Optimizing Your Coaching Day: Time Management and Productivity Tips
In this episode of The Coaching Clinic, John Ball and Angela Besignano share insights into structuring a successful day as a self-employed coach.
They discuss the importance of setting office hours, employing productivity tools, and having a planner. The hosts emphasize the need to balance work and self-care routines, avoid distractions like social media, and evaluate daily activities to maintain productivity.
They also touch on the significance of gratitude practices and creating boundaries to optimize work performance.
Listeners are encouraged to be intentional about their schedules and continuously reflect on their practices for improvement.
Leave us a voicemail with your questions on this episode or about coaching and we might just feature you on the show: https://www.speakpipe.com/thecoachingclinicpodcast
keywords
coaching, self-employed coach, typical day, structure, planning, boundaries, prioritization, morning routine, gratitude, gratitude, time management, productivity, intentionality, strategic planning, meditation, energy shift, social media, tracking time, evaluation
takeaways
titles
Sound Bites
00:00 Introduction and Opening Banter
00:27 Welcome to the Coaching Clinic
00:53 Structuring Your Day as a Coach
02:30 The Importance of Office Hours
03:25 Planning and Productivity Tools
04:56 Avoiding Non-Income Producing Activities
08:04 Setting Goals and Effective Planning
10:20 Balancing Work and Personal Life
18:10 Morning Routines and Self-Care
21:57 The Power of Gratitude
25:22 The Importance of Flex Time
29:09 The Release Meditation Technique
30:39 Structuring Your Work Day
32:59 Deep Work and Social Media Distractions
36:12 Mindset and Prioritization
42:03 Tracking Your Time and Finances
44:06 Favorite Planning Tools
45:13 Exciting Announcement and Conclusion
John,
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:John: Angie.
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:Angie: what does a typical
coaching day look like for you?
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:John: Oh, I'm glad you?
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:asked me that.
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:Normally I like to roll out of
bed at five and head to my office.
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:Angie: Five A M?.
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:John: No.
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:Angie: Oh, Lord.
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:I'm worried about what's
going to come next.
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:John: Typically I work for an hour
or so on some calls and then I'm
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:about ready for dinner and bed.
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:Angie: How do you make any money?
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:John: Money I
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:Angie: let's start the show.
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:John: This is the coaching clinic
the show that helps coaches master
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:the art in business of coaching
18
:Angie: From starting to scaling
and from the novice to nailing it.
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:John: My name is John Ball
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:Angie: And I'm Angela Besignano.
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:John: and our mission is to help you
the self employed coach to grow your
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:business and master the art of coaching
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:Angie: So you can have a thriving
and profitable coaching practice.
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:So obviously today we're going to talk
about, which I think is super important.
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:What does a typical day
look like for a coach?
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:How do you structure your
day as a self employed coach?
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:John: think it's especially important to
make the distinction of This may look very
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:different for those who are fully self
employed with their own coaching business
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:to those who may be Employed on contract
to someone else and maybe just getting
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:clients sent through But yeah I think
we'll still be able to give you a pretty
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:good insight into Some of the good and
bad practices that can go along with these
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:kinds of days And especially for those who
do have their own coaching practice How
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:to make sure that you're doing the right
things that are gonna get your results
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:and not the wrong things that are gonna
Take you off track or delay you or slow
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:you down Stuff that i've certainly done.
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:I don't know about you ng.
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:I've done a lot of the wrong things
before I got to the right things
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:Angie: I think I did a lot of busy
things before I got to the You know
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:the impactful things right the actions
of the day the habits of the day And I
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:have to be honest a lot of that wasn't
just You Business oriented, right?
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:There were some habits that I needed to.
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:Really put into play.
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:But we'll talk more about
that because it didn't happen.
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:My first focus was what do
I need to do as a coach?
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:What do I do?
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:I'm like sitting at the desk
going, Ooh, look at this.
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:I'm working for me today.
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:That was fun and new.
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:And a huge learning curve.
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:I mean it did not happen overnight for me.
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:John: no likewise, One of the things
I think I was missing something really
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:basic when I was first getting started
that took me a while to figure out,
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:in fact, to be told essentially, I was
told by a coaching marketing expert to
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:sort this out, which was office hours.
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:I actually didn't set
office hours for myself.
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:And it seems so obvious, right?
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:Like I thought I'll work with myself.
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:I just work whenever I need to.
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:And, but not having those
specific office hours.
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:Actually caused a lot of issues And
I think that probably the thing that
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:resolved it most quickly was setting
up my calendar Because I needed to have
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:that calendar for people to begin to
say Okay when do I actually want to
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:be available to people for coaching?
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:And when do I need time for other
things projects and other business
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:elements that i'm working on?
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:And that started to help get it sorted.
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:How about you?
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:Angie: Absolutely.
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:I think I was maybe a step ahead
because I've always been a planner.
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:I've literally had a
planner since I've been 19.
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:I still have the same kind of planner,
although I do utilize, obviously like
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:I'll use a calendar and all the things.
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:But I still have an ink and paper
calendar because You know what
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:if something happens I have it.
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:I know what I'm doing.
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:I know people are laughing.
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:Don't laugh It's gotten me out of
trouble many times, but because
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:i've naturally been a planner.
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:I think that was not As big a challenge
for me as it might have been for you.
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:But what I put into that calendar
I was, again, pretty young and I
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:was like anything to keep me busy,
it's like I needed to fill the day
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:and the time and felt really, I,
I can remember the feeling too.
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:I can remember feeling gosh,
I got so much done today.
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:No client.
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:That's so much done today.
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:No client.
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:And then at some point, months
probably into it, I was like,
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:okay what the hell am I doing?
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:I'm Like, what am I really doing?
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:And I don't feel like I'm doing what
I'm supposed to be doing because I've
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:been training people in sales for years.
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:And one of the first things
that I do with them is.
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:Put a calendar together, make effective
plans and goals around the plan, or
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:I should say goals, and then plans
around the goals, and then BING!
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:The light bulb finally went off and
I was like, I'm still selling myself
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:right now, and I wasn't doing that.
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:So that was the big indicator
for me that I was like, oh wait,
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:busy doing task work, busy work.
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:Nippas, not nipples, nippas.
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:non income producing activities.
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:They're
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:John: Nipples is more memorable, but yeah.
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:Nippers.
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:Angie: you won't forget now, right?
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:I'm just saying, but it's the truth.
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:Like I really was, I had to differentiate
first and foremost, before I even
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:started putting the calendar together,
what were the necessary things that
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:I needed to do administratively?
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:Those were the non income producing
activities putting together a website
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:and things that I wanted to do.
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:But what were the things
that were actually going to
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:potentially lead to an income?
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:Oh, lead.
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:Oh, lead generation.
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:Oh, so then, again, had that
big moment and then had to
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:decide what to do with that.
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:John: yeah Yeah, I found that
employing the use of a productivity
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:planner, which for me has take
mainly taken the form of rich ones.
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:I like.
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:A bit of old school writing things down
by hand So using a productivity planner
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:and i've tried a few and some are
certainly better than others Was giving
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:me more clarity on what needed to be
done on the day to day basis It was also
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:showing me what I was actually doing.
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:What am I spending my time on?
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:Am I seeing the results from that?
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:Am I feeling productive or not?
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:What do I do to turn things up?
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:What do I do then?
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:What action should I be
taking planning my week ahead?
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:That was transformative And i've even
found that I've recommended that to
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:my type a kind of clients in the past
who have, who are the overachievers
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:because very often they need that to
be able to see just how much they're
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:doing because they do so much and plan,
put so many things into their days and
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:achievements that they actually lose
track and don't feel that they're.
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:Just still don't feel that they're doing
enough and you know I've had reports back
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:from people clients who i've recommended
to do that with That they found that
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:both ends of the spectrum those who
aren't getting up done and those who are
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:doing way too much I've both found it
very helpful to be able to get more of
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:a grip on what should and should not be
happening But being able to know what
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:your most important activity is for the
day and what the additional two or three
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:was two or three Would be the next most
important and what's some fourth and fifth
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:that might also be if you have the time
Good to get to that's really valuable
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:But even with that, I don't think I had
the full picture until one of my business
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:mentors showed me Pretty much a roadmap
for building and growing the business
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:and the roadmap was different income
levels where I was able to recognize
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:that a lot of the activities I was doing
were way ahead of the level I was at.
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:And a lot of the foundational elements
for building the business on were missing.
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:Angie: Yeah.
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:John: That was a big wake up call.
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:Angie: And I think so for the, for
everybody listening, obviously I
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:think we're making it pretty clear.
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:The first thing you have to decide is What
tool is going to work best for you, right?
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:So if John and I are talking old school
and it's you know, I don't use ink and
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:paper I started out with ink and paper and
Realized quickly that it started to look
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:like a Christmas tree exploded on the page
So I started using mechanical pencil And
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:I can erase and it's much better for me.
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:But listen, if I'm talking, if
we're talking to a 30 year old right
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:now, who's getting into coaching,
you and I both know they're not.
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:There are so many tools out there
for you to choose from in terms
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:of keeping yourself structured,
find something that works for you.
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:Because if you don't like it, If you don't
like it, it is not going to work for you.
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:So when somebody suggested to me that
I go full on use my Google calendar
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:for all things, all day, every day.
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:I hated it.
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:I absolutely hated it.
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:Do I use it?
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:Of course I use it because I have
appointments now and automations
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:in place, but everything I do Still
goes into this calendar for me.
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:So it works.
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:I'd have to you know, 35 years later
I'm still doing the same thing as
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:I did because it really does work.
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:So that's the first thing.
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:And then I think then you have to decide,
again, best habit, and we've talked about
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:this, like figuring out your goals, right?
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:Is it monetary?
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:Is it based on how many clients you
want to work with and how you're
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:structuring your business as a coach?
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:And that's going to dictate what you
end up doing every day So if you're
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:sitting here and I don't recommend
waiting until january 1st because
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:what you're going to be doing for the
following year, you know You should be
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:planning in fourth quarter of the year.
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:You're in hint.
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:We're in third We're coming
up on fourth pretty quickly.
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:So what are the goals
that you have for a year?
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:What are the big goals three years?
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:And you need to you've probably heard
this begin with the end in mind.
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:So that you know what it is you need to,
you will be able to back that all the
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:way up to what you do every single day.
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:How many people you need to
contact, all those things.
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:John's got this smile on his face,
you can't see it, but he's probably
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:John: that really just that thing of the
cliche of failing to plan is planning
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:to fail right and it's so true It's a
cliche for a reason but planning makes
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:all the difference we I think we've
talked in various episodes in various
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:Situations about the importance of
planning and preparation and this is
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:one of those critical things as well
The reality of a coaching business today
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:though, is that it's not just show up
and coach It is all the other things
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:the foundational things I was going
to talk about, the stuff that actually
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:gets you clients through the proverbial
door and business on a regular basis.
