You know you are a great coach, you get positive feedback from your clients (by the way, are you collecting those video testimonials? And publishing them?). And you love the satisfaction of helping others, to see them change positively and progress in their own world
The Feast or Famine Dilemma in Coaching
But you get very frustrated with the feast or famine in your business. You’re either serving your clients and giving them the very best you can, but even an hour’s call is actually 2 hours work or so by the time you’ve prepared for the call, written up your notes and filed them and the fulfil the follow actions you promised such as sending out resources. Then negotiating a convenient time and booking the next appointment. Maybe making a cup of lemon and ginger tea a couple of times a day.
Why Your Time Feels Limited
Realistically if your calendar is full you can serve around 20 clients max per week. And that would be pretty exhausting – coaching can be intense as you give your clients your very best, which is high brain energy.
Balancing Client Work with Business Growth
Where is the time for business development? Marketing? Advertising? Well it sure won’t be inside a 40 hour working week!
So what are you doing to improve the situation?
How to Audit Your Time Effectively
We haven’t met and of course everyone does things differently and will be at a different stage in their coaching business.
To get to where we want to be, we have to know where we already are. That may sound kind of obvious but it is too easy to take for granted.
For example, if we are driving to a destination, we need to know where we start from in order to know the distance and the travelling time it will take to get there. We need to define where we are. How do we do that?Here’s some advice I was given at an earlier time in my own personal development. Be prepared to expect pain before there is gain.
The Power of Tracking Your Daily Tasks
For a week, keep a record of everything you do, you can do this using a voice app on your phone. Two taps is all it should take to start recording. First tap on your home screen to open the app and then a second tap to start recording. Third tap to stop recording and fourth tap to save the file. It can all be easily transcribed into words later (my voice app can do this.
And set up recurring reminders in your calendar. Ideally every 30 minutes to remind you to do. Then describe what you’ve been doing.
Example of a Time Tracking Breakdown
It might look something like this:
time | Summary of the Last 30 Minutes |
|---|---|
0:630 | Woke up, checked phone, scrolled social media, drank water. |
07:00 | Woke up the kids, prepped their breakfast, packed school lunches. |
07:30 | Got kids dressed and ready for school, quick shower for myself. |
08:00 | Drove kids to school, listened to a business podcast on the way. |
08:30 | Stopped for petrol, checked emails while waiting. |
09:00 | Back home, quick breakfast, responded to urgent client emails. |
09:30 | Housework—laundry load in, vacuumed the living room. |
10:00 | Prepped for a 1:1 client call, reviewed session notes. |
10:30 | Coaching session with client, focused on marketing strategy. |
11:00 | Followed up on client notes, updated CRM system. |
11:30 | Grocery shopping, picked up essentials for the week. |
12:00 | Lunch break, listened to an audiobook while eating. |
12:30 | Household chores—folded laundry, cleaned the kitchen counters. |
13:00 | Worked on my blog post, wrote two draft sections. |
13:30 | Picked up mail, sorted through bills and letters. |
14:00 | Client call, provided strategy advice and action plan. |
14:30 | Drove to pick up kids from school, discussed their day. |
15:00 | Snack time for the kids, helped with homework. |
15:30 | Housework—ironed clothes, cleaned the bathroom. |
16:00 | Checked social media, responded to comments and messages. |
16:30 | Group coaching session, facilitated Q&A for members. |
17:00 | Cooked dinner, helped kids with school project. |
17:30 | Family dinner time, chatted with everyone about the day. |
18:00 | Cleaned up after dinner, loaded dishwasher, wiped counters. |
18:30 | Relaxed with kids, watched a short TV show together. |
19:00 | Scheduled social media posts for the week. |
19:30 | Took a phone call from a friend, discussed weekend plans. |
20:00 | Quick planning session for tomorrow’s tasks. |
20:30 | Night-time routine for the kids, read them a bedtime story. |
21:00 | Relaxed with a cup of tea, browsed through social media. |
21:30 | Journaled today’s accomplishments, planned next week. |
22:00 | Took a shower, skincare routine, prepared clothes for tomorrow. |
22:30 | Read a book in bed, lights out at 23:00. |
Now, I am not going to pretend that will be easy or always possible, there will be gaps. Just do the best you can. The habit becomes easier with repetition.
Yes, this is going to be painful to do, it’s only for one week of your life though. It can be extremely revealing!
OK, just a reminder that there may be some pain before there is gain.
Roads have to be closed causing traffic jams but the new dual carriage way is brilliant.
You have to move all your furniture around, cover in dust sheets and tape things up before painting – such a faff! But the end results look fab.
Analyzing and Categorizing Your Time
We need to do the groundwork and clearly understand where we are. Then define where we want to be. And how we are going to get there. In other words, a plan! A spreadsheet is good for this, you can rows for dates and times, then columns for task description, tracking progress (which might be done / not done or a %) and a corresponding KPI (key performance indicator). The plan will have specific actions together with the time allocated for each over a course of weeks ahead. With measurable outcomes. Outcomes are the things we do not directly control such as sales. Whereas actions we are in complete control such as how many social media posts we made, how many sales phone calls we made.
