Everyone Has Two Hours

You might be surprised that the tip I am sharing with you this week

came from a speaker at the internet marketing conference this past

weekend. Yes, it does apply to homeschool moms as you prioritize

all you need to do. Jim Edwards, an e-book expert, shares how he

uses the Two Golden Hours of each day to complete products.

What are the Two Golden Hours?

The Two Golden Hours are two hours you use every day to complete

projects. The first hour is the creative hour and the second hour is the

mechanical hour. The creative hour is the time you spend on activities

that involve more thinking and/or creativity. In business this is outlining

books, writing ads, writing books; in homeschool, this hour is spent

studying for lessons with the kids, creating activities to reinforce

concepts, reading great books and so on.

The mechanical hour includes activities that need to be done, but

don’t require as much thinking to complete them. In business, this

may be filling out forms, posting to websites/blogs; in homeschool,

this includes folding laundry, emptying the dishwasher, cleaning the

bathtub or balancing the checkbook.

How do I apply the Two Golden Hours?

Lately, my Two Golden Hours are the first two hours of the day.

If I really want to get something done, I have to do it before anyone

else wakes up and needs my attention. I suspect that most moms

that get up early, have some quiet time before the “clan” arises, unless

your kids are young. When mine were young, they automatically

knew when I got up early to get a special project doneJ.

The first two hours of my day are begun with my creative or thinking

hour. This includes my Bible devotions and reading time. If I begin

my day with Bible reading, those ideas are on the forefront of my

thoughts all day long. After reading my Bible, I spend time reading

the books my kids are reading or ones I have on my personal reading

list. This year, I am trying to read the Great Books and humanities

books that my daughters are reading.

The second hour is my mechanical or non-thinking hour. This

hour includes business projects (online activities, planning my new

website, returning e-mail or checking inventory), paying bills, or

walking/exercising.

Although my activities don’t exactly match with the creative/mechanical

categories, the activities of my Two Golden Hours are very important

to me. If I don’t get them done first thing each morning, they just

don’t get done.

How can you have Two Golden Hours?

Make a list of those activities that are most important to you

(not what is most urgent). Have you ever heard of the “Tyranny of

the Urgent”? Be sure you list the important projects because many

of us get wrapped up doing the urgent instead of the important.

Look at your list and choose what you should do every day and

what are projects that simply need completion. Use this list to

determine how you will spend your Two Golden Hours. If you spend

the first two hours of the day (after you are really awake) working

on those projects and activities, you will be surprised how much you

begin to accomplish.

One STRONG PIECE OF ADVICE…do not open your e-mail until

after your Two Golden Hours. E-mail eats away so much time

these days. On those days that I open e-mail while the coffee is

brewing, I tend to devour part of my Golden Hours dealing with the

urgent instead of the important.

If you will spend two hours each day working on projects, you will

be amazed how much reading, studying, and other projects begin

to be completed.

If you have any other ideas for completing projects, e-mail them

to me or post them on my blog at

www.homeschoolblogger.com/LeadershipEducation

Kerry

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Kerry Beck

Kerry Beck, owner of Curriculum Connection, has published books

on approaches to homeschooling and other homeschooling topics.

If you want to jump-start your homeschool, go to

www.CurriculumConnection.net to receive your fre.e report on

reasons to Homeschool.