Day 12: Powerblocks

This morning I woke up and realized I have been pretty distracted throughout the last two weeks:

I have been sitting home obsessing with the news and everything that is going on in the world.

My kids have been home demanding my attention.

And my wife needed some support with some of our daily chores.

But today, I decided to do some focused work again by using my Powerblocks.

Powerblocks are units of time in which you work on ONE high-value activity that requires effort and concentration, and that will move us towards one of our major goals.

I first developed this concept during my school years.  

Before exams, I would set a timer and study for an hour without allowing myself to be interrupted (rather than learning all day but constantly being distracted).

In this way, I was able to get more work done than for example friends who would study in front of the TV.

Powerblocks can be used for a variety of different tasks, like studying for an exam, writing a blog post, creating a new strategy for your business, doing sales calls for a product, or anything else that requires your mental capacity.

They are like a sprint that requires your best mental effort for a short period of time.

And they will dramatically increase your productivity!

Obviously, the challenge right now is to find a quiet place where you can stay uninterrupted for an hour even if you live in a small flat with all your family.

For this purpose, we need to set some guidelines.

For tomorrow, I invite you to try out doing a Powerblock.

I recommend to do it as early as possible:

For example, I plan to set my alarm clock for 5:30 am and do one Powerblock before everyone else wakes up. I will also do my block before watching any news or checking my emails.

Here are a few examples of what you could do:

• If your goal is to write a book, you could designate a Powerblock for your writing. See how far you can get with one hour of focused writing.
• If you are starting a new business, spend your Powerblock planning out your next moves. Think about where you want to be in a year, what steps you need to master, how you could break down your goal into quarterly and monthly targets, and what skills you need to acquire.
• If you want to learn a new skill, use your Powerblock for a study session. This might mean listening to an online course, reading past notes or doing your own research.

Remember that Powerblocks requires effort, so stick to a clear time limit:

I do 50-minute blocks, but anything from 30 minutes and below 90 minutes work- you need to experiment to find your personal sweet spot.

Once you complete your Powerblock, take a short break- even if this means stretching for a moment, drink some water or going for a short walk. 

You have worked hard- you need to let your mind rest for a few minutes, before moving on to your next tasks.

It’s that simple, so just give it a try!

Day 12: Commit to one Powerblock

For tomorrow, the goal is to commit to doing one Powerblock, by following these simple steps:

1. Take your diary and schedule a 50-minutes Powerblock for tomorrow- ideally as early as morning and add a reminder on your phone.
2. Think for a moment what a high-value task is that you would like to focus on during your Powerblock. This might be something you want to learn, write or plan.
3. Make sure you actually do your Powerblock free from any distractions.
4. Track what you have been able to complete in less than an hour.

I’d love to hear how your Powerblock went, just leave your comment down below to let me know!

Speak soon,

Allon

You can check all the previous challenges below:

• Day 1: Your 24 hour News Diet
• Day 2: Calming the mind
• Day 3: The Transitional Routine
• Day 4: Start Moving Again!
• Day 5: Prioritize Sleep
• Day 6: Enjoy Your Food (without over-eating)
• Day 7: Deepen your dearest relationships
• Day 8: Reconnect with old friends
• Day 9: Do one act of kindness
• Day 10: Thinking Time
• Day 11: Visualizing your future self