Guest Post

What to do when it doesn’t work! 1

 in Guest Post  tagged Angus McLeod / clients / coaching / Jeannette Attryde

In this weeks guest post experienced coach Jeannette Attryde shares some insights from her work.

What to do when it doesn’t work!

By Jeannette Attryde

"What to do when it doesn’t work!" by Jeannette Attryde

There has been a recent trend on Twitter of the hashtag #IAlwaysGetAnnoyedWhen and it got me thinking about the last time I got annoyed. I am not the sort of person who is easily angered or frustrated so it took some thinking and I decided that the times when I get annoyed are usually when I can’t help somebody.

I decided to start my business to give me the ability to focus on doing what I love – helping people. The desire to help is also why I volunteer for the local council as an Employment Mentor helping the long term unemployed overcome barriers to work. So when I can’t help somebody I feel frustrated, disappointed and like I have failed.

There are likely to have been times when you have been trying to coach somebody, or manage somebody, and no matter how much you try or what techniques you use, you just can’t achieve the outcome you are working towards. How does that make you feel? Probably similar to myself. My first reaction is to look internally to try and work out why I “failed”, why my skills “weren’t good enough” on this occasion, and what else I “should have done”. But there is one simple truth I overlook – you can’t help everybody.

So how can you get some real perspective on the situation and why this happens?

Firstly, it is worth remembering that these occasions are very few and far between. When you assess the objective data you will see that these cases make up a tiny amount of the people you have worked with and it’s important not to forget all the successes you have had because of one or two cases which didn’t work out.

Secondly, as a coach you are there to facilitate change. As Angus McLeod describes in his book Performance Coaching,

“The coach is not the player, but an instrument, in service to the art of the coachee…”

so there will be occasions when despite your best efforts the coachee cannot or will not change. This can be due to lack of will, lack of skill, or lack of ability. There may be occasions, such as one I recently experienced, where the person I was working with needed a much more directive intervention than I could offer through coaching. In that case the best help I could give was to ensure he was referred to the best source of that support. If I had tried to work with his it would have been frustrating for him and may have weakened his trust in any interventions subsequently recommended.

Thirdly, to make a real collaborative team and achieve the goals the coachee desires will need an element of rapport. If the two of you do not have that rapport, then the relationship can be strained and any work you try to do together may be undermined. Similar to when you are looking for a romantic life partner, it is better for either party to recognise at an early stage that the chemistry is not there and to seek an alternative partnership which will be more productive. There is no shame in this, it is simply that you didn’t “click”.

And finally, as well as doing some self-reflection, use your coaching supervision, or other coaches/managers to discuss the situation. There is always something to learn from these events and it may be something that is visible to you through the guided reflection that coaching supervision gives you.

About Jeannette Attryde

Jeannette AttrydeJeannette Attryde is the owner of Different Perspectives, Coaching and Consultancy. She has over 17 years’ experience in leading and managing teams of varying sizes in a range of organisations including Blue Chip Financial Services companies. Whilst specialising in Leadership and Management coaching, she also works with people from all walks of life to identify and achieve their goals through tailored personal coaching. Sessions are conducted face to face, by phone/Skype or online messenger.

Jeannette loves connecting with people and can be reached in the various ways below

Website – www.different-perspectives.co.uk

Twitter – @DP_Jeannette

Facebook – www.facebook.com/differentperspectivesuk

LinkedIn – www.linkedin.com/company/different-perspectives

 

 

 

 

 

 

Networking on Social Media 101

 in Guest Post  tagged clients / coaching / connecting / Dr. Rhonda Anderson / marketing / networking / social media

In today’s guest post Dr. Rhonda Anderson shares some of her experience and knowledge with some practical advice:

Networking on Social Media 101

By Dr. Rhonda Anderson

"Networking on Social Media 101" Written By Dr. Rhonda Anderson

 

Social media has become a way of life and it impacts our personal and professional lives in a major way. There are millions of people each day sharing information about their lives, businesses, news, sports, and the list goes on. It is evident that in order for your coaching business to thrive, you must also utilize social media. If you are not using social media and you are successful as a life coach, then kudos to you. On the other hand, you are leaving a lot of money on the table by choosing not to be active on the world-wide web (www).

