The Magic Hour (No Magic Required!)

The Magic Hour (No Magic Required!) We Have a Strategic Plan Its Called Doing Things by miriamdema Monica McCarthy is the loveliest of ladies, introducing herself to me through the way of Jess Swift (Jess designed her website header!) and her actor-turned-life-coach (while still acting!) back story, which I sorta related too just a lil tiny teeny bit (if it was opposite day!). A fellow NYC gal, we had the pleasure of meeting a few months ago and immediately hit it off. I told her she better get her butt in gear and write me a guest post because her Get Unstuck Workshop is right around the corner   (on March 13th! If you sign-up for her newsletter, Monicall send ya get a link for 20% off!) you guys are gonna eat her up! Im a really mean, bossy friend. Youre welcome. As a holistic health coach for creative people, I often hear clients talk about how guilty they feel because they should be doing more to make their dream job a reality. Nine times out of ten this guilt is complete bollocks. Unless you have a trust fund, odds are you are working a day job, pursuing your dream job, and trying to be a normal and social person on this planet. And because I’m weird and think we shouldn’t sacrifice our health to pay our bills, I  throw in the extra burden of making sure clients are getting enough sleep, exercise, and healthy foods on a daily basis. So if we’re working our arses off, where does the time go? Let’s just bring it down old school. Here’s a sample of a typical 8-hour workday. Obviously your day might break down differently but you get the gist. Sleep- 8 hours Day Job- 8 hours Eating- 2 hours Commute- 1 hour Exercise- 1 hour Chores/Errands- 1 hour Self Care- 1 hour Socialize- 1 hour DREAM JOB (aka Magic Hour)- 1 hour Based on the gorgeous (hee hee) pie graph above, you can see that the problem isn’t that we aren’t doing enough. We are doing plenty! The difference between getting our dream career off the ground and getting stuck in the mud comes down to one freaking hour a day! (Excluding weekends- that’s a whole other ball of wax!) I repeat: the difference between getting our dream career off the ground and getting stuck in the mud comes down to one freaking hour a day!!! So how do we make that most of what I like to call our Magic Hour? Here’s Three Tried and True Tips For Taking The Time To Create Greatness: Do Not Disturb. All you are asking from the world is one hour a day of uninterrupted, totally focused, what-I-say-goes freedom. Cherish this time. Set boundaries. Create a space in your home that is free of clutter and fills you with inspiration. I’m not kidding about putting a Do Not Disturb Sign on your door if necessary. Step away from your email and social networks. Don’t even think about turning on the television. If you can’t give yourself a solid hour in a day, something aint right here. Create A Ritual. I’m not talking voodoo hexes and animal sacrifices (eww gross!). I’m talking about setting aside the same hour each day (if possible) to work on your dream job. Then do something at the start and end of your Magic Hour to signal your body that it’s time for you to do your thang. For example, I love to make and drink a cup of tea while I write my morning blog posts. Other great ideas include lighting a candle, playing inspiring music, or wearing your seen-better-days college sweatshirt. Give each day (or month if that works better for you) a Theme. When I started blogging Monday-Friday mornings, I spent precious time trying to come up with what the what I wanted to write about. Once I came up with daily topics (like Meatless Monday, Tidy-Up Tuesday, Well-Balanced Wednesday, Think-Outside-The Box-Thursday, and My Favorite Things Friday) I was able to spend more time writing and less time deciding. So if you are looking start your own company each weekday could look something like: Make It Monday (working on your craft), Teach Me Tuesday (research and development), Website Wednesday, Think Outside The Box Thursday (this is my favorite since I’m a big ol fan of brainstorming), and Feedback Friday. (I’m also a big ol’ fan of alliteration). So what are you waiting for? Get out a pen and paper and write down how you spend your time on a daily basis. Be brutally honest with yourself. Can you find time to squeeze in your Magic Hour while still getting plenty of rest, exercise and nutrients? Schedule that time in your day planner, follow the tips above, and start making your own pie in the sky! Monica McCarthy helps creative people prioritize their health and happiness with fun and fulfilling lifestyle changes. A certified Holistic Health Coach, professional actress, expert blogger for Reboot, art and DIY fanatic, Monica lives in NYC with her fiancé and their super-rescue pup. You can check out more at her daily blog http://www.MorningDO.com and say hello on Twitter @MissMMcCarthy.