Plan your exit

Save time by thinking about how you’ll leave

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:03):
Welcome to Before Breakfast, a production of I Heart Radio.
Good Morning. This is Laura. Welcome to the Before Breakfast podcast.
Today's tip is to plan your exit, I mean your
actual physical exit from things, though we'll discuss the importance
of planning endings in general in future episodes. I know

(00:26):
as I'm recording this that many of us haven't gone
to big events in a while, but someday we will.
By thinking through the logistics of leaving, you can save
yourself all kinds of time. I tracked my time, and
I've realized over the years that I have spent some
non zero quantity of time stuck in the parking lot
by the Eagle Stadium. A few years ago, on an

(00:47):
early May Day, my husband and I parked there to
run the Broad Street ten mile race. Afterwards, the reality
of many thousands of runners running with us meant that
we spent longer trying to leave the parking than we
did running. And we're not that fast. My ten year
old son has asked for Eagles tickets for the past
few years for his birthday. Let's just say that you

(01:09):
either need to leave at halftime or plan on leaving
at least ninety minutes after the event, because otherwise you
will go nowhere fast, or at least you might go
newhere fast, but not if you take before breakfast listener
Lisa's Advice. Lisa wrote in that when I have a
choice at events, I plan my exit. If I'm going
to a concert, large event, grocery shopping, I do not

(01:32):
take the first available space. I keep driving, noticing the
exit signs, and park in a spot that is heading
in the right direction and in front of everyone else
that will be leaving at the same time. This has
saved so much time after events. She's absolutely right, and
also right that most of us don't think about this.

(01:53):
When we go to big events were likely running late.
We're eager to find parking, so we take whatever spot
we see. We feel excited if it looks like we're
relatively close to the venue. We don't even think about
the direction of traffic or of heading over to the
downside of the parking garage. And then when we leave,
with tens of thousands of other people, we learned that

(02:14):
we'll be looping around the lot or the garage, or
having to turn left or something else that will add
a frustratingly long block of time At the end. That's
especially annoying when all you want to do is go
home parked by the exit, and this won't be the case.
Or you could be really smart about your exits by
skipping the parking altogether. We finally solve the issue of

(02:37):
epic exits at Eagles games by taking uber to the stadium,
catching the subway after the game to head a few
stops farther north, then catching an uber there in some
other neighborhood, far away from the crowds. This past fall,
my son and I were home in less time than
it took us to travel one hundred yards in our
car the year before. We were feeling very good that

(02:58):
we'd planned our exit. I know that many people aren't
going many places these days, especially not places with crowds.
But the next time in the future, when you do
go somewhere with lots of other people, really think through
the exit situation. What choices will enable you to leave quickly?
A little thought can save you ours. In the meantime,

(03:20):
This is Laura, Thanks for listening, and here's to making
the most of our time. Hey, everybody, I'd love to
hear from you. You can send me your tips, your
questions or anything else. Just connect with me on Twitter,
Facebook and Instagram at Before Breakfast Pod. That's b E

(03:44):
the number four, then Breakfast p o D. You can
also shoot me an email at Before Breakfast podcast at
iHeart media dot com that Before Breakfast is spelled out
with all the letters. Thanks so much, I look forward
to staying in touch. Before Breakfast is a production of

(04:06):
I heart Radio. For more podcasts from I heart Radio,
visit the i heart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever
you listen to your favorite shows. H