So please just realise we need to do some work which may be painful and slow you down, we need to get a handle on exactly where you are now, how you spend your time, what your objectives are and how you will achieve them.
When you’ve completed your week of recording your 30-minute summaries, you can delete that pesky calendar reminder – phew!
Transcribe your recordings, paste them into a spreadsheet and add a column to categorise each task such as follows:
Key Time Categories to Focus On
category | Why It's Useful | Examples of Tasks |
|---|---|---|
Work - Revenue-Generating | Identify high-impact tasks that directly generate income. | Client coaching, sales calls, product creation, webinars. |
Work - Non-Revenue | Pinpoint tasks that support business but don't directly earn money. | Admin work, content planning, emails, research. |
Family & Personal | Ensure personal well-being and family time are prioritized. | School runs, family meals, self-care, personal development. |
Household Chores | See how much time is spent on daily upkeep. | Cooking, cleaning, laundry, errands, organizing. |
Health & Fitness | Track time invested in maintaining physical and mental health. | Exercise, meditation, medical appointments. |
Social & Leisure | Ensure time is spent on relaxation and relationships. | Watching TV, socializing, hobbies, entertainment. |
Commuting & Travel | Understand travel time and see if adjustments can be made. | School drop-offs, client meetings, errands, travel. |
Tech & Screen Time | Track unnecessary screen use to reduce distractions. | Social media scrolling, watching videos, browsing. |
Unplanned/Interruptions | Identify unexpected time drains to address them proactively. | Phone calls, unexpected visitors, last-minute tasks. |
Time Management Insights and Improvements
Here’s why These Categories Work:
1. Broad yet Specific: Covers all major life areas without being too detailed.
2. Decision-Driven: Helps identify areas to prioritize, optimize, automate, or outsource.
3. Balance: Encourages work-life balance by differentiating between professional and personal time.
4. Efficiency Tracking: Allows for easy spotting of inefficiencies and distractions (e.g., tech overuse).
You may wish to choose your own, which is fine, just be aware these are tried and tested, they were the ones I was advised to use.
Here’s an example:
time | Summary of the Last 30 Minutes | Category |
|---|---|---|
0:630 | Woke up, checked phone, scrolled social media, drank water. | Tech & Screen Time |
07:00 | Woke up the kids, prepped their breakfast, packed school lunches. | Family & Personal |
07:30 | Got kids dressed and ready for school, quick shower for myself. | Family & Personal |
08:00 | Drove kids to school, listened to a business podcast on the way. | Commuting & Travel |
08:30 | Stopped for petrol, checked emails while waiting. | Work - Non-Revenue |
09:00 | Back home, quick breakfast, responded to urgent client emails. | Work - Revenue-Generating |
09:30 | Housework—laundry load in, vacuumed the living room. | Household Chores |
10:00 | Prepped for a 1:1 client call, reviewed session notes. | Work - Revenue-Generating |
10:30 | Coaching session with client, focused on marketing strategy. | Work - Non-Revenue |
11:00 | Followed up on client notes, updated CRM system. | Household Chores |
11:30 | Grocery shopping, picked up essentials for the week. | Household Chores |
12:00 | Lunch break, listened to an audiobook while eating. | Work - Non-Revenue |
12:30 | Household chores—folded laundry, cleaned the kitchen counters. | Work - Non-Revenue |
13:00 | Worked on my blog post, wrote two draft sections. | Work - Revenue-Generating |
13:30 | Picked up mail, sorted through bills and letters. | Household Chores |
14:00 | Client call, provided strategy advice and action plan. | Family & Personal |
14:30 | Drove to pick up kids from school, discussed their day. | Family & Personal |
15:00 | Snack time for the kids, helped with homework. | Household Chores |
15:30 | Housework—ironed clothes, cleaned the bathroom. | Household Chores |
16:00 | Checked social media, responded to comments and messages. | Health & Fitness |
16:30 | Group coaching session, facilitated Q&A for members. | Work - Revenue-Generating |
17:00 | Cooked dinner, helped kids with school project. | Family & Personal |
17:30 | Family dinner time, chatted with everyone about the day. | Household Chores |
18:00 | Cleaned up after dinner, loaded dishwasher, wiped counters. | Family & Personal |
18:30 | Relaxed with kids, watched a short TV show together. | Work - Non-Revenue |
19:00 | Scheduled social media posts for the week. | Social & Leisure |
19:30 | Took a phone call from a friend, discussed weekend plans. | Work - Non-Revenue |
20:00 | Quick planning session for tomorrow’s tasks. | Family & Personal |
20:30 | Night-time routine for the kids, read them a bedtime story. | Social & Leisure |
21:00 | Relaxed with a cup of tea, browsed through social media. | Social & Leisure |
21:30 | Journaled today’s accomplishments, planned next week. | Work - Non-Revenue |
22:00 | Took a shower, skincare routine, prepared clothes for tomorrow. | Family & Personal |
22:30 | Read a book in bed, lights out at 23:00. | Family & Personal |
Now add up the time spent on each category.
