Budgeting Transition Time Prevents Stress and Improves Outcomes
TL;DR
- Budgeting time for transitions, beyond financial costs, prevents frantic feelings and allows for smoother adaptation to new routines and schedules.
- Underestimating transition time, such as for a child attending college, leads to over-scheduling and stress, whereas planning creates capacity for unexpected demands.
- Job changes require significant onboarding time for new routines and training, impacting organizational productivity and necessitating realistic expectations for new hires.
- Recognizing that transitions inherently reduce immediate efficiency encourages proactive schedule management, potentially involving outsourcing tasks to accommodate new demands.
- Failing to budget for transition time forces borrowing from essential needs like sleep, negatively impacting well-being and the success of the transition itself.
Deep Dive
Major life changes, from moving to new jobs to children starting college, demand significant time investments beyond their obvious financial costs. Failing to budget for these transition periods leads to frantic activity, reduced efficiency, and diminished happiness. Organizations also recognize the substantial time and managerial energy required for onboarding, understanding that reducing employee turnover directly impacts the bottom line.
Transitions, whether large or small, invariably consume far more time than initially anticipated. Moving, for instance, involves not only the financial outlay for movers and potential repairs but also the substantial time needed to supervise the process, unpack, update documentation, and establish new routines. Similarly, a child starting college, while financially planned for, requires parents to allocate time for orientation events, move-in days, and subsequent visits, all of which disrupt established schedules. Starting a new job also necessitates dedicating time to learning new systems, meeting colleagues, and updating professional networks, underscoring the impossibility of anyone truly "hitting the ground running."
Recognizing that transitions require dedicated time allows for greater patience with oneself and the situation, enabling smoother adjustments. To accommodate these periods, individuals may need to limit other commitments or outsource routine tasks to free up mental and temporal space. This proactive planning prevents the common tendency to borrow time from essential activities like sleep, ultimately leading to a more positive and efficient transition experience.
Action Items
- Build personal transition buffer: Allocate 10-20% of scheduled time for unexpected demands during life changes.
- Create transition plan template: Define 5 key areas (financial, logistical, social, informational, emotional) for future life changes.
- Track time costs for 3 recent transitions: Quantify time spent on unpacking, scheduling, and administrative tasks post-event.
- Evaluate 2-3 upcoming transitions: Proactively identify potential time sinks and adjust existing commitments accordingly.
Key Quotes
"Transitions almost always require money, but they also require a lot of time too. So you are wise to be prepared for both possibilities."
Laura argues that transitions, whether large or small, demand both financial and temporal resources. She emphasizes that while people often focus on the monetary costs, neglecting the time investment can lead to a feeling of being overwhelmed. Laura suggests that acknowledging and planning for both aspects is crucial for a smoother experience.
"Sometimes people are less likely to consider the time costs of transitions like this, but they are substantial. You'll need to supervise the movers and move smaller things yourself and unpack at least some of the things on the other end. You'll need to change your address and possibly your driver's license and other documents like that."
Laura highlights that the time commitment associated with transitions is frequently underestimated. She provides concrete examples, such as overseeing movers, handling personal belongings, and managing administrative tasks like address changes. Laura points out that these activities, while less tangible than financial expenses, significantly contribute to the overall burden of a transition.
"If you do, though, then you will be happier and you will be able to make the transition happen more smoothly than if you are constantly borrowing time from, say, sleep, to make it all work."
Laura explains that proactively budgeting time for transitions leads to a more positive outcome. She contrasts this with the detrimental practice of sacrificing essential needs like sleep to manage transition-related tasks. Laura concludes that this foresight results in greater personal well-being and a more seamless adjustment process.
"Indeed, onboarding new employees takes so much time and managerial energy that anything organizations do to reduce turnover tends to go straight to the bottom line. But if you are starting something new, it's pointless to pretend that anyone truly hits the ground running. Everything requires some transition time. You will need to plan for that."
Laura points out that even in a professional context, new roles require a period of adjustment. She notes that organizations recognize the significant time and energy involved in onboarding, as it impacts employee retention and profitability. Laura asserts that individuals starting new jobs should anticipate this need for transition time rather than expecting immediate full productivity.
Resources
External Resources
Articles & Papers
- "Budget time for transitions" (Before Breakfast) - Discussed as the central theme for managing life changes.
People
- Laura - Host of the Before Breakfast podcast.
- Sophie Cunningham - Mentioned as being from Show Me Something.
Organizations & Institutions
- iHeart Radio - Producer of the Before Breakfast podcast.
- State Farm - Sponsor mentioned in the introduction.
- Lilly - Mentioned as a medicine company providing information.
Websites & Online Resources
- omnystudio.com/listener - Provided for privacy information.
- LGUSA.com/iHeart - Website for seasonal savings on LG Gram laptops.
- don'tsleeponosa.com - Website to learn more about obstructive sleep apnea.
Other Resources
- Windows 10 - Mentioned as a Microsoft product for which support has ended.
- Windows 11 - Mentioned as an operating system that provides free security updates and feature upgrades.
- Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) - Discussed as a serious medical condition with specific symptoms.