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:So it's having those things
like when are you going to spend
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:some time on your marketing?
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:When you're going to spend some time
on your social media, when you're
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:going to spend some time, maybe
doing some networking or podcasting.
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:Interviews or whatever else it is
you're doing for your business.
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:That stuff has to be planned into
your days as well as your coaching
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:sessions and really can't be pick a
mix to the extent of, I'll just do
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:it when I've got a gap here, I'll
do it when I've got a gap there.
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:Because we don't work that way In
fact, it's been demonstrated time and
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:time again that the simple act of task
switching takes a significant cognitive
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:load For us, which means it's hard.
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:It means it makes us more tired It means
it makes the things that we're going to
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:go on and do more difficult And so if
we want to make life a bit easier for
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:ourselves, we need to segment Our time
for working on that and give ourselves
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:the ability to do Prospecting to be
able to do interaction to be able to
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:do networking whatever else We're going
to be doing or need to be doing to be
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:growing and developing our business so
time to follow up with your clients time
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:to Look after yourself as a self care all
of these things that need to happen to
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:have Success for you and your business.
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:They're
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:Angie: I would say,
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:John: Can't be left a chance.
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:Angie: Yeah.
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:No.
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:And I think that the administrative
side of what we do is why we are
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:able to do what we do, right?
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:You have to set it up.
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:You have to fill the space, so to
speak, and be able to attract people.
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:But there's also some things too
that I think are really important.
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:This was a big shift for me.
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:was learning to stay off social media and
email because I was able to just pick up
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:the phone and go, did I get any emails?
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:Did I get any responses?
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:Let me check my socials.
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:Let me check everything before three
seconds after I opened my eyes, right?
234
:That was how I wouldn't say obsessed,
but how I would start my day.
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:And it was a lousy way to
start my day derailed me.
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:It literally would derail the
plan That I, or the structure
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:that I put into place because.
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:I was like, Oh, I didn't even change out
of my bed clothes yet, and I was like
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:starting my work day at 4 in the morning.
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:That wasn't the plan.
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:And it's the problem with it
was that it sent me into, let me
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:just answer these five emails.
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:Let me just do this really
quick and then I'll do that.
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:It totally derailed the plan.
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:So that was a bad habit.
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:And I'm going to say this
to everybody listening.
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:It is so easy to want
to pick up that phone.
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:I don't know anybody who doesn't go to
sleep with their phone next to their bed.
249
:Honestly, I don't.
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:It's the truth.
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:And I used to use the excuse
of I need to have it on in case
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:my parents have an emergency.
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:If they have an emergency, there's always
911 because it just didn't make sense.
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:And it would actually cost me.
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:And I did this by the way,
I did do the measurement.
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:It was costing me about five hours a day.
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:That's 25 hours a week.
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:And then what happened was because
I wasn't getting the work that
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:I needed to get done in the time
that I planned on completing it.
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:My days would then go until seven,
eight, nine, 10 o'clock at night.
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:And my husband would be
like hello, are you here?
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:Because I'd start business and
then do things all day and then do
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:personal and then come back to finish.
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:If I even did finish.
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:If I even did finish.
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:Bad habit.
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:Slap on the wrist, that is
just a really poor habit.
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:It's true.
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:John: easy to do and it and that's a
lack of planning really right, isn't it?
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:Angie: Is that a good
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:John: very much to what
we're talking about.
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:It's just you roll into it most people
probably do start their day off checking
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:their phone and maybe even opening their
emails, which I will not open an email
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:like I actually i'm one of those annoying
people perhaps annoying who has my
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:phone nearly always set to silent So it
doesn't even vibrate when I get messages.
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:So unless i'm expecting a call urgent,
that I need to have an alert for my
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:phone's always on silent Because I
don't need to be that person who's
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:that immediate response And those
times when I do need to be directly
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:available I am but they're rare.
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:They're not all the time and most
of us find ourselves being 24 7
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:directly available I can't bear
people leaving Their phone alerts
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:or vibrate on through the night.
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:I think that
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:Angie: Is that it?
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:John: must disturb their sleep
so much And I just can't do it.
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:I won't check an email.
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:I will Briefly check who's sent maybe
a whatsapp or something like that just
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:to see if there's any messages from
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:Angie: In case it's me.
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:John: You In case it's you of course
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:Angie: If.
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:John: But you know that kind of is
it because then the first thing i'm
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:going to use My mobile phone for
in the morning is doing my daily
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:Wordle that's like the first thing
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:Angie: I love my wordle.
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:It keeps your brain fresh.
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:Keeps your brain fresh.
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:But so here's the thing though.
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:Here to what you're saying and to
your point is that You know what?
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:You have to set parameters for
yourself because what that will
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:also do is it will also teach
people when you're available, right?
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:I have had this go through my life
where people are like you're working
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:from home or you work for yourself.
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:Why aren't you answering your
literally leaving me five, six
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:voicemails going, where are you?
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:Why aren't you answering your phone?
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:because I am still working.
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:So these are parameters.
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:These are boundaries that you need to set
for yourself that will then transfer to
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:the people around you so that they know.
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:I actually have a friend
he calls it digital sunset.
