Laura's Corner - Why we often procrastinate on what matters most
The Power Hour: Why We Often Procrastinate on What Matters Most
Recently, I attended a meeting hosted by WITT - Women in Technology of Tennessee - where speaker Mridu Parikh shared several powerful insights around focus, productivity, and intentional living.
Of all the ideas discussed during the session, the one I’m personally working to implement right now is something she called: The Power Hour.
The concept is simple:
Choose one important thing you’ve been procrastinating on and commit one focused houreach day toward it.
No notifications.
No multitasking.
No reacting.
Just intentional focus.
And ideally, schedule it during your peak brain time — the point in the day when your energy and thinking are strongest.
One question she asked really stayed with me:
What could you accomplish with 20 focused hours a month?
That’s powerful to think about!
...A business strategy.
...A health goal.
...A certification.
...A leadership initiative.
...A long-delayed creative idea.
Many of the things that would move our lives and leadership forward don’t actually require more time. They require protected focus.
And honestly, I think many of us already know exactly what our “Power Hour” work should be. It’s often the thing we’ve been procrastinating. Not because it isn’t important… but perhaps because it stretches us, challenges us, or pushes us outside our comfort zone.
And yet, those are often the very things most connected to our future growth.
Why We Avoid Things That Matter Most
I think many leaders and high achievers struggle with this more than we realize.
✅ We stay busy.
✅ We respond quickly.
✅ We handle immediate needs.
✅ We check things off the list.
But the deeper work — the meaningful work — often gets postponed. Not because we don’t care, but because it feels:
🕐 Overwhelming
🕑 Emotionally uncomfortable
🕒Unclear
🕓 Risky
🕔 Even deeply important
Sometimes procrastination isn’t laziness at all. Sometimes it’s:
😵 Fear
😵 Perfectionism
😵 Mental fatigue
😵 Or simply living in constant reaction mode.
And in today’s world, distraction gives us an easy escape from work that requires courage, focus, and intentionality.
Focus Is a Leadership Skill
One of the things I continue to learn is that intentional growth rarely happens accidentally.
It happens through protected time, intentional reflection, and focused action.
That’s why I love the simplicity of the "Power Hour" concept. It reminds us that progress doesn’t always require huge changes in life. Sometimes it simply requires:
...one focused hour,
...one intentional step,
...and the willingness to begin.
Because where our focus goes… our energy eventually follows. As my mentors John C. Maxwell and Marissa Nehlsen often say:
“Your energy flows where your focus goes.”
One Small Challenge
This week, choose one thing you’ve been procrastinating on and schedule a single uninterrupted Power Hour toward it.
Turn off the notifications.
Close the extra tabs.
Protect the time.
Then notice what changes when your focus becomes intentional instead of reactive.
You may discover that the breakthrough you’ve been waiting for doesn’t require more time… it requires more focus.
Because I know reflection is most powerful when paired with action, I also created a companion Focus & Flow Reflection Worksheet to help process these ideas and intentionally map your next steps.
Reflection Questions
What have I been procrastinating on?
Why might I be avoiding it?
What goal or opportunity deserves focused attention right now?
What would change if I protected one intentional hour each day?
What is one step I can take this week toward meaningful progress?
What do I need to start doing?
What do I need to stop doing?
— Laura
