We know that time is a finite resource, but so is energy. When a golf instructor is feeling they have to burn ever greater amounts of energy just to fulfill the most basic requirements of the job, a revenue requirement is often the underlying factor. On that premise, if the dollar amount attached to the family’s monthly “nut” budget be reduced, the required number of monthly billable teaching hours could also go down. So, to take a classic example, is there an $800 boat payment in that monthly budget? For a boat you don’t use much?
At the end of this season, reflect on how stressed and worn-out you felt, due to feeling short on time. Look at the number of hours you taught, then at the average per-hour revenue your teaching generated. Play around with the number of hours that, in hindsight, you would have “taken back” from your lesson book, in order to relieve those stressed-out feelings to a considerable degree. Look at the reduction in revenue dollars this would have caused, and assess what effect the revenue drop would have had on your lifestyle.
Think about what you would have done with those hours, beyond just resting and recovering, and look for projects that, if accomplished, would also provide satisfaction, because they had the effect of streamlining your business.
Your energy levels are a key factor in how productive you are during the long workday. For a coach, maintaining good energy is a challenge. See if some of the suggestions below help you to meet that challenge.
Pay attention to times of low energy. When you feel sluggish, take note of the contributing factors, as best you can identify them.
Think about foods you’ve consumed and how much or how little natural light you’ve been exposed to.
Pay attention to how much you’re moving your body, especially when you’re sedentary for very long periods. These factors have a lot to do with energy level.
Try handling just one task at a time. Another word for this is “monotasking.” If a project is involved and of long duration, break it into logical parts that you can check off one by one.
“Book” your breaks. Your lessons appear on your scheduler each day and naturally you never blow them off. Try putting your break time into that same must-do category.