WEBVTT - Leave a night open

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<v Speaker 1>Welcome to Before Breakfast, a production of my 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 leave a night open. Even a

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<v Speaker 1>busy family schedule can feel far more manageable when there

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<v Speaker 1>is one night without a lot going on. I have

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<v Speaker 1>five children, including four who are in school and doing activities,

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<v Speaker 1>and so that back to school season is always a

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<v Speaker 1>time of intensity. I try to figure out a schedule

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<v Speaker 1>that works for each family member but also works for

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<v Speaker 1>the family overall. Some stuff happens when it happens, but

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<v Speaker 1>with other activities, we have a choice about which day

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<v Speaker 1>we go. So as much as possible, I try to

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<v Speaker 1>create one night with nothing going on. If that's not possible,

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<v Speaker 1>maybe it's a night with just one short thing after

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<v Speaker 1>school and the rest of the evening completely open. This way,

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<v Speaker 1>we know we have one night where we could have

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<v Speaker 1>dinner together. Kids will have one night during the week

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<v Speaker 1>when they can concentrate on homework or do longer school projects,

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<v Speaker 1>or get caught up on instrument practice. People can relax

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<v Speaker 1>without running around anywhere. I have found that it is

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<v Speaker 1>worth being a little busier on the other nights in

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<v Speaker 1>order to keep one night clear. We have often aimed

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<v Speaker 1>for Wednesdays in our family as the open night, because

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<v Speaker 1>even if Monday and Tuesday feel busy, we know that well,

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<v Speaker 1>Wednesday is coming up and that will be more low key.

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<v Speaker 1>Then Thursday can be a little busier, but Friday tends

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<v Speaker 1>to be relatively relaxed as well. It all evens out

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<v Speaker 1>whether you have children or not. I find it helps

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<v Speaker 1>to have one night per week where you plan to

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<v Speaker 1>be a little more relaxed. If you often work late,

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<v Speaker 1>maybe you can choose one night where you consciously plan

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<v Speaker 1>to come home earlier. It might be worth working a

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<v Speaker 1>little later on the already late nights to make that happen.

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<v Speaker 1>You'll get more quality time with your family coming home

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<v Speaker 1>at four pm one or two days a week and

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<v Speaker 1>nine pm on the other days, then coming home right

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<v Speaker 1>when kids go to bed every single night. If you

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<v Speaker 1>have kid activities, having one night off from them can

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<v Speaker 1>change the entire rhythm of the week. In general, it

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<v Speaker 1>helps to think of our lives in terms of weeks

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<v Speaker 1>rather than days. When we keep one night open, we

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<v Speaker 1>are taking advantage of our lives. Having this weekly rhythm

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<v Speaker 1>rather than having something on every night. We experience time differently.

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<v Speaker 1>By having some longer nights and some shorter nights, we

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<v Speaker 1>get both intensity and rest. We can also manage our

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<v Speaker 1>energy through the week. A long day gets taken in

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<v Speaker 1>context because we know it is not the only kind

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<v Speaker 1>of day. We have shorter ones coming up to. So

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<v Speaker 1>as you build your schedule or your family scheduled this

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<v Speaker 1>back to school season, try to keep this strategy in mind.

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<v Speaker 1>Look at when things happen and which nights seem like

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<v Speaker 1>they might naturally be lighter than others. Then see if

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<v Speaker 1>you can consciously move things out of the lightest night

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<v Speaker 1>in order to make it open. Then protect this time.

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<v Speaker 1>If someone wants to sign up for rock climbing lessons

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<v Speaker 1>and Wednesday is the open night. When you see lessons

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<v Speaker 1>happen on Mondays and Wednesdays, you know to push for

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<v Speaker 1>the Monday option. You can build the schedule more mindfully

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<v Speaker 1>rather than making choices without any guidelines at all. 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. Hey everybody, I'd

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<v Speaker 1>love to hear from you. You can send me your tips,

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

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<v Speaker 1>Facebook and Instagram. At before Breakfast pod. That's B 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 iHeart

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<v Speaker 1>media dot com that before Breakfast is spelled out with

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

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

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