The one big advantage of using social media is that it is FREE! It adds tons of value to your bottom line when you market your services and products on these platforms. It is the first place people look to find you when you tell them you are in business. I am not a master at social media, but there are a few things I have learned that can help you with building your network full of potential clients to market your services to and to build a tribe who will respect you as a life coach. Below are a few tips to help you build your network without leaving your home. Especially, if at times you do not have time to do face-to-face networking. Below are a couple of things you can do to make yourself visible on social media and begin growing your network of potential customers and collaborators.

  1. Get social! Choose social media platforms that are right for your coaching practice.
  2. Establish yourself as a subject matter expert in your coaching niche(s).
  3. Start and/or join groups and discussions on your social media platforms where your target audience is.
  4. Don’t be afraid to connect with people you do not know. Add them to your network and establish a relationship before selling to them. Don’t be afraid to ask for a conference call or a face-to-face meeting if the person is local.

 

About Dr. Rhonda Anderson

Dr. Rhonda Anderson is a Life Transition Strategist and the President/CEO of A Scholars Touch, LLC. She specializes in Life, Education, and Business coaching. Dr. Rhonda serves youth (ages 12-21), adults, and entrepreneurs with obtaining success both personally and professionally. She has coached clients both nationally and internationally in group settings and individually. In addition, she is the co-founder of iNSPIRE Entrepreneurs and is the co-host of a web series called Changing Lives 365.

Web: www.ascholarstouch.com Social Media: @ascholarstouch

5 Ways To Get Your Clients To Breakthrough When They’re Well and Truly Stuck

 in Guest Post  tagged breakthrough / clients / coaching / Lottie Moore / physical metaphors / stuck

In today’s guest post coach and mentor Lottie Moore shares some of her practical experience and knowledge:

5 Ways To Get Your Clients To Breakthrough When They’re Well and Truly Stuck

By Lottie Moore

"5 Ways To Get Your Clients To Breakthrough When They’re Well and Truly Stuck" by Lottie Moore

At some point in our coaching careers we all come across the clients who are ‘stuck’, who, despite our best efforts, are unable to move forwards with their plans, dreams, or ambitions.

As coaches this can be a frustrating process.  As an outside pair of eyes, we can often see, or at least guess at, what the issue is that is holding the client back.  Quite often it can feel that there is an elephant in the room with us, glaringly obvious, and yet unmentioned by our client despite all our best lines of questioning and cajoling.

Sometimes even when the client recognises what it is that is holding them back from achieving their goals, they are unable to break out of the old, destructive patterns of behaviour.  You may sit in sessions with them where it seems likely that they are going to breakthrough what is holding them back, only to see them in a fortnights time to realise nothing has changed.

So how do we help these clients?  How can we facilitate them moving forward when they appear to be well and truly stuck?  Here are my top 5 tips to creating breakthrough when it’s needed most

1. Drop the F-bomb – sometimes your client may just require some serious reinforcement to realise how important this issue is. A carefully placed f@@k, or equivalent bad language, can bring it home with a bang how pivotal you think this issue is.

2. Use Physical Metaphors – creating great confidence and self-belief in one area can hugely assist your client to live that out in other areas of their lives. Activities like glass walking, or arrow breaking with the throat can have a deeply impactful effect on all areas of life, and learning the skills to use these activities in your daily work is easier than you think.

3. Look Back To Move Forward – you don’t need to be an expert in timeline therapy to assist you client to look back on their past experiences to find out where the initial cause of the limiting belief sits. By uncovering what lies at the root of the problem, they can then start to take steps to move away from past learnings that are holding them back.

4. Create Anchors – although physical metaphors are great for this, they are not the only way to enable your client to use this powerful NLP technique. Get them to think back on a time were they were hugely successful and happy, then assist them to create a physical anchor such as a simple hand movement.  When they are struggling with what is holding them back, they can then use this anchor to root them in success and positivity.

