by Mandy Green, Busy Coach
If you are a coach that works too much…
If you just can’t let go of doing it all…
If you keep saying the 5 deadly words: “I will do it myself”…
Then this article is for you.
Hi, my name is Mandy Green, and I’m a recovering workaholic coach.
Today I want to share what’s worked for me to reduce my addiction to overwork…
Because I know these tips can work for you too:
Step #1 – Public Accountability
When I told the world – via this newsletter and on social media – that, “I’m shutting down work every night at 6pm EST to be with my family,” … it left me with two choices:
a) Be a lying, hypocritical workaholic and break that pledge
b) Commit to it and be more focused during the day
So… ask your team, your staff, your family, your coach (!), etc. for hardcore accountability…
Ask someone to check on you each morning about how your nightly shutdown went…
And ask them to check on you mid-afternoon and ask, “Are you ready to be present at night?”
Step #2 – Identify Your Triggers
Then destroy your distractions and toss your temptations.
If checking your phone and email too much causes you to work an extra hour (or more) each day…
Cut back on that habit.
Use app blockers… or delete the tools from your phone after a certain point each day… and only re-install them in the morning.
Step #3 – Set Significant Consequences
If you don’t do something…
Then a reward must be removed…
Or a punishment must be in place.
Whichever motivates you better.
Use it to build momentum… and start stacking WINS.
Step #4 – Block Your Non-Negotiable Non-Work Time
Plan your Ideal week…
Putting workouts, family time, self-care, time for hobbies, etc. on the calendar.
These are set-in-stone non-negotiable actions.
Put those on the calendar first and build everything around it.
And if you begin to break these commitments… see Step #3.
Step #5 – Change Your Identity
This is the greatest lesson ever learned from James Clear, author of Atomic Habits.
Planning, consequences, and accountability only go so far…
It’s only when you change your Core Identity – to where you no longer seeing yourself as a workaholic whose worth in life is related to the amount you work or wins you get – that you will finally be able to step back from being that way.
This takes work.
It requires changing your self-limiting beliefs.
But it is worth it.
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When you follow these 5 simple steps you’ll immediately boost your productivity and slash your stress levels.
Which is why the weird, counterintuitive result of working LESS (provided you do it this way)…
…is that you may even cut your workload in half.
If the idea of working less while improving your results sounds like something you’d be interested in, you can connect with Mandy Green at Mandy@busy.coach to set up a call.