1 00:00:03,480 --> 00:00:09,639 Speaker 1: Welcome to Before Breakfast, a production of iHeartRadio. Good Morning, 2 00:00:10,960 --> 00:00:17,000 Speaker 1: This is Laura, Welcome to the Before Breakfast podcast. Today's 3 00:00:17,000 --> 00:00:20,919 Speaker 1: tip is to plan your time so you get the 4 00:00:20,920 --> 00:00:26,000 Speaker 1: most out of it. Intentions mean that time doesn't flutter away, 5 00:00:27,120 --> 00:00:33,159 Speaker 1: slipping out of our grasp. So people often quote Annie 6 00:00:33,159 --> 00:00:36,480 Speaker 1: Dillard's line from her book The Writing Life that how 7 00:00:36,479 --> 00:00:39,520 Speaker 1: we spend our days is, of course how we spend 8 00:00:39,560 --> 00:00:43,559 Speaker 1: our lives. What we do with this hour, and that 9 00:00:43,600 --> 00:00:47,400 Speaker 1: one is what we are doing. It's such a good 10 00:00:47,440 --> 00:00:50,920 Speaker 1: reminder to make sure that how we use our time 11 00:00:50,960 --> 00:00:55,760 Speaker 1: accords with what we want for our lives. But that 12 00:00:55,920 --> 00:01:00,040 Speaker 1: is not the only Annie Dillard quote worth noting. It 13 00:01:00,120 --> 00:01:02,880 Speaker 1: goes on to describe a schedule as a net for 14 00:01:03,040 --> 00:01:07,200 Speaker 1: catching days. Perhaps we could envision this net as looking 15 00:01:07,319 --> 00:01:12,760 Speaker 1: like a butterfly net, because time, like a butterfly, will 16 00:01:12,800 --> 00:01:15,920 Speaker 1: flit away from our grasp if we are not strategic 17 00:01:15,959 --> 00:01:23,280 Speaker 1: about it. Time moves regardless. Intentions allow us some control, 18 00:01:24,240 --> 00:01:27,920 Speaker 1: so we don't just passively watch time flit on by. 19 00:01:29,400 --> 00:01:34,440 Speaker 1: Hence the schedule. Now, to be clear, a schedule doesn't 20 00:01:34,480 --> 00:01:37,480 Speaker 1: mean we have to commit to things every fifteen minutes 21 00:01:37,520 --> 00:01:41,280 Speaker 1: and on weekends and holidays too. It is just a 22 00:01:41,360 --> 00:01:43,759 Speaker 1: general plan for how we'd like our time to go 23 00:01:45,120 --> 00:01:48,080 Speaker 1: at the end of the day or the week. What 24 00:01:48,280 --> 00:01:53,640 Speaker 1: would make life feel satisfying. I like the way Annie 25 00:01:53,680 --> 00:01:58,120 Speaker 1: Dillard's net metaphor positions the schedule as a tool we 26 00:01:58,280 --> 00:02:02,800 Speaker 1: use use a schedule to catch time and make it meaningful. 27 00:02:04,000 --> 00:02:07,280 Speaker 1: The net or schedule isn't something that's catching us and 28 00:02:07,400 --> 00:02:13,080 Speaker 1: limiting us. It is empowering us. If you are reluctant 29 00:02:13,080 --> 00:02:17,280 Speaker 1: to plan or schedule your days or weeks, try planning 30 00:02:17,280 --> 00:02:20,080 Speaker 1: with the mindset that the plan is letting you grab 31 00:02:20,280 --> 00:02:24,880 Speaker 1: time for enjoyment and meaning, rather than have that time 32 00:02:24,919 --> 00:02:28,920 Speaker 1: flit away. You will generally do what you have to 33 00:02:29,000 --> 00:02:32,400 Speaker 1: do or whatever a screaming loudest in front of you. 34 00:02:33,960 --> 00:02:37,120 Speaker 1: A net lets you capture time that you otherwise wouldn't 35 00:02:37,880 --> 00:02:44,040 