5. Be Kind – Life can always seem easier to an external set of eyes, but it’s important to remember that we all have our own shiz to deal with. Don’t let yourself get frustrated or disappointed if it’s taking your client longer than you would have hoped to reach that moment of breakthrough.  Sometimes all anyone needs is patience, understanding, and encouragement, so keep being that positive influence in your client’s life, and reminding them of what they are capable of when they set their minds to it.

Clients that take a long time to reach a point of breakthrough can rock our confidence in our coaching ability, but also can be hugely rewarding when they finally get there.  I hope these 5 tips will be of use to you next time a client that is well and truly stuck comes through your door.

About Lottie Moore

Lottie MooreLottie is a multi-award winning coach and mentor who lives life outside of the comfort zone.  Best known for her firewalking, and physical metaphors training, Lottie is passionate about creating change for the individuals and groups that she works, encouraging them to look beyond their limitations and shine

 

Lottie loves to connect and can be found at: breakthrough to personal power

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Is Holding Three Months’ Worth of Overheads enough to Mitigate the Small Business from Risk?

 in Guest Post  tagged business / cash flow / finance / financial coaching / forecast / Hayley Chiba / measure / money / overheads / risk management / sales projection

Finance is one aspect of running a coaching business. In today’s guest post finance expert Hayley Chiba shares some of her expertise of working with small business and entrepreneurs.

Is Holding Three Months’ Worth of Overheads enough to Mitigate the Small Business from Risk?

By Hayley Chiba

"Is Holding Three Months’ Worth of Overheads enough to Mitigate the Small Business from Risk?" by Hayley Chiba

Business coaches and consultants often advise a small business, to always aim to hold 3 months’ worth of their overhead costs. This is to mitigate the risk of some down turn in the business.

In fact, this could apply to any unforeseen event occurring, where this meant the business were unable to generate sufficient sales to cover their fixed costs.

As a business coach, overall this is a good metric to have, but I was recently asked this question by a business owner. He still didn’t feel assured and satisfied that he had risk covered. If a business coach is to provide a valuable metric to his business owner client maybe a fuller dialogue is needed. As we know, better discussions with our clients can often lead to longevity and trust from your clients, as it gives you the opportunity to demonstrate your deeper value to your clients.

The problem is, that using an arbitrary figure like this, does not really relate directly to the specific level of risk that the business is facing.

Using this measure is fine if it relates to a business with low growth. Also, if it has a foreseeable pipeline of sales and a good insight into future potential environmental factors which may affect the business.

Just concentrating on holding a reserve only buys time, actually 3 months in this case.  You need to consider, if there were an unforeseen event, how would that impact on the business financially?  An unforeseen event may be the loss of a major customer, change in law or perhaps the loss of a key employee. Having considered this, how long would the business need, to put in place an alternative plan? Furthermore, how long would it take for “business as usual” to resume?  This then leads us to think that we may need a much longer period of time, perhaps more like 6 months. As well as thinking about the amount of time the business needs to recover, we also want to consider if the business owner is actually looking to change something about the business.

Specifically, if they are thinking about undertaking a significant investment to grow the business. In this case the potential risk will rise as the return from the investment into growth activity is still to be proven.  Spending out on more investment for growth will, in the short term, lower the profit margins and available cash. This can feel daunting especially when the business owner realises their current healthy profit margin is going to be eroded and in fact with it, any cash reserves they have built up.

So, I always recommend that in this case, further projections should be made. This will give the business owner the peace of mind that eventually, he is going to see the results he is anticipating. More importantly though, having some sort of forecast of what he expects to happen and measuring against this, every month, will flag quickly to him, where the plans are not playing out the way he was expecting. This will give him sufficient time to look at this, think of the actions he needs to take and make the necessary adjustments to his action plans to try to bring his results back on track.

