Have a back-up task

Figure out what you'll do if something gets canceled

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:03):
Welcome to Before Breakfast, a production of iHeartRadio. Good Morning,
This is Laura. Welcome to the Before Breakfast podcast. Today's
tip is to know what you could get done if
you have unexpected free time. Just like you have a

(00:23):
backup slot to make sure you have time available for
important activities, it is wise to have a backup task
so you can put your time to good use even
if what you are planning to do doesn't happen. Today's
tip comes from a participant in my September reset project.
She realized that she wanted to have a backup task

(00:45):
in mind in case an appointment canceled. I really love
that idea. Without a backup task planned, when something cancels
and we don't know what to do, it's easy to
end up processing email, tidying the house, or doing something
else that feels productive but probably doesn't need to consume
more time than it already is. With a little forethought, though,

(01:09):
you can be ready to pivot to a backup task
when an appointment cancels or unexpected free time comes up.
At work, you could have a list of professional development
tasks that would help you build your skills. Then, when
you have unexpected free time, you could spend it learning.
You could create a spreadsheet listing learning opportunities, videos you

(01:29):
want to watch, articles you want to read. Then when
you pursue one of the opportunities, you could note the date,
a few words about what you learned, plus any ideas
for how you can apply your insights to your work.
Another natural place to look for a backup task is
your task list for to tomorrow or the tasks you
have slated for later in the day. This lets you

(01:52):
get a little ahead. I love to plow through these
small tasks I have on my list for the next day.
Then when I start work the next morning, all that
is waiting for me are the big projects that I
know I really should spend my time doing. If you
are in a role where a lot of your meetings
get canceled, you might want to regularly tea up projects

(02:13):
to have on hand. This might mean looking ahead in
your calendar and identifying big projects you can start early.
You could also develop ideas for speculative projects work your
boss has an assigned to you, but that you think
could be beneficial to you or your company. Speculative work
is great to work on when time presents itself because
it's likely to be something you're excited about, but there

(02:35):
is no deadline to add pressure. After all, nobody is
expecting it. I think it's a good idea to have
back up tasks for non work time too. What will
you do if your friend with the tricky work schedule
cancels your plans for a midweek lunch when you are
already getting ready to go to the restaurant. What about
if you end up waiting a long time for a

(02:55):
doctor's appointment. What if you are planning to pick up
your daughter from a friend's house after your yoga class,
but the host asks if you can delay by an
hour so the kids can finish a puzzle. Most of
us just pick up our phones and start reading headlines
or looking at social media posts. But my guess is
that if you thought about it, you could come up

(03:17):
with something else to do with this time that might
be more productive and fulfilling. So if you are trying
to squeeze more productivity out of your days, or if
you often find yourself annoyed when plans change, consider planning
backup tasks. You can avoid spinning your wheels or feeling
grumpy when your schedule changes. Unexpectedly. In the meantime, this

(03:43):
is Laura. Thanks for listening, and here's to making the
most of our time. Thanks for 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

(04:12):
is a production of iHeartMedia. For more podcasts from iHeartMedia,
please visit the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you
listen to your favorite shows.