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We all have those money tasks that turn our stomachs. You know the ones – checking your credit card balance after a month of spending, finally opening your medical bill or diving into the settings of your retirement account. Input “Scary hour“, a trendy productivity technique that helps me turn financial fears into actionable progress.
What is Scary Hour?
The concept is wonderfully simple: set aside an hour to complete tasks you’ve been avoiding out of fear or anxiety. While the term is trending on TikTok (REST IN PEACE), it is a new variant established time blocking techniques. But there’s something powerful about naming this special time when we face our fears—it acknowledges that these tasks are actually scary, and that’s okay.
My financial scary hour approach
I started implementing this “Scary Hour” for my finances after I realized I had a growing pile of money tasks that I would take care of later. Hey, there’s nothing like writing about personal finance all day to make you put off personal finance. This is how I structure my financial horror hour:
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I schedule it for Tuesday morning when my energy is high and my mind is already in productivity mode at the start of the work week
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My phone switches to Do Not Disturb.
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I do my favorite ginger tea (A little reward helps!)
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I keep a physical notepad handy for action tasks
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I set a timer for exactly 60 minutes
What I actually do during Scary Hour
In my first session, I tackled the immediate anxiety-provoking tasks:
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All account balances checked
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Categorizes “Other” purchases from the last month
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I called about an incorrect charge that I had avoided (I accidentally overpaid my credit card and creates a negative balance)
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I finally calculated my true monthly restaurant spending (ouch!)
You too can work on your more in-depth financial planning:
Why this productivity hack works
The beauty of Scary Hour lies in its constraints. When I know I only have to face these tasks for 60 minutes, they feel manageable. Additionally, the timer creates a sense of urgency that helps overcome analysis paralysis – a common obstacle I face when making all financial decisions.
Most importantly, this approach creates a dedicated space for financial self-care. By making scary tasks a routine, you can not only reduce anxiety, but also turn scary tasks into small successes. If you want to turn vague money worries into concrete action, this is the trick for you.
Tips for your own financial horror hour
Start with quick wins like Log out From tempting retail emails, to that one phone call you’ve been avoiding, to checking the balance on a neglected account, to filing important financial documents.
Get some momentum with these bite-sized action items. Once you get comfortable, you can tackle bigger tasks, such as: create a new budget, Debt consolidationor maybe even research Estate planning.
Make this habit sustainable by keeping a running list of tasks for future scary hours. Celebrate your progress, no matter how small, and be gentle with yourself if you miss a week. Ultimately, I think the real magic happens outside of Scary Hour. If you deal with financial fears regularly in a controlled environment, you’ll likely find that money matters become less scary overall. I’ve found that I make financial decisions faster, feel more confident discussing money, and have less anxiety about day-to-day money management.
The end result
Money doesn’t have to be scary all the time. By facing financial fears for just one hour a week, you can turn your fears into action. Remember that the goal is not to completely eliminate financial stress, but rather to build the confidence so you can deal with it effectively.
Start your own financial horror lesson this week. Your future self will thank you for facing these fears hour after hour.