The key report required to help give visibility on whether the new investment is viable is the Cash Flow Forecast.

I always suggest starting with the current situation and financial shape. Hence at this point it is crucial you understand your current position in terms of some key components.

  1. What is the current Sales Projection based on hard data? We can all dream, but sales forecasts should be based on some credible extrapolation of the past or last year’s actual data achieved.
  2. What are the current profit margins and specifically what is the gross profit margin? Gross profit margin being sales less direct costs.
  3. What are the overheads and what is the average run rate for the overheads? Overheads will naturally fluctuate due to the timing of supplier invoices. Marketing, administration, repairs and travel are good examples of this type of spend. They reflect areas where the timing of spend is discretionary and not fixed as a monthly fee. Breaking out spend where there is some flexibility on when to spend, gives a view of what overheads are absolutely fixed and have to be covered month on month.

So, armed with these 3 areas of information, you should be fine now to create a time based cash flow forecast. Not you of course, the bookkeeper or the business owner himself!

This forecast should be drawn up as a monthly forecast, (or even weekly depending on the nature of the investment spend). Plot it forward until the point when you expect the business to be seeing the benefit from the investment. This is often longer than you realise. The cash flow forecast should show the benefits materialising, which take the business to the next level. Ensure that the forecast covers this full time span. Many business owners stop short of this point. They only project across the time of when the spend is actually taking place. You need to see what happens to the business shape post the spend. You want to see if and when the business shape returns or even improves versus its original shape. This will often result in a forecast for at least 1 to 2 years out.

Having created the forecast, the most crucial action is to measure against this monthly. Failure to do this, may mean that the forecast is not delivered. You will need a flag to alert where and when the business   moves off-track. Ensure that there is a consistent and methodical tracking of the key components of this cash flow forecast.

Planning and then measuring, will help to confirm if the growth investment decision was the right decision. Where it is proving not to be, this early warning flag should give sufficient time to plan how to mitigate these costs by stopping the things that are not working and reinvesting in other areas.

Protecting the business pot of cash is as important as building that pot of cash, whether it relates to 3, 6 or 12 months’ worth of overheads. If you can advise him fully by including these additional necessary steps where appropriate, you will ensure that the business owners hard earned cash is not eroded.

That’s something I’m sure he will certainly thank you for!

About Hayley Chiba

Hayley Chiba

 

Hayley Chiba is a qualified Financial Controller working with small businesses. She runs her own business, Better Numbers Limited, which provides one to one Financial consulting to £1m + growing businesses in the Bristol, UK area.

She also provides Financial coaching to Entrepreneurs, Home Business Owners and Start-ups via her Ecourses. She dedicated to helping small businesses grow through increasing their personal and business financial awareness.

 

 

Connect with Hayley via:

Website: www.betternumbers.co.uk

Faceboook: www.facebook.com/Betternumbers/

Twitter: @betternumbers1

Linkedin; uk.linkedin.com/in/hayleychiba

 

 

Resolution Boycott

 in Guest Post  tagged Anna-Marie Watson / gratitude / new year / resolutions / success

In this weeks guest post performance coach Anna-Marie Watson shares some of her knowledge and expertise:

Resolution Boycott

By Anna-Marie Watson

"Resolution Boycott" by Anna-Marie Watson

Over three weeks ago nearly two thirds of the British population will have diligently made well-intended New Year Resolutions in a resolve to get fitter (36% of women and 30% of men), eat more healthily (36% of women and 26% of men) or take more care of their appearance (15% for both women and men). Yet only 31 days later by the end of January 32% will have broken these resolutions (YouGov, 2015). So this year I simply decided to continue with my usual routine that balances work, fitness, healthy eating, family relationships and friendships into everyday life.

The New Year Resolution ritual harks back over 4,000 years ago to ancient Mesopotamia when the Babylonians made promises to their gods at the start of each year (Holloway, 2014). The concept of self-improvement continued through the Roman period and Medieval era with religious overtones and is now firmly embedded in 21st Century Western society life. This entrenched “New Year, New You” social and cultural construct is absurdly timed in the post-Christmas festive lull and coldest winter month of January, not potentially the most conducive to achieve transformational long-standing results.

