1 00:00:03,440 --> 00:00:06,720 Speaker 1: Welcome to Before Breakfast, a production of I Heart Radio. 2 00:00:09,280 --> 00:00:14,000 Speaker 1: Good Morning. This is Laura. Welcome to the Before Breakfast podcast. 3 00:00:14,680 --> 00:00:17,520 Speaker 1: Today's tip is to consider how you can give the 4 00:00:17,600 --> 00:00:21,279 Speaker 1: gift of time. Far more than a gift card. The 5 00:00:21,360 --> 00:00:25,040 Speaker 1: gift of time can help nurture relationships and build community. 6 00:00:26,520 --> 00:00:28,880 Speaker 1: I decided to do an episode on this topic after 7 00:00:28,960 --> 00:00:31,760 Speaker 1: hearing from a Before Breakfast listener who had thoughts on 8 00:00:31,800 --> 00:00:34,760 Speaker 1: an earlier episode we did on having too much time. 9 00:00:35,720 --> 00:00:38,720 Speaker 1: The listener noted that people whose schedules open up because 10 00:00:38,720 --> 00:00:42,520 Speaker 1: they're between jobs or retired, or his children have grown 11 00:00:43,040 --> 00:00:47,159 Speaker 1: are often advised to volunteer. That's a great idea, but 12 00:00:47,240 --> 00:00:50,879 Speaker 1: the listener reminded me that volunteer opportunities don't have to 13 00:00:50,920 --> 00:00:54,680 Speaker 1: be formal. For instance, she decided to take on some 14 00:00:54,800 --> 00:00:58,440 Speaker 1: kid driving duties for a busy family. She knew the 15 00:00:58,520 --> 00:01:00,639 Speaker 1: kids got to spend special time, I'm with someone who 16 00:01:00,680 --> 00:01:03,640 Speaker 1: is like an aunt to them, and the parents got 17 00:01:03,640 --> 00:01:08,200 Speaker 1: a break. Time can be an incredible gift in many ways. 18 00:01:08,200 --> 00:01:11,840 Speaker 1: It's more valuable than money or things, because while you 19 00:01:11,880 --> 00:01:15,600 Speaker 1: can make more money, you cannot make more time. The 20 00:01:15,680 --> 00:01:18,000 Speaker 1: richest person on the planet still has just twenty four 21 00:01:18,080 --> 00:01:21,560 Speaker 1: hours in a day. Once a second is gone, all 22 00:01:21,560 --> 00:01:24,920 Speaker 1: the money in the world cannot buy it back. I 23 00:01:24,959 --> 00:01:27,360 Speaker 1: know that sounds daunting and maybe like we should hoard 24 00:01:27,400 --> 00:01:30,800 Speaker 1: our time, But as with money, having a mentality of 25 00:01:30,800 --> 00:01:36,040 Speaker 1: abundance can actually make us feel rich. While philanthropists are 26 00:01:36,080 --> 00:01:39,479 Speaker 1: technically giving their money away, they're building the world they 27 00:01:39,480 --> 00:01:44,440 Speaker 1: want to see, which makes them feel wealthier. Not everyone 28 00:01:44,520 --> 00:01:48,040 Speaker 1: has money, but all of us do have time. By 29 00:01:48,040 --> 00:01:51,639 Speaker 1: thinking of yourself as a time philanthropist, you can seek 30 00:01:51,640 --> 00:01:55,360 Speaker 1: out opportunities to invest your time in building the community 31 00:01:55,600 --> 00:01:58,720 Speaker 1: you'd like to inhabit. So if you've got time, you 32 00:01:58,720 --> 00:02:03,560 Speaker 1: can give. Come a time detective. Who in your community 33 00:02:03,800 --> 00:02:07,960 Speaker 1: needs help, who's struggling to cope with their responsibilities in 34 00:02:08,000 --> 00:02:11,080 Speaker 1: the twenty four hours we have each day. Maybe a 35 00:02:11,120 --> 00:02:13,680 Speaker 1: single parent in your neighborhood could really use a break. 