Why am I doing this?

Just because something is on your calendar or to-do list doesn't mean it's wise to do

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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 get clear on why you are doing
what you are doing, especially if you're feeling stretched. Because

(00:25):
it is on my schedule or because it is on
my to do list may not be an adequate reason
to do much of anything, So get clear on what
the real reason is. When we get busy, it is
tempting just to focus on what is immediately in front
of us. We march through the day's schedule, going from

(00:47):
meeting to meeting, doing whatever tasks we immediately need to do.
But if you are feeling like you have more on
your plate than you'd like to right now, it is
probably wise to step back and see if all the
things keeping you busy are actually moving you somewhere you
would like to go. To do this, audit your schedule

(01:10):
and your to do list. Whenever you are doing something
or are about to do something, ask yourself, why am
I doing this. If you are not sure why, or
if the results aren't worth the effort, you could consider
whether you want to adjust. For instance, why are you
spending an hour every Friday writing a weekly email update

(01:31):
to your boss. Why are you meeting a friend who
lives twenty minutes away for a walk every Monday at
six am? Why are you spending an hour and ninety
dollars taking tennis lessons every week? Why are you going
to visit your dad at the retirement home on Saturday.
Sometimes your answer to the question why am I doing
this may point you toward doing something more efficiently. For instance,

(01:56):
maybe the weekly update email is intended to make sure
your boss knows what what you're doing. That's probably wise. However,
you could also make the email shorter, with just two
bulleted lists projects completed this week and projects in process.
You're still accomplishing the goal, but in less time, and
my guess is that your manager is probably going to

(02:18):
appreciate the brevity. Sometimes the reason you're doing something may
be that the activity made sense in the past, but
you need to figure out how to make it make
sense right now. Perhaps you and your walking buddy you
still live closer to each other. You had to get
home in time to get your kids ready for daycare
drop off. Six a m was the time that fit

(02:40):
in your schedule, but now you live in a different neighborhood.
You and your friend both work remotely, your kids are older.
Could you walk over your lunch breaks on a weekday
and alternate walking in your neighborhood one week and hers
the next. You're still getting physical activity and time with
your friend, but you cut the driving time in half

(03:01):
and eliminated the need for an early wake up. Sometimes
you may realize that what you're doing just doesn't make
sense anymore. If you are not enjoying your tennis lessons,
you could quit and use the time and money for
something else. Other times, the question might reconnect you with
the purpose of the activity. For example, you are visiting

(03:25):
your father because you really want to spend time with him,
and visiting him regularly is a good way to do that.
Reminding yourself of this can help you assure yourself that
taking time to do this over the weekend is, in fact,
the best way you could be spending your time. Everything
else can wait. When you ask yourself why am I

(03:47):
doing this? You can prompt yourself to be more intentional
about your schedule. If there's a good reason, you're doing
something amazing, and if you don't have a good reason
for doing something, you have the power to adjust that
will make time feel a bit less like being on
a hamster wheel. If you try auditing your schedule and

(04:11):
to do list by asking why am I doing this?
I'd love to hear what you learn. You can reach
me at Laura at Laura vandercam dot com. In the meantime,
this is Laura. Thanks for listening, and here's to making
the most of our time. Thanks for listening to Before Breakfast.

(04:39):
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 podcasts, or wherever you listen

(05:01):
to your favorite shows.