by Mandy Green, Busy Coach
If you want to consistently build your program, recruit at a high level, and develop your team—without burning out—your focus and productivity are everything.
But most coaches don’t lose that edge all at once.
It’s not one big mistake.
It’s the quiet, unexamined habits that steal your time and energy little by little, every single day.
And after more than a decade of helping coaches master their time and design systems that make success sustainable, I’ve noticed four digital habits that silently sabotage the progress you’re working so hard for.
These habits make your day feel chaotic, your to-do list feel endless, and your momentum grind to a halt.
But here’s the good news: you don’t need to put in more hours—you just need to eliminate what’s dragging you down.
Let’s take a look.
Habit #1: Leaving Too Many Tabs Open
I’ll admit it—this one used to get me (and still does every now and then).
I once counted 51 open tabs on my browser during a normal workday.
The problem? Every tab you leave open is a distraction waiting to happen.
Especially if one of them is your email inbox, your social media, or your messaging app flashing with notifications.
It might seem harmless, but every time your attention gets pulled away—even for a second—it takes minutes to get back into focus. Over time, those minutes become hours you’ll never get back.
Worse yet, constantly reacting to pings, dings, and pop-ups puts you in reaction mode—where you spend your day responding to other people’s agendas instead of driving your own forward.
Want your time back?
Close the tabs.
Protect your focus like it’s the most valuable asset you have—because it is.
Habit #2: Checking Your Phone First Thing in the Morning
Before you even brush your teeth, your brain is bombarded with messages, updates, and urgent requests—and just like that, your focus for the day is hijacked.
If the first thing you consume is email or social media, you’ve already handed off control of your mindset to someone else.
Even for me—sometimes I want to peek at sales numbers or email stats for Busy Coach. And while that’s “business-related,” it still pulls me out of creative, proactive energy and into distraction mode.
The morning is your most powerful window for clear thinking, intentional planning, and uninterrupted focus. Don’t waste it scrolling.
Instead, take that time to fuel your mind, review your priorities, and center yourself around what you want to accomplish.
Habit #3: Starting the Day with TV or Netflix
Before I had kids, I used to watch the news or morning shows while getting ready. But what I didn’t realize was how much that habit was costing me—not just in time, but in mental clarity.
When you start your day with passive consumption, you’re training your brain to chase dopamine instead of progress.
TV might feel relaxing, but it actually sets the tone for distraction all day long.
A more powerful way to start your day?
Try a 20-minute morning routine that includes:
- Reviewing your goals
- Planning your top 3 priorities
- Reading something inspirational
- Practicing gratitude or visualization
This will prime your brain for focus—and that focus will carry you through the rest of your day with less stress and more output.
Habit #4: Leaving Notifications On
Want an instant boost to your focus, peace of mind, and productivity?
Turn. Off. The. Notifications.
Seriously—this is one of the simplest high-ROI moves you can make as a coach.
When your phone buzzes, your attention breaks.
When your screen lights up, your brain says, “Look at me!”
And every time you give in, your ability to do deep, focused work weakens.
This isn’t just a time-waster. It’s a willpower killer.
In psychology, it’s called the Zeigarnik Effect—open loops in your brain that demand closure. Every unread notification is an open loop, quietly tugging at your attention until you cave.
Shut them down.
Better yet, schedule when you’ll check messages or email—don’t let them control your day.
Your job as a coach requires clarity, strategy, and presence. Notifications are the enemy of all three.
So Now What?
Knowing the habits that hurt your productivity is a start.
But real change comes from doing something about it.
So this week, pick just one of these habits and commit to cutting it out.
I promise—when you start protecting your focus,
You’ll stop wasting time.
You’ll stop chasing your day.
You’ll start seeing more progress in fewer hours.
That’s how high-performance coaches work less, lead better, and create results that last.
If you want to become a higher performing coach, email Mandy Green at mandy@busy.coach to set up a strategy call.