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:I'll probably send this one to him
and say, Hey, talked about you today.
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:But literally the phone goes off
at a specific time for him and
314
:there is no further conversation.
315
:So if I.
316
:Send him a message at, 59 minutes
past the hour that is not getting
317
:answered until the next day.
318
:And I really feel like that's an
amazing, very ritualistic and it's.
319
:You know in its way, but
we need to do that, right?
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:We need to protect ourselves and our time
and if you start the day with the holy
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:crap Oh my gosh, even if it's good, even
if somebody says, oh my gosh, I can't wait
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:to work with you I read your proposal.
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:I'm ready to go.
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:We feel compelled to run to that and go.
325
:That's an exception You have to
decide if there are exceptions because
326
:again What does that even look like?
327
:I will check the phone, make sure
that I didn't hear from somebody my
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:daddy lives alone I definitely do
that and the habit is to go put the
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:phone down in my office after that to
charge so that I can do my day, right?
330
:My, my self care, how I prepare for
the day, Things that are important.
331
:I can no longer and I should probably
have never done this but just get up
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:shower and like now I'm sitting at work.
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:I'm sitting at my desk and I'm at work.
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:I had to incorporate
some things into that.
335
:John: the work starts before the work
right, or should it Should do anyway,
336
:and that can be making sure you get a
good night's sleep making sure you're
337
:well rested It can be having your morning
routine that sets you up for the day But
338
:your morning routine is not your work.
339
:Your morning routine is your self care.
340
:This is the you time Where you
maybe want to do some movements some?
341
:Thinking some meditations Whatever
you whatever sets you up best for
342
:starting your day Those are the kinds
of things that do for me for sure.
343
:How about you?
344
:What's that?
345
:What are the things that
set you up for a great day?
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:Angie: literal.
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:Listen, I really have to be outside.
348
:Like I literally get up.
349
:I'm literally up I drink some water,
I'm usually a cup, 16 or so ounces.
350
:I let my body wake up a little bit because
I used to be hit the ground running.
351
:Now I hit the ground and lip skin, right?
352
:I don't want to do that anymore.
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:I don't want to do that.
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:I want to wake up gently.
355
:And I always start with gratitude
before I even get out of the bed.
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:I always start with gratitude
like, Hey, I'm awake another day.
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:Hey, two time cancer survivor.
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:I better be thanking
somebody for something.
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:And I am, and I'm like, it's a great day.
360
:I purposely keep the shades open
in my bedroom because the sun
361
:comes up on that side of the house.
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:And I just, I want that.
363
:I don't want it to be dark.
364
:I want to wake up and see the sky and
that starts to light me up, literally.
365
:So when, by the time I get out of the
bed, I don't rush into the shower,
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:I will go down, I will make myself
a cup of coffee and I go outside and
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:I'm listening because it's early and
I might do some more gratitude because
368
:I feel like I just need more of that.
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:And I've already know by the way, right?
370
:What I'm doing on a Monday or Tuesday
or Wednesday, like I plan my weeks
371
:probably about a month in advance.
372
:And then every Friday when I'm done
with work, I literally, before I shut
373
:everything down, I make sure that the
following week is still what it was
374
:and I've made the adjustments so that
when I come to Sunday night and I'm
375
:preparing for that work week, everything
is okay, just a quick reminder.
376
:What do I have this week?
377
:What, what's going on this week that
I need to be like hyper aware of?
378
:This way I don't have to worry.
379
:It is not clogging my brain up with worry.
380
:But and I don't get the Sunday
night scaries where it's oh
381
:no, it's tomorrow already.
382
:It's Monday No, i'm ready to go
into my I know what Sunday night.
383
:I know what i'm doing on Monday I know
what like I know what's happening with
384
:the expectation of the day I don't come
to my desk open up a planner and go
385
:Oh, no, I didn't know I had that today.
386
:I should have started that two hours ago.
387
:No, I am fully prepared and ready.
388
:That doesn't mean that
I don't mess up, though.
389
:John: Yeah, we all have our little
mess ups I am maybe a little maybe
390
:call it a little more slapdash.
391
:I don't know but I mean I generally
know what's going to be in my week
392
:And I also know that anything that it
absolutely has to happen needs to be on
393
:my calendar because otherwise it doesn't
happen That's just a reality for me
394
:and i've learned to become the kind of
person who Relies on an organizer and
395
:Angie: Huh.
396
:John: to be organized because I know
how much of a difference it makes
397
:so those things are beneficial.
398
:I would love to get to being a
bit more You Months in advance.
399
:I mean there are elements of my calendar
that I will plan a month or even months
400
:in advance but day to day planning tends
to happen on a weekly basis for me plan
401
:the week out maybe have Some moments of
reflection towards the end of the week as
402
:to how the week has gone and what maybe
went what didn't go so well what might be
403
:where there might be room for improvement?
404
:I like to think about those things
but I do very much find I mean I just
405
:want to come back to the gratitude
stuff I've talked about gratitude in
406
:a number of places and how important
it is to me because I do feel like
407
:that practice Saves me to some degree.
