Recipe for Tackling Your Small-But-Hard Tasks: Power Hour

How often do you have a task that you know intellectually is not a big deal and will only take a few minutes but emotionally it feels so hard you keep putting it off until it almost gives you a stroke everytime it crosses your mind?

All the time? I totally know the feeling!

Here's a tool for you to get those small-but-hard tasks done:
Power Hour!!

Power Hour is a virtual co-working session of one hour and eg. four 15 min tasks. Each participant does their own tasks and reports back after finishing each. I saw something like this in a Facebook group and tweaked the recipe by adding some ADHD-friendly flavors to it. The ADHD-customized Power Hour combines the powers of body double, timers, element of surprise, and rewards to make tackling the hardest tasks fun or at least doable for us squirrel-brained folks.

In How to Align Your Ducks - ADHD-friendly Home Organization Facebook group we have Power Hours every now and then. You can also have one in real life with one or more friends or family members. Here's the recipe for both versions:

Power Hour - FB Group Version

Prep time: 10 min - Cook time: 60 min - Total: 70 min
Serves: 4 hard tasks off your to-do list

Ingredients:
- 1 membership in How to Align Your Your Ducks - ADHD-friendly Home Organization Facebook group (free!)
- 1 Power Hour event scheduled in the group (see the Events tab in the group, if there isn't any coming up or the time isn't suitable for your time zone, feel free to ask for one!)
- 1 device to access the group and the event contents (a mobile phone, tablet/iPad, a computer with internet connection)
- 1 numbered list for 4 tasks, about 10-15 min each (you can use this one)
=> the gear you need to get the tasks done
- 1 numbered list for 4 rewards (you can use this one)
=> the things you need for the rewards

Instructions:
Preparations:
1. Respond "Going" on the event page.
2. Mark the Power Hour in your calendar, set a reminder on your phone.
3. Write down four tasks on a numbered list.
4. Write down four rewards for yourself on a numbered list.
5. Optional: Suggest your favorite power song for the Power Hour Spotify playlist on the event page.
6. Optional: Share your list of four tasks in the comments of the Action Post on the event page for accountability.

Power Hour:
1. Show up on time and find the Action Post on the event page. Say "Hi" in the comments so others know you are participating.
2. At the hour, a random number between 1 and 4 is posted in the comments of the Action Post. This is the number of the task on your list that you are supposed to do (and finish) during the first quarter of the Power Hour. Go and do it!
3. Once you've finished or the 15 min have passed (which ever comes first), get back to the Action Post and report your progress in the comments. (If you have time, cheer others on by replying to their comments.)
4. At xx:15, you'll get another number i.e. your next task. Repeat steps 2. and 3. at xx:30 and xx:45.
5. If you can't finish a task in 15 min, write down the remaining steps so it's easy to finish it later.
6. Report back after the last 15 min to get the number for the reward from your rewards list.

Afterwards:
1. While you're still on the event page, leave feedback on the Feedback Post.
2. Quickly finish the remaining steps of the unfinished tasks, if you had any. (If this would take more than a couple of minutes, set a reminder to do it some time later. You've at least started the task, so it's a win anyway!!)
3. Enjoy your reward! You've earned it!

Power Hour - DIY Version

Prep time: 10 min - Cook time: 60 min - Total: 70 min
Serves: 4 hard tasks off your to-do list

Ingredients:
- 1 or more other participants (eg. friends or family members )
- a way to communicate with the people mentioned above (eg. speaking, a phone call, a text message)
- 1 numbered list for 4 tasks, about 10-15 min each (you can use this one) for each participant
=> the gear you need to get the things done
- 1 numbered list for 4 rewards (you can use this one) for each participant
=> the things you need for the rewards
- 1 timer (eg. your phone)
- 1 random number generator (eg. google or a dice)

Instructions:
Preparations:
1. Set a date for a Power Hour with other participantsand choose who's the Number Guy.
2. Mark the Power Hour in your calendar, set a reminder on your phone.
3. Write down four tasks on a numbered list.
4. Write down four rewards for yourself on a numbered list. Try to come up with bigger and smaller rewards, like a movie night with pizza (bigger) and a piece of chocolate (smaller).
5. Optional: Share your list of four tasks with other participants.

Power Hour:
1. At the hour, the Number Guy draws a random number between 1 and 4 and communicates it to other participants. This is the number of the task on your list that you are supposed to do (and finish) during the first quarter of the Power Hour. Go do it!
2. Once you've finished or the 15 min have passed (which ever comes first), report your progress to others. (If you have time, cheer others on by replying to them.)
3. At xx:15, the Number Guy draws another number i.e. your next task. Repeat steps 1. and 2. at xx:30 and xx:45.
4. If you can't finish a task in 15 min, write down the remaining steps so it's easy to finish it later.
5. Report back after the last 15 min when the Number Guy draws the number for the reward.

Afterwards:
1. Quickly finish the remaining steps of the unfinished tasks, if you had any. (If this would take more than a couple of minutes, set a timer to do it some time later. You've at least started on the task, so it's a win anyway!!)
2. Enjoy your reward! You've earned it!

I've created a cute little printable to make your Power Hour more organized. Sign up below to get it to your inbox!