If you are a procrastinator, you know that a to-do list may not always be sufficient to lift you out of a work slump. If you are good at delaying things, you will just end up performing all the simple jobs on the list to avoid dealing with the ones that are actually making you feel miserable. Ever heard of the Scary Hour Technique?
The Secret To Increased Focus
This is where the concept of “scary hour” enters the picture. The concept first appeared in a TikTok video posted by user @classiclaur. She claimed that she had been setting a timer for one hour each day to complete the tasks she had been avoiding. This answers why it is called the ‘scary hour’.
The Scary Hour Technique
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The idea is that you may do tasks more quickly when you allocate time to do one specific, big task. Notice how when you procrastinate, there is a tiny sense of guilt that adds weight to your guts? To prevent that sense of guilt from affecting the rest of your day, avoid distractions and allocate a set amount of time to properly handle the work that has been messing up with your mood.
How Does Scary Hour Work?
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This technique helps you focus on one thing at a time. It urges you to focus on one big task, and that will give you the ‘feel good’ hormones because you may think to yourself, “I only have one work to do,”. This reduces the tension you have been feeling over not being able to get it done. Plus, you will only need to focus on doing it for an hour.
An hour would not do any harm, right? Sitting in front of your laptop to actually focus on said work for an hour is actually not that long. It is just one hour out of 24.
These thoughts creep into your mind, validating the technique: that is how it works.
Implementing It Into Daily Routine
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What you do and doing it regularly is more important when it comes to getting the most out of a scary hour. When you do it does not matter. You should set aside time for your “scary hour,” but you should also choose the activity or tasks you want to concentrate on in advance. This is to avoid being overwhelmed with information or other pending jobs.
For instance, if you decide to do your work for one hour, set a 5-minute break after 25 minutes. Do your work when it is time to do work and rest when it is time to rest. Eliminate distractions like Instagram or Twitter to ensure the success of this technique.
It may sound a bit extreme to “scare” oneself into productivity. This technique is not promised to work for everyone, especially if pressure makes you feel stressed out rather than motivated. Need help in focusing? Try One Of These Apps that can help you stay focused.
