Would you swap?

This is an iHeart podcast, guaranteed human.

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.

Welcome to Before Breakfast, a production of iHeart Radio.

Good morning. This is Laura. Welcome to the Before Breakfast podcast.

Today's tip is that when you feel impatient or irritated with another person,

consider whether you would want to swap situations with them.

Often thinking about what they might be dealing with can nudge us toward a little more empathy,

or at least suggest more effective ways of communicating with them.

So I recently heard of a person complaining about an interaction with a difficult colleague,

but then saying, I wouldn't want to swap inboxes with her.

In other words, yes, the person is a pain to work with,

but she has a job that is often tedious and difficult, and her inbox is one headache after another.

So perhaps she warns a little compassion. I think it is a good mindset in general.

When someone is behaving badly, think, would you want to swap with them?

I sometimes get irritated when someone honks or does something rude while driving,

but I try to think, well, hey, I am driving back to my beautiful family and my beautiful home,

and I have no idea what that person is so upset with in life, but I have no good reason to be.

Wouldn't want to swap. When you are frustrated with your interactions with someone,

it might help to imagine you had their inbox, their to-do list,

their calendar, their irritations, their stresses.

That person who is curt at the store may have been dealing with rude customers all day.

The stressed physician may have just been delivering bad news to three patients in a row,

right before you. That doesn't mean it's okay to be grumpy or impatient,

but if you pictured yourself swapping situations with the person,

you might feel pretty irritated with the world as well.

Even people you know reasonably well can have their trials. You might actually know more about

these when you think about it. It is annoying to hear from a former colleague exactly twice a year,

and always when she needs something from you. But hey, it would be frustrating to have gone

through a series of jobs in rapid succession, and to be repeatedly doing this networking

from a place of need. You wouldn't want to swap with that situation.

Realizing that will probably nudge you to help if you can.

If nothing else, asking what it would be like to swap with a person might give you ideas

for better communication. For instance, if your kids are grown up, but a colleague has three children,

ages six and under, who need to be delivered to separate day careism before school programs each day.

You might recognize that swapping your morning routines would make you stressed too.

This is not the time to be texting your colleague with last minute requests for your 9am meeting.

Best to get those in the day before. If you know someone gets a ton of email,

if you picture yourself with that inbox, you'd know that you would want six sync messages

with the question in the subject line. So send those kinds of emails to that person.

We can never understand another person's experience fully, but when we give a little thought

to what it could be like to swap with them, we may find ourselves being more patient,

and perhaps more effective. Those are always good things.

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 listen to your favorite shows.

Hey listeners, as you enter a new year, think about what your year of you might look like,

especially if earning a degree is part of your goals.

National University makes it possible, with flexible online formats, short courses,

and monthly starts. From now through March 31st, you can apply for National University's

Year of U Scholarship, which offers up to $6,000 each year for eligible bachelors and master's

programs. With over 150 different degrees, credentials, and certificates to choose from,

they have the program that fits your career goals. Learn more today at nu.edu.

Ryan Reynolds here from MidMobile, the message for everyone paying big wireless way too much.

Please, for the love of everything goodness world, stop. With Mid, you can get premium wireless

for just $15 a month. Of course, if you enjoy overpay no judgments, but that's weird.

Okay, one judgment. Anyway, give it a try at midmobile.com slash switch.

Up front payment of $45 for three month plan, equivalent to $15 per month required,

intro rate for three months only, then full price plan options available, taxes and fees extra,

see full terms at midmobile.com. This is an iHeart podcast. Guaranteed human.