36 00:02:14,400 --> 00:02:18,280 Speaker 1: She might not ask, but you can offer. Maybe someone 37 00:02:18,320 --> 00:02:20,720 Speaker 1: with a new baby would welcome the opportunity to hand 38 00:02:20,760 --> 00:02:24,080 Speaker 1: over the other children for a few hours. Maybe a 39 00:02:24,120 --> 00:02:26,800 Speaker 1: family with two working parents facing the stress of making 40 00:02:26,800 --> 00:02:29,840 Speaker 1: a daycare pickup with the vagaries of traffic would love 41 00:02:29,880 --> 00:02:32,160 Speaker 1: to have you on call for those days when the 42 00:02:32,160 --> 00:02:35,760 Speaker 1: inner state is backed up For miles. Maybe a neighbor 43 00:02:35,800 --> 00:02:38,200 Speaker 1: who works an hour away would welcome your offer to 44 00:02:38,320 --> 00:02:40,800 Speaker 1: check on an aging parent if there's ever an issue 45 00:02:41,320 --> 00:02:44,359 Speaker 1: like that parent isn't picking up the phone. You could 46 00:02:44,440 --> 00:02:46,880 Speaker 1: offer to drive someone whose car is broken down to 47 00:02:46,960 --> 00:02:50,480 Speaker 1: the grocery store. There are plenty of needs when you look, 48 00:02:51,120 --> 00:02:53,120 Speaker 1: but you can also think about giving the gift of 49 00:02:53,200 --> 00:02:58,000 Speaker 1: time in general, perhaps as a substitute for more traditional gifts. 50 00:02:58,880 --> 00:03:01,800 Speaker 1: Instead of giving a RelA of a sweater, take her 51 00:03:01,840 --> 00:03:04,519 Speaker 1: as your guest to the art museum for the afternoon. 52 00:03:05,320 --> 00:03:07,800 Speaker 1: Instead of giving a friend a plant for her birthday, 53 00:03:08,600 --> 00:03:12,320 Speaker 1: offered to do a few additional carpool runs. If you're 54 00:03:12,320 --> 00:03:14,600 Speaker 1: pressed for time, this won't work. None of us can 55 00:03:14,639 --> 00:03:17,800 Speaker 1: give more than we actually have. But if you're in 56 00:03:17,800 --> 00:03:21,000 Speaker 1: a stage of life where there is more time, all 57 00:03:21,040 --> 00:03:24,679 Speaker 1: of these ideas will nurture your relationships and build your community. 58 00:03:25,560 --> 00:03:27,919 Speaker 1: And here's the even better part of gifts like these. 59 00:03:28,560 --> 00:03:32,440 Speaker 1: If you come into a time squeeze yourself, people will 60 00:03:32,480 --> 00:03:37,040 Speaker 1: remember and they'll pay it back. In that sense, the 61 00:03:37,120 --> 00:03:40,360 Speaker 1: gift of time isn't really a gift. It's more like 62 00:03:40,440 --> 00:03:45,240 Speaker 1: banking time for the future. In the meantime. This is 63 00:03:45,320 --> 00:03:48,640 Speaker 1: Laura thanks for listening, and here's to making the most 64 00:03:48,640 --> 00:03:58,520 Speaker 1: of our time. Hey everybody, I'd love to hear from you. 65 00:03:58,520 --> 00:04:01,400 Speaker 1: You can send me your tips, your questions, or anything else. 66 00:04:02,160 --> 00:04:05,720 Speaker 1: Just connect with me on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram at 67 00:04:05,760 --> 00:04:11,280 Speaker 1: Before Breakfast pod. That's B the number four, then Breakfast 68 00:04:11,640 --> 00:04:14,440 Speaker 1: p o D. You can also shoot me an email 69 00:04:14,480 --> 00:04:18,320 Speaker 1: at Before Breakfast podcast at i heeart media dot com 70 00:04:18,360 --> 00:04:20,839 Speaker 1: that Before Breakfast is spelled out with all the letters. 71 00:04:21,480 --> 00:04:23,559 Speaker 1: Thanks so much, I look forward to staying in touch. 72 00:04:29,400 --> 00:04:32,480 Speaker 1: Before Breakfast is a production of I heart Radio. For 73 00:04:32,600 --> 00:04:35,600 Speaker 1: more podcasts from I heart Radio, visit the i heart 74 00:04:35,680 --> 00:04:39,080 Speaker 1: Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to your 75 00:04:39,080 --> 00:04:39,800 Speaker 1: favorite shows.