1 00:00:03,400 --> 00:00:06,680 Speaker 1: Welcome to Before Breakfast, a production of I Heart Radio. 2 00:00:09,080 --> 00:00:15,480 Speaker 1: Good Morning, This is Laura. Welcome to the Before Breakfast podcast. 3 00:00:16,640 --> 00:00:21,960 Speaker 1: Today's tip is to take notes when you're in appointments 4 00:00:22,000 --> 00:00:27,680 Speaker 1: with professionals. Write down anything you need or want to remember. 5 00:00:29,200 --> 00:00:32,880 Speaker 1: That way, when you leave the appointment, you'll feel confident 6 00:00:33,280 --> 00:00:36,880 Speaker 1: that you understand the information you heard and you know 7 00:00:37,000 --> 00:00:42,440 Speaker 1: what steps you need to take. In a recent episode, 8 00:00:42,920 --> 00:00:47,440 Speaker 1: I suggested preparing for appointments with professionals by keeping track 9 00:00:47,520 --> 00:00:50,640 Speaker 1: of the questions you want to ask and the concerns 10 00:00:50,960 --> 00:00:54,560 Speaker 1: you want to bring up. So often, when we are 11 00:00:54,640 --> 00:00:57,960 Speaker 1: asked if we have any questions or concerns, we draw 12 00:00:58,000 --> 00:01:01,600 Speaker 1: a blank, only to remember these things in the car 13 00:01:01,760 --> 00:01:07,040 Speaker 1: on the way home. Better to keep a list. Taking 14 00:01:07,080 --> 00:01:11,959 Speaker 1: notes during appointments builds on that preparation and offers another 15 00:01:12,000 --> 00:01:15,320 Speaker 1: way for you to make the most of the professional's expertise. 16 00:01:16,560 --> 00:01:20,080 Speaker 1: There's pretty good evidence that when students take notes in class, 17 00:01:20,800 --> 00:01:25,440 Speaker 1: they do indeed remember more of the material. When you 18 00:01:25,520 --> 00:01:28,840 Speaker 1: are paying good money or taking the time to seek 19 00:01:28,840 --> 00:01:32,920 Speaker 1: the advice of a professional on something, remembering more of 20 00:01:32,959 --> 00:01:37,200 Speaker 1: the material helps you get a good return on this investment. 21 00:01:39,200 --> 00:01:42,920 Speaker 1: You can go pretty low tech for taking notes, just 22 00:01:43,200 --> 00:01:47,400 Speaker 1: get a notebook and use that. If you or a 23 00:01:47,400 --> 00:01:51,680 Speaker 1: family member has a complex condition requiring a lot of appointments, 24 00:01:52,480 --> 00:01:56,240 Speaker 1: that person might need his or her own notebook, But 25 00:01:56,320 --> 00:02:00,480 Speaker 1: if everyone is pretty healthy, you could just use one 26 00:02:00,600 --> 00:02:04,280 Speaker 1: for health matters. You might have a separate notebook for 27 00:02:04,320 --> 00:02:06,640 Speaker 1: home projects if you're doing a lot of stuff there. 28 00:02:07,880 --> 00:02:10,680 Speaker 1: For appointments that happen in other places, you will have 29 00:02:10,760 --> 00:02:15,160 Speaker 1: to remember to take the notebook with you, so honestly, 30 00:02:15,919 --> 00:02:18,760 Speaker 1: if you forget, it is not that big a deal. 31 00:02:20,160 --> 00:02:22,519 Speaker 1: You can use any piece of paper you can find 32 00:02:23,560 --> 00:02:28,520 Speaker 1: and staple that into the notebook later. If you are 33 00:02:28,600 --> 00:02:32,840 Speaker 1: more digitally oriented, a word file can work the same way. 34 00:02:34,280 --> 00:02:36,799 Speaker 1: No need to take your computer with you. Two appointments, 35 00:02:37,480 --> 00:02:40,480 Speaker 1: you can take notes on your phone, email the notes 36 00:02:40,520 --> 00:02:45,400 Speaker 1: to yourself, and then paste them into the document. Whether 37 00:02:45,440 --> 00:02:48,320 Speaker 1: you take a digital or paper approach, it's valuable to 