408
:I often say it saved my life that might
be a little hyperbolic, but it certainly
409
:saved me in many ways from myself and from
falling into the darkest pits of despair
410
:and anguish and whatever else that may
have been coming up at certain points in
411
:my life and It was being challenged by
a coach friend of mine to implement that
412
:practice That whilst it took probably took
several weeks before I started to really
413
:feel anything coming from it I did start
to realize that my attitude was changing
414
:that I was appreciating things more that
I was generally feeling happier During my
415
:day that I got to a point of like where
we went together and we kept increasing
416
:that I was finding at least five things
a day to be grateful for at that point,
417
:and After having built up from just one
which I struggled with in the first week
418
:I struggled with finding one thing a
day to be grateful for because my brain
419
:wasn't tuning into that was transformative
completely transformative to the point
420
:Whereas I used to I definitely have
been someone who's struggled in my
421
:life with things like enthusiasm and
motivation You And the gratitude practice
422
:started to change all of that as well
I found myself getting excited about
423
:things being more enthusiastic in my
interactions with people Because I was
424
:appreciating my life more the thing of
what you appreciate appreciates, right?
425
:That I was very much feeling that in my
life and gratitude was really the heart
426
:of that So I do think that gratitude piece
is hugely important We could probably
427
:even have a whole episode Dedicated
to that at some point in the future.
428
:I will add it
429
:Angie: no, I think that we should,
because I think that people underestimate
430
:gratitude and I think there are just
There are some practices that are
431
:more superficial than others And i've
always said to people like your bank
432
:you just referenced it which made it
jump into my head you can't expect
433
:your bank account to grow unless you're
making deposits if you're constantly
434
:taking out And extracting so if you
are using your energy Like an atm and
435
:you're constantly just pulling out And
you don't replenish what's in there.
436
:Eventually, guess what?
437
:You're going to get the big fat,
sorry, there's nothing left.
438
:You're in trouble.
439
:Closing the account.
440
:Like it's not good for you.
441
:So definitely having some
real practices in place.
442
:And I think part of that too, is
like when you're organizing and
443
:you're We can talk about productivity
and time blocking and things like
444
:that, because I am very strategic.
445
:Nothing in my calendar happens
at a certain time by accident.
446
:Not one thing.
447
:I have time every day for discovery calls
that I am very, again, strategic about.
448
:I am very structured in when
I am doing sessions, right?
449
:Everybody's don't you just accommodate?
450
:I'd love to be able to just accommodate,
but I work with people all over the world.
451
:I can't, right?
452
:I have to stay true to even my own
time zone for me at this point.
453
:So lead generation every single day.
454
:And when I say that, of course,
that's another whole conversation,
455
:but because of how you might do that.
456
:What are the tools that
you're using for that?
457
:But all of that goes into
my week without a doubt.
458
:But one of the things that I had to
learn and didn't come until later.
459
:was flex time.
460
:I used to really account for every minute
of what I deemed my work day, right?
461
:I chose when I started to work
and I chose, by the way, when
462
:I ended work what was that?
463
:This day or these days, I'm,
this is a hard stop for me.
464
:There isn't a five or a 15 or a 20
cause again, into the rabbit hole we go.
465
:So it was really important for me to
Structure it in such a way that it made
466
:sense, but allowing buffer times because
as we all know, life just doesn't happen
467
:on the terms that we think it's going to.
468
:So I don't know, let's just
say in the midst of the day, I
469
:incorporate in a personal appointment
that's maybe virtual, right?
470
:Or, and I allow for a couple of hours and
then that person's running late or I hit
471
:traffic or something just happens, right?
472
:It just always does.
473
:I need to have that flex time because
what would happen for me is and lots of
474
:stress building upon stress because my
days were so structured and back to back.
475
:I was overloading myself and
that was causing me to become.
476
:I wouldn't say the word is like
unreliable, but know coaches that, for
477
:example, do back to back coaching calls.
478
:I don't do it.
479
:I cannot do it.
480
:I am not good at that.
481
:I don't thrive in that.
482
:And what happens is, two, even if it's
one minute late to the next call, because
483
:my bladder's about to explode, that, to
me, is not fair to that one, because it
484
:just, it's ever being the, I'm, ever going
to the doctor, and they're like, sorry.
485
:Doctors like two hours behind what I'm
like, if I wasn't sitting here dying
486
:right now, I'd be really angry, but
we don't want to be that we, if you
487
:allow for that flex, it makes for a
much calmer and usually a much more
488
:Fluid kind of a day just a better day.
489
:John: you know how a lot of people now
have these like treadmill desks and
490
:things like that if you Yeah I don't
know either but Nice idea, right?
491
:I know people who have it for sure, but
I think maybe we need to bring in the
492
:commode seats for business professional
so we can do those back to back coaching
493
:sessions Without having to get up and go
to the toilet and that could be that could
494
:be a whole industry right there It's like
you want to work solidly you want to get
495
:your hustle on without taking breaks.
496
:Here we go Here's the office seat for you
497
:Angie: You are definitely
not speaking my language
498
:John: No, I wouldn't do it anyway,
I wouldn't do it anyway, but but
499
:that's, I would need that if I was
500
:Angie: thinks
501
:John: back to back
coaching sessions is all.
502
:I
503
:Angie: know what though?
504
:John: want that.
505
:Angie: That's another but that
brings up another point years ago.
506
:I worked for a coaching company and
I learned a really great practice
507
:and it's funny because I'm not
one that like meditates per se
508
:in like the traditional sense.
509
:There are things that I will do that
actually bring me peace, whether it's
510
:like going to a lake or going into
the forest, which I can't do a forest
511
:here in Arizona where I live, not
close by, but even if it's like a,
512
:just a walk up into the mountains by
myself so that I can just reconnect.