Resolutions are simply a motivational mechanism to reinvent oneself yet the majority of people aren’t ready to invest mentally or biologically in transformational change. Williams (2014) describes resolutions as a form of “cultural procrastination” as we set unrealistic goals and expectations that are out of alignment with our internal perception. In addition, our human biological process to alter habitual behaviour and change thoughts uses a substantial amount of mental energy to physically rewire neural pathways. Neuro-scientific research has proved through MRI scans that rather ironically the default habitual thought of “not doing” something merely strengthens the neural pathway rather than create new ones. So what’s the alternative?

If there’s an inner urge to join the list-making masses opt to celebrate your work and life achievements from 2015 instead. Then moving forwards on a monthly basis routinely identify five moments to appreciate yourself, your business, your professional and personal development, your relationships and your successes (check out my Facebook page Reach for More. or Twitter @rfmcoaching for my “Monthly Memories”).

This conscious “attitude of gratitude” process based on positive psychology becomes engrained in our neural pathways. Rational and positive thinking therefore becomes habitual as “conscious appreciation establishes appreciation as an ongoing and stable cognitive habit” (Taylor, 2014). This mindset of gratitude wields immense power over our mood, wellbeing, energy levels, perspective, communication and relationships. In turn, these positive effects ripple across our entire lives with reduced blood pressure, lowers cortisol, better sleep, fewer physical symptoms…the list continues. Boycott the resolution, embrace gratitude and give yourself permission to celebrate success.

ExerciseTake a moment to consider your top 5 memories from 2015.

Once you’ve decided it would be great to share your thoughts within our Coaching Confidence community.

 

References

Holloway, A. (2014). Ancient History of New Year’s Resolutions. [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.ancient-origins.net/myths-legends-news-general/ancient-history-new-year-s-resolutions-001185 Accessed 18 December 15.

Taylor, S. (2014). The Power of Appreciation. [ONLINE] Available at: https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/out-the-darkness/201407/the-power-appreciation Accessed 21 December 15.

Williams, R. (2014). Why People can’t keep their New Year’s Resolutions. [ONLINE] Available at: https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/wired-success/201412/why-people-cant-keep-their-new-years-resolutions Accessed 21 December 15.

YouGov (2015). 63% of Brits are planning to make New Year Resolutions. [ONLINE] Available at: https://yougov.co.uk/news/2015/01/16/63-brits-are-planning-make-new-year-resolutions/ Accessed 21 December 15.

 

About Anna-Marie Watson

Anna-Marie is a performance coach who draws from NLP, sports psychology, neuroscience, positive psychology and mindfulness theory to craft industrious and dynamic coaching partnerships with clients who yearn for more and desire balance within their life. She integrates Analytic-Network (http://www.analyticnetwork.com) and mBraining (http://www.mbraining.com) methodologies to unlock and unleash transformational change. Anna-Marie’s specialty is “walking & talking” where the Great Outdoors inspires facilitates deep level insights, encourages different perspectives and ultimately optimises performance.

AnnReach For Morea-Marie has been at the forefront of leadership and personal development for over 15 years working with high performing individuals and teams across three continents. Anna-Marie’s core values of growth, balance and energy are reflected in her business Reach for More. where improving yourself is an all round experience.

For more information on Anna-Marie’s performance coaching services, visit www.rfmcoaching.com

Connect with Anna-Marie on Social Media

Twitter: www.twitter.com/RFMCoaching

Facebook: www.facebook.com/RFMCoaching/

LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/awatson4

Google+: www.google.com/+AnnaMarieWatson

Instagram: www.instagram.com/rfmcoaching/

3 Mistakes Coaches Make When Designing Their Signature Programs

 in Guest Post  tagged clients / coaching / coaching business / Ling Wong / signature program

Many coaches will have started 2016 with a goal of designing (or redesigning) their own signature coaching program. In this week’s guest post Ling Wong shares:

3 Mistakes Coaches Make When Designing Their Signature Programs

By Ling Wong

"3 Mistakes Coaches Make When Designing Their Signature Programs" By Ling Wong

You have brain full of knowledge. You have a life full of experience. You have a toolbox full of training and expertise.

