1 00:00:03,440 --> 00:00:06,720 Speaker 1: Welcome to Before Breakfast, a production of I Heart Radio. 2 00:00:09,280 --> 00:00:14,160 Speaker 1: Good Morning, This is Laura. Welcome to the Before Breakfast podcast. 3 00:00:14,880 --> 00:00:20,279 Speaker 1: Today's tip is to take the break you need. Work, family, 4 00:00:20,520 --> 00:00:24,639 Speaker 1: and life maintenance tasks may feel unrelenting right now, after 5 00:00:24,720 --> 00:00:29,160 Speaker 1: almost no variation in the last five months, and unfortunately, 6 00:00:29,200 --> 00:00:33,080 Speaker 1: with travel limitations and uncertainty, this may not be the 7 00:00:33,120 --> 00:00:36,239 Speaker 1: summer for that epic tropical vacation that would let you 8 00:00:36,320 --> 00:00:39,840 Speaker 1: fully relax. So what do you do when you feel 9 00:00:39,880 --> 00:00:43,320 Speaker 1: like you could really use a break? The best approach 10 00:00:43,600 --> 00:00:45,800 Speaker 1: is to figure out exactly what it is that you 11 00:00:45,840 --> 00:00:48,760 Speaker 1: need a break from and find a way to make 12 00:00:48,800 --> 00:00:52,320 Speaker 1: that happen. For many parents, the biggest need is for 13 00:00:52,400 --> 00:00:56,080 Speaker 1: some kid free time. If this sounds like you, well, 14 00:00:56,360 --> 00:00:59,360 Speaker 1: time to do some brainstorming. Could you trade off with 15 00:00:59,400 --> 00:01:02,840 Speaker 1: your partner? Maybe this Saturday you leave home before the 16 00:01:02,920 --> 00:01:06,520 Speaker 1: kids wake up, and you spend the day hiking or kayaking, 17 00:01:07,000 --> 00:01:09,480 Speaker 1: or going for a long drive, or even just working 18 00:01:09,560 --> 00:01:14,080 Speaker 1: at your office while it's empty. Then next Saturday you 19 00:01:14,080 --> 00:01:17,160 Speaker 1: could give your partner the day off. You may both 20 00:01:17,400 --> 00:01:21,240 Speaker 1: really want the solitude, but if no one asks, it 21 00:01:21,319 --> 00:01:26,080 Speaker 1: won't happen and you'll both feel vaguely stressed and unhappy, 22 00:01:26,640 --> 00:01:30,319 Speaker 1: be the bold one to make it work. If trading 23 00:01:30,319 --> 00:01:32,720 Speaker 1: off with a partner isn't an option, maybe another adult 24 00:01:32,720 --> 00:01:35,280 Speaker 1: in your life would make the same swap, a neighbor 25 00:01:35,319 --> 00:01:38,280 Speaker 1: family with whom you could trade long weekly plateates, or 26 00:01:38,319 --> 00:01:41,679 Speaker 1: a relative with kids the same ages. If your kid's 27 00:01:41,760 --> 00:01:44,320 Speaker 1: grandparents are comfortable with it, maybe you can send your 28 00:01:44,360 --> 00:01:46,520 Speaker 1: kids on a trip to camp Grandma's for a few 29 00:01:46,600 --> 00:01:49,840 Speaker 1: days or possibly even a week. You definitely feel like 30 00:01:49,880 --> 00:01:52,720 Speaker 1: you've gotten a break at the end of that, Or 31 00:01:52,720 --> 00:01:55,600 Speaker 1: maybe it's household chores you need a break from. Are 32 00:01:55,640 --> 00:01:57,680 Speaker 1: you at the point where you just cannot cook dinner 33 00:01:57,760 --> 00:02:01,720 Speaker 1: or unload the dishwasher for the hundred the first consecutive day, 34 00:02:02,120 --> 00:02:05,280 Speaker 1: then don't This could be a great time to swap 35 00:02:05,360 --> 00:02:08,280 Speaker 1: chores with a family member. You can also give yourself 36 00:02:08,320 --> 00:02:11,359 Speaker 1: permission to skip some chores once in a while. Your 37 00:02:11,360 --> 00:02:14,600 Speaker 1: home will not become unsafe for human habitation if you 38 00:02:14,639 --> 00:02:18,359 Speaker 1: skip vacuuming this week. Ordering in from a local restaurant 39 00:02:18,440 --> 00:02:20,400 Speaker 1: is a great thing to do at