513
:With like nature and that, I'm not Mrs.
514
:Kumbaya, I'm just saying like getting
away from it all and having that
515
:place to go to get away from it
all, and to turn everything off.
516
:But what I did learn and I have
no problem sharing this is if
517
:you just, you can even Google it.
518
:It's called the release
meditation technique.
519
:And I wouldn't say that
I was like poo pooing it.
520
:It was just new to me.
521
:But I will say to you
that once I learned that.
522
:Cause it's about a two minute, two and
a half minute from start to finish.
523
:I can't, I have to do that in between
my sessions that is worked into my day.
524
:So I probably do it, five or six times
a day and one of the, and I do it when I
525
:get up because I want to anytime I want
to shift my energy, cleanse the palate.
526
:We've talked about it.
527
:You've heard me talk about it,
but that is something that.
528
:Is a start to my day
and it also is an end.
529
:It's not just something that I utilize
in between sessions to Cleanse my
530
:emotional palette as I said last time.
531
:It's definitely a great way for me to
Decompress disconnect in the moment so
532
:that i'm not carrying like energy builds
up during the course of the day, right?
533
:So this allows me to empty
that as the day progresses.
534
:That's huge for me.
535
:That's like a self,
536
:John: And if you had your commode
office chair, you could have
537
:a big shift whenever you want.
538
:Angie: This guy today, I
don't even know what to say.
539
:I'm not apologizing.
540
:Cause it's why I love them.
541
:But she's Louise,
542
:John: Let me ask you, let me ask you, I
want to bring it back to serious stuff.
543
:Cause my brain likes to go for the.
544
:Gutter most of the time
but let's write right.
545
:Let's rise try and rise above gutter
level and Do you find that there are?
546
:Best practices for you in how you start
your working day not your day at home
547
:like not how you start your day, but your
working day and how you close that off I
548
:mean you maybe the release meditation is
part of how you close that off as well.
549
:Angie: It is absolutely how I
shift my energy from whatever's
550
:going on in the household.
551
:And like I said, it could be great.
552
:It could be good.
553
:Maybe it's not so good, right?
554
:Maybe it's not a good
day in the UNG household.
555
:Maybe.
556
:Whatever.
557
:But whatever it is, I want to come
in, close the door, and I do that
558
:meditation so that I can literally
shift into what I'm doing today.
559
:It doesn't take me 25
minutes to get mentally.
560
:I think it's changed now for adults too.
561
:I'd have to really look it up,
but how long it takes for us to
562
:focus, and in between and when
there's distractions and things.
563
:So I I utilize that, but I've
pretty much at that point,
564
:I've also prioritized the day.
565
:So there's certain things that I'm
doing at certain times on certain
566
:days for a reason, whether it's
lead generating or it's follow up
567
:or it's even creating new content.
568
:I give myself time every day because
something comes up every day and
569
:I'm like, Ooh, that's a great piece.
570
:I'm going to do a video on that.
571
:So enough structure for me.
572
:It's having just the right amount of
structure so that I'm getting things done.
573
:And we talked about this,
like staying on task.
574
:That's not easy.
575
:That's not easy.
576
:How do you do that?
577
:That's really important, but also
still having fun in my practice.
578
:If I'm just sitting here grinding
every day I wouldn't still be a coach.
579
:There would be no possibility
of that happening.
580
:John: Yeah, I think my day my work
day generally starts well, I have to
581
:see the overview of the day if I have
clients early in the day i'm going
582
:to be looking at notes and preparing
for those sessions in my head at
583
:least before we get onto those and
584
:Angie: Is it?
585
:Is
586
:John: even bringing up their profiles
in my crm and No, I just want to
587
:be set for the day Now I also want
to see where i've got gaps and I
588
:also want to see where i've got.
589
:Where I've got stuff planned
in to do specific activities.
590
:And one of the things that
helped me with that was a book
591
:called Deep Work by Cal Newport.
592
:And that really was about giving,
getting that, developing that
593
:ability like we train our bodies
in the gym, some of us do.
594
:I've been known to from time to time But
training ourselves in that kind of way
595
:to be able to work for longer periods on
specific tasks to go deep with it, because
596
:I know about you most of Even now I still
find myself with the temptation is always
597
:to oh, I wonder what's going on social
media or things like that To be distracted
598
:There's so many things that could distract
us from stuff that developing that ability
599
:to work on a specific task or a project
for an hour two hours Probably hard to go
600
:more than that on one thing really without
having some kind of significant break but
601
:It's a skill That we can develop and is
really useful to do so because it's hard
602
:to come by these days a lot of us are so
Scattered and distracted and the social
603
:media is a big culprit for the distraction
604
:Angie: it?
605
:Is
606
:John: In fact I think it's really good
to get to that because A lot of us need
607
:social media for growing our business
and for business development and client
608
:interaction and attraction and stuff,
but many of us are still using social
609
:media mostly to You To be a participant
rather than to be a creator and we
610
:need to move more into the creator
mindset Whereas we're not a user.
611
:We're more of a creator and this
is what something you can track and
612
:I don't say this to berate anybody
because I think i'm as guilty of it
613
:as anyone else, but the more we can be
on social media as a creator We should
614
:track our time and see what where are
we spending our social media time?