Yet, you are stumped when answering “what you do and how you do it” question.

Your confidence goes down the drain when you fumble and babble about your coaching program because you have an offer that doesn’t resonate with your value, conviction and superpowers.

If you’ve been struggling to design your signature program, you may be making these mistakes:

1. Using Generic, “Off the Shelf” Program

Many coach-training programs provide students with a 3- or 6-month program they can use right away to get clients.

Or you might have purchased some other pre-written programs that claim to solve all your pain and suffering.

It may work for a little while to help you get your feet wet, but often times regurgitation is not a long-term solution.

When you take an “off the shelf” program, stick it into your business and call it a day, you are stuffing yourself into a box made by others.

These programs are generic. The flip side of “yeah I can probably sell this to anyone” is that they make you sound like everyone else.

They often don’t give you the space to express your value, conviction and opinion. And there is little opportunity for individual expression of your superpowers.

It’s one thing to use these programs as a stopgap move to get things going, but another to be married to it and treat it as a be-all-end-all solution.

You don’t have to reinvent the wheel, but you gotta be in the driver’s seat before the wheel can take you anywhere.

2. YOU are not in the program

I’ve worked with many go-getter clients. They take action. They follow directions they’ve learned in trainings and programs. They do the work. They didn’t write one program, they wrote three.

But still, nothing clicked.

Their motivation died when they realized the program they spent so much time and effort to develop didn’t resonate with them.

The reason? They’ve forgotten about the most important thing – themselves! They neglected the WHY that drives the program.

Most people focus on the “what” and the “how” of a program: the information, modality, delivery and execution.

They jump hastily into busywork before they uncover what really, truly motivates them.

They were missing the driving force that goes beyond a target market, a set of tools, or a topic of expertise.

Jumping both feet into the nitty-gritty has caused them to bypass the foundation – the PERSON behind the program.

The PERSON who puts her name and reputation on the program. The PERSON delivering the program. The PERSON who has to live and breathe that program. (YOU!)

The most successful program stems from a set of core value and conviction that transcends modality, delivery format and pieces of information.

There is a golden thread behind the content that ties everything together and give it a unique positioning that makes the “same information” different.

It embodies your WHY so you can stand by it with the utmost conviction.

It takes into account your superpowers so you can deliver it in the most effective way possible.

3. It’s an Exercise in Navel-Gazing

On the other hand, your signature system is not all about you.

You can’t be of service if you’re not relevant to the people you serve.

I’ve seen many practitioners who make their signature programs all about them, their skills, modality and whatever tools du jour.

The disconnect happens when a program becomes a list of stuff you do, and you fail to relate it to your niche.

Niche is how you anchor yourself in the community you serve. It’s not a bunch of demographic data. It’s about being relevant.

You’re going to hear crickets when your signature program fails to connect your skills, expertise and tools with the needs of those you’re marketing to.

When you can articular why you’re relevant to the people that matter to you (your market), you’ll feel excited about what you do.

 When you can articulate how your expertise applies to your peeps, you gain the confidence to actually get out there and talk about it.

It’s not just about selling stuff. It’s about you anchoring into a community that matters to you. It’s about creating an identity of you being valuable and confident.

You know, the stuff that makes you excited to get up every morning 😉

***

This content is part of the “Design Your Signature System Series,” if it resonates, get on the Business Soulwork email list so you can get the upcoming installments in your inbox.

About Ling Wong

Ling is an Intuitive Brainiac. Through her unique blend of Business + Marketing coaching with a Mindset + Psychic Twist, she helps the multi-talented and multi-passionate coaches, consultants and change agents distill ALL their big ideas into ONE cohesive Message, nail the WORDS that sell and design a Plan to cut the busywork and do what matters, through her intuitive yet rigorous iterative process born out of her Harvard Design School training and 10 years of experience in the online marketing industry.

