If you’re like I was when I started my health coaching business, you’re working another job and juggling what feels like a million balls in the air all at the same time.
High five to my side-hustling health coaches who are working their fingers to the bone trying to build their wellness business into a full-time gig while taking care of their family and being the glue that holds everything together.
I’m constantly interacting with Health Coaches and learning what obstacles they face when it comes to building their wellness business. Most of the coaches I talk to want to have a full-time thriving practice which I absolutely love and appreciate since that’s where I started back in 2011.
That said, one of the most challenging situations a health coach faces is when they are trying to build their wellness business while also working another job. Hey, I get it – you need to keep paying the bills until your coaching business can replace your income.
When this is the case it’s imperative that you become extremely intentional with your time as well as streamline your day-to-day tasks as much as possible.
GOAL-SETTING STRATEGIES FOR HEALTH COACHES
Successfully building your health coaching business starts with planning and we love the 12-week planning model. We learned this method by reading the book The 12 Week Year by Brian Moran. The premise of the book is that rather than planning in advance for an entire year, (which is what we used to do), you instead plan in 12-week or 90-day increments. Each 90-day window is its own year inclusive of list of growth goals, revenue goals, and any other goals that are important to you.
When you take time to plan your next 90-day window you’ll have your marching orders for what tasks you need to prioritize and when they need to be completed.
For example, let’s say your goal is to grow your email list by 150 subscribers in the next 90 days. You can break that down to a weekly goal of 13 new subscribers. Next, you can decide if you already have a freebie that will attract those new subscribers or if you need to create a new one. Once you have that answer you can decide where you will share the link to your freebie and how often you’ll need to share to obtain those subscribers. It could look something like this…
13 new subscribers each week means that you need to create 1 FB group post, 2 FB page posts, 1 IG post and 2 IG stories each week to meet your goal.
Do you see how the goal of 150 new subscribers can be broken down into weekly, and even daily tasks? With this method you always know what you should be working on. No more shiny object syndrome.
TIME MANAGEMENT TIPS FOR BUSY HEALTH COACHES
Now that you understand the 12-Week Year planning model, let’s zoom in a little closer to weekly time management. Again, it comes down to planning ahead.
Time management looks different for each individual. Some work better first thing in the morning, some need periodic breaks to be their most productive and some are actually more creative and productive in the evening. More than likely you have some idea of what that looks like for you.
Let’s say you are at your best in the mornings, you’re working a full-time job, and you have 10 hours per week to dedicate to your business. If that’s the case you may want to block 1 hour off in the evenings on Monday, Wednesday & Friday and then split the other 7 hours in the mornings on Saturday & Sunday. The evening hours can be spent doing repetitive tasks like uploading your blog, scheduling your social media, and answering questions in your Facebook group. Then the weekend can be used for content creation, coaching calls, and planning an upcoming promotion. These types of tasks require you to be at your best.
One of our favorite time management tools is time blocking. Time blocking is a time management method that asks you to divide your day into blocks of time. Each block is dedicated to accomplishing a specific task, or group of tasks, and only those specific tasks. Instead of keeping an open-ended to-do list of things you’ll get to as you’re able, you’ll start each day with a concrete schedule that lays out what you’ll work on and when.
The key to this method is prioritizing your task list in advance — a dedicated weekly review is a must. Take stock of what’s coming up for the week ahead and make a rough sketch of your time blocks for each day. At the end of every workday, review any tasks you didn’t finish — as well as any new tasks that have come in — and adjust your time blocks for the rest of the week accordingly.
GROW YOUR HEALTH COACHING BUSINESS BY OUTSOURCING
Outsourcing is another great way to grow your health coaching business while working another job.
We know that some of you are saying, “I don’t have the funds to outsource”. We get it because there was a time when we felt the same way. It’s one of those scenarios of what comes first – the chicken or the egg? Should you wait until you have the extra funds to outsource or will outsourcing help you make additional funds?
Check out this episode dedicated to outsourcing called: The Secrets to Outsourcing Even if You’re on a Tight Budget.
SUCCESSFULLY BUILDING A HEALTH COACHING BUSINESS WHILE WORKING ANOTHER JOB
In episode 294 of The Wellness Business Podcast, we’re kicking off a two-part series called: Successfully Building A Health Coaching Business While Working Another Job.
In this episode, you’ll discover…
- Why we are totally addicted to the 12-week planning model and why this process will help you reach your goals more quickly than anything else you’ve ever tried
- The key to understanding when you’re most productive and why time-blocking your schedule based on your unique rhythm is your path to success
- How outsourcing, even on a project-by-project basis, can be the catalyst you’ve been looking for to set your business up as a full-time practice
There is no time like the present to start planning for your future if quitting your job for a full-time coaching practice is a top priority for you and this brand new mini-series on the podcast is just the thing you’re looking for.
Links/Resources mentioned on the show:
Freebie: Karen’s Ultimate Health Coach Success Plan Blueprint
The Secrets to Outsourcing Even if You’re on a Tight Budget
Links to resources:
