1 00:00:02,960 --> 00:00:06,240 Speaker 1: Welcome to Before Breakfast, a production of my Heart Radio. 2 00:00:09,080 --> 00:00:13,800 Speaker 1: Good Morning. This is Laura, Welcome to the Before Breakfast podcast. 3 00:00:14,560 --> 00:00:19,560 Speaker 1: Today's tip is to send those holiday cards. Yes, it 4 00:00:19,640 --> 00:00:23,439 Speaker 1: takes time and effort to mail real cards with handwritten notes, 5 00:00:24,160 --> 00:00:26,880 Speaker 1: but this is honestly one of the best investments of 6 00:00:26,960 --> 00:00:31,520 Speaker 1: time you can make. I love receiving holiday cards. It's 7 00:00:31,520 --> 00:00:34,879 Speaker 1: fun to see people smiling kids and cute pets and 8 00:00:34,920 --> 00:00:38,239 Speaker 1: see how much everyone has grown since last year. I'm 9 00:00:38,280 --> 00:00:42,120 Speaker 1: also a big holiday card sender. We book family photos 10 00:00:42,120 --> 00:00:45,080 Speaker 1: sometime in the fall and make our Shutterfly cards with 11 00:00:45,080 --> 00:00:47,760 Speaker 1: those pictures. I know a lot of people just do 12 00:00:47,800 --> 00:00:50,760 Speaker 1: the postcard style photo cards, but we do ones that 13 00:00:50,840 --> 00:00:53,479 Speaker 1: open and have space to write a note, which I 14 00:00:53,520 --> 00:00:57,480 Speaker 1: do for everyone I send a card to. Why Well, 15 00:00:57,520 --> 00:01:00,640 Speaker 1: First of all, it's the compiling and addressing of cards 16 00:01:00,680 --> 00:01:03,800 Speaker 1: that takes the most time. By the time you're already 17 00:01:03,800 --> 00:01:06,360 Speaker 1: doing that, it doesn't take much more time. I mean 18 00:01:06,400 --> 00:01:09,959 Speaker 1: literally just six sconds per card to write something like 19 00:01:10,319 --> 00:01:12,720 Speaker 1: hey Dave, so great to see you in the family 20 00:01:12,760 --> 00:01:15,319 Speaker 1: this summer, wishing you all the best for a happy 21 00:01:15,319 --> 00:01:20,120 Speaker 1: holiday season and a joyous If you're sending sixty cards, 22 00:01:20,120 --> 00:01:22,199 Speaker 1: this is an extra hour to an hour and a half. 23 00:01:22,880 --> 00:01:25,640 Speaker 1: If you're sending two hundred cards, it's a maximum of 24 00:01:25,680 --> 00:01:29,240 Speaker 1: five hours. Now this isn't nothing, But if you're the 25 00:01:29,280 --> 00:01:32,120 Speaker 1: sort of person who is sending two hundred cards, you 26 00:01:32,160 --> 00:01:35,720 Speaker 1: may have someone helping you with the compiling and addressing anyway, 27 00:01:35,800 --> 00:01:39,520 Speaker 1: and you know the power of a robust network. This 28 00:01:39,600 --> 00:01:42,200 Speaker 1: network is built by treating everyone in it as an 29 00:01:42,280 --> 00:01:46,320 Speaker 1: individual that you care about. A handwritten note makes that 30 00:01:46,360 --> 00:01:49,840 Speaker 1: clear and almost new time. It's a great touch point. 31 00:01:50,400 --> 00:01:52,680 Speaker 1: It takes a lot less time than meeting each of 32 00:01:52,680 --> 00:01:56,560 Speaker 1: those two people for coffee. Your handwritten notes go out 33 00:01:56,600 --> 00:01:59,480 Speaker 1: into the world where they do some good things. First, 34 00:02:00,040 --> 00:02:04,280 Speaker 1: they remind people that you exist. Second, they generally make 35 00:02:04,280 --> 00:02:07,600 Speaker 1: people feel closer to you. I've gotten some really lovely 36 00:02:07,640 --> 00:02:10,640 Speaker 1: emails from people who have received my holiday cards and 37 00:02:10,639 --> 00:02:14,760 Speaker 1: appreciated getting a handwritten note. I can't stress enough how 38 00:02:14,840 --> 00:02:17,600 Speaker 1: few people bother to do this and how much you 39 00:02:17,639 --> 00:02:21,359 Speaker 1: will stand out if you do. This is an incredibly 40 00:02:21,400 --> 00:02:25,360 Speaker 1: easy way to strengthen a relationship. But even if you 41 00:02:25,360 --> 00:02:28,400 Speaker 1: don't bother with notes, there are upsides to making the 42 00:02:28,440 --> 00:02:32,320 Speaker 1: cards and getting them out soon. First, people have your 43 00:02:32,320 --> 00:02:35,880 Speaker 1: mailing address, which means you'll get more cards from people 44 00:02:35,880 --> 00:02:38,840 Speaker 1: with cute baby and dog photos. Isn't it great when 45 00:02:38,840 --> 00:02:41,880 Speaker 1: the mail isn't just ads and bills? And if you 46 00:02:41,919 --> 00:02:44,600 Speaker 1: make a photo card, this will either require you to 47 00:02:44,720 --> 00:02:48,600 Speaker 1: take photos or to look through your existing ones. These 48 00:02:48,639 --> 00:02:51,760 Speaker 1: are both great ways to spend time. I don't know 49 00:02:51,840 --> 00:02:55,320 Speaker 1: anyone who says, geez, I wish I had taken fewer 50 00:02:55,320 --> 00:02:59,000 Speaker 1: photos of my family. There are lots of ways to 51 00:02:59,040 --> 00:03:01,600 Speaker 1: save time over the holidays, and we'll cover plenty of 52 00:03:01,639 --> 00:03:05,320 Speaker 1: them in upcoming episodes of Before Breakfast, But skipping the 53 00:03:05,360 --> 00:03:08,400 Speaker 1: holiday cards are skimping on them amounts to being penny 54 00:03:08,440 --> 00:03:12,480 Speaker 1: wise and pound foolish. I promise that your investment of 55 00:03:12,520 --> 00:03:16,320 Speaker 1: time here will be paid back to you in the meantime. 56 00:03:16,960 --> 00:03:20,480 Speaker 1: This is Laura, Thanks for listening, and here's to making 57 00:03:20,520 --> 00:03:29,440 Speaker 1: the most of our time. Hey, everybody, I'd love to 58 00:03:29,480 --> 00:03:32,440 Speaker 1: hear from you. You can send me your tips, your questions, 59 00:03:32,520 --> 00:03:36,280 Speaker 1: or anything else. Just connect with me on Twitter, Facebook 60 00:03:36,400 --> 00:03:41,200 Speaker 1: and Instagram at Before Breakfast Pod that's b E the 61 00:03:41,280 --> 00:03:45,520 Speaker 1: number four then Breakfast p o D. You can also 62 00:03:45,520 --> 00:03:49,280 Speaker 1: shoot me an email at Before Breakfast podcast at iHeart 63 00:03:49,320 --> 00:03:52,120 Speaker 1: media dot com that Before Breakfast is spelled out with 64 00:03:52,160 --> 00:03:54,880 Speaker 1: all the letters. Thanks so much, I look forward to 65 00:03:54,880 --> 00:04:03,120 Speaker 1: staying in touch. Before Breakfast is a production of I 66 00:04:03,240 --> 00:04:07,080 Speaker 1: heart Radio. For more podcasts from I heart Radio, visit 67 00:04:07,120 --> 00:04:10,520 Speaker 1: the i heart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you 68 00:04:10,560 --> 00:04:11,760 Speaker 1: listen to your favorite shows.