Ling helps her clients optimize the space between individuality + originality vs. “tried-and-true” marketing so they can express their WHY unapologetically and profitably without reinventing the wheel.

Find Ling and grab her free “How to Find YOUR Winning Formula” Training Series here.

5 Productivity Habits That Will Help You Get More Done

 in Guest Post  tagged get things done / how to be more productive / productivity habits / Shawn Lim / time blocking / time management

As coaches you may be encouraging your clients to use some/all of the habits Shawn Lim shares in today’s guest post, but are you remembering to use them yourself?

5 Productivity Habits That Will Help You Get More Done

By Shawn Lim

"5 Productivity Habits That Will Help You Get More Done" by Shawn Lim

Want to learn how to be more productive and get more done? This is exactly what you will discover in this article. Most people are having a hard time trying to dig more time to get more of their tasks done, unfortunately, having more time does not equals to being more productive.

Some people spend 20 hours and get nothing done, while some people spend 5 hours and get a lot of things done. It depends on how you use your time and how you manage yourself.

Here are the 5 productive habits that will help you get more done. Use these techniques wisely and adopt them as your habit…

1. Nothing Beats Planning

If you want to get more done, you definitely have to plan for your day. When you did not plan for your day, you will go through your day in reactive mood. Doing whatever comes to you instead of being proactive and getting things done.

Most people find it difficult to plan. Planning can be as easy as writing down 3 or 5 most important tasks before you start your day and get them done as soon as your day started.

2. Use Productive Language

Do you know that your language, the words that you use and the way you talk to yourself can affect your productivity? When you need to get something done, notice what is the first thought that comes into your mind? Is it, “Gosh, this is too much and I just can’t get it done in time.”

If you think about it this way, you will never be productive. Next time, try to adopt this thinking, “what is the one thing that I can get done within 10 minutes to settle this task?” When you think it this way, you automatically focus into small chunks of work you can do within 10 minutes and get it done straight away.

3. Time Blocking

Time blocking is one of the most powerful techniques about productivity that anyone can leverage on. Simply time block your calendar or your day-to-day schedule for the task you want to get done and do it when the time comes.

For example, when you write down you wanted to call 20 clients from 10am to 11am that is exactly what you are going to do. No excuse and you will not do other things except that. That 1 hour time slot is for you to call your clients. This is what it means by time blocking.

4. Undivided Focus

Forget about multitasking, it is not a great method to get more things done; instead, it will drag you down and slow you down. A lot of people thought that multitasking is the way to go, but in fact, it is not a good strategy to be productive.

You will only be more productive when you are in the flow and when you tap into your potential to do things naturally. However, if you multitask, your mind will switch from task to task, from one thought to another thought, back and forth. This will slow down your creativity and break your flow.

5. First Thing First

Do the most important thing first when you start your day. Pareto Rule says that 80% of your work contributes to 20% of your result and vice versa. Therefore, the first thing you need to get done once you started your day is to do the 20% work that will give you 80% of the results.

When you get your most important task done early in the morning, you will feel more accomplished and you will feel satisfy. And when you feel satisfy, your confident will boost and you will be able to get more done since you have got the momentum going.

These are the 5 productivity habits that will help you get more done. Remember, you need to focus in your task and put in 100% of your concentration if you want to be in the flow. Plan your day either the day before or early in the morning before you start you day.

More importantly, think and talk to yourself in a productive and positive way. Use time block to stay focused and do the most important task first.

About Shawn Lim

Shawn Lim is the founder of Stunning Motivation. He has more than 7 years of experience in the personal development industry and has helped countless hungry seekers to achieve outstanding success in life.

To learn more about him, visit www.StunningMotivation.com now.

