WEBVTT - Use the index card method 

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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 use the index card method to

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<v Speaker 1>stay productive even during challenging times. Today's tip comes from

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<v Speaker 1>my friend Damon Brown. He's an entrepreneur and speaker who

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<v Speaker 1>I interviewed from my book Off the Clock. Brown became

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<v Speaker 1>a father for the first time in two thousand thirteen.

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<v Speaker 1>His wife had a traditional job with health insurance, and

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<v Speaker 1>with the couple wanting to have one parent mostly at home,

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<v Speaker 1>Brown took on that role. Interestingly enough, though, the universe

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<v Speaker 1>delivered several professional opportunities to him at the same time

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<v Speaker 1>that he wanted to take on, so he decided to

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<v Speaker 1>become very productive during naptime or when his wife could

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<v Speaker 1>be home. This wound up being about fifteen hours a week,

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<v Speaker 1>and he was ruthless about what he decided was worth doing.

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<v Speaker 1>During those fifteen hours. He wrote his non baby related

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<v Speaker 1>goals for each day on an index card. One side

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<v Speaker 1>of the index card, the goals that didn't fit weren't

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<v Speaker 1>going to happen, so he knew he needed to revise

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<v Speaker 1>the list until they included only the top things. So

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<v Speaker 1>He did this for several months and then had a

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<v Speaker 1>realization that he was being shockingly productive. He was doing

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<v Speaker 1>roughly three important things a day, which adds up to

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<v Speaker 1>fifteen important things per week over a year. That is

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<v Speaker 1>seven fifty important things. In Brown's case, this included giving

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<v Speaker 1>a ted talk and starting two businesses, including one that

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<v Speaker 1>was acquired. Now, to be sure, I am not recommending

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<v Speaker 1>people cut their work weeks to fifteen hours just to

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<v Speaker 1>do so, but as Brown told me, how much time

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<v Speaker 1>we actually have is less relevant than how we perceive it.

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<v Speaker 1>Rather than focusing on what he couldn't do, he focused

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<v Speaker 1>on what he could do and what he could really

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<v Speaker 1>do added up. So if you are feeling overwhelmed, or

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<v Speaker 1>if you have big responsibilities outside of work these days,

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<v Speaker 1>try using this index card method. Each day, write your

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<v Speaker 1>professional goals for the day on one side of the

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<v Speaker 1>index card. If you start running into the edges and

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<v Speaker 1>flipping over the card, well it's time to revise. Once

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<v Speaker 1>it fits, your expectations won't seem overwhelming. You'll do them

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<v Speaker 1>and you'll feel good about it, and then tomorrow you'll

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<v Speaker 1>do more good stuff, and soon you'll figure out that

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<v Speaker 1>a lot of stuff that makes us busy probably doesn't

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<v Speaker 1>really matter. It's all right to let it go. In

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<v Speaker 1>the meantime, This is Laura. Thanks for listening, and here's

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<v Speaker 1>to making the most of our time. M Hey everybody,

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<v Speaker 1>I'd love to hear from you. You can send me

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<v Speaker 1>your tips, your questions, or anything else. Just connect with

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<v Speaker 1>me on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram at Before Breakfast pod

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<v Speaker 1>that's B the number four, then Breakfast p o D.

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<v Speaker 1>You can also shoot me an email at Before Breakfast

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

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<v Speaker 1>is spelled out with all the letters. Thanks so much,

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<v Speaker 1>I look forward to staying in touch. Before Breakfast is

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<v Speaker 1>a production of I Heart Radio. For more podcasts from

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<v Speaker 1>my heart Radio, visit the i heart Radio app, Apple Podcasts,

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<v Speaker 1>or wherever you listen to your favorite shows.