 Whether you're single and going to school, married and with no children, or a parent who works outside of the home (i.e. a physical building that's not your house), we all have times within the day when we are most focused and least distracted. For some, it is early morning, for others, it is after dinner or sometime in the evening. These are power hours.
They don't come automatically. We need to protect this time. No emails, no social media, nothing that would keep us from focusing on our main task/project at hand, whatever that may be for you. In several places throughout the Psalms, we find mention of the mornings. If you've been to this space a while, you know that I've addressed the importance of the mornings on several occasions. For me, it's an ideal time to get my mind and body focused for the day ahead. Psalm 90:14 - Satisfy us in the morning with your unfailing love, that we may sing for joy and be glad all our days. Psalm 143:8 - Let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love, for I have put my trust in you. My best work is done in the first 2 hours of the day (roughly from 7am to 9am). It's when I tackle important work projects, writing, content creation, family activity planning, study prep, and more. (For more details, check out this post about my morning routine.) How can you get started incorporating power hours into your schedule? 1) Identify your power hours When is the best time for you to get (important) stuff done? When are you most focused? You should be able to identify at least one to two hours every day or, at a minimum, every week, where you can focus on miscellaneous but important tasks or activities. Note: It's not about having time or not having time, it's about making time. We all have 24 hours in a day. We invest our time on things that matter. 2) Protect your power hours Once you've identified your power hour(s), set that time aside. Use it only for the most important, beneficial, or high-return activities. If distractions, emergencies, required and/or important meetings come up, adjust accordingly, then get right back on task. 3) Repeat Make it a habit. Use that time slot every day (or at least during the weekday) and you will begin to see a rhythm to the way you work and an increase in productivity. Danny Daniela bought a watermelon recently.
I cut it in half to give it the taste test. It was perfect. I put both halves in the fridge to keep them fresh. One of them went fairly quickly; a team effort by the boys and I =) The other half sat in the fridge close to a week, untouched. That is, until Seth asked for some fruit. I thought what could be better, he likes watermelon and this should still be good. It was. Daniela ended up cutting it in small pieces and put them into a plastic container. What do you think happened? That's right, it got eaten up in less than a day. All because of perception, really. What seemed like a big piece of watermelon was really just a bunch of smaller pieces. Break down that big project, chore, report or activity that's standing in front of you, like Goliath standing in front of David. What's one step you can take to gain some momentum in the right direction? Do it. Don't get frustrated. Or do, that's ok. But don't let it keep you from taking action.  If you follow me on Instagram (@altarpreneur), you know that I like to work in time batches - early AM, late AM and afternoon. This helps me stay organized and on top of my various tasks & projects, be it work-related or personal.
Another useful technique that I recently started incorporating into my schedule is the Pomodoro Technique, a method used for batching tasks. Pomodoro means “tomato” in Italian. The inventor of the technique, Francesco Cirillo (Italian), initially used a tomato-shaped kitchen timer when he developed the technique (you can Google it). I looked online for a simple 1-page sheet that I can use to put this technique into action but could not find one. So, I created it! (There is an app if you prefer those, it costs $4.99.) I find a simple sheet that I can keep nearby, on my desk, to be much more effective than swipes, taps, drop-downs, notifications, etc.. Here you go...use it well! The Pomodora Log (by Altarpreneur) - A Daily Task Tracker for Increased Productivity |
ABOUTBiblical, on-the-go, tips for thriving at work. Written by Danny Kovacs, from first-hand wins & losses. This is the digital space where I share free resources and learning moments throughout the week/month. ARCHIVES
August 2024
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