1 00:00:03,400 --> 00:00:06,680 Speaker 1: Welcome to Before Breakfast, a production of my Heart Radio. 2 00:00:09,119 --> 00:00:15,360 Speaker 1: Good Morning, This is Laura. Welcome to the Before Breakfast podcast. 3 00:00:16,680 --> 00:00:22,440 Speaker 1: Today's tip is to set a life maintenance time. By 4 00:00:22,480 --> 00:00:25,320 Speaker 1: having a spot on the calendar that you generally choose 5 00:00:25,400 --> 00:00:29,400 Speaker 1: for life maintenance tasks, you can make steady progress on 6 00:00:29,480 --> 00:00:35,839 Speaker 1: these and keep them from taking over your life. I 7 00:00:35,920 --> 00:00:39,200 Speaker 1: recently realized that I was past due for a number 8 00:00:39,240 --> 00:00:43,120 Speaker 1: of life maintenance things. My hair needed to be cut, 9 00:00:44,040 --> 00:00:47,919 Speaker 1: I needed to visit the dermatologist. My car needed its 10 00:00:47,920 --> 00:00:51,559 Speaker 1: annual inspection. I needed to get my eyes checked and 11 00:00:51,600 --> 00:00:54,720 Speaker 1: get new contacts. We all need to go to the dentist. 12 00:00:56,160 --> 00:00:58,440 Speaker 1: There are different schools of thought on how to deal 13 00:00:58,480 --> 00:01:02,560 Speaker 1: with this reality. Some people might try to schedule everything 14 00:01:02,600 --> 00:01:06,080 Speaker 1: at once, but taking days off to deal with all 15 00:01:06,120 --> 00:01:08,720 Speaker 1: your personal life issues can make you feel even more 16 00:01:08,840 --> 00:01:12,160 Speaker 1: behind at work, or you feel like you are using 17 00:01:12,240 --> 00:01:16,720 Speaker 1: vacation days for stuff that is not really fun and 18 00:01:17,200 --> 00:01:22,400 Speaker 1: not everyone can take whole days off with limited consequences, 19 00:01:22,800 --> 00:01:25,840 Speaker 1: so I am a fan of a different method. Aim 20 00:01:25,920 --> 00:01:30,120 Speaker 1: to take care of one life maintenance thing every few weeks, 21 00:01:30,360 --> 00:01:34,120 Speaker 1: or maybe once a week if you're catching up. Ideally, 22 00:01:34,240 --> 00:01:37,040 Speaker 1: choose a particular spot during the week that is your 23 00:01:37,120 --> 00:01:41,039 Speaker 1: first choice for scheduling such things that more or less 24 00:01:41,040 --> 00:01:45,200 Speaker 1: works with your work schedule. That way, you know there 25 00:01:45,280 --> 00:01:47,440 Speaker 1: is a time that generally works, that you can ask 26 00:01:47,480 --> 00:01:50,840 Speaker 1: for and that you can build into your schedule and 27 00:01:50,920 --> 00:01:56,720 Speaker 1: into your expectations. There are many potential options here. Many 28 00:01:56,760 --> 00:01:59,760 Speaker 1: people like to take care of appointments first thing, when 29 00:02:00,080 --> 00:02:03,480 Speaker 1: viders are less likely to be running behind. If that 30 00:02:03,640 --> 00:02:07,080 Speaker 1: is the case, early Thursday or Friday morning might be good. 31 00:02:08,280 --> 00:02:10,600 Speaker 1: The week tends to be a little less busy towards 32 00:02:10,639 --> 00:02:13,960 Speaker 1: the end, and hopefully you have tackled your top priorities 33 00:02:14,000 --> 00:02:17,280 Speaker 1: Monday and Tuesday morning, so you don't need this morning 34 00:02:17,400 --> 00:02:21,840 Speaker 1: energy by then. An alternative is a late afternoon spot, 35 00:02:22,120 --> 00:02:27,520 Speaker 1: say Thursday, a bit before you have any after school duties. Yes, 36 00:02:27,600 --> 00:02:31,000 Speaker 1: providers might be running late by the afternoon, but then 37 00:02:31,040 --> 00:02:33,760 Speaker 1: you get most of the work day to focus before 38 00:02:33,800 --> 00:02:36,760 Speaker 1: you need to be answering emails from a waiting room. 39 00:02:36,880 --> 00:02:39,119 Speaker 1: Or perhaps you can shift your work schedule to start 40 00:02:39,160 --> 00:02:41,880 Speaker 1: a little earlier on these days so you don't need 41 00:02:41,919 --> 00:02:46,080 Speaker 1: to take official time off. If