Power Hour

A power hour is something that is not a new or original idea by me. About 10 months ago I found a YouTube channel @stylemomxo and she had a ‘cleaning’ power hour. I've been implementing the power hour in my cleaning routine ever since.

What is a Power hour? It is an hour free from distraction (i.e. no ipads, cellphones, tv, etc)

Life changing is an understatement. Just when i am feeling overwhelmed by projects or cleaning I need to get done I have a power hour and knock out quite a bit on my 'to do list' to get me back on track.   

Some people do a once a week power hour. Some people do every few days or even daily ones. I like to do one a week for cleaning and one power hour for my business. There are some weeks though when I do an extra power hour or two. It really depends on how much I have on my plate.

Here are some tips on making your power hour work best for you.

Tip 1: Make a list

A power hour should be realistic but also challenging. 

Figure out what has been bothering you the most and put that on your list. 

When I did my power hour recently it was the basement that made me the most stressed out. (First picture above shows the before and after)

My sister said one time when we were FaceTiming that it "looks like Toys R Us threw up in your basement"! Ah, the joys of having a toddler grandson.  😏🤣🤣

The upstairs of my house I have a pretty good handle on about 90% of the time but hurricane A can rearrange and take out every toy, puzzle, or book in 2.5 seconds. I really don’t mind though, because they are only young once. He does help me pick up his toys though. 

However, with that said the basement needed a good wipe down and organizing too. Little A is still a bit too young to understand organizing. So top of my list was the basement that power hour.

Tip 2: Tackle the thing you hate the most on you list first. 

Organizing a drawer or two at a time makes decluttering easier.

For me that is dishes. Ugh!! I love doing laundry but dishes not so much. 

Whatever is the thing on your list that you look the least forward to just get it over with and enjoy scratching that right off your list. 

Tip 3: Gather Supplies

These are some of my favorite cleaning supplies.

A cleaning caddy or basket is great for getting all your supplies in one place. I love to have a roll of paper towels, microfiber cloths, all purpose cleaner, glass cleaner and anything else that I might need to conquer my power hour list efficiently. 

Tip 4: Play motivating music. 

Music is a great motivator

Whether it’s a playlist of your favorite songs or a motivating audio book. Having your favorite music will get you going and keep you motivated.  

Tip 5: Anytime is the right time for a power hour. 

Little A's friends waiting for him in the circus tent. 

Whether it’s Monday morning after the school run or at night after the kids go to sleep. It can even be right in the middle of your day. Really anytime you start to feel anxious, overwhelmed, or just need to get some things done quickly a power hour is just what the doctor ordered. 

I hope these tips help you. A power hour is a great kick in the rear for getting back on track. A race with the clock pumps you up with victories from completing tasks on your list. And that good feeling will spill over to other areas of your life and keep you going. It’s such a great feeling scratching those things off your list.  

Give a power hour a try this week. You won’t regret it!

Till next time take care of yourselves!

Lar

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