Time Management For Part-Time Fitness Coaches

This is the 2nd post in the part-time fitness coaching series. Here are time management tips for coaches who are working part-time in the fitness field. 

At some point in everyone’s career, there comes a phase when you feel that you need more time for family, friends as well as yourself while you are busy handling a never-ending to-do list. When you stumble into bed, it would be considered lucky if you managed to cross off a handful of tasks, but the list is so long that it keeps playing on your mind all night long. Therefore, you wake up sleep deprived and guilty, with another day behind schedule.

The cycle repeats itself daily, month after month, and year after year. 

In today’s world of 24 x 7 x 365 days connectivity, a vacation with family comes at the cost of guilt for not being available to service. Furthermore, a lack of sleep results in fatigue and disorganization. It also leads to losing productivity and quality of effort in personal and professional life.

The resultant stress and anxiety cause procrastination and consume precious time and energy which eats up brainpower. 

 

How Does An Individual Break This Pattern? 

The key is learning to manage time instead of allowing time to manage us.  

Many successful individuals have authored books on time management and scheduling. Still, unfortunately, it makes the reader question themselves further since completing all of the scheduled tasks is challenging. So instead, others suggest that an individual should take small steps and figure out what works for them.

People end up getting frustrated and feel guilty if they try to adopt someone else’s style. If they find something that works better, they will feel good about whatever they can accomplish and forge ahead. 

 

What Are The Basics Of Time Management?

The two major roadblocks to time management include PROCRASTINATION AND PERFECTIONISM. When a distasteful task is ignored, it usually causes anxiety leading to further delay in completing the tasks. Similarly, if an individual insists on perfection in every task, they minimize the chances of completing it. 

 So, in fact, “PERFECT IS THE ENEMY OF GOOD.” 

“If 80% of the effort produces 95% of the product, does reaching for the final 5% make sense?” How much will the extra five percent affect the outcome, and who will be there to notice it?  

Time management is critical to an individual’s success and professional fulfillment. However, time management can be tricky when fitness coaches try to juggle a professional career with a side hustle.

Some of the critical elements for efficient time management include setting realistic goals, getting organized with the tasks, delegating the tasks, relaxing to recharge, and learning to say no.

 

Tips And Skills

Here are some tips and skills to help a part-time fitness coach manage their  time effectively

1. Set Realistic Goals- Start by setting clear goals for the coaching business. Identify the tasks that must be completed each week and prioritize them based on their importance. Furthermore, it will help you to stay focused and save time on tasks not critical to success.
2. Get Organized- Create a schedule for the coaching business and personal life. Start by blocking out specific times for coaching sessions, marketing, administrative tasks, and personal time. Stick to your schedule as much as possible to avoid distractions and procrastination. For example, use google calendar to time-block various tasks and switch on the focus mode for deep work hours without disturbance. 
3. Delegate Tasks- If there are too many tasks to handle independently, consider delegating some of them to others. Additionally, consider hiring an assistant or outsourcing tasks like content writing, proofreading, or social media management. For example, check with younger siblings or cousins to handle these tasks for quick pocket money. 
4. Relax and Recharge- The balance between work and personal life should be addressed. When a coach takes time off to relax and rejuvenate with their family and friends, it helps them to recharge and renew their mental and physical strength to handle essential tasks. For example, plan a ten-day holiday every six months and inform the clients at least 30 days before the break. Ask a fellow coach to train them during the absence or help the client with a training plan supported with exercise videos, so the absence does not cause inconvenience to the client. 
5. Saying no to requests and opportunities that don’t align with the goals is essential. Additionally, this helps avoid overcommitting and allows one to focus on the most critical business tasks. For example, if a strength and conditioning coach lacks the skill sets to handle a post-natal training client, it makes sense to say no and let the client hire someone better for the task. 

 

Conclusion

In conclusion, time management is a critical skill for part-time fitness coaches. By setting clear goals, getting organized, delegating tasks, relaxing, and saying no to things that don’t align with the goals, a coach can manage time effectively and achieve success in business while maintaining a healthy work-life balance.

 

References

• Aeon, B., Faber, A. and Panaccio, A. (2021) “Does time management work? A meta-analysis,” PLOS ONE, 16(1), p. e0245066. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0245066.
• Jackson, V. P. (2009) “Time Management: A Realistic Approach,” Journal of the American College of Radiology, 6(6), pp. 434–436. doi: 10.1016/j.jacr.2008.11.018.
• Saini, A. (2016) “Work-Life Balance: Keep the Cycle Moving – Find a Purpose, Set Priorities, and Manage Time Well Then Reassess and Reset,” Frontiers in pediatrics, 3, p. 118. doi: 10.3389/fped.2015.00118.

Author: Pankaj Narsian, CSCS (INFS Faculty)

 

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