Second Cup: Reimagine happy hour

Do what makes you happy after work

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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 reimagine happy hour. Any fun activity that
you do to signal the end of the workday can

(00:24):
be a happy hour, and hanging out in a bar
is far from the only option. So this summer we
finally got the pool in our new house working, so
some days around four PM I end work at least
for a while and take a kid or two into
the pool with me. Especially with the older kids, this

(00:46):
can be kind of relaxing and it's nice to get
outside and enjoy the summer weather. It's something to look
forward to and a motivator to finish up work as
quickly as possible. It's a happy hour, just in a
different sense. Similarly, there are all sorts of ways to

(01:08):
end work on a happy note, especially in summer. Maybe
it's a long bike ride just as the air is
getting cooler if you bite to work. Maybe you can
take a slightly less direct way home and enjoy a
little recreational riding even as you're going from place to place.

(01:28):
Maybe you and a few work friends aim to end
work around four thirty and go for a relaxing walk
before everyone needs to commute home to families and other responsibilities.
Maybe you could check local listings and find some outdoor
concerts or fairs. Stopping by a farmer's market would be
a great way to transition out of work, see some

(01:50):
fun sights and smells, and pick up something that will
make dinner a lot more fun. Even a regular workout
could change up for the sum If you are a
member of a gym with a pool, you could go
swim laps around four thirty or so as a way
to wash away the day's stresses and still make it

(02:11):
home in time to cook dinner. Convince a few friends
to meet you at a board game cafe and play
something with more of a time limit. I'm not thinking
Monopoly here, and you could have a little fun without
staying out late. Life is better when we are intentional
about it. Many people do have some control over their

(02:33):
work hours, and by being organized about getting the big
stuff done early and leaving space for things to come up,
it is often possible to end at a reasonable hour.
If that is the case, then you might be able
to buy yourself thirty to sixty minutes before you need

(02:54):
to get started on the rest of your day. At
least on some days, if day can pickup is at
five thirty, you could work right up until five twenty
and race over. Or maybe you could plan your workday
very well at least on occasion, end at four thirty
and get over there at five twenty, still earlier than

(03:15):
you were going to be there, and you can enjoy
forty minutes or so for whatever leisure would make you
feel most relaxed. And of course there's nothing wrong with
a more traditional happy hour either. It might be fun
to have a few friends meet at an outdoor space
like a beer garden for some summer fun. The point

(03:36):
is intentional socializing and enjoying time. Summer is a great
time to reimagine happy hour, but the most important thing
is to have some happy time after work, whatever that
happens to look like. In the meantime, this is Laura.

(03:57):
Thanks for listening, and here's to me 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

(04:18):
Before Breakfast Pod. That's b E. The number four then
Breakfast pod. You can also shoot me an email at
Before Breakfast Podcasts at iHeartMedia dot com that before Breakfast
is spelled out with all the letters. Thanks so much,
should I look forward to staying in touch. Before Breakfast

(04:43):
is a production of iHeartRadio. For more podcasts from iHeartRadio,
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