1 00:00:03,440 --> 00:00:06,680 Speaker 1: Welcome to Before Breakfast, a production of I Heart Radio. 2 00:00:09,280 --> 00:00:14,520 Speaker 1: Good Morning. This is Laura. Welcome to the Before Breakfast podcast. 3 00:00:15,240 --> 00:00:18,479 Speaker 1: Today's tip is to use the index card method to 4 00:00:18,480 --> 00:00:24,040 Speaker 1: stay productive even during challenging times. Today's tip comes from 5 00:00:24,040 --> 00:00:27,360 Speaker 1: my friend Damon Brown. He's an entrepreneur and speaker who 6 00:00:27,360 --> 00:00:30,920 Speaker 1: I interviewed from my book Off the Clock. Brown became 7 00:00:30,920 --> 00:00:33,360 Speaker 1: a father for the first time in two thousand thirteen. 8 00:00:34,320 --> 00:00:37,400 Speaker 1: His wife had a traditional job with health insurance, and 9 00:00:37,440 --> 00:00:40,120 Speaker 1: with the couple wanting to have one parent mostly at home, 10 00:00:40,640 --> 00:00:45,400 Speaker 1: Brown took on that role. Interestingly enough, though, the universe 11 00:00:45,440 --> 00:00:48,840 Speaker 1: delivered several professional opportunities to him at the same time 12 00:00:49,280 --> 00:00:53,120 Speaker 1: that he wanted to take on, so he decided to 13 00:00:53,159 --> 00:00:56,600 Speaker 1: become very productive during naptime or when his wife could 14 00:00:56,640 --> 00:01:00,200 Speaker 1: be home. This wound up being about fifteen hours a week, 15 00:01:00,880 --> 00:01:04,120 Speaker 1: and he was ruthless about what he decided was worth doing. 16 00:01:04,200 --> 00:01:08,240 Speaker 1: During those fifteen hours. He wrote his non baby related 17 00:01:08,280 --> 00:01:12,240 Speaker 1: goals for each day on an index card. One side 18 00:01:12,360 --> 00:01:15,840 Speaker 1: of the index card, the goals that didn't fit weren't 19 00:01:15,880 --> 00:01:18,960 Speaker 1: going to happen, so he knew he needed to revise 20 00:01:19,040 --> 00:01:23,160 Speaker 1: the list until they included only the top things. So 21 00:01:23,240 --> 00:01:25,160 Speaker 1: He did this for several months and then had a 22 00:01:25,200 --> 00:01:29,720 Speaker 1: realization that he was being shockingly productive. He was doing 23 00:01:29,840 --> 00:01:32,960 Speaker 1: roughly three important things a day, which adds up to 24 00:01:33,280 --> 00:01:36,880 Speaker 1: fifteen important things per week over a year. That is 25 00:01:37,080 --> 00:01:41,679 Speaker 1: seven fifty important things. In Brown's case, this included giving 26 00:01:41,680 --> 00:01:44,760 Speaker 1: a ted talk and starting two businesses, including one that 27 00:01:44,840 --> 00:01:48,559 Speaker 1: was acquired. Now, to be sure, I am not recommending 28 00:01:48,600 --> 00:01:51,360 Speaker 1: people cut their work weeks to fifteen hours just to 29 00:01:51,400 --> 00:01:55,440 Speaker 1: do so, but as Brown told me, how much time 30 00:01:55,480 --> 00:01:58,960 Speaker 1: we actually have is less relevant than how we perceive it. 31 00:02:00,120 --> 00:02:03,720 Speaker 1: Rather than focusing on what he couldn't do, he focused 32 00:02:03,720 --> 00:02:06,600 Speaker 1: on what he could do and what he could really 33 00:02:06,640 --> 00:02:11,400 Speaker 1: do added up. So if you are feeling overwhelmed, or 34 00:02:11,440 --> 00:02:14,440 Speaker 1: if you have big responsibilities outside of work these days, 35 00:02:15,040 --> 00:02:19,520 Speaker 1: try using this index card method. Each day, write your 36 00:02:19,560 --> 00:02:22,840 Speaker 1: professional goals for the day on one side of the 37 00:02:22,840 --> 00:02:26,360 Speaker 1: index card. If you start running into the edges and 38 00:02:26,400 --> 00:02:30,200 Speaker 1: flipping over the card, well it's time to revise. Once 39 00:02:30,240 --> 00:02:36,080 Speaker 1: it fits, your expectations won't seem overwhelming. You'll do them 40 00:02:36,120 --> 00:02:39,679 Speaker 1: and you'll feel good about it, and then tomorrow you'll 41 00:02:39,680 --> 00:02:43,000 Speaker 1: do more good stuff, and soon you'll figure out that 42 00:02:43,040 --> 00:02:46,640 Speaker 1: a lot of stuff that makes us busy probably doesn't 43 00:02:46,760 --> 00:02:52,120 Speaker 1: really matter. It's all right to let it go. In 44 00:02:52,160 --> 00:02:56,480 Speaker 1: the meantime, This is Laura. Thanks for listening, and here's 45 00:02:56,480 --> 00:03:05,240 Speaker 1: to making the most of our time. M Hey everybody, 46 00:03:05,480 --> 00:03:07,560 Speaker 1: I'd love to hear from you. You can send me 47 00:03:07,600 --> 00:03:11,280 Speaker 1: your tips, your questions, or anything else. Just connect with 48 00:03:11,280 --> 00:03:15,680 Speaker 1: me on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram at Before Breakfast pod 49 00:03:16,360 --> 00:03:20,720 Speaker 1: that's B the number four, then Breakfast p o D. 50 00:03:21,560 --> 00:03:24,400 Speaker 1: You can also shoot me an email at Before Breakfast 51 00:03:24,480 --> 00:03:27,880 Speaker 1: podcast at i heeart media dot com that Before Breakfast 52 00:03:28,040 --> 00:03:30,560 Speaker 1: is spelled out with all the letters. Thanks so much, 53 00:03:30,800 --> 00:03:38,880 Speaker 1: I look forward to staying in touch. Before Breakfast is 54 00:03:38,920 --> 00:03:42,160 Speaker 1: a production of I Heart Radio. For more podcasts from 55 00:03:42,160 --> 00:03:46,160 Speaker 1: my heart Radio, visit the i heart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, 56 00:03:46,400 --> 00:03:48,280 Speaker 1: or wherever you listen to your favorite shows.