Change the order

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Welcome to Before Breakfast,

a production of iHeart Radio.

Good morning.

This is Laura.

Welcome to the Before Breakfast Podcast.

Today's tip is to change the order.

Sometimes by shifting the order of things you do frequently,

you can make your schedule just a little bit more efficient.

So I will confess that these days,

I am not usually conditioning my hair in the shower.

I just kind of gave up on that.

But years ago, when I cared more about such things,

I got frustrated that a lot of conditioners said

you were supposed to leave them in your hair

for a few minutes.

I would get in the shower, soak up,

and then do shampoo and then conditioner.

And at that point, I was kind of just sitting there,

burning time.

Then of course, I realized that there was no reason

I had to do my various shower tasks in that order.

By starting with shampooing and conditioning,

the conditioner would be sitting in my hair

while I was washing everything else.

That would take at least a minute or two,

so I'd be getting that time in

before rinsing everything off.

Much more efficient.

There are often small efficiencies to be gained

by switching the order of things.

For instance, many mornings I fry myself two eggs.

Eggs fry better if the pan is heated first.

I used to pull the eggs out of the fridge first

because hey, the task is frying eggs.

So it seemed like pulling the eggs out

should be the first step.

Then I would turn on the stove and wait.

But then I realized that if I started heating up

the pan on the stove and then pulled out the eggs

from the fridge, it would be hot enough to crack them on there.

By the time I brought my two eggs over to the pan.

Now, to be sure, I sometimes make fun

of little hacks like this.

It's not like if everything else was chaotic.

That switching the order of steps in my egg frying habit

would change anything about my life.

Getting that one minute back isn't necessarily

all that big a win if you are, say,

mindlessly spending hours scrolling online

instead of pursuing hobbies or hanging out

with friends and family.

But on the other hand, with things that are done repeatedly

and especially steps that are part

of a getting ready routine in the morning,

saving little bits of time can add up.

Showering two minutes more efficiently

might mean you could set your alarm two minutes later.

Add in a saved minute on breakfast

and we are looking at three minutes.

It isn't a lot, but it isn't nothing either

to get 15 extra minutes of sleep during the work week.

As you think about your schedule,

is there some place where you could change the order

in order to make your life a little more efficient?

Maybe it's emptying the dishwasher

while your coffee is brewing.

You're already in the kitchen just hanging out, right?

Maybe it's brushing your teeth

or putting on your makeup

while your curling iron is heating up

instead of in a different order.

I am fascinated by how sometimes

larger organizations change the order of things too.

I've heard of a number of schools

where they actually have kids go outside to play

right before lunch rather than after.

The idea is that you can build up an appetite

and you don't rush through lunch

just so you can go outside to play.

Some schools serve breakfast in kids first period classes.

So there is no need to send people

through the cafeteria before school.

It can be rushed if people are late

and teens certainly don't like to get up earlier

than they have to in any case.

Switching the order means more sleep

and possibly even more instructional time.

When would it make sense for you

to change up the order of routine things?

If you think about your daily schedule,

maybe there is a scenario where it makes sense.

I have started exercising in the evening sometimes

because it turns out there's no reason

I have to do it before my kids get home from school anymore.

They do not need constant supervision.

Life can change and the order of things can change

and it is good to realize when this is true.

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.

If you've got questions, ideas, or feedback,

you can reach me at Laura at LauraVandercam.com.

Before Breakfast is a production of iHeart Media.

For more podcasts from iHeart Media,

please visit the iHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts,

or wherever you want to go.

Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to your favorite shows.

Hey listeners, as we begin a new year,

it's a great opportunity to think about

what your year of you could look like,

especially if going back to school is one of your goals.

Today's tip is powered by National University,

an institution built around helping busy professionals

make progress without sacrificing their priorities.

National University's flexible online formats,

four and eight week courses, and monthly class starts,

let you start sooner, finish faster, and learn on your schedule.

And right now they're offering the year of you scholarship,

providing up to $6,000 each year

for eligible bachelor's and master's students

who apply by March 31st.

With more than 150 degrees, credentials,

and certificates available,

NU has a program that aligns with your next step.

Start your year strong at nu.edu.

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This is an I Heart Podcast.

Guaranteed Human.