Best Efficiency Tips for Leadership Coaches
Today, I have 5 tips to help you become more efficient when tackling your admin tasks. The best part is that these are all FREE!!! While these are tried and true tips, I bet you've let a few slip and just needed a quick reminder to get you back on course!
1. Implement Time Blocking
I used to pride myself on being able to juggle all the balls in the air...until they all scattered across the office floor! When I worked for a church, I was responsible for marketing, communications, worship production, finance, HR, and assisting with facilities operations. I WISH I would have implemented time blocking back then, but I just continued to stress myself out and try to do it all, until I burnt out. Don't be like me! Here's some ideas:
Give each day a specific tasks. For example: Monday is administrative (finances, organizing inbox, etc.), Tuesday is coaching calls all day (don't forget to give yourself time for lunch!), Wednesday is marketing (emailing contacts, posting on socials, blogging, etc.), Thursday is coaching call, Friday is weekly wrap up and celebration of your productive week!
Create 1-2 hour blocks for each day. If you can't fathom doing one thing all day, try starting with one thing for a couple of hours. You can use the same formula from above.
2. Batch Tasks
Building upon time blocking, I find that putting like things together helps me simplify getting my tasks done. For example, if Monday is your admin day, try batching tasks like this:
Email: Respond to emails, move all emails from inbox to appropriate folder, delete anything you don't need.
Finance: File receipts, record revenue, check bank account, transfer balances from money apps, etc.
3. Minimize Distractions
Anyone else easily pulled away from what you need to work on? 🙋🏼♀️ Especially when it comes to my admin tasks because I want to be working on the fun and creative parts of my business. Try these things:
Set up focus parameters on your phone. I started this when I could not make myself do "the things that needed to get done." I think I subconsciously was waiting for the next text from my kid's band director to come in asking for help on another project that I love doing just so I wouldn't have to do what I really needed to do in that moment. It's all good work, but I am able to accomplish better work in both areas by sticking to one thing at a time (see #1 above!).
Set your designated work space. If you work from home, find a room, closet, or corner that is just for your coaching work. You will train your brain to get into the zone when you get in this space and distractions will automatically decrease. It doesn't have to be anything elaborate! I have an old drafting table we bought for my husband over 15 years ago and a chair from a dining set that we don't use anymore. Shop your home!
4. "Write" It Down
Writing (or typing) your tasks helps you visibly see what has to get done and removes the ever evolving cycle of continuing to go through them in your brain. Sure, it takes time to jot them down, but I promise it's less time that the time you spend trying to remember to do it or procrastinate actually doing it.
If you prefer to be less digital, draw a ⭕ or ⏹️ on a line of paper before you write the actual task, then you can check it off when you're done and not have to look or think about it again. Be specific! Instead of writing ⏹️Do Taxes, try ⏹️Compile 1099s, ⏹️Gather receipts, ⏹️Deliver to accountant. Now you have a systematic way of knocking the tasks off your list and out of your brain!
Open the NOTES app on your iPhone or iPad. Title the note "Tasks" and hit return. You should see an icon just above the keyboard that looks like a check list. Click that and it will add a circle to the beginning of the line where you can type your task and allow you to check it off when you're done!
5. Apply the "Two-Minute Rule"
If a task takes less than two minutes, do it immediately instead of adding it to your to-do list. This prevents small tasks from piling up. Some examples are:
Task management: Actually check off the tasks that you've done rather than waiting to do it!
Emails: Unsubscribe from spam or irrelevant newsletters (🤞🏼hoping you keep the ones from me!).
Finance: Log a small expense into a tracking tool.
Scheduling: Review your schedule for the day as soon as you begin working so you are setting yourself up for success!
What do you think?
Would implementing these tips help you focus more to knock out the admin work so you can get back to the joy you experience through coaching? What other strategies do you use that help? Drop them in the comments below so we can all try it!
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