1 00:00:03,520 --> 00:00:09,920 Speaker 1: Welcome to Before Breakfast, a production of iHeartRadio. Good Morning. 2 00:00:10,400 --> 00:00:15,240 Speaker 1: This is Laura. Welcome to the Before Breakfast podcast. Today's 3 00:00:15,240 --> 00:00:18,000 Speaker 1: tip is to consider how you can give the gift 4 00:00:18,000 --> 00:00:21,720 Speaker 1: of time. Far more than a gift card. The gift 5 00:00:21,720 --> 00:00:26,680 Speaker 1: of time can help nurture relationships and build community. I 6 00:00:26,760 --> 00:00:29,240 Speaker 1: decided to do an episode on this topic after hearing 7 00:00:29,320 --> 00:00:32,000 Speaker 1: from a Before Breakfast listener who had thoughts on an 8 00:00:32,040 --> 00:00:35,839 Speaker 1: earlier episode we did on having too much time. The 9 00:00:35,920 --> 00:00:39,040 Speaker 1: listener noted that people whose schedules open up because they're 10 00:00:39,080 --> 00:00:43,279 Speaker 1: between jobs or retired, or who children have grown are 11 00:00:43,320 --> 00:00:47,400 Speaker 1: often advised to volunteer. That's a great idea, but the 12 00:00:47,440 --> 00:00:51,559 Speaker 1: listener reminded me that volunteer opportunities don't have to be formal. 13 00:00:52,479 --> 00:00:55,520 Speaker 1: For instance, she decided to take on some kid driving 14 00:00:55,600 --> 00:00:59,120 Speaker 1: duties for a busy family. She knew the kids got 15 00:00:59,120 --> 00:01:01,040 Speaker 1: to spend special time with someone who is like an 16 00:01:01,040 --> 00:01:05,640 Speaker 1: aunt to them, and the parents got a break. Time 17 00:01:05,680 --> 00:01:08,680 Speaker 1: can be an incredible gift in many ways. It's more 18 00:01:08,760 --> 00:01:12,280 Speaker 1: valuable than money or things, because while you can make 19 00:01:12,319 --> 00:01:16,400 Speaker 1: more money, you cannot make more time. The richest person 20 00:01:16,440 --> 00:01:18,520 Speaker 1: on the planet still has just twenty four hours in 21 00:01:18,560 --> 00:01:21,960 Speaker 1: a day. Once a second is gone, all the money 22 00:01:22,000 --> 00:01:25,360 Speaker 1: in the world cannot buy it back. I know that 23 00:01:25,400 --> 00:01:28,000 Speaker 1: sounds daunting and maybe like we should hoard our time, 24 00:01:28,400 --> 00:01:32,080 Speaker 1: But as with money, having a mentality of abundance can 25 00:01:32,120 --> 00:01:36,920 Speaker 1: actually make us feel rich. While philanthropists are technically giving 26 00:01:36,959 --> 00:01:40,240 Speaker 1: their money away, they're building the world they want to see, 27 00:01:40,920 --> 00:01:45,720 Speaker 1: which makes them feel wealthier. Not everyone has money, but 28 00:01:45,840 --> 00:01:49,000 Speaker 1: all of us do have time. By thinking of yourself 29 00:01:49,040 --> 00:01:52,840 Speaker 1: as a time philanthropist, you can seek out opportunities to 30 00:01:52,880 --> 00:01:56,600 Speaker 1: invest your time in building the community you'd like to inhabit. 31 00:01:57,680 --> 00:02:00,480 Speaker 1: So if you've got time you can give. Become a 32 00:02:00,520 --> 00:02:06,040 Speaker 1: time detective. Who in your community needs help, who's struggling 33 00:02:06,040 --> 00:02:09,040 Speaker 1: to cope with their responsibilities in the twenty four hours 34 00:02:09,040 --> 00:02:12,000 Speaker 1: we have each day. Maybe a single parent in your 35 00:02:12,000 --> 00:02:15,360 Speaker 1: neighborhood could really use a break. She might not ask, 36 00:02:16,000 --> 00:02:19,080 Speaker 1: but you can offer. Maybe someone with a new baby 37 00:02:19,120 --> 00:02:21,800 Speaker 1: would welcome the opportunity