a time when 40 00:02:20,400 --> 00:02:24,280 Speaker 1: many restaurants have seen their in person revenue dwindle. Or 41 00:02:24,320 --> 00:02:26,680 Speaker 1: maybe you need a break from work. Do you need 42 00:02:26,720 --> 00:02:30,960 Speaker 1: a day without any video calls. That's doable. Just find 43 00:02:31,000 --> 00:02:33,799 Speaker 1: a day with no meetings scheduled yet and block off 44 00:02:33,840 --> 00:02:37,040 Speaker 1: the time for a specific project so you'll have other 45 00:02:37,080 --> 00:02:39,760 Speaker 1: plans if a colleague suggests that time for a call, 46 00:02:40,840 --> 00:02:45,239 Speaker 1: or and here's an idea, take a vacation day even 47 00:02:45,360 --> 00:02:48,680 Speaker 1: if you don't go anywhere. Just because you can work 48 00:02:48,680 --> 00:02:51,480 Speaker 1: from home doesn't mean you have to work from home 49 00:02:51,880 --> 00:02:54,919 Speaker 1: every single day. Or maybe it's not that you need 50 00:02:54,960 --> 00:02:57,640 Speaker 1: a break from anything in particular, You just need a 51 00:02:57,720 --> 00:03:02,080 Speaker 1: break from doing the same thing every day. If that's 52 00:03:02,120 --> 00:03:05,840 Speaker 1: the case, translate the special things you miss into something 53 00:03:05,880 --> 00:03:09,519 Speaker 1: feasible within current constraints. Do you miss going out to 54 00:03:09,600 --> 00:03:13,639 Speaker 1: nice restaurants? Then cook a special dinner or order from 55 00:03:13,639 --> 00:03:17,240 Speaker 1: that special restaurant, Put flowers on the table, and turn 56 00:03:17,240 --> 00:03:20,160 Speaker 1: on some music. Do you miss going to the movies? 57 00:03:20,960 --> 00:03:23,840 Speaker 1: Choose a movie you really want to watch, rearrange the 58 00:03:23,840 --> 00:03:28,080 Speaker 1: furniture for theater style seating, and pop some popcorn. Do 59 00:03:28,120 --> 00:03:32,040 Speaker 1: you miss being with friends? Have a backyard cocktail party. 60 00:03:32,600 --> 00:03:35,680 Speaker 1: Will a restorative weekend or afternoon refresh you as much 61 00:03:35,680 --> 00:03:39,240 Speaker 1: as a full vacation will. Probably not, but by paying 62 00:03:39,280 --> 00:03:42,360 Speaker 1: attention to what you need, a break from and what 63 00:03:42,480 --> 00:03:45,720 Speaker 1: special things you miss. You'll be able to lift your 64 00:03:45,760 --> 00:03:49,640 Speaker 1: mood a bit and start the week with some extra energy. 65 00:03:50,560 --> 00:03:54,920 Speaker 1: In the meantime, this is Laura. Thanks for listening, and 66 00:03:54,960 --> 00:04:04,320 Speaker 1: here's to making the most of our time. M Hey everybody, 67 00:04:04,560 --> 00:04:06,680 Speaker 1: I'd love to hear from you. You can send me 68 00:04:06,720 --> 00:04:10,360 Speaker 1: your tips, your questions, or anything else. Just connect with 69 00:04:10,360 --> 00:04:14,760 Speaker 1: me on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram at Before Breakfast pod 70 00:04:15,480 --> 00:04:19,800 Speaker 1: that's B the number four, then Breakfast p o D. 71 00:04:20,640 --> 00:04:23,520 Speaker 1: You can also shoot me an email at Before Breakfast 72 00:04:23,600 --> 00:04:26,960 Speaker 1: podcast at i heeart media dot com that Before Breakfast 73 00:04:27,120 --> 00:04:29,720 Speaker 1: is spelled out with all the letters. Thanks so much, 74 00:04:29,880 --> 00:04:38,000 Speaker 1: I look forward to staying in touch. Before Breakfast is 75 00:04:38,000 --> 00:04:41,200 Speaker 1: a production of I Heart Radio. For more podcasts from 76 00:04:41,240 --> 00:04:45,240 Speaker 1: my heart Radio, visit the i heart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, 77 00:04:45,520 --> 00:04:47,400 Speaker 1: or wherever you listen to your favorite shows.