38 00:02:48,360 --> 00:02:51,240 Speaker 1: have a record of what was discussed and the plans 39 00:02:51,280 --> 00:02:57,920 Speaker 1: you agreed upon. Often appointments go really fast, and depending 40 00:02:57,919 --> 00:03:00,560 Speaker 1: on the topic, you may feel a little and anxiety 41 00:03:00,639 --> 00:03:05,040 Speaker 1: during them. Having a written record means that when you 42 00:03:05,080 --> 00:03:08,040 Speaker 1: are back home from your doctor's appointment or after the 43 00:03:08,120 --> 00:03:11,359 Speaker 1: contractor has left, and you don't have the same time 44 00:03:11,360 --> 00:03:15,680 Speaker 1: pressure or anxiety. You'll be able to review your notes 45 00:03:16,600 --> 00:03:21,720 Speaker 1: and feel confident in your takeaways. An added benefit of 46 00:03:21,760 --> 00:03:24,240 Speaker 1: taking notes is that it communicates to the professional that 47 00:03:24,320 --> 00:03:27,760 Speaker 1: you are paying attention. And what's more, you may feel 48 00:03:27,800 --> 00:03:32,960 Speaker 1: more comfortable asking clarifying questions when you're taking notes. Now. 49 00:03:33,040 --> 00:03:36,680 Speaker 1: I know that doesn't necessarily make sense. It is not 50 00:03:37,080 --> 00:03:39,760 Speaker 1: more valid to ask a question to make sure your 51 00:03:39,840 --> 00:03:42,840 Speaker 1: notes are right than it is to ask a question 52 00:03:42,880 --> 00:03:47,880 Speaker 1: to make sure you understand. But be that as it may. 53 00:03:48,240 --> 00:03:53,280 Speaker 1: Plenty of people feel less self conscious asking questions when 54 00:03:53,280 --> 00:03:56,840 Speaker 1: they're taking notes. Let me make sure I'm understanding what 55 00:03:56,880 --> 00:03:59,960 Speaker 1: I'm writing down. I should give my kid this meta 56 00:04:00,080 --> 00:04:03,680 Speaker 1: some with meals, or did I get this right what 57 00:04:03,720 --> 00:04:07,360 Speaker 1: I've written here? That I can invest ten dollars in 58 00:04:07,440 --> 00:04:10,440 Speaker 1: my solo four oh one K even though we're past 59 00:04:10,480 --> 00:04:13,720 Speaker 1: the end of the calendar year. You want to make 60 00:04:13,760 --> 00:04:17,640 Speaker 1: sure that everyone has a shared understanding of what is 61 00:04:17,680 --> 00:04:21,480 Speaker 1: going on. Taking notes is a great way to make 62 00:04:21,480 --> 00:04:25,440 Speaker 1: sure that everything is clear and that you remember what 63 00:04:25,480 --> 00:04:28,920 Speaker 1: you need to do, even when it is no longer 64 00:04:28,960 --> 00:04:35,440 Speaker 1: convenient to ask questions. In the meantime, this is Laura. 65 00:04:36,400 --> 00:04:40,800 Speaker 1: Thanks for listening and here's to making the most of 66 00:04:40,839 --> 00:04:50,240 Speaker 1: our time. Hey everybody, I'd love to hear from you. 67 00:04:50,240 --> 00:04:53,119 Speaker 1: You can send me your tips, your questions, or anything else. 68 00:04:53,880 --> 00:04:57,440 Speaker 1: Just connect with me on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram at 69 00:04:57,480 --> 00:05:03,400 Speaker 1: Before Breakfast pod that's the number four, then Breakfast p 70 00:05:03,640 --> 00:05:06,360 Speaker 1: o D. You can also shoot me an email at 71 00:05:06,400 --> 00:05:11,080 Speaker 1: Before Breakfast Podcasts at iHeartMedia dot com. That Before Breakfast 72 00:05:11,240 --> 00:05:13,800 Speaker 1: is spelled out with all the letters. Thanks so much, 73 00:05:14,040 --> 00:05:22,120 Speaker 1: I look forward to staying in touch. Before Breakfast is 74 00:05:22,120 --> 00:05:25,360 Speaker 1: a production of I heart Radio. 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