This is an I-Heart podcast.

Guaranteed Human.

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

Because 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 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

and your to-do list. Whenever you are doing something or 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 to your boss?

Why are you meeting a friend who lives 20 minutes away for a walk every Monday at 6 a.m.?

Why are you spending an hour and $90 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, maybe the weekly update email is intended to make sure your boss knows what you toward doing something more efficiently. For instance, maybe the weekly update email is

...