The Power Half-Hour: What It Is and How to Use It

Your time is precious. And to reach your goals each day the minutes need to count.

We all lead busy lives full of distractions. Whether it be the never-ending emails that pop up in your inbox or the phone that always seems to be ringing, it’s hard to get things done when there’s so much going on around you.

But what can you do to ensure you accomplish important tasks?

I’m going to share with you an efficient method for using your time wisely to increase productivity and achieve objectives—it’s called the “Power Half-Hour”. Have you heard of it? Let me elaborate.

What is the Power Half-Hour?

My good friend Larry Salvatoriello is the President and Founder of Arkus Consulting. He’s a successful entrepreneur with a passion to constantly pay it forward. Larry moonlights as a life coach and assists many others in attaining very specific outcomes, and I’ve personally had the pleasure of experiencing many “Aha! moments” with him.

“The key is not spending time but investing in it.”

Stephen Covey, author of The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People

As an excellent practitioner of time mastery, Larry has coined and polished the concept of the “Power Half-Hour”. He advises that you carve out a set block of time – a half-hour – to totally immerse yourself in one job or project with a specific goal in mind, because working within a chunk of time keeps you focused and absorbed in the task at hand.

People who went through this exercise not only maximized productivity, they were also left feeling much happier and more fulfilled. And it will do the same for you.

How to Work in Blocks of Time

Think of it as a school day. Many subjects are taught by allocating a block of time for each one. Apply this concept to your own tasks! When you designate a set amount of time and define a specific goal, you’re making a commitment to completely focus on completing that particular project. For example:

2pm-2:30pm = Meet with Winston to brainstorm 3 blog post ideas

During this period, you will only concentrate on your designated goal and won’t answer calls or check emails or text messages. You’ll direct your attention only to Winston and generate article topics for future posts. It’s so important to be present when you’re having meaningful conversations!

“Once you have mastered time, you will understand how true it is that most people overestimate what they can accomplish in a year – and underestimate what they can achieve in a decade!”

Anthony Robbins

Another trick to mastering time within the Power Half-Hour is to break it down even further; how about dividing the designated 30 minutes into three ten-minute intervals? Or better yet, incorporate the Five-Minute Favor?

These natural divisions to achieve smaller jobs can help you accomplish even more. And if you find yourself spending 15 minutes on the first task, then you know you need to pick up the pace to reach your goal.

Collaborating with others while working in blocks of time provides tremendous value. It keeps you dedicated and focused because you both must move on to what’s next.

It also provides an excellent opportunity to hold yourselves accountable for achieving your goals, which makes everyone feel positive about working together. Maybe Winston offered suggestions you hadn’t even thought of! And this is how you strengthen relationships and partnerships—by setting goals and reaching them together.

Master Your Time in Networking

The Power Half-Hour is a tool that can be applied to many tasks, but most importantly you should use it to build your networks. You need to incorporate this into your routine and make it a habit. Carve out 30 minutes to focus only on networking and:

• Create new relationships by reaching out to people you don’t know on LinkedIn and connect with them

• Reconnect with contacts you haven’t caught up with in a while

• Send messages on a consistent basis and simply check-in – don’t reach out only when you need something! Sometimes a quick note saying, “Hello, just thinking of you!” is all it takes to keep your relationships strong

• Keep a journal to reflect on your daily interactions and connections you made

• Be a connector and introduce two people from your networks who will mutually benefit from meeting

• Perform the 30-Day Gratitude Challenge and show your appreciation for those in your networks who have influenced and impacted you

• Sign up for an online training course – we have a few to choose from – including our esteemed certification course where you learn to bring your networking skills to the next level and become a NetWorkWise Certified Professional (NWW-CP)!

The idea of working in increments of time naturally develops a mindset where you expect to achieve something. This creates an inner momentum and boosts your energy which generates a positive effect on all facets of your life. Apply the Power Half-Hour to your routine today! And you will soon notice the difference in accomplishing your goals.

“Ordinary people merely think how they shall ‘spend’ their time; a man of talent tries to ‘use’ it.”

Arthur Schopenhauer

Become a NetWorkWise Certified Professional (NWW-CP)

Learning to establish effective practices for strengthening your connections is something we cover extensively in our certification course. If you’re searching for a job or looking to build substantial business contacts, or want to improve your relationships with colleagues and clients or other like-minded individuals, then you need to enroll in our certification program!

Once complete you become part of a network of elite individuals who have received credentials validating you as an expert in creating world-class relationships. Sign up today and become a NetWorkWise Certified Professional (NWW-CP)! You will soon see the rewards of fostering long-lasting and meaningful connections that offer mutual value and significant benefits.