Speaker 1: for meaning, beauty, and fun. So what experiences would you 36 00:02:44,160 --> 00:02:47,680 Speaker 1: like to capture in your life next week? When I 37 00:02:47,760 --> 00:02:53,160 Speaker 1: plan my weeks, I keep these three categories in mind, Career, relationships, 38 00:02:53,520 --> 00:02:57,280 Speaker 1: and self. I encourage you to try that as well. 39 00:02:58,560 --> 00:03:02,679 Speaker 1: I identify priorities for week in each category, and then 40 00:03:03,360 --> 00:03:06,880 Speaker 1: with the butterfly net of my plan, I am able 41 00:03:06,960 --> 00:03:09,520 Speaker 1: to catch time in the coming week and seize meeting 42 00:03:09,600 --> 00:03:12,720 Speaker 1: from it. I know that in the next week I 43 00:03:12,840 --> 00:03:15,800 Speaker 1: plan to revise three more chapters in my novel and 44 00:03:15,840 --> 00:03:19,880 Speaker 1: spend some time outlining a new nonfiction book idea. I 45 00:03:19,960 --> 00:03:22,640 Speaker 1: plan to implement more time outside after dinner for my 46 00:03:22,760 --> 00:03:26,960 Speaker 1: kids now that the days are longer and lighter. I 47 00:03:27,000 --> 00:03:29,360 Speaker 1: also plan to book some personal travel that I can 48 00:03:29,400 --> 00:03:35,000 Speaker 1: look forward to. None of this has to happen. The 49 00:03:35,040 --> 00:03:38,320 Speaker 1: world will survive without my novel, and my kids can 50 00:03:38,400 --> 00:03:43,640 Speaker 1: just watch TV. I can keep trudging along living normal life. 51 00:03:43,840 --> 00:03:48,440 Speaker 1: But I want these things to happen. Intentions and a 52 00:03:48,520 --> 00:03:54,520 Speaker 1: schedule make them more likely. So today, as you look 53 00:03:54,520 --> 00:03:58,320 Speaker 1: ahead to next week, think of your plan or schedule 54 00:03:59,000 --> 00:04:04,560 Speaker 1: as a net for catching days. Figure out the pleasures, meetings, 55 00:04:04,640 --> 00:04:08,040 Speaker 1: and accomplishment you want from your time, and use your 56 00:04:08,080 --> 00:04:14,920 Speaker 1: schedule to catch them in the meantime. This is Laura. 57 00:04:15,720 --> 00:04:20,600 Speaker 1: Thanks for listening, and here's to making the most of 58 00:04:20,640 --> 00:04:29,520 Speaker 1: our time. Hey, everybody, I'd love to hear from you. 59 00:04:29,520 --> 00:04:32,400 Speaker 1: You can send me your tips, your questions, or anything else. 60 00:04:33,200 --> 00:04:36,760 Speaker 1: Just connect with me on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram at 61 00:04:36,760 --> 00:04:41,680 Speaker 1: before Breakfast Pod. That's b E the number four. Then 62 00:04:41,680 --> 00:04:45,640 Speaker 1: Breakfast Pod. You can also shoot me an email at 63 00:04:45,680 --> 00:04:50,320 Speaker 1: Before Breakfast podcasts at iHeartMedia dot com that Before Breakfast 64 00:04:50,520 --> 00:04:53,080 Speaker 1: is spelled out with all the letters. Thanks so much, 65 00:04:53,080 --> 00:05:01,279 Speaker 1: shod I look forward to staying in touch. Before Breakfast 66 00:05:01,360 --> 00:05:05,600 Speaker 1: is a production of iHeartRadio. For more podcasts from iHeartRadio, 67 00:05:05,880 --> 00:05:09,839 Speaker 1: visit the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen 68 00:05:09,839 --> 00:05:16,200 Speaker 1: to your favorite shows.