Here's how you can mitigate the long-term effects of a poor work-life balance as a life coach.

As a life coach, mitigating the long-term effects of a poor work-life balance involves helping clients implement strategies and mindset shifts that promote overall well-being. Guide clients in adopting stress management techniques such as mindfulness, meditation, deep breathing exercises, and physical activities. These can help reduce stress levels and improve overall resilience. Encourage the development of healthy habits including adequate sleep, nutritious diet, regular exercise, and social connections. These habits contribute significantly to overall well-being and resilience against the negative effects of work stress.

I work with many coaches who are on the verge of burnout because they do not "practice what they preach" to their clients. Yes, making money is important, but showing up for your clients with a clear mind and heart is also important. I invite coaches to take a step back and look at their workdays and the week as a whole. How much time is spent on various work-related tasks? Admin, business, actual coaching? Are you giving yourself proper breaks between tasks and sessions? Even 10-15 minute breaks can work wonders and help keep that work-life balance in check.

Firstly, establishing clear boundaries between work and personal life is crucial. Employees should define specific work hours and stick to them rigorously, ensuring that work-related tasks do not encroach on personal time. Utilizing features like “do not disturb” on devices during off-hours and fostering a workplace culture that respects these boundaries are effective. When employees can disconnect from work obligations, they can fully engage in personal activities, recharge, and maintain healthier relationships outside of work. This separation helps in reducing burnout and increasing overall job satisfaction.

In my studies of Therapy: I found an interesting thing called "Stimulation & Relaxation". This scientific methodology believes not just in calming or easing things out... BUT first stimulation the contents of discomfort. From a nervous system point of view, it is aimed to counter the stabilization of arousal. Therefore, I would surely first ask the individual to dive deep into the story and bring out all contents of discomfort. Later, we dissect, dissolve & remove what is necessary. Look at it as Emotional categorization + Information segmentation. At the end, heavy practice of sitting & meditating like Vipassana or Dhyana can be suggested.

When we work in helping professions such as coaching, we are often great at telling people how to improve their lives, whilst neglecting our own. However, it's so much better - for both us and our clients - if we also walk the walk. It's really important to check in with ourselves and reassess this on a regular basis. I do it quarterly.

Setting boundaries in the field of personal self-care looks like 'non-negotiables' when it comes to exercise, rest, meditation, walking, nature connection. In fact I would go as far to say that self-care comes first. We all know the energy energy inspiration when we turn up to work feeling refreshed and energised. Coaching establishes these habits, but helping you organise your boundaries around your relationship to yourself.

Boundaries are a sign of self respect. For my clients who struggle to set them, this is usually about low self esteem/worth. Boundaries are on us to uphold, not for someone else to respect. They help us stay emotionally regulated and prevent us from getting burnout.

Implement structured time management techniques to ensure a healthy work-life balance. Prioritize your tasks by creating daily and weekly schedules that allocate specific times for work and personal activities. Use tools like calendars and to-do lists to stay organized and focused. Set clear boundaries to prevent work from encroaching on personal time, and stick to these boundaries diligently. Delegate tasks when possible to lighten your load and avoid burnout. Regularly review and adjust your schedule to accommodate changing needs and ensure you maintain a balanced lifestyle. By managing your time effectively, you can reduce stress and improve overall well-being, setting a positive example for your clients.

Ever heard of Google 20% time? It's 20% of working time where employees get to take time out to do what they like. This is because any biological system - including humans - can't work at 100% Factoring in 20% of your daily routines to be non work activities, is a really good place to start when managing your time.

One of the most effective self care techniques most often underrated and undelooked is sleep. Taking a time out from the busy routines to sleep is a rejuvenation undiputed way to reset. Adequate at sleep least minimum 7- 8 hours a day helps. 1. Heal the body. 2. Beat fatigue. 3. Counter burnout. 4. Re energise creative flow. 5. Break thoughts of feeling overwhelmed . Easy to practice and implement.

Self care comes from boundaries and time management. If you have these aspects aligned, then self care will be much easier to engage with. It doesn't matter what you have in your self care kit - it needs to be personal to you. But it is important to practice self care every day, not just as a first aid kit.

Delegate the tasks that you are no good at to someone else. Think of it this way if you hate cleaning and it takes you five hours to clean your house and a professional house cleaner only two you are wasting three hours of your time. If you look at that in terms of dollars and cents and say you charge $100 per hour, you are losing $300 by trying to get the house clean yourself. Pay the housekeeper her fee and utilize those three hours to make the extra $300. This way you are not frustrated and stuck in a task you don’t want do you could be making money doing something you love

Reflection is a really important part of my client work and something that I also make space for regularly. A really nice way to reflect is to simply stand still and check in with our bodies. Other flow activities such as swimming or walking can be really effective in helping us reflect without overthinking.