WEBVTT - Solve each problem once

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<v Speaker 1>Welcome to Before Breakfast, a production of I Heart Radio.

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<v Speaker 1>Good Morning, This is Laura. Welcome to the Before Breakfast podcast.

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<v Speaker 1>Today's tip is to solve each problem once. When we

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<v Speaker 1>tackle a task thoroughly, once and for all, we can

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<v Speaker 1>often find solutions that last. We don't have to contend

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<v Speaker 1>with the same problem over and over again. This principle

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<v Speaker 1>underlies many productivity tips, and there are two manifestations of

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<v Speaker 1>this idea. To solve each problem once. First, if there's

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<v Speaker 1>something you do repeatedly, template ties it, Find a basic

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<v Speaker 1>approach to the recurring task, and repeat it. I'm sure

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<v Speaker 1>you can remember a lot of Before Breakfast episodes centered

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<v Speaker 1>on this theme. You create a work uniform, You plan

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<v Speaker 1>on meatless Monday and taco Tuesday meal routines. You write

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<v Speaker 1>up a list of frequently asked questions that you send

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<v Speaker 1>to everybody who asks to pick your brain. People tend

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<v Speaker 1>to have the same questions, so answer them once and

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<v Speaker 1>save the coffee dates for when there's an unanswered question

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<v Speaker 1>that someone is curious about. You don't have to have

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<v Speaker 1>the same conversation a dozen times a year. By templatizing

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<v Speaker 1>responses to common situations, we can invest time in thoughtfully

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<v Speaker 1>handling the issue once, and then we're free to spend

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<v Speaker 1>our time on other things in the future. The second

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<v Speaker 1>manifestation of this principle to solve each problem once is

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<v Speaker 1>that if there is a recurring bottleneck or annoyance in

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<v Speaker 1>your life, take the time to fix it, don't just

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<v Speaker 1>work around it each time it occurs. If all your

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<v Speaker 1>workout clothes are dirty by Thursday every week, but you

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<v Speaker 1>do laundry on Saturday, buy more workout clothes. If your

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<v Speaker 1>boss is consistently late for your ocurring meeting because the

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<v Speaker 1>meeting before yours always goes late, reschedule your meeting. You

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<v Speaker 1>might say, I'm realizing that three fifteen on Fridays is

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<v Speaker 1>a tricky time for you because you have a meeting

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<v Speaker 1>right beforehand. What about rescheduling to three fifteen on Thursdays

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<v Speaker 1>or on Fridays. If a colleague repeatedly struggles to get

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<v Speaker 1>your materials on the schedule promised, ask for them a

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<v Speaker 1>little earlier than you actually need them so you won't

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<v Speaker 1>be left waiting. There's no need for you to be

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<v Speaker 1>thrown off schedule. Every time you work together. You know

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<v Speaker 1>what's going to happen, so plan accordingly. Sometimes it takes

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<v Speaker 1>a little longer to solve a problem entirely rather than

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<v Speaker 1>just making do in the moment and kicking the problem

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<v Speaker 1>down the road. But in the long run, the time

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<v Speaker 1>you invest in templatizing a solution or eradicating an issue,

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<v Speaker 1>we'll pay off big time. In the meantime. This is Laura.

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<v Speaker 1>Thanks for listening, and here's to making the most of

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<v Speaker 1>our time. Hey, everybody, I'd love to hear from you.

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<v Speaker 1>You can send me your tips, your questions, or anything else.

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<v Speaker 1>Just connect with me on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram at

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<v Speaker 1>Before Breakfast Pod. That's b E the number four, then

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<v Speaker 1>Breakfast p o D. You can also shoot me an

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<v Speaker 1>email at Before Breakfast podcast at i heeart media dot

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<v Speaker 1>com that before Breakfast is spelled out with all the letters.

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<v Speaker 1>Thanks so much, I look forward to staying in touch.

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<v Speaker 1>Before Breakfast is a production of I Heart Radio. For

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