You're a mentor with a full schedule. How can you reduce administrative tasks and maximize your impact?

When I started coaching, one of my mentees didn't know what they wanted to do with their life. We talked to them several times to figure out what they wanted, but it didn't feel like we were progressing much. Although talking through helps; it is important to work to set clear goals and standards at the start which would help to figure out exactly what they needed help with, making the experience more focused and powerful.

In my experience, blocking the calendar in advance works better. All the sessions you have, in preference. You can agree on a regular meetings, same period between sessions so you can ensure you have enough time between sessions to implement the agreed actions and see few results so you have material to discuss and evaluate on the next sessions. Reminders during this “interval” are always useful because although we can think we “have everything in mind” and we are “excited to apply new things” the day to day activity will “most of the time” push us to other responsibilities and activities and not always to focus on the mentorship/ specific mentee tasks.

Organising the sending and receiving of emails can be a time-consuming process. Currently, I use a scheduling service that allows mentees to view my availability and immediately book sessions with me. As a result, I am able to avoid missing appointments and save time.

In the past, I would keep track of my mentees' progress and action items using a straightforward notepad. Initially, it was successful; however, as the number of mentees increased, it became more difficult to manage. Currently, I use a specialised platform for mentoring that enables me to keep track of progress reports, notes, and resources, effectively streamlining the entire process.

Preparing information for my mentees consumed a significant amount of my time. In addition to my coaching, I now provide them with online tools and courses specifically designed to meet their requirements. This enhances my efficiency and my ability to provide access to a wider spectrum of skills.

When I first started mentoring, I hesitated to approach my mentees for input because I was afraid they would interpret it as criticism. Nevertheless, I immediately concluded that their feedback was quite valuable. Now, I make it a habit to solicit their feedback on the efficiency of our sessions and how I may provide them with enhanced support. As a mentor, I am able to grow consistently because of this feedback loop that is always present.

I give my protégés assignments between sessions to maximize our time. For example, my protégé is struggling to define other roles to consider for their next position. To prep for our next session, I'll ask them to think about previous roles and list the tasks they did and didn't like, then rank them from "love to do" to "dealbreakers." We set a date for the next session, I let them know that I'm available for questions between sessions, and ask them to submit the assignment a few days before the next session so I can review it and prepare, as well. When I acknowledge receipt, I ask them to think about why they ranked them as they did so they're prepared for our discussion.

Set boundaries: Having clear boundaries helps ensure you don't become overwhelmed by mentorship commitments. This could involve limiting the number of mentees you take on or establishing specific communication hours. Networking with other mentors: Connecting with mentors allows you to share best practices, troubleshoot challenges, and gain new perspectives. Invest in your development: As a mentor, you should also continually seek opportunities to learn and grow. This could involve attending workshops, conferences or even taking on a mentor yourself.

Take a helicopter view on your schedule and things you are working on and applying Eisenhower matrix, set your priorities. Then for other things, consider what you should delegate/automate, what (re)scheduled what potentially drop and not bringing you much value. Be very honest with yourself while doing this exercise. This should help you find some space in your day and ensure you are on track with what you want to achieve.