How do you coach clients to build effective time management skills?

Certainly, Time Management is a means to an end. Self Awareness, Confidence and Assertiveness are the key skills that help one stay focused on his/her goals. Effective time management is a critical lead indicator that decides one's future success (lag) indicators. Journaling, maintaining a calendar of events, prioritising activities, tasks and hobbies drawn down (percolated down) from the larger goals enables one to manage time effectively. Eisenhower Matrix, Pomodoro techniques, Daily Tasks lists can help one manage time effectively. Also, Consciously approaching everyday, week and month will help one increase productivity. Planning your day early in the morning or the previous night helps. Yoga and exercises help one to stay focused too.

When coaching others on time management, keep in mind that assessing their current situation is your starting point. It serves as a guidepost for their journey towards better time management. Encourage them to keep a time log, complete a questionnaire, or share their calendar with you. This step assists them in gaining clarity on how they are spending their time, what is most important to them, and where they can make positive changes.

I shall like to know as to why the client thinks, time is important for them? Which are the areas that the client feels are more important to them where they would like to spend more time on in the next one month? What are the areas they feel waste their time? List them out. Can they manage those time-wasters?

Setting clear goals and creating awareness of what is the end goal is a necessary step to start any change. Establishing what challenges you are encountering and where are you currently spending your time is key to determine what needs improvement. Two questions author James Clear proposes to create more time management awareness are: "what is taking too much of my time right now?", "what needs more of my time right now?"

Coaching clients to improve time management entails helping them set clear goals, prioritize tasks, use schedules effectively, break down large tasks into smaller steps, minimize distractions, track time usage, consider delegation, regularly review and adapt strategies, address stress management and work-life balance, and maintain accountability for their time management goals.

Step two is to advise your clients on time management principles such as setting SMART goals, prioritizing tasks, planning ahead, and managing distractions. These are the fundamentals of effective time management.

SMART goals are always a great way to start, but you also need to be able to figure out what you are struggling with for time management. You can ask for help but managing what's sucking the time out of your day is the biggest challenge.

Batching similar tasks is a good way to make good progress. The constant context switching between different "modes" (e.g. deep work vs meetings) requires too much energy and will leave anyone drained at the end of the day. Try to create themed "days" depending on your work; for example, Monday and Wednesday can be no-meetings days for deep work, while the rest of the work week can be open for collaboration. If whole days are too much, work with half-days; for example, moving all meetings to the afternoon and do deep work in the mornings.

Everyone has limited time! Everyone, at all levels, within organization should understand and internalize this. Respecting each others time, planning, structure, timeboxing, agenda setting, data or method driven prioritization, purposeful meetings, distraction free time zones and ability + intent to say politely decline getting pulled into needless conversations go a long way optimizing your work time. One great hack that has worked for me over the years is jotting down a list of things I need to finish at the start of my workday. Everything should flow from there. Exploring Techniques like Pomodoro, MOSCOW, no meeting days etc will also help immensely in time management. Lastly, a little bit of randomness is desirable too :)

Planning and scheduling also includes organizing: organizing the daily schedule and required block times, possibly working remotely, identifying required inputs from third parties and making sure they will be available / that third parties understand the related importance, securing required ressources, also informing possible interruptors of unvailability during specific time period etc.

To coach clients in time management, start by setting clear goals and priorities. Teach them to schedule tasks using calendars or planners, and to break big tasks into smaller steps. Advise on minimizing distractions and conducting time audits to track how they spend their time. Encourage delegation and regular strategy reviews, and discuss stress management and work-life balance. Keep them accountable for their time management goals through regular check-ins and feedback.

There's a piece / research from Columbia that states the factors that bring a meaningful change in learner behaviours. Interestingly, 50% of the contribution comes from effective follow up. A coach needs to work closely with the coaches and help them apply the tools / learnings and support them along the way. It takes small consistent steps to enable a shift in behaviours and habits.

I like the contribution below by Raymond Ahn ! Here's what I think: This step is my favorite as I'm a firm believer that an outsider, will be able to find at least 1 discrepancy in someone else's time management plan. In some cases, there might be no formal discrepancies but at least a recommendation. I heard of a similar phenomenon when friend 1 shares with friend 2 an issue their having, and friend 2 gives the best advice that friend 1 would've never thought about. Let's apply this same phenomenon to this topic. Ex: If a client informs me that part of their time management plan includes changing tasks at the top of the hour, I can inform them that their focus clock is going to be blown out of proportion frequently.

As a coach, you have the opportunity to empower your clients with the necessary skills and techniques to improve their time management. By encouraging reflection, assisting in goal setting, and providing guidance and accountability, you can help your clients build effective time management skills that will have a profound impact on their personal and professional lives. Remember, effective time management is not a one-size-fits-all solution, so tailor your coaching approach to meet the unique needs of each client. With your expertise and support, your clients will be able to take control of their time, achieve their goals, and lead more fulfilling lives.

