The praccie power hour
Having trouble completing admin or ticking off your to-do list? Time to try power hour!
Power hour: A concentrated 60-minute block spent tackling tasks without any distractions.
During lockdown I attended a few ‘power hour’ online writing sessions. A bunch of strangers in a digital room, scribbling away on mute, with cameras on or off depending on their ilk. It provided discipline to put some good intentions into action and I was hooked. But I’d not considered making the power hour part of my business practice.
Recently a consumer colleague proposed a power hour to focus on research-related emails, admin and reading. For an hour we silently tackled the things we needed to clear mental space to complete. In the initial session I read a pile of literature ahead of a workshop the next day, while my colleague cleared her inbox. It was a total success for both of us.
It strikes me that this is exactly what many time (and motivation) strapped practitioners need. Furthermore it’s free and while can be done solo, for accountability is brilliant when done with a colleague or in a group.
The praccie power hour
So often we get side-tracked when it comes to completing non-urgent or simply boring, though still necessary, tasks. While some people have the discipline to power hour solo, I find buddying (or grouping) up can make all the difference. Knowing there are others who’ve committed to beaver away in the same virtual space keeps me focused. As counterintuitive as it sounds, I’ve also found that booking these sessions during my least productive time of day works really well for mundane tasks, like clearing out my inbox.
Powering up your power hour
A power hour is just that – a 60 minute block of time to intentionally work without distractions. The aim is to focus on the chosen tasks, avoiding multitasking and interruptions, with absolutely no doom scrolling!
To kick off your first power hour try the following:
-
- Set up a Zoom with at least one other colleague.
- Before the session set an intention – “By the end of this hour, I will…”
- Keep the intro to the power hour brief so you don’t get distracted.
- Put your phone on focus or silent and log out of social media.
- Set a timer (e.g. on your phone) for 60 minutes and dive in.
- Silence is key.
- If you want to debrief or catch up with your power hour buddies, do it after the sixty minutes is up.
Some power hour ideas:
- Clear your inbox.
- Tackle your to-do list
- Write an introductory email/letter to a potential collaborator/referral
- Read research papers.
- Write an article.
- Plan social media posts.
- Update your accounts.
- Blue sky planning for the next 6-12 months.
After the hour is over, jot down any reflections on the experience. What worked? Is there anything you’d do differently next time? Set a date for your next power hour.
Can’t find a practitioner or group to buddy?
There are so many Facebook practitioner groups (such as Strictly Practitioners) – share this article and ask if anyone wants to join a power hour. Or partner with self-employed friends in other professions.
If all else fails, contact me and I’ll arrange a free group session.
Gill Stannard has been mentoring health practitioners for three decades. She loves helping health professionals shape a business they love, navigate transitions and create a profitable work/life balance.
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