WEBVTT - Find a microhobby 

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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 find a micro hobby, something engaging

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<v Speaker 1>and meaningful you can do when you have just a

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<v Speaker 1>few minutes of free time. Choosing something wisely can really

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<v Speaker 1>make life a lot more satisfying. It would be nice

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<v Speaker 1>if we routinely had long chunks of free time that

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<v Speaker 1>we could use for oil painting or playing the flute

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<v Speaker 1>or woodworking. And if you do, good for you. I'd

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<v Speaker 1>also argue that many of us can get a few

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<v Speaker 1>extended stretches of high quality leisure time each week if

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<v Speaker 1>we plan well. However, even with great planning, not all

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<v Speaker 1>of our leisure time will appear in this form. Often

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<v Speaker 1>we get just a few minutes of free time here

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<v Speaker 1>and there. Picture yourself waiting for a conference called a

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<v Speaker 1>start door, standing in line at the grocery store, idling

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<v Speaker 1>in the carpool line, or waiting for your teapot to boil.

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<v Speaker 1>In total, this can be quite a bit of time,

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<v Speaker 1>but it is fragmented time confetti. As author Bridget Shulty

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<v Speaker 1>once put it, It's easy to scroll through social media

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<v Speaker 1>or check email in moments like these, and your phone

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<v Speaker 1>is almost certainly nearby. Those activities are marginally entertaining, definitely absorbing,

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<v Speaker 1>but they are not that rewarding, and curiously enough, your

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<v Speaker 1>inbox will end up being just as full the next

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<v Speaker 1>time you sit down at your computer, even if you

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<v Speaker 1>do throw time at it now, So on some level,

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<v Speaker 1>why bother? Instead, try to find something more rewarding to

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<v Speaker 1>do with your micro leisure time. Find a micro hobby.

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<v Speaker 1>A hobby is an activity done regularly in one's leisure

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<v Speaker 1>time for pleasure. Ideally there is a bit of skill involved.

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<v Speaker 1>It is not completely passive. A micro hobby is a

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<v Speaker 1>hobby that can be enjoyed in little bits of time. So,

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<v Speaker 1>for instance, you might try micro writing. Start a free

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<v Speaker 1>writing file and then when you get a few minutes,

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<v Speaker 1>aim to write fifty words, a hundred words or so.

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<v Speaker 1>I have read whole books of micro memoirs, so you

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<v Speaker 1>might be able to create something of real value in

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<v Speaker 1>those little moments. Of course, you can also read things

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<v Speaker 1>that other people have written. Poems are quick scripture versus too.

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<v Speaker 1>Set yourself a goal to read through some chunk of

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<v Speaker 1>a sacred text and bits and pieces. You could even

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<v Speaker 1>aim to memorize versus or poems as your micro hobby.

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<v Speaker 1>Having these phrases floating around in your brain can definitely

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<v Speaker 1>elevate your thoughts. If you enjoy art, sketching can make

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<v Speaker 1>a great micro hobby. No need to use charcoal, drawing

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<v Speaker 1>pencils or special papers unless you really want to, just

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<v Speaker 1>use whatever pen or pencil and paper you have on hand.

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<v Speaker 1>Some of my favorite art exhibits have included artists sketches

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<v Speaker 1>on scraps of paper. I love getting the behind the

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<v Speaker 1>scenes view of the idea for a painting as it emerges.

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<v Speaker 1>Sketching will help you strengthen your drawing skills and perhaps

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<v Speaker 1>get ideas for a more polished painting or drawing, and

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<v Speaker 1>it will prompt you to truly look and pay attention

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<v Speaker 1>to your surroundings. Taking photographs can do that too. If

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<v Speaker 1>you are parked somewhere waiting, get out look at the

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<v Speaker 1>plants and shadows and shapes of the world. An experiment

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<v Speaker 1>with taking photos from different angles with our phones. You

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<v Speaker 1>can just delete anything that doesn't work out. There is

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<v Speaker 1>no downside to learning through trial and error. Another option

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<v Speaker 1>for micro leisure is to use an app like dual

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<v Speaker 1>Link Go to learn a language. You can complete a

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<v Speaker 1>lesson or practice session in just a few minutes. See

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<v Speaker 1>how long you can get a streak going. You'll get

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<v Speaker 1>your brain working in new ways, which you can do

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<v Speaker 1>with crossword puzzles as a micro hobby as well. Now,

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<v Speaker 1>of course, your hobby doesn't actually need to be totally

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<v Speaker 1>self contained in these bits of time. One of the

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<v Speaker 1>most rewarding choices for micro leisure is to augment the

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<v Speaker 1>more extended time you spend on a hobby at other points.

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<v Speaker 1>So for instance, if you play an instrument, but you

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<v Speaker 1>can't exactly practice your instrument while sitting in line at school,

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<v Speaker 1>pickup watch videos of or listen to other people performing

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<v Speaker 1>the songs you are practicing. How have six different musicians

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<v Speaker 1>interpreted that piano solo you are learning. If you are

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<v Speaker 1>a gardener, use these bits of time to watch tutorials

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<v Speaker 1>or read articles with tips on plant care or garden design.

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<v Speaker 1>If you are going to go on social media, well

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<v Speaker 1>go with a purpose. If your hobby is building dollhouse

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<v Speaker 1>furniture and so you have an Instagram account that is

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<v Speaker 1>completely devoted to miniature as well, that would be a

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<v Speaker 1>good idea. The possibilities for micro hobbies are endless. The

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<v Speaker 1>point is to use your time in a way that

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<v Speaker 1>is meaningful, rather than counting a few minutes here and

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<v Speaker 1>there is worthless and blowing them off on mindless scrolling.

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<v Speaker 1>A lot of fun can be had in tiny moments.

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<v Speaker 1>You just need to figure out how. If you have

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<v Speaker 1>micro hobbies you enjoy, I'd love to hear about them.

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<v Speaker 1>You can reach me at Laura at Laura Vanderkan dot com.

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<v Speaker 1>In the meantime, this is Laura. Thanks for listening, and

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<v Speaker 1>here's to making the most of our time. 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 E 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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