Time confetti can be Funfetti

0:03 Welcome to Before Breakfast, a production of iHeartRadio. Good morning. This is Laura. Welcome to the Before Breakfast podcast. Today's tip is to use the little bits of time in your schedule for something fun. You may have heard the term time confetti, which is coined by Bridget Schulte to refer to the short periods of time in a busy schedule that aren't spoken for. You do have free time, let's say five minutes while waiting for the carpool, but it is distributed in such a way that makes it hard to use those minutes intentionally. Now, long-time listeners of this show know that there are ways you can use these bits of time. Many of us have two- to five-minute tasks that we can plow through in our time confetti,

0:59 from making a dentist appointment to texting a relative happy birthday, to paying a bill. I am also a fan of using time confetti for wellness, perhaps meditating, deep breathing, stretching, or going for a quick walk. Even looking out the window during a three-minute break can make time feel more spacious.

1:24 But today's tip is a little different. If you notice small bits of time in your schedule, Make a conscious choice to use these minutes for something fun. Time confetti can be funfetti. Think about those funfetti cakes containing rainbow sprinkles. It's celebration and delight on a plate. Wouldn't you like your free time to feel like that? So when you have a little gap in your schedule, see if you can create a moment of pure fun. You could play a game like Wordle or Ardle or Spelling Bee. You could play a happy song and even dance to it or sing with it if you're home alone. You could watch a funny video. Search the internet for silly cat videos or cute baby videos or whatever would make you smile.

2:18 I'm guessing you will find an almost endless supply. Some are better than others for sure. But the point of those videos is to make you laugh. And laughing is probably going to be more appealing than feeling rage at whatever the algorithm dishes up. You could text a friend a photo that brings back a happy memory. Or you could remind her of an inside joke that will make both of you laugh. You could doodle or make an origami heart. You could blow bubbles outside or look through a kaleidoscope at your desk. You could play fetch with your dog. When you have an annoying gap in your schedule that is too short to use for something big, think about what would make your time confetti feel like funfetti.

3:12 Give yourself permission to play. Using time confetti for fun is especially valuable on days when you could really use a pick-me-up. A small amount of time spent playing can give you a big boost. in your mood and energy. And hey, since most of us probably weren't using this time confetti for anything else productive, having a little fun won't leave you feeling behind. In the meantime, this is Laura.

3:49 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 iHeartMedia. For more podcasts from iHeartMedia, please visit the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to your favorite shows.

4:31 Thank you.