- Scary hour is an hour-long chunk of time to check off tasks you’ve been avoiding that are stressing you out at home or work.
- To start scary hour, write down the tasks you want to tackle the day before and block off 1 hour in your calendar or planner to get scary hour done.
- Then, start with the easiest task to get motivated and finish with your hardest task. When the hour is up, reward yourself with a short break or treat.
What is scary hour?
Scary hour sets aside time to complete tasks you’ve been avoiding. Scary hour is a productivity hack to knock “scary” items off your to-do list that you’ve been putting off because they stress you out. All you do is set a timer for 60 minutes and tackle things you need to get done at work or home. You might use your time to answer emails, schedule meetings, set up a doctor's appointment, or fold laundry. Scary hour was coined by Laur Wheeler on TikTok. Scary hour is sometimes called “power hour,” “golden hour,” or “eating the frog.”
Starting a Scary Hour Routine
Plan the tasks you want to work on the day before. After work or before you go to bed, write a to-do list with the things you’ve been procrastinating on that you want to accomplish tomorrow. Then, break the items into smaller steps that you can individually check off. For example, if you’ve been stressing about cleaning your kitchen, your list might include wiping the counters, scrubbing out the oven, and vacuuming. It’s okay to use your scary hour to start tasks that will take more than 1 hour to complete. For instance, you might use it to outline and research a paper. When you make your list, be realistic about what you can get started on or do during 1 hour. This keeps you motivated and prevents you from feeling overwhelmed.
Block off 1 hour in the morning to get tasks done. To stop yourself from procrastinating about starting scary hour, schedule it into your calendar or planner. This helps you prioritize your task list and get into a productivity mindset. Just choose a time when you feel productive and motivated, whether that’s 1 hour before you start your day, your first hour of work, or right before lunch. Play around with different times in the morning to see when scary hour works best for you. Then, schedule it for the same time every day. Or, start scary hour at a different time every day. This might work better for you if you prefer variety or have a less structured schedule. If you’re using scary hour at work, schedule it for a time that you don’t typically have meetings. When you plan your scary hour isn’t as important as making sure you complete it every day. Consistently checking off scary hour helps it become a habit. Set yourself up for success by slowly adding scary hour to your morning routine. You might set a timer for 10 to 15 minutes for the first week and add 15 minutes each week until you’re working for 1 hour.
Start with easy tasks and work up to hard ones. When you start your timer for scary hour, begin with the simplest task for you to check off. Checking off a small task that stresses you out builds your bravery and motivation, making it easier for you to tackle the scarier, or more difficult, tasks. By the time you get to your last task, you might not think it’s that daunting after all! Or, knock off your hardest task first to get it out of the way and ease your stress. There’s no right way to do scary hour, just find what works best for you.
Put away distractions while you work. To stay focused on your to-do list, put away your phone or set it on silent. If you’re at work, let your coworkers know you’re unavailable for the next hour or set yourself as busy on your shared messaging platform or calendar. If you’re working on your computer, close out any unnecessary programs or windows to keep yourself focused and prevent distractions. Life happens and other things might take priority while you’re in the middle of scary hour. Reschedule scary hour for later in the day if you can, or simply catch up with your tasks the next day.
Reward yourself for what you accomplished when the hour is up. After you finish scary hour, treat yourself to a quick walk, your favorite snack, or a 10-minute social media break. Taking a few moments to congratulate yourself on a job well done actually helps you enjoy your work more and feel more motivated to tackle your tasks. If you didn’t finish your to-do list for the day and you’re feeling overwhelmed, take deep breaths to calm yourself down and destress. Then, set aside another 1 hour later in the day or the week to complete the tasks you didn’t finish.
Keep working after the hour is up, or stop. Your scary hour doesn’t have to stop after 1 hour. If you’re still feeling energized and motivated to get your stressful tasks out of the way, set another timer and go for it. Otherwise, feel free to switch gears and move on to your daily tasks, or relax.
Why Scary Hour Works
Scary hour stops you from procrastinating about stressful tasks. Don’t feel bad about putting off the tasks that stress you out—it’s human nature to avoid things that bring you anxiety and instead focus on things that make you feel good. Giving yourself 1 hour to tackle scary tasks focuses your energy on the task itself instead of how you feel about it, which helps you get it done.
Scary hour makes you more efficient and productive. Focusing your energy for a specific amount of time, especially if you know there’s a reward at the end, helps you stay motivated to accomplish your tasks. Your increased motivation helps you work faster and get more items checked off your scary hour to-do list. Many popular productivity methods, like the Pomodoro technique, break your day up into chunks of time to help you stay focused and efficient.
Scary hour reduces stress which can help you stay productive. Sometimes, simply starting a stressful task is half the battle; if a task seems too hard and you’re not sure where to begin, you might put it off. Even if you don’t finish your scary task in 1 hour, having a specific time set aside to work on it jump-starts your progress and can give you the direction and energy to finish it.
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