615
:I don't care about how much screen time
you have if you're using it as In ways
616
:that are going to be beneficial and
constructive, but if you're just doing
617
:scrolling, if you're just doom scrolling
Twitter or X or whatever, that is not a
618
:productive use of your time and probably
isn't making you feel great either.
619
:And you're not actually creating
or contributing or doing
620
:anything good for yourself.
621
:So again, it can be those busy things.
622
:But social media can be a one of those
is i'm just on social media I need
623
:to be on social media for my work.
624
:But yeah, but are you actually
doing work stuff on social media?
625
:Or you know looking at facebook
memories or whatever else?
626
:Angie: You have to, we have to, as a
coach, you need to adopt the mindset
627
:that you're the CEO and you cannot behave
differently because you are, and I don't
628
:care if you work remotely at home, right?
629
:If your office is at home or if you're
like in some space where you actually
630
:have an office like you do, John,
you go to an office to go to work.
631
:So Your time is still your own and
you need to use it in a, in a very
632
:specific way and you have to stay on
top of yourself and say, would I be
633
:doing this if I had a 500, 000 a year
job and, somebody I had to answer to a
634
:board of directors or, Whomever, right?
635
:Would I be doing this?
636
:Because if I wouldn't, then
I, if I wouldn't do it, then
637
:I shouldn't be doing it now.
638
:The other thing I wanted to mention
earlier, it's all about mindset, right?
639
:I'm talking about those things, right?
640
:Is the idea that there is no MD
at the end of your last name.
641
:You're not on call.
642
:There is no emergency.
643
:That's really a great way to save yourself
or allow yourself to disconnect, right?
644
:And only connect when it is,
when you have planned for it.
645
:And I think that those things will
keep you, keep yourself honest.
646
:This is your business.
647
:If you don't do the work that's
necessary, and that doesn't mean that
648
:you're always going to have it dialed
in and you're not going to, because
649
:listen to John and I, we've screwed up.
650
:We know we, we thought just showing
up to the desk, somebody was going to
651
:magically the phone was going to ring and
somebody was going to want to hire us.
652
:Obviously, haha, that's
an exaggeration, but.
653
:We had to learn the hard
way and it cost us time.
654
:It cost us money.
655
:And now that we've both been doing
this for so long collectively
656
:over 50 years, are we perfect?
657
:No, we're still learning, but we
definitely got some really core
658
:habits and practices and systems
in place to That allow us to do
659
:what we're doing here today, right?
660
:Being able to say, gosh, where
was this when I was took it just
661
:wasn't there, what didn't exist.
662
:And you really do have to decide
on the systems, what the habits are
663
:going to be, what are the things
that are going to fill you up?
664
:What are the things that are going to
benefit your business and give yourself
665
:the time, put it into a planner, make
the plan, do the plan, check it out.
666
:Is it working?
667
:Is it not?
668
:What is it working?
669
:What needs to change
and that's a business.
670
:John: it's really good idea to categorize
The things that are on your activity list.
671
:In fact, I was thinking this whole
thing of it's been on my mind this week
672
:Actually as as a self employed person
are your boss and you are the boss and
673
:you're the employee you're both of those
things And so we need to sometimes put
674
:on the separate hats for each of those
and as an employee you should have
675
:Maybe as put on you put on your boss
hat you'll see a ceo hat and write a job
676
:description for your employee And then
put on your employee hat and look at your
677
:job description and look at your week
and look at what needs to happen When in
678
:relation to that and then prioritize on
what absolutely needs to happen whether
679
:that's today or on a weekly basis what
absolutely needs to happen to get you to
680
:your objectives What Is good to happen?
681
:There isn't such a priority but
would be good if you can get that
682
:done as well And what really doesn't
need to be happening or what do you
683
:absolutely need to stay away from?
684
:In order to get in order to get
your results I think it's really
685
:useful to go through that level of
prioritization And maybe even get
686
:eyes on that From someone else.
687
:If you need a bit of external input
to guide you as to what you should and
688
:shouldn't be spending some time on in
your professional weeks, because it's
689
:very easy to get this wrong and feel
like you're being busy and that I'm
690
:working so hard and doing this and why
aren't I seeing results I've been there.
691
:You've been there.
692
:It's not good.
693
:Angie: I think that first of all that,
anybody who is listening should even
694
:consider the idea of hiring a coach.
695
:You don't always have to wait
for something to not be working.
696
:Maybe you hire somebody out of the gate
to say, I have some budget for this and
697
:maybe you don't, but if you do, if you
can find it, what it will save you in
698
:time would probably be worth it, right?
699
:To make the expenditure happen.
700
:I think that's important.
701
:I think it's really important to be
able to, I, this is a great practice.
702
:I mentioned part of it earlier is at
the end of the week, really evaluating.
703
:What went well?
704
:Like I always say, what were
my best sessions this week?
705
:What can I do more of?
706
:How did I do that?
707
:And then I might look at it
and say, okay, what were the
708
:challenging sessions this week?
709
:And what can I do better?
710
:What do I need to work on to do better?
711
:I always do that self check,
but you can do the same in the
712
:structure of your business.
713
:I still do that.
714
:And there are weeks
when even at this stage,
715
:could look at the week
and go, you know what?
716
:I really didn't do enough lead generating.
717
:I didn't follow up enough.
718
:Yes, I have systems in place that
handle, the majority of certain things
719
:for me, but what they don't handle
is, the human interaction piece.
720
:So you do have to look at yourself.
721
:I would say weekly,
look at your structure.