Article Source:  5 Productivity Habits That Will Help You Get More Done

Ezinearticles expert page: Shawn Lim

Fertility Coaching

 in Guest Post  tagged Alison Reede / Fertile Body Method / fertility coaching / GROW / infertility / stress / wellbeing

In today’s guest post coach Alison Reede shares some of her personal story and how that’s influenced her choice of coaching niche.

Fertility Coaching

By Alison Reede

Fertility Coaching by Alison Reede

In 2010 my husband and I were told that we would never conceive naturally and that we would have to use assisted reproduction to conceive but there was no guarantee it would work. I know that sounds matter of fact but that is how we were told. We were now ‘infertile’. This diagnosis was life changing and I struggled to find support, outside of family & friends that truly understood my plight to become a Mum. This was the inspiration for me to offer Life Coaching to those struggling to conceive.

I know the relationship between Coaching and fertility problems seems strange at first so I will put it into some context. Having to use assisted reproduction to get pregnant and have a family can be life shattering and research has shown that the impact of infertility is as big as the impact of dealing with potentially terminal illnesses. This news is usually shocking to digest at first but on reflection you can see why, the ability to reproduce is something that is taken as given, it is innate within all beings so when the ability to reproduce naturally is taken away, it can have a big impact. However where it does differ from an “illness” is that you are not actually feeling “ill”, there are associated medical conditions but what comes to the fore is a big challenge and huge element of uncertainty in life that needs to be dealt with and adjusted too.

I previously became a Coach as a part of my HR profession but to assist me in the area of “Fertility Coaching” I took additional training as a “Fertile Body Method Practitioner”, which focuses on ensuring a good mind body connection is in place by addressing the negative impacts of infertility on one’s mental, emotional, spiritual & physical wellbeing. It was developed by a Clinical Hypnotherapist, Sjanie Hugo.

Interestingly enough, this approach had many similar traits to Coaching and to help demonstrate simplistically I will compare the ‘FBM’ approach to the GROW model.

  1. An outcome or goal is established. Note the goal is never to get pregnant as it is not SMART.
  2. Next the reality, what is actually happening, how is infertility impacting the clients life?
  3. Then the options, what can the client do about it? What does the client need to change or address to give them the best shot at getting pregnant
  4. Finally the wrap up, what actions need to happen

As infertility is a highly emotional state, a key part of stage 2 above is ensuring that the client is relatively balanced before moving on and a lot of time is given to this stage, especially working on stress management and mind-set. Mind-set is key really in determining whether someone may perhaps need counselling rather than coaching, so watching out for signs of depression is important as Coaching may then not be appropriate.

Infertility can consume your life, it consumed me, and that is why I am so passionate about encouraging others to try and maintain a good balanced life and to find support as I strongly believe this is so important in maintaining physical & mental wellbeing. With hindsight if I had been less obsessed and panicked about not having children I think my journey to motherhood would have been shorter and certainly less stressful. Prolonged stress does impact our hormones.

There are also many similarities in the techniques of the FBM & Coaching for example, solution focused questioning, lifestyle analysis, value & belief systems, thought patterns, visualization, mental rehearsal & relaxation. A major challenging aspect of fertility problems is decision making, and many people struggle with the decisions which is understandable considering the range and complexity. Decisions about doing IVF or not, using donor eggs or donor sperm, when to stop, financial decisions, decisions that impact your body and health to mention but a few.

So I hope this has given some insight into “Fertility Coaching”. I am pleased to say after several rounds of IVF and some other glitches I became a Mum to twin girls in 2013! I was not aware of fertility coaching on my journey but with hindsight I do think it would have been of great impartial support to me at that time.

About Alison Reede

Alison Reede is a Qualified Life, Business & Executive Coach who lives in Dublin, Ireland and who set up her Coaching Practice this year after a 20 year career in HR & Banking. Alison’s personal journey with infertility inspired her to focus her coaching practice on Fertility Coaching as the impact of fertility related problems is often underestimated and under supported. Alison is also an approved Fertile Body Method Practitioner which is a mind/body holistic approach to fertility problems.

www.alisonreedecoaching.com

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