WEBVTT - Make your days fulfilling, not just filled

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<v Speaker 1>Welcome to Before Breakfast, a production of iHeartRadio. Good Morning,

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<v Speaker 1>This is Laura. Welcome to the Before Breakfast podcast. Today's

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<v Speaker 1>tip is to make your days fulfilling and not just filled.

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<v Speaker 1>Today's tip, like another this week, comes from Cassie Holmes,

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<v Speaker 1>a UCLA Business School professor an author of the book

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<v Speaker 1>Happier Hour, How to beat distraction, expand your time, and

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<v Speaker 1>focus on what matters most. Holmes notes that during the

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<v Speaker 1>COVID pandemic, she and some other people, as she put it,

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<v Speaker 1>found some unexpected happiness amid this unquestionably unhappy time. She

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<v Speaker 1>writes about one friend whose nightly routine during the pandemic

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<v Speaker 1>involved her seven year old sun, setting the table with

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<v Speaker 1>a theme for the night dinner, and then a game

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<v Speaker 1>of cards. Holmes's friend commented, before my days were filled,

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<v Speaker 1>but not with things that were fulfilling. This time has

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<v Speaker 1>made us closer. We can all probably recall times when

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<v Speaker 1>our days were filled but were not especially fulfilling, when

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<v Speaker 1>we were running from one thing to the next, without

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<v Speaker 1>a lot of meeting, even with potentially meaningful events on

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<v Speaker 1>the calendar, like a walk with a friend, the pressure

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<v Speaker 1>of things to be done can keep us from being

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<v Speaker 1>fully present and engaged. But we always have the power

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<v Speaker 1>to make sure our days feel fulfilling and not just filled.

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<v Speaker 1>You won't be surprised that one tip I have for

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<v Speaker 1>this is to plan for meaning. Don't just assume that

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<v Speaker 1>your life must be fulfilling if your schedule is filled. Instead,

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<v Speaker 1>actively consider what will be fulfilling, what will have an

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<v Speaker 1>impact on you and others, what will you remember and

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<v Speaker 1>what will matter a month from now or even a

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<v Speaker 1>year from now. On Fridays, when you are planning the

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<v Speaker 1>week ahead, I suggest considering your priorities for career, relationships,

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<v Speaker 1>and self. In each category, consider what is most important

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<v Speaker 1>for you to do in the week. This isn't a

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<v Speaker 1>laundry list of all the things that need to be done.

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<v Speaker 1>You are being intentional about determining what really matters. Maybe

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<v Speaker 1>your career priority is having an important mentoring conversation with

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<v Speaker 1>a direct report. For relationships, your priority might be planning

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<v Speaker 1>a family camping trip for this summer. The planning may

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<v Speaker 1>not feel fulfilling right away, but when you are thoughtful

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<v Speaker 1>now about how you can build closeness, have fun, and

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<v Speaker 1>make memories on your trip, you set yourself up for

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<v Speaker 1>a really fulfilling experience as for self, may be seeing

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<v Speaker 1>an interesting art exhibit, finally talking with your doctor about

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<v Speaker 1>an issue that's been worrying you, or spending a morning

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<v Speaker 1>at a coffee shop setting intentions for the season.

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<v Speaker 2>Could all be fulfilling. These would not be just one

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<v Speaker 2>more scheduled commitment filling up your days. In addition to

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<v Speaker 2>planning meaningful experiences, another key to making your time fulfilling

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<v Speaker 2>is to be present for these experiences. That art exhibit

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<v Speaker 2>might not be fulfilling if the whole time you are

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<v Speaker 2>preoccupied with a work project. So pause ahead of time,

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<v Speaker 2>take a couple of deep breaths, and remind yourself why

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<v Speaker 2>you are there. This isn't just one more thing on

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<v Speaker 2>the calendar. There's a reason for it. Then you can

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<v Speaker 2>reflect on it afterwards. Remind yourself that you are doing

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<v Speaker 2>good things with your time. If you do this, I

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<v Speaker 2>bet that you will be able to look back on

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<v Speaker 2>a week that wasn't just filled, but was also fulfilling.

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<v Speaker 2>There is no point being busy just to be busy.

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<v Speaker 2>We want to create lives worth living in the meantime.

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<v Speaker 2>This is Laura.

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<v Speaker 1>Thanks for listening, and here's to making the most of

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<v Speaker 1>our time. Thanks for listening to Before Breakfast. If you've

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<v Speaker 1>got questions, ideas, or feedback, you can reach me at

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<v Speaker 1>Laura at Laura vandercam dot com. Before Breakfast is a

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<v Speaker 1>production of iHeartMedia. For more podcasts from iHeartMedia, please visit

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<v Speaker 1>the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to

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<v Speaker 1>your favorite shows.