Second Cup: You don't need more time

Find more discretionary time, even in a busy life

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Welcome to Before Breakfast, a production of iHeartRadio. Good Morning,
This is Laura. Welcome to the Before Breakfast podcast. Today's
tip is that you probably don't need more time in

(00:20):
order to do the things you want to do. Instead
of looking for more time, change up how you're spending
your time Now you might be surprised at what can fit. So.
Today's tip is inspired by the fact that this episode
is first airing on leap Day. Every four years, we

(00:41):
get an extra day in the calendar in order to
make the calendar match up more closely with the Earth's
trip around the Sun. Six hours a year may not
seem like much, but in one hundred years, that is
twenty five days, and in four hundred years the seasons
would be completely shift. Did so smart move calendar authorities

(01:05):
In any case, every four years. After I pause to
note this astronomical wisdom, I also have a different thought,
which is that I have lost track of how many
folks have expressed the wish for more time if only
I had an extra hour in the day. Well, if

(01:25):
you are awake for sixteen hours on leap Day, that
is the equivalent of scoring an extra hour in the
day for more than half of a month. Your wish
is granted for a little over two weeks. But do
people do anything amazing with late February or early March
as a result, As you have probably ascertained looking at

(01:50):
yourself and everyone around you, the answer is no. We
just fold the day into our usual routines and fill
it with the usual stuff, do what we have to do.
What people mean when they say they wish they had
an extra hour in the day is an extra hour
that is both discretionary, no boss, no family responsibilities, and

(02:13):
that involves a high level of energy and, to be honest,
shows us at our best. During that extra hour in
the day. We are not going to watch videos on
TikTok oh no. During that hour, we are reading quality literature,
or writing a novel, or meditating, or completing those personal
projects that we keep claiming we really want to do.

(02:35):
I am not sure I could make anyone be their
best self, but if you do want more discretionary time,
then there are probably ways to get it. If you
have some paid time off at work, or even unpaid time.
If you've got savings, then maybe you can build that
into your work calendar and spend a day while the
kids are at school doing whatever you want. If you

(02:57):
spend a lot of your non work time on only responsibilities,
then maybe you can take a little break from this.
On occasion, trade off a Saturday each month with your
partner so each of you gets a full day for
solar pursuits, or swap with a friend or relative to

(03:17):
achieve the same thing, or maybe the time could appear
other places these days. On Tuesday and Thursday mornings, my
big kids are out of the house with my husband
around seven o'clock. My little guys often aren't up until
close to eight. I could use this time to work,

(03:38):
but often I don't. I sit with my coffee and
enjoy looking out the window during this quiet morning time.
I read what I feel like reading. None of this
requires extra time. It requires using the time that we have.
Getting an extra day in the year does not by

(04:00):
itself change much For most people. Time is about choices,
So if you'd like to spend time differently, figure that
out and make it happen. In the meantime. This is Laura.
Thanks for listening, and here's to making the most of

(04:23):
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 is a

(04:46):
production of iHeartMedia. For more podcasts from iHeartMedia, please visit
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