker 1: last two weeks of the year and just spend time 490 00:24:34,119 --> 00:24:38,480 Speaker 1: with family, friends, let my creative energy rest. And so 491 00:24:38,600 --> 00:24:41,240 Speaker 1: I'm just really looking forward to doing a whole lot 492 00:24:41,280 --> 00:24:44,920 Speaker 1: of nothing for a couple of weeks. Guilt free sounds great, 493 00:24:45,000 --> 00:24:47,000 Speaker 1: sounds great. So, Megan, where can people find you? 494 00:24:47,520 --> 00:24:50,000 Speaker 2: So again, if you're a podcast listener, obviously you can 495 00:24:50,000 --> 00:24:53,520 Speaker 2: come check out the Work Life Harmony podcast. And if 496 00:24:53,520 --> 00:24:55,520 Speaker 2: you're interested in learning a little bit about what this 497 00:24:55,640 --> 00:24:59,480 Speaker 2: planning framework is, I've got an app in both the 498 00:24:59,520 --> 00:25:02,560 Speaker 2: App Store and Google Play. It's totally free. The app 499 00:25:02,600 --> 00:25:05,359 Speaker 2: is just called the pink Bee All one Word, and 500 00:25:05,400 --> 00:25:08,400 Speaker 2: when you download that and log in, there's some free 501 00:25:08,440 --> 00:25:11,399 Speaker 2: training and they're already preloaded. It kind of gives you 502 00:25:11,440 --> 00:25:14,920 Speaker 2: an introduction to what's called the top framework, and it 503 00:25:15,080 --> 00:25:16,879 Speaker 2: just kind of gives you some quick wins that you 504 00:25:16,880 --> 00:25:18,360 Speaker 2: can implement right now, right now. 505 00:25:18,960 --> 00:25:21,040 Speaker 1: I love it. Excellent. Well, Megan, thank you so much 506 00:25:21,040 --> 00:25:24,080 Speaker 1: for joining us. Thank you to everyone for listening. If 507 00:25:24,080 --> 00:25:26,639 Speaker 1: you have feedback on this or any other episode, you 508 00:25:26,680 --> 00:25:30,040 Speaker 1: can always reach me at Laura at Laura vandercam dot com. 509 00:25:30,359 --> 00:25:33,760 Speaker 1: In the meantime, this is Laura. Thanks for listening, and 510 00:25:33,840 --> 00:25:42,720 Speaker 1: here's to making the most of our time. Thanks for 511 00:25:42,800 --> 00:25:47,560 Speaker 1: listening to Before Breakfast. If you've got questions, ideas, or feedback, 512 00:25:47,880 --> 00:25:57,200 Speaker 1: you can reach me at Laura at Laura vandercam dot com. 513 00:25:57,320 --> 00:26:01,399 Speaker 1: Before Breakfast is a production of iHeartMedia. For more podcasts 514 00:26:01,400 --> 00:26:06,000 Speaker 1: from iHeartMedia, please visit the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or 515 00:26:06,040 --> 00:26:07,879 Speaker 1: wherever you listen to your favorite shows.