Adrienne Herbert, host of the acclaimed podcast ‘Power Hour’ and now author of a book of the same name, shares the simple change to your routine that could transform your whole day.
Adrienne’s voice is so familiar to me that when we first speak I have to remind myself that we haven’t actually met before. However, she has kept me company on many car journeys, chatting to guests on her ‘Power Hour’ podcast, and in my living room as she encourages me to “dig deep” to finish a workout on the Fiit app.
Her words of motivation keep me going when my energy levels are waning, and I need someone to spur me on. It’s something that comes naturally to Adrienne, who describes herself as a “professional encourager”.
“I want to help people achieve whatever they want to do,” she says enthusiastically. “We all have different goals; some people want to write a book, some people want to run a marathon, or to start their own business. Sometimes it’s just about getting started, finding the confidence, or making a change so that we can reach our goals.”
Adrienne firmly believes that creating your own ‘power hour’ can help you prioritise your personal ambitions.
“The power hour concept is that if you can dedicate the first hour of that day to yourself, before the rest of the world needs your energy, love, and attention, then that time and how you use it sets the tone for the rest of the day,” she explains. “The power hour will help you to be more creative, more energised, and have more passion and focus. It will give you more patience, too.”
"Use your own power hour for whatever will ignite your soul"
The idea, she shares, is to use your own power hour for whatever will ignite your soul. “If you want to start your day with a run, yoga, reading a book, or even writing your ideas down, by making your personal time the first thing on your ‘to-do’ list, then it will empower you and power you up.
“If you wait until the end of the day to do what you want, then you’re putting yourself at the bottom of your priority list! You’re saying that once you’ve helped and attended to everyone else, if you have some spare time, then you’ll do something for yourself. And then it often doesn’t happen.”
For Adrienne, making time for herself means a 5.30am start. She’s under no illusions that this is not an easy choice, but she’s emphatic that it’s worth the effort. “I know that people often wince at that time, especially in the winter,” she laughs. “But that solitude is so important, and it’s hard to cultivate later on in the day. So for me, it’s always worth it. If I have that hour before my son wakes up, before the WhatsApp messages start, before anyone has any expectation on my time, then I can truly do whatever I want. And I get so much done!”
Making time for ourselves, can often be (wrongly) thought of as being indulgent, and that’s a perception Adrienne would like to squash once and for all.
“Choosing yourself is not selfish!” she says. “Whatever you want to do in your day, whoever you want to show up for, know that you cannot give what you don’t have. By taking time for yourself first, you’ll have more to give.”
In her Power Hour book, Adrienne suggests a number of exercises to help with this and increase your self-awareness – her “six questions before six” are definitely worth a try.
“I share some prompts in the book, but you can write your own questions, too. I particularly like asking myself, ‘What are you most looking forward to today?’ and ‘Who would love to hear from you today?’ With not being able to see people at the moment, we sometimes forget that there are friends and family who would love to connect with us.
“It’s a great exercise to focus your attention before you start to take on social media, the news, and the world,” Adrienne adds. “It helps you to be intentional, focused, and move through your day the way you want to.”
To connect with a life coach who can help guide you through managing your motivation, visit lifecoach-directory.org.uk
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