Take back your time 2020 - Think addition, not subtraction

Ask yourself what you’d like to spend more time doing

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:03):
Welcome to Before Breakfast, a production of my Heart Radio.
Good Morning. This is Laura. Welcome to the Before Breakfast podcast.
Today's tip is the second in a five part series
on how to take control of your time in the
new year. This week, I'll be talking about five strategies

(00:24):
that I know will help you feel less busy and
get more done because they've definitely helped me. The first
tip was to track your time. The second tip is
to add before you subtract. Here's what I mean when
it comes to time. We spend a lot of time
and effort thinking about what we'd like to spend less

(00:46):
time doing, and it makes sense on some level if
we can shave bits of time off things that don't matter,
it seems like we'll have all kinds of time for
the good stuff. And that's the theory behind the vast
major already of time hacks I read online. I keep
looking at these articles hoping I'm going to find some
life changing strategy that will help me find hours in

(01:08):
the day I didn't know existed. But then the tips
are always things like, if you need to microwave something
for about twenty seconds, you can save time by pressing
to two instead of to zero. I mean, come on,
do people think we're really going to build amazing lives
by saving a few seconds here and there? Is hitting
to zero on the microwave instead of T two keeping

(01:31):
you from greatness? I doubt it. I believe this advice
has it completely backward. We don't build the lives we
want by saving time. We build the lives we want
and then time saves itself. So instead I want you
to focus on addition rather than subtraction. Hopefully this week

(01:53):
you're tracking your time. But whether you are or you aren't,
ask yourself this question, what would you like to spend
more time doing? What isn't in your life that you'd
like to see there? What are you doing once or
twice a week, or for a few minutes that you'd
like to do a lot more of what makes you
happiest and most energized. Take a few minutes today to

(02:16):
think about this and make a list. Then choose one
item on the list that seems doable. Maybe you enjoy
reading crime novels. Maybe you like to take walks outside
in the middle of the day. Maybe you enjoy playing
with your dogs in the backyard. Whatever it is, figure
this out and challenge yourself to spend one more hour

(02:38):
in the next few days doing this. When could this happen?
What logistics do you need to take care of? If
a whole hour in one chunk isn't appropriate, maybe think
about smaller chunks. But I'm guessing you can find the
time somewhere. Maybe you make sure you have a really
good crime novel and you set non alarm for thirty

(02:59):
minutes before bed to read it. Do that for two
days and you've gotten your hour in. Or when you're
puttering around after work, go grab the dogs and go
outside with your frisbee. And then as you build in
this hour, something magical happens. The stuff you don't want
to do, the stuff we look for life hacks to

(03:21):
trim just naturally takes less time. When I'm deeply absorbed
in a writing project, I've spend less time in my inbox.
I do this regardless of whether I am using some
email hack like typing k instead of okay in my emails.
Best to make time for the writing rather than ditch

(03:41):
the letter. Oh so, what will you add into your life?
You can let me know before Breakfast podcast at ihart
media dot com. In the meantime, this is Laura. Thanks
for listening and here's to making the most of our time.
M Hey everybody, I'd love to hear from you. You

(04:05):
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 the number four, then
Breakfast p o D. You can also shoot me an
email at Before Breakfast podcast at i heeart media dot
com that Before Breakfast is spelled out with all the letters.

(04:28):
Thanks so much, I look forward to staying in touch.
Before Breakfast is a production of I Heart Radio. For
more podcasts from my heart Radio, visit the i heart
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