Too busy for coaching? Think again.
Achieving Goals, Burnout, Career Enrichment
In the midst of hectic schedules and competing work priorities, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed and disconnected from what truly matters to you. That’s where working with a coach comes in.
When you’re busy, it may seem counterintuitive to add another commitment to your plate. You may look at your week and think that there’s simply no way to add one more thing to your calendar. But the truth is, taking time to engage with your coach can be the game-changer you need to let go of the overwhelm and instead focus on what’s most important so you can progress toward your goals.
At Ama La Vida, we know that how you’re feeling in one area of your life directly impacts how you’re feeling the rest of the time. Our innovative coaching approach is designed to help you navigate a never-ending to-do list while creating meaningful, measurable change.
In this blog post, we’re going to unpack the unexpected benefits working with a coach can bring when you’re very busy, and how it can transform your approach to life and work.
The Importance of Coaching
Let’s be clear: coaching conversations are not the same as regular conversations, which is why conversations with your coach are so different from those you have with any of the other relationships you have.
Coaching training programs teach coaches to ask good questions so they can get to the root of your motivation and clarify what you need and want to move forward in the direction of your goals.
A conversation with your coach isn’t about getting advice. Instead, they’ll help you identify what works for you so that you can get out of your own way and become the person you always hoped you could be. If you invest your time in coaching when busy, you’re creating the opportunity to open doors you never expected or thought possible.
So, with that, here are just a few of the ways that working with a coach can help improve your performance and ease your overwhelm.
1. Prioritization Support
The first thing a coach will help you gain clarity on are your priorities. When things are feeling hectic and overwhelming, it’s easy to lose sight of what truly matters. The very first part of working with your coach is to identify your core passions, skills, values, goals, and aspirations.
By understanding what is most important to you, you can allocate your time and energy accordingly. This focused approach empowers you to tackle the most crucial tasks first and make progress toward the future you want to build.
This process is about optimizing your performance, so you can spend time on what truly matters to you and where you’ll make the biggest impact so that you can optimize your time and energy to bring you the results that matter.
2. Clarity on Your Goals
When your world is feeling overwhelming or chaotic, it’s easy to lose sight of what truly matters most to you. Conversations with your coach act as a guiding light, illuminating your path toward what aligns with your values and aspirations.
Through thought-provoking conversations and insightful questioning, coaches dive deep into understanding your core values, ambitions, and long-term vision.
With this heightened self-awareness, you can make informed decisions about how to allocate your time and energy to your advantage. Your coach will help you differentiate between urgent tasks and those that contribute to your long-term goals.
By gaining goal clarity, you can experience a newfound sense of direction and purpose. At Ama La Vida, we set EPIC goals that will not only keep you on track but also inspire you and move you further toward your personal and professional purpose. These goals will serve as your compass, keeping you focused and driven in your daily endeavors.
Remember, goal clarity is not about following someone else’s agenda or societal expectations. It’s about gaining a deep understanding of what brings you joy, fulfillment, and a sense of purpose.
3. Time Management Mastery
Yes, certain circumstances are outside your control. However, when it comes to managing your time efficiently, a coach can be your secret weapon. They offer personalized support and guidance to help you navigate the demands of a busy schedule.
Coaching provides a unique opportunity to develop effective time management skills. Your coach can introduce you to proven strategies and techniques, but more importantly, they can help you identify a process that’s unique to you and your needs and ways of working.
They will help you streamline your processes, eliminate time-wasting activities, and find innovative ways to boost your productivity. With their guidance, you’ll learn how to prioritize effectively, delegate tasks, and make the most of the resources available to you, so that your weeks become productive and meaningful.
Your coaching sessions will help you to transform your relationship with time. Say goodbye to feeling overwhelmed and hello to a more balanced, fulfilling life.
4. Make Better Decisions
Take a moment and just imagine how much time you’d save if you could make decisions faster. Or make better decisions faster, with fewer mistakes and less rework.
This is exactly why coaching is so very valuable. Your coach can assist you in developing a systematic approach to decision-making. During your coaching sessions, they’ll help you explore your options, consider potential outcomes, and weigh the pros and cons so you’ll be able to make informed choices aligned with your goals and values.
Additionally, during your sessions, you can also explore how to manage uncertainty and navigate risks. Your coach will assist you in evaluating the potential consequences and identifying potential obstacles. With their support, you can develop contingency plans and mitigate potential obstacles, allowing you to move forward with confidence.
Moreover, coaching provides a valuable sounding board for exploring different scenarios and potential results. It will help you envision the short-term and long-term implications of your choices, as well as seeing things differently. Through this process, you can gain clarity on the path that aligns with your aspirations and leads to the desired impact.
