So here’s my big question to you: Are you putting your well-being before your career or program?

Read this before you begin your week!

Happy Sunday Coach!

Right now I am sitting in the Newark, NJ airport having just come from being at the Minnesota Coaches Symposium on Friday (which continues to be a great conference supporting women in sport).  One of the big topics that coaches who came to speak with me (beside recruiting and managing their day better) was dealing with stress and burnout.   

 

Since April is Stress Awareness Month, I think it’s a great time to remind each other that we humans are – well, human. So here’s my big question to you: Are you putting your well-being before your career or program?  

 

Either way, I want you to repeat this mantra: “Me before my program.” 

 

Oh, I can hear your responses now. “Groan…But I am my program, Mandy!” I get it, but you know what else? You can’t build it for long-term success if you’re not at your best.  

 

With all of the chat about burnout culture, it’s important to ensure you’re minding not just your career and program, but your mental and physical health. So often coaches put off their own needs, attending to coaching tasks first. (Guilty!) But may I offer you some friendly advice from my own experience? Focus on your well-being first. 

You will be a better coach as a result.

Once upon a time, I was a workaholic, and I don’t take pride in that title. From the moment I woke up to the moment I went to bed, which was way later than it should have been, I juggled numerous tasks. I felt accomplished at the end of the day, sure. But I also felt wired, stressed out, anxious, physically exhausted and had brain fog all at the same time. 

 

Then my husband and I began creating a walking the dog exercise routine in the morning after our kids got on the bus and still today, walking my dogs is the first thing I do.  These guys hold me accountable as well and will sit and stare at me or harass me until I bring them 🙂 

Research shows that establishing behavior intercepts are the biggest factor in naturally developing habits. My habit, no, ritual, of a healthy activity that clears my mental blocks, gets my blood pumping, nurtures my well-being, and gets the dogs some exercise all at once. Because I carve out that time, the rest of my day falls into place seamlessly, and my output is far more efficient, clear and effective. 

Now, I realize this is simple information and some of this is obvious to you, but there is a big difference between knowing you should put yourself first and actually doing it.

On a scale of 1-10, how well are you doing with putting yourself first?

It’s my mission to support you and give you all of the resources I can to help you maintain a sustainable career as a coach. The first step in that process is prioritizing your health so you can then maintain everything else around you.  This week, try to get yourself 1 point higher in your rating by trying at least one of these tips below.  

  1. Get that body moving. You don’t have to run a marathon, even a stretch session will clear up your physical and mental energy. 
  2. Practice mindfulness and stay present. Meditation or breathing exercises have been instrumental for me in calming my mind and reducing stress levels. And, it helps focus attention on the present moment. When you’re present, it keeps your attention on your reality at the moment and reduces anxiety. I began transcendental meditation last year and the benefits have been phenomenal. Don’t worry if you’ve never meditated before, are worried about being still, or not thinking about things while meditating. It’s a practice that develops over time. Start with five minutes a day and increase that each week or so. I promise it will ground you in a way that makes the world, and your coaching career easier to navigate. 
  3. Of course, I am going to include time management. Prioritizing tasks and setting clear goals can help manage stress levels by breaking down complex projects into smaller, manageable steps.  
  4. Delegation. When you do everything yourself you invite the opportunity for burnout and stress. Create those systems in your program so you can share your workload with your trusted team members. 
  5. Seek support. Therapy rocks. Work one-on-one with a coach (like me!) Do mastermind groups and your social circles. Talking with someone about your struggles, challenges and celebrations alike make you feel seen, heard and supported. 
  6. Set boundaries to create work/life balance. Are you checking your phone in bed? Cut it out. Coaches can easily become consumed by work. Balance isn’t eating at your desk, working out at your school’s weight room, or taking a quick call during your daughter’s basketball game (again, guilty). Set a time each day for lunch. Set a hard stop time for the end of your workday. Make time for your loved ones and hobbies.  

Most of all, don’t sacrifice yourself for your program. Cultivate a healthy you that adds energy to your career. Love your life.

Wishing you health and success always. 

Mandy Green 

 P.S. Whenever you’re ready, there are 3 ways I can help you:   

#1: I just launched a new YouTube Channel. I’m putting a ton of energy into creating heaps of valuable content that I think you’ll like.     

Come check out my latest stuff, and please give me a like and subscribe.   

#2: Want to build your team through recruiting fast and more simple than ever? Discover how to build a proven system for recruiting in just 2 hours here.  

#3: Simplify your day to day planning with this planner. Go here to get the only college coach specific day planner that is simple to follow.  Just answer the prompts day by day and you will be quickly on your way to getting more of the right stuff done which will give you a competitive advantage.     

 

Social Story Recruiting Coming Soon!

This is a 365 Days Social Media recruiting calendar and training to help you better use social media for recruiting.  Just waiting for a few technology things to get set up and then you will have a chance to get it.  

Recruiting Made Simple

This month in Recruiting Made Simple we will be going over How to get recruits to un-ghost you!  To get the recording and all of the best practices, processes, and templates I provided, click the image to join.  You will not only get access to the un-ghosting stuff we do this month, but you will get 6 months worth of recruiting emails, templates, interviews, and processes to make your recruiting easier.