to hand over the other children 38 00:02:22,040 --> 00:02:25,160 Speaker 1: for a few hours. Maybe a family with two working 39 00:02:25,240 --> 00:02:27,920 Speaker 1: parents facing the stress of making a daycare pickup with 40 00:02:27,919 --> 00:02:30,480 Speaker 1: the vagaries of traffic would love to have you on 41 00:02:30,600 --> 00:02:33,480 Speaker 1: call for those days when the interstate is backed up 42 00:02:33,480 --> 00:02:37,000 Speaker 1: for miles Maybe a neighbor who works an hour away 43 00:02:37,040 --> 00:02:39,560 Speaker 1: would welcome your offer to check on an aging parent 44 00:02:39,600 --> 00:02:42,600 Speaker 1: if there's ever an issue like that parent isn't picking 45 00:02:42,639 --> 00:02:45,720 Speaker 1: up the phone. You could offer to drive someone whose 46 00:02:45,720 --> 00:02:49,240 Speaker 1: car is broken down to the grocery store. There are 47 00:02:49,280 --> 00:02:51,880 Speaker 1: plenty of needs when you look, but you can also 48 00:02:51,919 --> 00:02:55,440 Speaker 1: think about giving the gift of time in general, perhaps 49 00:02:55,480 --> 00:02:59,640 Speaker 1: as a substitute for more traditional gifts. Instead of giving 50 00:02:59,680 --> 00:03:02,640 Speaker 1: a relation to a sweater, take her as your guest 51 00:03:02,960 --> 00:03:06,120 Speaker 1: to the art museum for the afternoon. Instead of giving 52 00:03:06,120 --> 00:03:09,240 Speaker 1: a friend a plant for her birthday, offer to do 53 00:03:09,400 --> 00:03:13,079 Speaker 1: a few additional carpool runs. If you're pressed for time, 54 00:03:13,160 --> 00:03:15,480 Speaker 1: this won't work. None of us can give more than 55 00:03:15,520 --> 00:03:18,400 Speaker 1: we actually have. But if you're in a stage of 56 00:03:18,440 --> 00:03:21,840 Speaker 1: life where there is more time, all of these ideas 57 00:03:21,880 --> 00:03:26,000 Speaker 1: will nurture your relationships and build your community. And here's 58 00:03:26,040 --> 00:03:29,000 Speaker 1: the even better part of gifts like these. If you 59 00:03:29,480 --> 00:03:33,880 Speaker 1: come into a time squeeze yourself, people will remember and 60 00:03:33,919 --> 00:03:37,600 Speaker 1: they'll pay it back. In that sense, the gift of 61 00:03:37,640 --> 00:03:41,320 Speaker 1: time isn't really a gift. It's more like banking time 62 00:03:41,840 --> 00:03:46,560 Speaker 1: for the future. In the meantime, this is Laura, Thanks 63 00:03:46,560 --> 00:03:49,280 Speaker 1: for listening. And here's to making the most of our time. 64 00:03:56,040 --> 00:03:58,840 Speaker 1: Hey everybody, I'd love to hear from you. You can 65 00:03:58,840 --> 00:04:02,360 Speaker 1: send me your tips, your questions, or anything else. Just 66 00:04:02,360 --> 00:04:06,280 Speaker 1: connect with me on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram at Before 67 00:04:06,400 --> 00:04:12,240 Speaker 1: Breakfast Pod. That's b E the number four then Breakfast pod. 68 00:04:13,120 --> 00:04:16,000 Speaker 1: You can also shoot me an email at Before Breakfast 69 00:04:16,080 --> 00:04:19,960 Speaker 1: podcast at iHeartMedia dot com that Before Breakfast is spelled 70 00:04:19,960 --> 00:04:22,440 Speaker 1: out with all the letters. Thanks so much, should I 71 00:04:22,440 --> 00:04:30,520 Speaker 1: look forward to staying in touch. Before Breakfast is a 72 00:04:30,560 --> 00:04:35,320 Speaker 1: production of iHeartRadio. For more podcasts from iHeartRadio, visit the 73 00:04:35,320 --> 00:04:39,120 Speaker 1: iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to your 74 00:04:39,160 --> 00:04:43,839 Speaker 1: favorite shows.