“We need to harness our own boundless energy and creativity at times to level up” JoyGenea Schumer
Imagine setting a timer for one hour, knowing exactly what you are going to work on, telling others what you are going to accomplish in your hour of focused work, working only on that one thing for an hour, and then reporting back what you got done.
In the simplest way possible, that is what a power hour is. I was introduced to them by one of my very first official coaches, LeAnn Riley back in the 1990’s. Her coach had taught her this process.
Long before they had research to back up why this works, how this works, and how well this works we would just do it, because we had incredible results from it. Then as the years marched forward, people backed up how valuable a tool this was for some people. Now that they have done a lot of research around it they have validated that it is very effective for many in the neurodiverse, ADHD, dyslexic/dyslexia community. Good thing I didn’t wait around for them to tell me that before trying it.
A few years ago, I had a productivity coach and she offered the group scheduled power hours and I used those in connection to the group of colleagues who I could create a power hour with. Looking back I can see those as being key productive and catch up times.
There are a lot of things about the process that help support your brain and harness its gifts.
- Setting a time limit – boundaries
- Speaking what you plan to do to other people – accountability, hearing yourself speak out loud
- Being with a group of other people – shared energy, enthusiasm, and focus
- Picking just one thing to work on – simplification and intentionality
- Starting ritual – clarity on start and stop, physical movement
- Music – improved focus, mind chatter quieting, motivational
- Reporting how you did – accountability, recognition, reality check, hearing yourself speak
What seems simple is really jam packed with nutrients for your brain to support you with your goals.
For those that are craving the data, check out what Caveday had to say about it.
I am excited to tell you about something one of my clients brought to my attention.
They now have a company that helps to provide this service to anyone, for a small monthly fee. My client loved it and got so much done. Thanks a lot.
I have needed to add a little twist to my process sometimes and that is a 15- or 10-minute timer. When I am doing highly exploratory projects, I can get distracted easily with a new thought or idea. I don’t want to crush that process, but I also want to decide if the rabbit holes are worth exploring. When the short times go off, I mentally confirm that I am focused on the project or that the rabbit hole I went down is worth pursuing more. It is a huge time saver and has increased my productivity greatly.
I recommend and at times help my clients to test and try power hours to see if it might be a useful tool for them to add to their productivity toolbox.
Now that you know more about this, I highly recommend you try it. Maybe with some friends, maybe with this caveday group, maybe just by setting a time and writing down your goal.
This could be a really helpful tool for people looking to improve their focus, productivity, and happiness. It might even save you at your job.
Remember your not alone, there are a lot of us neurodiverse brains out there. Keep searching for tools and keep finding ways to understand your thinking.
Thank you,
JoyGenea Schumer
Business Owner, International Neurodiversity Coach, and Speaker