Start the wait

If you'll need to wait for something or someone else, start the wait as soon as possible

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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 that, when finishing a task or a project
will involve some waiting time, start the wait as soon

(00:24):
as possible. That way, projects won't run way longer than
you think they should. Sometimes, before you can cross a
task off your list, someone else has to do their
part while you wait for it. This is common in
work or volunteer projects that are like a relay race,

(00:45):
with each person doing their part and then passing it
on to the next person. Even for independent projects, if
you need to get approval or feedback from a boss
or colleague, there's often waiting involved. I'm also reminded all
too frequently of the need to wait before I can
make a quick meal if that quick meal involves a

(01:08):
preheated oven or a pot of boiling water. It is
also common to wait when you are a customer, like
if you order an item and have to wait for
it to be delivered, or if you call the cable
company or airline but have to wait on hold for
a long time before you can talk with a representative.

(01:29):
Life features a lot of waiting, so when you know
you will need to wait, and especially if you don't
know exactly how long you will need to wait, it
is wise to start the wait as soon as possible.
For most things, it is fine to be done earlier.
Will you be upset if your passport comes long before

(01:52):
your international vacation, No you will not. But will you
be upset if you are waiting for it to come
and you're getting closer and closer to your departure, Yes,
yes you will. So best to get that renewal going
as soon as you know a trip's on the horizon. Likewise,

(02:15):
if you will be dealing with customer service, call the
cable company before you start unloading the dishwasher and folding
your laundry. I know I like to put those calls off,
But the good news is you can let the music
be your soundtrack for your chores and till you finally
get through. Then you won't have to let that wait

(02:36):
cut into the time you hope to be doing other things.
If you know what you are getting people for Christmas,
then order those gifts before Thanksgiving. Movies and football games
are fun, as Neil Biers, your work as Santa's helper
not so much at work, you can save yourself a

(02:56):
lot of stress by passing the baton to other people
as soon as you can and when you know you're
going to need their approval or feedback. Just be sure
you communicate about when you need the work back to
you so you can complete it before the deadline. As
for the boiling water and preheated oven, you can start

(03:18):
them as soon as you get home from work, or
as soon as you think about dinner time if you
work from home. If you have a long commute and
another person is home before you ask them to get
things going so you can walk in the door and
start cooking. I cannot explain why it takes so long
to get pasta water boiling or an oven up to

(03:39):
temperature when you are waiting for these things to happen,
but you know it does, so start the weight. Laundry
tends to feel a little less urgent than dinner prep,
but start the wash as soon as you can too.
If you're spending a morning tidying or cleaning, make putting
clothes in your washeror your first step so the washer

(04:02):
and dryer can do their work well you are doing yours,
and the clothes will be ready for folding whenever you are.
When you start the weight early, the ball will be
back in your court sooner. While you're waiting, you can
move on to other things. Then, when the weight is over,
you will have time to finish the project without cutting

(04:24):
into all the other things you would rather be doing
in the meantime. This is Laura. Thanks for listening, and
here's to making the most of our time. Thanks for

(04:45):
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

(05:08):
wherever you listen to your favorite shows.