by Mandy Green, Busy Coach
Coaches are expected to do everything and be everything at all times. It’s part of the job, especially when you’re first starting out.
However, there are some seemingly productive habits that you may have formed that are actually killing your success in the long term. The candle that burns brightest, burns fastest and burns the longest doesn’t always win. While it’s crucial for you to be productive with your time, you also need to focus on not burning out.
Here are five of the most touted habits that I’ve watched kill the long-term success of other coaches. Check yourself to make sure you aren’t making these mistakes.
1. Work over play always
I’ve watched many bright, responsible and talented coaches (myself included) forsake any fun or play in the name of not missing out on recruits, only to lose their competitive edge and standing in the long term. Why? Creativity.
Creativity comes from a place and space of play. Innovation comes through creativity. When you don’t take time for creativity, for play and for doing things outside the program of tasks and work, you start to lose your creative capacity. Creation is born from a more fluid and dynamic space than just work alone.
Don’t skip out on all forms of play just for the sake of work. You might be productive in the short term, but you’ll burn out over time.
2. Long hours mean big results
It’s a quintessential coaching trait to log long hours and most days of the week at the office.
Don’t get into the competitive nature of staying late, coming early and working weekends unless results are coming out of the hours. Don’t force staff to be there when it isn’t necessary. Encourage and foster a spirit of time outside the office, starting with yourself, so you create the space to allow your staff to follow your direction.
Most head coaches will find that staff is extremely loyal. Even when you tell them to go, they’ll often stay late. Be vigilant about time efficiency and productivity measures during the day so you can send yourself and your staff home to rejuvenate at night and on weekends.
3. Multitasking
Ever tried to type an email while a recruit is talking to you and found you’ve written out what they’re saying?
To me, multi-tasking is synonymous with ADD at best and multiple-personality disorder at its worst. Don’t multitask. Your staff can tell when you aren’t listening. Your work can suffer when you aren’t focused on it.
Do one thing at a time, do it well and completely and then move to the next task.
4. You need to be in everything
Are you a control freak? Do you feel it would just be easier for you to do it? Being in charge of EVERYTHING doesn’t make you a good leader or a good coach. You have to learn to delegate things to the right people and teach them how to do it the right way. Better yet, can you create a standard operating procedure for something you delegated so it doesn’t matter who does it, but you ensure that it will get done the same way, and best way every time.
Bottom line, don’t try to be everything or you’ll burn out.
If you are interested in setting up a 30 minute consultation to discuss your productivity habits for free, please email me at mandy@busy.coach.