How to put the POWER back into your hours

If you’ve been a fan, follower, or fellow student of all things related to self-development, you are no stranger to the term, power hours. And in case you are not so familiar with this go-to time management hack, it’s essentially setting aside an hour for specifically assigned tasks.

I have a lot to say about time management and the myth that I believe that it is, but you can poke around these parts to see all I’ve said about that 😜 or start with this 👇guide.

But, for this post, I’m going to add my two cents and tips on how to set yourself up for productive power hours. If you’re new to rolling with me, you should know that I’m a fun mix of being powerfully productive and an active procrastinator. (check out my tips for how to productively procrastinate here 🤣) All I’m trying to say is that I’m doing my best to share my progress propelling tips, tools, and resources with other goal-getters like you.

The missing ingredient in your secret sauce for success, may not be what you think.

Since I mentioned that I’m a bit of a mix myself, let’s talk about mixing. When it comes to goal-getting, you have got to get comfortable with mixing things up.

You see, we love to stay in our comfy, comfort zones. They feel safe, familiar, and well…known. But, you and I both know that stink, stagnation, and stuck are the typical results of staying there too long. (oh, and I’ve got some things to say about stuck too – go here if that’s got your curiosity peaked)

Too presumptuous of me to say that you are one who is on the lookout for a better way? A smoother transition, or a helpful guide when it comes to getting OUT of your comfort zone? I figured as much, I mean you’re here…

If you’re looking for easy, this is not the spot. 😬

Listen, I can simplify, share, and systemize things for you all day long. But in the end, you’ve got to pull up your big girl pants, maybe chip a nail, and do the work.

While we may have one common purpose, the goals, strategies, and milestones that get us there, are rarely the same.

As a matter of fact, I have a whole page dedicated to identifying what steals or keeps your focus. Click here or the picture below to go to that page.

Before we jump into what to do in those power hours and even tips on how to structure them. You first have to get yourself prepared. And to do that, I’m literally going to spell it out for you.

Prepping for your POWER hours with P.O.W.E.R.

When we hear new information, whether a method or approach, we’re quick to want to dive right in! Ambition is great, but preparation is what turns that ambition into achievement. So let’s get you powered up, shall we?

P is for your plan

What do you want? Your future can only happen when you take the time to use what you know and implement it in your present.

Your plan has got to make the move from your imagination to paper before it’s ever ready to go into production. Otherwise, you’ll only ever dabble your way to your goal instead of finalizing the decision to GO for it!

O is for obsessing

You need to obsessively focus on the results you want to see.

That means more than obsessing about what could go wrong, or what you’ve done wrong.

Only then, can the outcomes have the opportunity to take care of themselves.

Focusing on what you want also gives way to HOW to produce those desired results. I’ve heard it said that what you obsess about, you’ll eventually possess. (good or bad, so be mindful of those obsessions)

W is for werrrk

Girl, you have got to work for what you want. Know your sweet spots when it comes to your productivity.

Pay attention to your results:

• the ones you are getting,
• the ones you want to keep,
• the ones you need to ditch, and
• the ones you need to see more of,

Then use that data to figure out how to amplify the results you want more of! Work is the process of a goal, not its final outcome.

CLICK HERE for a fantabulous tool with a weekly & month-end assessment 😉

E is for your energy

You only have so much, so spend it wisely.

In order to be responsible stewards of what we’ve been given, we have to be mindful of our expenses. You budget your time and money, so why would your energy be any different?

Who or what is sucking the energy out of you? Is it your mental energy being depleted, your physical, or both? Don’t just investigate the leaks, do something to stop them.

R is for retain

You have got to retain and apply, not just obtain and sit by.

Especially when it comes to your part in “making things happen”. And most importantly, you need to retain your belief in the One who holds all things together and that He’s got “this” and YOU!

And bonus tip…you’ve also got to refrain from the things that steal your focus!

Applying the P.O.W.E.R. into your hours.

Now that you’ve prepped for your power hour, you may be wondering – what next? As in what exactly does it look like applied to your hours?

Here are some examples and ways that you can structure your power hours. As in, it does not have to be a block of 60 minutes. AHHH! Did that just relieve some of that “time management” pressure?

So many resist the idea of power hours because they are so overscheduled that just the thought of “setting aside” an hour seems impossible. Speaking of resist, let me resist jumping on my soapbox about that problem 🙄. And instead, point you to this resource if you don’t already have it from me. The Prioritized Focus Guide

Back to structuring your power hours. Ready?

The rule for power hours is they are planned, blocks of uninterrupted time. This time is to work on already decided tasks that will help make progress toward a specific goal.

Your hours = power.

There are a lot of “hours” within your hours! Look at all the ways you can break down your hours.

⏱One hour = 15 minutes x 4

Not ideal for serious focused work, but let’s say that you set aside this time to check/respond to social media posts. Now instead of mindlessly scrolling, you have a time limit and reason to be there.

⌚One hour = 20 minutes x 3.

This means that you can block 20 minutes per day at 3 different times. What can you get done in 20 minutes of uninterrupted time? This could be spent doing some pre-planning or research and recording your findings.

For me, this is pen to paper or fingers to keyboard for an easy go-to spot when using those findings. In other words, it keeps me off the internet, and on my goals.

⏱One hour = 30 minutes x 2

Two 30-minute blocks can be a good progress pusher. Think of how often you pause your day to sit down and watch a 30-minute sitcom or show. So a lot of progress can be made with some prioritized focus on a specific area of your goal, in 30 minutes, right? Now do it twice! 🤯

⌚One hour = 60 minutes x 1

A single hour seems so insignificant when we think of it in terms of our biggest dream. Yet, when we make the time to sit down and work, the time either flies or crawls. Both are dependent on our preparation and mindset.

Now you have the prep and the structure to apply power to your hours. As a focused goal-getter, I’m confident you’ll use them both wisely 😉!

working my power hours right there with ya,