Lesson four – The Power Half Hour – November 2009
The first half hour is the most important part of my entire workday.
The first half hour is the most important part of my entire workday. I close my office door and turn off the phone.
I set my timer to 30 minutes, and do one or both of the following:
- I work on the one thing that will help me the most (long term solutions)
OR
- I do the one thing that if I don’t do it; it will hurt me the most.
In that first half hour of the business day I generally write, organize my desk, plan, or start really important projects. In the process, all kinds of insights and ideas come to life. It’s a form of working meditation because I’m not being interrupted, and I’m rested.
Even if my day then degenerates into frantic chaos, I have the satisfaction and peace of mind that comes from knowing that I still have accomplished the highest priorities of the day.
After doing the power half hour for just 6 months:
- I have a much better grasp of my strengths and weaknesses.
- I have a truer knowledge of my priorities, and a plan for carrying them out.
- I gained many insights that I never expected.
Be aware: The first few times you use a timer for this 30 minute project you will think it’s broken – it just seems like even 5 minutes is an eternity. Don’t worry, you will get used to that.
Do not use a watch for this exercise – you’ll get distracted looking at the face to see how much time is left.
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