April 5, 2024 • 6 mins
Go for quality when you use something repeatedly
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:03):
Welcome to Before Breakfast, a production of iHeartRadio. Good Morning.
Speaker 2 (00:11):
This is Laura. Welcome to the Before Breakfast podcast. Today's
tip is that better tools make tasks more fun. If
there is a task you do frequently, consider upgrading your tools.
In cases where it makes sense, the whole experience just
(00:33):
might become more pleasant. I really like notebooks, especially ones
where the lines are small, the cover is pretty, and
the paper has some tooth to it. I take a
lot of notes on things, and make a lot of
lists and come up with various ideas. And while it
(00:53):
seems silly, I am marginally more likely to jot things
down if my paper is nice. So when I can,
I try to use nice notebooks and pens and just
consider it money well spent. Similarly, since I work from home,
I wind up cooking myself breakfast and lunch basically every day.
(01:18):
It is nice to be able.
Speaker 1 (01:19):
To have a hot meal, and I have used various
pans over the years, but I finally bought a well
reviewed one that wasn't so expensive, but cooks evenly and
rents as clean with little fuss. That makes cooking my
eggs every morning feel a little bit more like a treat.
(01:42):
We all have tasks we do over and over again. Now,
no doubt some folks already splurge on the best of everything,
or already know what the best of everything is. But
if you are the dutiful sort who listens to this
kind of podcast, my guess is that you have a
strong tendency to make dew. That old garden hose is
(02:06):
perfectly fine. You can use the free pen they gave
you at the orthodontist. There is nothing wrong with making dew.
In many cases, it is a virtuous choice easier on
the earth. But if something needs to be a work
horse in your life, then consider that better tools can
(02:29):
make tasks feel far more enjoyable. Cleaning becomes a more
satisfying experience with good brushes and products that smell lovely.
You might take more thorough notes and refer to them
more frequently. If you use a good pen and note book.
(02:52):
It is easier to cook if scrubbing the pan afterwards
isn't a total pain. So take an audit of your
day and of your week and see what tools you
use frequently. For many people, that's a basic kitchen knife,
a pan, maybe scissors, dishbrushes, maybe something like a dog leash,
(03:19):
lunch box materials, if you pack. Maybe it's something like
a laptop for your side hustle or photo editing software.
Speaker 2 (03:28):
Maybe it's a spatula, washcloths, towels, or maybe it's your
washing machine and dryer.
Speaker 1 (03:36):
I know those get a hefty workout in my house.
If you've got a dog who sheds a lot and
you feel like you spend your life vacuuming, you want
a vacuum that sucks everything up and is a joy
to hold. If something subpar is a common cause of
annoyance and you are thinking of replacing it, reviews from
(04:00):
other users so you can find what really works. I've
had quite good luck with products recommended by Wirecutter, so
that is one place to check out. There are discussion
threads on Reddit unjust about anything, but in any case,
things we use repeatedly need to be up to the job.
(04:24):
The world is a big place. People are creative, so
often there are better products. As one example, when I
sing with my choir, I use a black choir folder
that has an extra chord on the bottom so it
stays open at the exact right angle. That is a
(04:48):
major improvement over me having to hold the folder open
at the exact right angle, and given that I spend
hours each week holding that folder open at choir practice,
that is actually a big deal. Better tools make tasks
more enjoyable, and the more time is spent enjoying things
(05:12):
rather than resenting them, the better off will all be.
In the meantime, this is Laura. Thanks for listening, and
here's to making the most of our time. Thanks for
(05:35):
listening to Before Breakfast. If you've got questions, ideas, or feedback,
you can reach me at Laura at Laura vandercam dot com.
Before Breakfast is a production of iHeartMedia. For more podcasts
from iHeartMedia, please visit the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or
(05:58):
wherever you listen to your favorite chess
Welcome to Before Breakfast, a production of iHeartRadio. Good Morning.
Speaker 2 (00:11):
This is Laura. Welcome to the Before Breakfast podcast. Today's
tip is that better tools make tasks more fun. If
there is a task you do frequently, consider upgrading your tools.
In cases where it makes sense, the whole experience just
(00:33):
might become more pleasant. I really like notebooks, especially ones
where the lines are small, the cover is pretty, and
the paper has some tooth to it. I take a
lot of notes on things, and make a lot of
lists and come up with various ideas. And while it
(00:53):
seems silly, I am marginally more likely to jot things
down if my paper is nice. So when I can,
I try to use nice notebooks and pens and just
consider it money well spent. Similarly, since I work from home,
I wind up cooking myself breakfast and lunch basically every day.
(01:18):
It is nice to be able.
Speaker 1 (01:19):
To have a hot meal, and I have used various
pans over the years, but I finally bought a well
reviewed one that wasn't so expensive, but cooks evenly and
rents as clean with little fuss. That makes cooking my
eggs every morning feel a little bit more like a treat.
(01:42):
We all have tasks we do over and over again. Now,
no doubt some folks already splurge on the best of everything,
or already know what the best of everything is. But
if you are the dutiful sort who listens to this
kind of podcast, my guess is that you have a
strong tendency to make dew. That old garden hose is
(02:06):
perfectly fine. You can use the free pen they gave
you at the orthodontist. There is nothing wrong with making dew.
In many cases, it is a virtuous choice easier on
the earth. But if something needs to be a work
horse in your life, then consider that better tools can
(02:29):
make tasks feel far more enjoyable. Cleaning becomes a more
satisfying experience with good brushes and products that smell lovely.
You might take more thorough notes and refer to them
more frequently. If you use a good pen and note book.
(02:52):
It is easier to cook if scrubbing the pan afterwards
isn't a total pain. So take an audit of your
day and of your week and see what tools you
use frequently. For many people, that's a basic kitchen knife,
a pan, maybe scissors, dishbrushes, maybe something like a dog leash,
(03:19):
lunch box materials, if you pack. Maybe it's something like
a laptop for your side hustle or photo editing software.
Speaker 2 (03:28):
Maybe it's a spatula, washcloths, towels, or maybe it's your
washing machine and dryer.
Speaker 1 (03:36):
I know those get a hefty workout in my house.
If you've got a dog who sheds a lot and
you feel like you spend your life vacuuming, you want
a vacuum that sucks everything up and is a joy
to hold. If something subpar is a common cause of
annoyance and you are thinking of replacing it, reviews from
(04:00):
other users so you can find what really works. I've
had quite good luck with products recommended by Wirecutter, so
that is one place to check out. There are discussion
threads on Reddit unjust about anything, but in any case,
things we use repeatedly need to be up to the job.
(04:24):
The world is a big place. People are creative, so
often there are better products. As one example, when I
sing with my choir, I use a black choir folder
that has an extra chord on the bottom so it
stays open at the exact right angle. That is a
(04:48):
major improvement over me having to hold the folder open
at the exact right angle, and given that I spend
hours each week holding that folder open at choir practice,
that is actually a big deal. Better tools make tasks
more enjoyable, and the more time is spent enjoying things
(05:12):
rather than resenting them, the better off will all be.
In the meantime, this is Laura. Thanks for listening, and
here's to making the most of our time. Thanks for
(05:35):
listening to Before Breakfast. If you've got questions, ideas, or feedback,
you can reach me at Laura at Laura vandercam dot com.
Before Breakfast is a production of iHeartMedia. For more podcasts
from iHeartMedia, please visit the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or
(05:58):
wherever you listen to your favorite chess
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Host
Laura Vanderkam
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