OK, so here’s what an analysis of time spent might look like:
Category | Total Hours | % of Weekly Time | Suggestions for Improvement |
|---|---|---|---|
Family & Personal | 20 | 24% | Maintain balance; integrate family activities with light work. |
Household Chores | 18 | 22% | Outsource cleaning/laundry; use meal delivery services. |
Work - Non-Revenue | 14 | 17% | Automate tasks like emails and scheduling; delegate content creation. |
Work - Revenue-Generating | 16 | 19% | Focus more on high-value activities; outsource admin tasks. |
Health & Fitness | 6 | 7% | Increase movement; schedule exercise as fixed appointments. |
Social & Leisure | 7 | 8% | Maintain time for relaxation and social activities. |
Commuting & Travel | 5 | 6% | Batch errands to minimize travel time. |
Tech & Screen Time | 4 | 5% | Limit distractions; use website blockers to stay focused. |
Unplanned/Interruptions | 4 | 5% | Set work boundaries; create focus blocks to minimize interruptions. |
Practical Strategies to Optimize Your Coaching Business
From this we can see that:
Revenue-Generating Work (19%) - an appropriate amount of time is spent directly on revenue activities like coaching and sales, but this could be increased by optimizing admin tasks.
Suggestion: Outsourcing tasks like email management and social media scheduling could free up 3-5 hours weekly for revenue-driving work.
Non-Revenue Work (17%) - Tasks like content creation, social media management, and follow-ups take up a substantial chunk of time.
Suggestion: Automate social media posting, use email templates, or hire a VA for administrative tasks.
Household Chores (22%) - A large portion of time is spent on tasks such as laundry, cleaning, and meal prep.
Suggestion: Hiring a part-time cleaner or using meal prep services could save 5-7 hours weekly.
Family & Personal (24%) - quality time with her family, which is important for work-life balance.
Suggestion: If possible, integrate family activities with light work tasks, such as brainstorming while on walks.
Tech & Screen Time (5%) - Social media and screen time account for a manageable amount, but it's still an area to monitor.
Suggestion: Set specific screen-time limits to avoid unnecessary scrolling distractions.
Health & Fitness (7%) – It is extremely important to invest in well-being, but more focus could improve energy levels and productivity.
Suggestion: Incorporate short stretching breaks throughout the day or schedule workouts in the calendar as fixed appointments.
Unplanned Tasks (5%) - Interruptions like unexpected calls and last-minute errands consume valuable time.
Suggestion: Set boundaries and designate “focus hours” to minimize interruptions. Phone switched off or on silent to avoid distractions. Set up auto-responses on phone app and filter out your important people so they can still get through. There are several apps that can also help with this, such as Freedom, Cold Turkey Blocker, Leechblock amongst others.
I would make the following recommendations:
Area | Actionable Suggestions | Estimated Time Saved |
|---|---|---|
Admin Work | Use automation tools for scheduling and emails. | 2-4 hours per week |
Household Chores | Hire a cleaner or use grocery delivery services. | 5-7 hours per week |
Social Media | Outsource content creation and scheduling. | 3-5 hours per week |
Unplanned Tasks | Implement better scheduling and boundaries. | 2-3 hours per week |
Commuting Efficiency | Batch errands to reduce travel time. | 1-2 hours per week |
When we stand back and look at our lives, there are often sooo many little micro tasks both inside and outside of work that can be optimised. It’s something I love to do and find it an interesting subject in itself. There are always ways to save time and then allocate that time to doing those tasks that move the needle on the dial of progress.
Outsourcing and Automation
Here’re my suggestions for outsourcing:
1. Household Tasks:
Hire a cleaner (2-3 hours per week).
Use a meal delivery or meal prep service (3-4 hours per week).
Laundry services (drop-off/pick-up) to save time on washing and ironing. Some cleaners will help with this also.
2. Business Admin Tasks:
Virtual Assistant (VA) for:
Email management
Calendar scheduling
Social media engagement (DMs and comments)
3. Marketing Tasks:
Hire a social media manager to plan, create, and schedule content.
Outsource blog post writing to a content writer.
4. Tech Support:
Automate lead tracking with a CRM system.
Use webinar automation tools to handle registrations and reminders.
And yes, there are some more pain points in implementing some of these – learning new tools. The time saved longer term is … well, priceless! Yes, there is a $cost, we have to frame this positively.
Prioritizing Revenue-Generating Tasks
With all the extra time you now have, how many more clients can you serve? And how much $ do these extra clients generate for you? The revenue gained should pay for these outsourced tasks with profit to spare!
Travel is one of the biggest consumers of time and so working from home will save you soo much time and consequential time – de-icing the windscreen, reversing out your drive, finding somewhere to park, walking from your car to wherever, then back later. All these micro tasks add up!
Conclusion: Taking Control of Your Time
By focusing on outsourcing, automation, and prioritization, here we could:
Free up to 20 hours per week.
Shift focus to high-value activities, like coaching and lead generation.
Maintain a healthy balance between business and personal life.
In the next blog, I’ll talk about what to do next
Hope that was helpful! 😊}
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