weekends are the only 42 00:02:46,080 --> 00:02:49,239 Speaker 1: time that will work for you, choosing an early morning 43 00:02:49,240 --> 00:02:51,519 Speaker 1: slot can still keep the rest of the day open. 44 00:02:52,720 --> 00:02:56,280 Speaker 1: As long as you are done by noon on Saturday, 45 00:02:56,480 --> 00:03:01,480 Speaker 1: you can still enjoy a mostly relaxing weekend knowing that 46 00:03:01,520 --> 00:03:07,560 Speaker 1: you are making progress on all those personal to dues. Now, obviously, 47 00:03:07,600 --> 00:03:10,400 Speaker 1: you don't always get the times that you ask for. 48 00:03:11,480 --> 00:03:14,440 Speaker 1: Sometimes providers are so booked up that you don't have 49 00:03:14,480 --> 00:03:19,399 Speaker 1: a choice, but if you are scheduling far ahead, you might. 50 00:03:20,400 --> 00:03:23,119 Speaker 1: In some places, like maybe hair salons or a pharmacy 51 00:03:23,160 --> 00:03:25,639 Speaker 1: where you're getting a booster shot, might be a bit 52 00:03:25,680 --> 00:03:29,560 Speaker 1: more flexible. And even if a provider only has a 53 00:03:29,600 --> 00:03:33,800 Speaker 1: few slots, if you know that your preferred time is 54 00:03:33,840 --> 00:03:37,640 Speaker 1: early morning later in the week, you can ask them 55 00:03:37,640 --> 00:03:39,920 Speaker 1: to look forward a few weeks from the first time 56 00:03:39,960 --> 00:03:42,800 Speaker 1: you are offered to see if any of your preferred 57 00:03:42,840 --> 00:03:48,840 Speaker 1: spots are available. You might periodically think through any appointments 58 00:03:48,840 --> 00:03:52,120 Speaker 1: you need to make and then assign yourself one each 59 00:03:52,160 --> 00:03:57,000 Speaker 1: week during your weekly planning time. I plan on Friday afternoons, 60 00:03:57,800 --> 00:04:00,160 Speaker 1: so I use that time to make an appointment for 61 00:04:00,240 --> 00:04:03,560 Speaker 1: the following week once I have determined which life maintenance 62 00:04:03,600 --> 00:04:08,000 Speaker 1: thing i'd like or need to do. I am happy 63 00:04:08,040 --> 00:04:10,200 Speaker 1: to report that I recently had a long list that 64 00:04:10,240 --> 00:04:13,720 Speaker 1: I needed to tackle. But now I have everything scheduled. 65 00:04:14,720 --> 00:04:17,440 Speaker 1: Since it's only been one life maintenance item per week, 66 00:04:18,240 --> 00:04:20,640 Speaker 1: I don't feel like I'm losing my life to car 67 00:04:20,680 --> 00:04:25,320 Speaker 1: inspections and I exams, but I am getting them done. 68 00:04:26,480 --> 00:04:31,320 Speaker 1: It's no fun, but it's part of adulthood and we 69 00:04:31,400 --> 00:04:35,719 Speaker 1: may as well make it work for our lives. In 70 00:04:35,760 --> 00:04:41,680 Speaker 1: the meantime. This is Laura. Thanks for listening, and here's 71 00:04:41,680 --> 00:04:51,279 Speaker 1: to making the most of our time. Hey everybody, I'd 72 00:04:51,320 --> 00:04:53,760 Speaker 1: love to hear from it. You can send me your tips, 73 00:04:53,839 --> 00:04:57,520 Speaker 1: your questions, or anything else. Just connect with me on Twitter, 74 00:04:57,880 --> 00:05:02,360 Speaker 1: Facebook and Instagram at the for Breakfast pod that's B 75 00:05:03,279 --> 00:05:07,400 Speaker 1: the number four, then Breakfast p o D. You can 76 00:05:07,440 --> 00:05:11,000 Speaker 1: also shoot me an email at Before Breakfast podcast at 77 00:05:11,000 --> 00:05:14,240 Speaker 1: iHeartMedia dot com. That Before Breakfast is spelled out with 78 00:05:14,279 --> 00:05:17,039 Speaker 1: all the letters. Thanks so much, I look forward to 79 00:05:17,040 --> 00:05:25,240 Speaker 1: staying in touch. Before Breakfast is a production of I 80 00:05:25,360 --> 00:05:29,240 Speaker 1: Heart Radio. For more podcasts from my Heart Radio, visit 81 00:05:29,279 --> 00:05:32,680 Speaker 1: the i heart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you 82 00:05:32,680 --> 00:05:33,920 Speaker 1: listen to your favorite shows.