722
:What worked, what did I do, what
went on as planned and what didn't
723
:and why, what was the distraction?
724
:Did something different happen?
725
:Was there a different necessity?
726
:Evaluate
727
:John: i'd say daily actually i'd say daily
I think it's a good check in for yourself
728
:each day as to what went well today what
didn't go so well and what is something
729
:that I could work on improving tomorrow
to make tomorrow better than today?
730
:Angie: Yeah, listen and that
definitely might work for people
731
:who want for me You know what?
732
:i'm i've been doing it this way for so
long what's interesting is if I have a
733
:crappy day Then i'm all like sitting there
in self reflection mode for hours going.
734
:Okay, what happened?
735
:What needed to change?
736
:What didn't I do?
737
:What did I do?
738
:How can I make that better?
739
:So sometimes in that every day, it's
depending on the moment, but, but find
740
:your flow, find what works for you.
741
:If the fire starts burning on
Monday, you don't want to wait
742
:until Friday to put it out.
743
:You know what I mean?
744
:So really you do have to give your,
again, we talk about this so much, right?
745
:Is take that bird's eye view of
your business, your day, your
746
:activities, and really be honest.
747
:If you were writing down.
748
:Everything you did I do this
with clients when they say to me.
749
:I don't have any time
left nothing I say, okay.
750
:I want you to do this three days.
751
:I don't ask for an entire week.
752
:I say three days I want you to literally
write down every single thing you do.
753
:I don't care if you take a 10 minute
potty break I don't care what that is.
754
:I literally from the minute you wake
up I want to know what you do and how
755
:long you do it for it's three days.
756
:It is intensive.
757
:It's annoying to them It's like I
can't do that You Just do it because
758
:if you say you can't I say show me your
calendar right not what you planned I
759
:want to know what you're actually doing
every day and it literally turns out
760
:to be like counting calories, right?
761
:I don't eat much Okay, but if you're
eating only three slices of pizza and
762
:each one of them is 850 calories That
might be part of the problem, right?
763
:So when I do that with clients
They are, and I don't think it's,
764
:I don't think I've missed once.
765
:It's Oh,
766
:okay.
767
:I didn't run.
768
:That's fine.
769
:We're not here to make
you, this isn't bad.
770
:This is awareness of what
you're doing with your time.
771
:John: Yeah.
772
:I've seen similar things with
clients I work with on their
773
:finances as well and they, when they
get to track that they have very
774
:often have some big realizations.
775
:Tracking is a really useful tool.
776
:And one, one that should be employed.
777
:No, I did think earlier on that it
might be a really good idea to talk
778
:about what an ideal day for us would
look like, but I just think it's
779
:gonna be so different for everyone.
780
:I think really just talking about some of
the best practices things to avoid what
781
:we do what we've learned the mistakes
we made is plenty to be getting on
782
:Angie: though.
783
:Here's the overarching thing.
784
:Be intentional about what you're doing.
785
:Don't let the day just happen and
start looking for things to do.
786
:Be intentional.
787
:Plan it out.
788
:And learn how you fit into
the structure you created.
789
:And if it's not working and it feels
wonky, it just needs to be adjusted.
790
:That's what you have to think about.
791
:John: Do you have a
favorite planning tool?
792
:Angie: I don't, I literally,
listen, you're going to laugh.
793
:My, my little planner is
like that sunflowers on it.
794
:I bought it at Walmart for 15 bucks.
795
:That's my favorite planner.
796
:Like it's the one that I can sit
with and look at and the writing does
797
:something for me, writing it down.
798
:I don't know.
799
:I have a, a method if I erase something,
I have to replace it someplace if
800
:it's important I have a whole system.
801
:I have a whole system.
802
:John: I've had a Productivity Planner
from a company called Intelligent Change.
803
:who do the five minute journal
as well I found that very good.
804
:I'm currently using a Panda
Planner, which I like as
805
:Angie: well
806
:John: well, which was recommended to
me there's some really nice planners
807
:out there if you're looking for a tool
like that, I recommend getting one
808
:try it out and it will Undoubtedly
help you with your productivity a
809
:Angie: Yeah, there's people who are
very religious and whatnot, and there
810
:are planners that incorporate those
types of things into it, so if that
811
:is something that matters to you, then
maybe that's a better planner for you.
812
:But, yeah, literally, if you Google
types of planners, all of these come up.
813
:Maybe not the Walmart
814
:John: absolutely pick one
that you think looks good for
815
:Angie: Yeah.
816
:John: That's pretty much it for
us for this week we do have an
817
:exciting announcement coming
soon We'll give you a clue.
818
:It is going to involve
Seeing us in real time.
819
:That's is that a clue or is
that just giving it away?
820
:but We'll let you know more about that
as and when it comes It very nearly
821
:accidentally happened at the start of this
822
:Angie: it did.
823
:John: yeah
824
:Angie: love
825
:John: we'll be back race.
826
:We're going to be back very soon with
another episode of the coaching clinic.
827
:Do let us know if you have questions
about anything we talked about today
828
:or anything you'd like to contribute
or just the message that you'd like to
829
:leave us for the show, go to speak pipe.
830
:com forward slash the coaching clinic
podcast and leave us a voicemail.
831
:We'd love to hear from you.
832
:We might even feature you on the show.
833
:Angie: Absolutely love it.
834
:John: We'll see you next time.
835
:Angie: Bye bye!