Do you believe that twenty-five hours a day would be much better than just twenty-four? That one extra hour would help you get more successful or that extra hour could help you catch up with all the reading piling up. If all this is you, then you need to get more power from this hour, as leading life coaches like Robin Sharma and Brian Tracie call it- The Holy Hour.
This is “YOUR” time. It’s the time when the rest of the disturbances are asleep. It’s the most effective hour of your day. The sixty minutes between 5 AM to 6 AM.
The top five percent successful people wake up a couple of hours before breakfast, and plan their day. This hour gives you an insight of how your day is going to begin and how will it end.
Here are some tips to help you utilise each minute of this holy hour as wisely as possible. Let’s break the sixty minutes in to three chunks of twenty minutes each.
5:00 AM to 5:20 AM: It’s best to set your alarm a few feet away from your bed. This will stop you from snoozing and wasting your precious time. Once you are up on your feet use the first twenty minutes to exercise. Run, brisk walk, cycle; do whatever form of exercise you enjoy the most.
This rule has an exception if you are a yoga person. It’s important to first bathe before your yoga ritual. In that case use the first twenty minutes to shower.
Exercising helps release endorphins and dopamine. Both these hormones help make you positive and increase the blood flow to your brain. This helps in better planning, elevates your mood and gets your geared up for the day.
Remember:
To eat a fruit or have a honey lemon drink before starting your work out. It’s not wise to work out on an empty stomach as it might have reverse effects.
5:20 AM to 5:40 AM: This is the time to motivate yourself. Read books on leadership and management. Some autobiographies of leaders are valuable. Listen to audio books, watch inspiring videos or absorb the meaning of the quotes you love.
Lean In by Sheryl Sandberg, biography of How Starbucks was built by Howard Schultz, How I lost my Virginity by Richard Branson, and many such inspirational reads will help you get a deep insight into the making of success.
Exception: If you are a yoga person, now is the time for you to begin your yoga routine.
Remember: To keep your sticky notes and a pen handy. You would want to make notes or demarcate whatever interests you the most so that you can easily get back to it in future.
5:40 AM to 6:00 AM: This is the time to pull out your own journal. What do you fill your journal with? Begin with things that you achieved the day before. This makes you feel like a winner. Your small successes will eventually amount to greater ones.
Thank God for all the things you are grateful for. And then begin writing down with your goals: The top three things that you have to do that day no matter what, your fitness schedule as well as your random thoughts should all be there in your journal.
Remember: Make your journal a pleasant one. As this is the place you will be returning to every morning. Fill it up with as much positivity as you can.
These are a few lifestyle mantras that the best of entrepreneurs stick to. The beginning will be tough, but be persistent. It’s a matter of time and soon this daily protocol will become a habit. So ladies, just hang in there and look forward to your holy hour!
Start the new week with gusto and incorporate the power of the holy hour everyday!
By Nidhi Paneri