A consistent reflection practice is fundamental to notice what is currently working and what can be improved. A simple way to do this is to reflect at the end of each day, week, and month by reflecting what went right and what could have been better.

Promoting a growth mindset can significantly augment this reflection process. Encourage clients to view challenges as opportunities for development rather than setbacks. By framing time management as a skill that can be honed over time, you foster a learning environment where clients are more likely to engage in self-reflection and take actionable steps towards improvement. Furthermore, introducing them to the concept of iterative learning, which emphasizes continuous improvement and learning from each iteration, can be a game-changer in their journey towards mastering time management.

As a coach , reminding your client of past success recipes. Many times, clients forget what exactly worked in the past. By reflecting they're able to take the factors from the past that contributed to their success of time management then, and apply that to the present in order improve the effectiveness of their time management skills and maximize the results their looking for.

I inspire clients to persevere by celebrating their progress, setting achievable goals, and visualizing the rewards of effective time management. Positive affirmations, accountability, and the ability to learn from setbacks encourage continuous growth. By focusing on these strategies, they stay motivated and committed to improving their time management skills.

The first step is always recognizing what your challenges are. How you change and modify that behavior is the only way to get the desired results you want.

A way to inspire clients to keep improvement is to use tracking tools to observe their progress and to consistently acknowledge and celebrate the completion of smaller milestones in their way to accomplishing big goals.

Implementing a feedback loop where they can continuously assess their progress and adapt their strategies accordingly can be motivating. Additionally, introducing them to advanced time management methodologies as they progress, can keep the momentum going. It's essential to maintain a balance between providing constructive feedback and nurturing their self-efficacy, which is crucial for sustaining motivation in the long term. Lastly, fostering a supportive community of individuals with similar goals can create a sense of camaraderie and provide additional motivation to keep improving.

Time management is first about managing yourself. This is quite counter-intuitive as one would think applying some techniques and frameworks on a daily basis would make you a better time manager. Only a few habits stick in the longer run and it is easier to lose a habit than form one. Hence, one should spend a lot of time understanding themselves first, identifying their inclination and finally narrow down on the most important things.

Showcasing a realistic approach towards time management, with a blend of successes and challenges, makes the learning process relatable. Sharing your own strategies, tools or even digital platforms that aid in time management can provide practical insights. Moreover, maintaining a clear line of communication regarding schedules, respecting their time, and adhering to timelines in your interactions will reinforce the importance of time management. Through a blend of personal example and open communication, you can be a living testimony to the time management principles you aim to instill in your clients.

When I was teaching and we had end of term tests I knew I had many papers to correct for different classes. I would take them home, feel overwhelmed about correcting them and then return to work the next day with them uncorrected. Only to add that day's load to the pack. Very inefficient system. Until I stepped back and identified what I could do differently. I decided to: * Start correcting papers during the kids' next test. * Stay behind for 30 minutes after work and correct papers. The result: I finished faster with less stress. Very often time management issues are linked to feeling out of control. We may have tasks that are mandatory but we have the power to determine how we tackle them and manage our time better.

Asking good questions to build a shared understanding of the current pain point is key. This helps both parties be on the same page and helps them start off strong. Everyone knows that time management is important, no one will ever deny it. The issue is that most people are not able to prioritise purposefully. They therefore stand to benefit from a set of tools which the coach should help them adapt and use. There's a piece / research from Columbia that states the factors that bring a meaningful change in learner behaviours. Interestingly, 50% of the contribution comes from effective follow up. A coach needs to work closely with the coaches and help them apply the tools / learnings and support them along the way.

Help your client get really clear on what is important to them and what isn't. In addition to having a "to-do" list, have a "not-to-do" list. Encourage your client to ruthlessly prioritize and deprioritize and help them keep their priority list short. When we have clarity on where to focus (and where not to focus), we can manage our time more effectively.

As the article states, it all begins by helping them gain clarity on their priorities and long-term goals. Start by conducting a thorough assessment of their current time allocation, identifying time-wasters and inefficiencies. Encourage the adoption of proven techniques such as the Eisenhower Box, the Pomodoro Technique, or time blocking. Guide them in breaking tasks into manageable chunks, delegating when necessary, and setting aside dedicated times for breaks and reflection. Introduce tools and apps that aid in tracking and planning, and emphasize the importance of regular reviews and adjustments. Throughout the process, reinforce the value of consistency, discipline, and self-awareness in mastering the art of time management.

- Set boundaries and protect your team - Be clear about term and conditions of the work - Set higher prices for extra time ?? Like to support this