Coaching also understands that decision-making is not solely about rationality but also about embracing your values and desires. The process is designed to help you align your choices with what truly matters to you, ensuring that your decisions reflect your authentic self and contribute to your overall well-being and fulfillment.
5. Delegation and Outsourcing
When you find yourself swamped with tasks and responsibilities, it’s time to consider delegation and outsourcing as powerful strategies, at work and at home. Working with a coach can provide you with valuable insights and guidance on identifying what and how to delegate and outsource, allowing you to reclaim your time and focus on the places where you’re uniquely equipped to adding the most value.
Career and leadership coaches understand the challenges faced by leaders and managers in busy organizations. They recognize that many leaders, across many organizations and teams, often find themselves overwhelmed by an extensive workload and conflicting company goals.
Through their expertise and experience, coaches can help you navigate the delegation process effectively so that you’re giving your team the opportunities they need to grow and giving yourself the time you need to do the work that only you can do.
A coach will work closely with you to assess your workload, priorities, and strengths. Together, you’ll identify tasks that can be delegated to others within your team or organization. By leveraging the talents and capabilities of your team members, you not only lighten your own load but also foster growth and development within your team.
Additionally, coaches recognize the importance of outsourcing certain responsibilities. They help you evaluate which tasks can be effectively and efficiently handled by external resources or specialized professionals. By outsourcing non-core activities, you free up your time to focus on strategic initiatives and high-impact areas where your expertise and leadership can make a significant difference.
6. Setting Boundaries and Saying No
Setting boundaries gives you the power to protect your time, energy, and overall well-being. Coaching helps you define your personal and professional boundaries, ensuring that you allocate your resources according to your needs and goals.
Learning to say no is not about being selfish or uncaring—it’s about honoring your own needs and priorities. A coach supports you in embracing the idea that saying no to certain commitments opens up space for more meaningful and fulfilling experiences. They help you navigate the guilt or fear that may arise and build the confidence to prioritize your well-being.
Coaches also guide you in recognizing the signs of boundary violations and establishing strategies to address them effectively. They provide tools for setting clear expectations, communicating boundaries, and handling situations where your boundaries are challenged. With their support, you can navigate difficult conversations with grace and assertiveness.
Last but certainly not least, working with a coach allows you to develop a stronger sense of self-worth and confidence in setting boundaries. They provide a non-judgmental space for you to explore your values, needs, and priorities. Coaching empowers you to honor your time and energy, creating a healthier work-life balance and fostering a greater sense of fulfillment.
7. Stress Reduction Techniques
Let’s be clear, “busy” also means “stressed.” When you’re feeling swamped, it can be very hard to make time for engaging in the activities and practices that will actually help you think better and work more efficiently. Here are just a few ways a coach might be able to help you reduce your stress:
Mindfulness practices
By incorporating mindfulness into your daily routine, you learn to navigate stress with a centered mindset. Whether it’s deep breathing exercises, guided meditation, or body scans, these techniques help you ground yourself in the present moment, allowing stress to dissipate.
Self-care
The idea of self-care might conjure spa time and bubble baths for you, but there are many different types of self-care. Coaches encourage you to prioritize activities that replenish your energy and bring you joy. It could be engaging in hobbies, spending time in nature, or connecting with loved ones. These self-care practices serve as a buffer against stress, helping you recharge and maintain a sense of balance.
Reframe your brain
Another powerful stress reduction technique is reframing perspectives. Coaches help you challenge negative thought patterns and replace them with more empowering beliefs.
As you shift your mindset and adopt a growth-oriented outlook, you can approach obstacles with resilience and optimism. Your coach can guide you through this process, providing tools and strategies to reframe situations and cultivate a positive mindset.
Get to the root causes of your stress.
When you understand the underlying patterns and triggers contributing to your stress, you can develop targeted strategies to address them effectively. Coaching allows you to build resilience in the face of stress. Your sessions create a supportive environment where you can openly discuss your challenges and concerns.
By incorporating these stress reduction techniques into your routine, you can experience a significant reduction in stress levels. Your coach will be by your side, supporting you every step of the way, as you find calm amidst the chaos and create a more balanced, fulfilling life.
Making time for coaching
All this is to say, if you’ve ever thought that you were too busy for coaching, think again. The benefits and time savings of fitting in your coaching sessions vastly outweigh the 45 minutes they take from your week, unlike some of those other meetings that land on your calendar!
From making better decisions to staying on track with your goals and beyond, these are just a few examples of how coaching can enhance your efficiency.
If you’re already an Ama La Vida member, we hope this has inspired you to book your next set of coaching sessions, and if you haven’t signed up yet, you can do that right here!