WEBVTT - Be prepared for low moments

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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 be prepared for low moments. When

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<v Speaker 1>we pay attention to our lives, we can often foresee

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<v Speaker 1>spots where life will feel rough. When you know that's

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<v Speaker 1>going to happen, though, you can prepare and that can

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<v Speaker 1>make low moments feel more doable. Some time ago, my

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<v Speaker 1>family took a vacation in Florida in August. Now, Florida

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<v Speaker 1>is a lovely place at times, but generally not during August,

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<v Speaker 1>when every day was muggy and ninety degrees. Since we

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<v Speaker 1>were doing the amusement park thing, we were standing in

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<v Speaker 1>long lines in the boiling sun. Most of the time

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<v Speaker 1>it was fine. We had a lot of fun together,

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<v Speaker 1>but every day around three o'clock, the younger kids would

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<v Speaker 1>start melting down. This led to some unhappiness, but once

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<v Speaker 1>we realized the pattern, we were more prepared to deal

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<v Speaker 1>with it. You know what's great at three o'clock ice cream,

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<v Speaker 1>especially if you can buy ice cream or some other

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<v Speaker 1>treat and eat it in an air conditioned restaurant. We

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<v Speaker 1>would eat slowly, lingering in the air conditioning and then

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<v Speaker 1>emerge fortified and into waning heat. The evenings in Florida

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<v Speaker 1>can be lovely, even in August. I try to remind

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<v Speaker 1>myself of this discovery. With little kids, late afternoon can

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<v Speaker 1>often be a witching hour, whatever the weather. On the

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<v Speaker 1>days I am caring for my small kids solo, it

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<v Speaker 1>can be tempting to not plan anything in the post

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<v Speaker 1>nap spot. Three thirty PM isn't that long until dinner

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<v Speaker 1>and bedtime and so forth. But then what happens if

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<v Speaker 1>you don't do anything at three thirty is that by

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<v Speaker 1>four thirty people are melting down and fighting, and you

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<v Speaker 1>are desperately trying to figure out what to do. Knowing

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<v Speaker 1>people are going to add hunger to boredom soon enough,

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<v Speaker 1>best to have a plan for that after nap spot,

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<v Speaker 1>a playground trip, a post nap plate, a quick trip

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<v Speaker 1>to the zoo or museum that doesn't close until five

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<v Speaker 1>or five thirty, some pool time in the summer, zip

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<v Speaker 1>out there, and four PM passes with you doing something

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<v Speaker 1>the board meltdowns won't happen until after dinner, at which

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<v Speaker 1>point it's time to get the little ones bathed and

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<v Speaker 1>into bed. Anyway, Interestingly, if you lead work teams or

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<v Speaker 1>teams of volunteers, you might notice some similarities to long

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<v Speaker 1>days with little kids. Every project goes through a valley

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<v Speaker 1>of despair. Someone misses a deadline, something you thought was

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<v Speaker 1>going to work doesn't during the rehearsal one week before

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<v Speaker 1>the concert. People completely flub two of the major songs.

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<v Speaker 1>These events feel miserable. They are also entirely predictable, and

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<v Speaker 1>so wise leaders plan projects with these valleys of despair

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<v Speaker 1>in mind. You use the bad rehearsal as a nudge

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<v Speaker 1>to get people to meet in small groups to practice

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<v Speaker 1>their parts. You make yourself available for an extra rehearsal

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<v Speaker 1>to help motivate people to work together. And then, rather

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<v Speaker 1>than being overconfident for the concert, you are rushing toward peak.

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<v Speaker 1>Right before perfect timing, you knew the low moment was coming,

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<v Speaker 1>and you were prepared. You even made the most of it.

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<v Speaker 1>As you think about your life, think about where the

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<v Speaker 1>predictable low moments might happen. The academic year might feel

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<v Speaker 1>really rough in November and February. Maybe you run an

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<v Speaker 1>accounting office where a cold, rainy week in March always

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<v Speaker 1>feels like the end of the world. So be prepared

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<v Speaker 1>save the fancy catered lunches for that week, or bring

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<v Speaker 1>in a group that gives ten minute neck and shoulder

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<v Speaker 1>massages to people at their desks. You get the idea.

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<v Speaker 1>Think about where things will feel intolerable. You know these

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<v Speaker 1>moments do pass. You've been through them before. In the moment,

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<v Speaker 1>it can feel like they are interminable, but they probably aren't.

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<v Speaker 1>It won't be three o'clock in the muggy Florida sun forever.

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<v Speaker 1>Tax deadlines will pass. Your job is to figure out

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<v Speaker 1>where the low moments are and prepare for them so

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<v Speaker 1>they don't feel quite so low. If you do that,

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<v Speaker 1>life will feel a lot better in the meantime. This

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

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

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<v Speaker 1>from you. You can send me your tips, your questions,

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<v Speaker 1>or anything else. Just connect with me on Twitter, Facebook

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<v Speaker 1>and Instagram at Before Breakfast Pod that's b E the

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<v Speaker 1>number four, then breakfast p O D. You can also

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<v Speaker 1>shoot me an email at Before Breakfast Podcast at i

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<v Speaker 1>heeart media dot com That Before Breakfast is spelled out

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<v Speaker 1>with all the letters. Thanks so much. I look forward

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<v Speaker 1>to staying in touch Before Breakfast is a production of

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