by Mandy Green, Busy Coach
Hey Coach—
Ever get to the end of a long day and wonder, What did I even get done?
You were busy. You answered emails, took calls, handled some player stuff, bounced between a few different projects… but it didn’t move the needle.
Yeah, I’ve been there too. So have the hundreds of coaches I work with.
You’re not lazy. You’re not disorganized.
You’re just stuck in what I call “productive-looking chaos.”
So how do we fix it?
First, a quick story.
I was working with a coach last fall who told me, “Mandy, I feel like I’m working all the time—but nothing important is getting done.”
When we looked at her calendar, it was packed with tasks… but none of them were the high-payoff activities that actually move her team forward—like strategic recruiting follow-ups, meaningful player meetings, or real planning time.
She was being efficient, yes. But not effective.
That’s the difference.
Being efficient means doing things right.
Being effective means doing the right things.
And if you’re only focused on being efficient, you can waste an entire day doing things that don’t actually matter.
Here’s how to shift that:
Tip 1: Use the 80/20 Rule
Not all tasks are equal.
80% of your results will come from 20% of your actions.
So look at your to-do list and ask:
- What’s the 20% of tasks that move your team, program, or recruiting forward?
- What’s the 20% that’s draining your time without real return?
Once you identify those top tasks, schedule them into your day—first.
Tip 2: Use Parkinson’s Law
Tasks expand to fill the time you give them.
If you give yourself 2 hours to write a practice plan, guess what—it’ll take 2 hours.
Instead, set a tight time limit for each important task.
Force focus. Shrink the window. Get it done faster.
Here’s your challenge:
- Before you dive into today’s to-do list, pause.
- Identify the 20% that truly matters.
Decide how long you’ll give yourself to do it. - Block distractions.
Then get after it.
Try this for 30 days—and watch your productivity explode.
Want help building your own Daily Method of Operation? Email Mandy anytime at mandy@busy.coach—she’d love to help.