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Do you feel overwhelmed daily? Do you feel like your life is over complicated and you just don’t know where to start to get it back on track to clear your mind? Mental clarity is just as important for your health as it is for your work/career life and path!

“Calm mind brings inner strength and self-confidence, so that’s very important for good health.” – Dalai Lama

Regardless of your daily activities and schedule, we all have just a short 24 hours in each day – sometimes it seems almost impossible just to get it all done! It can seem that for every item we check off of that to-do list, we just add another one or two. But with a little work and just a few stress-relieving habits, we can alleviate this feeling of overwhelm and trade it in for a new sense of achievement and simplicity.

Here’s the Coaching Out of the Box® Top 7 things you can do in your day to get to this new fresh state:

1. Focus on only the necessary tasks – highlight those tasks that ae key for your day and cross them off as you go. If it’s not priority, keep it on your list so that you don’t forget, but leave it for another time.
2. Remember to stop for little breaks and take deep breaths! There are numerous studies (like this one) online that state that the most productive people with for 50-60 minutes at a time before taking a 15-20 minute break. Getting back to work after taking these little breaks throughout the day allows your mind to be fresh for each task.
3. Set realistic deadlines for your important tasks. Trying to do a lot in a short timeframe may only lead to more stress if you cannot accomplish everything on time.
4. Try not to overthink each individual task. Focusing in on those important tasks can keep you moving forward on important projects!
5. Be sure to continue focusing on personal needs – don’t neglect these! Needs such as sleep, food, and social interactions will also ensure your productivity level is consistent.
6. Learn to say no when it’s appropriate. Saying yes to every single thing that comes your way is another thing that will contribute to being overwhelmed. This might be the single most important tip!
7. Focus on ONE task at a time. Many of us are used to ‘multi-tasking’ however this may lead to dragging out your to-do list and can also lead to tasks being completed but not necessarily well. This lack of focus is easily corrected by turning your attention to one thing at a time.

By now you might have noticed a commonality amongst these tips – FOCUS! Priority and focus together will not only ensure that you complete tasks well, but will alleviate the stress that all of us get bogged down with from time to time.

Do you ever wonder how you can learn to focus and prioritize effectively? If you are wondering this yourself and have never considered coaching, there’s no better time than the present. Your coach can help you identify important tasks and projects and help you along your own personal path to success. If you want to learn more about our class/program openings, please contact us here: http://www.coachingoutofthebox.com/contact-us

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Choosing a career path can be a very personal and impacting decision, which requires a measure of time invested in reviewing options, courses and opportunities. One of the more important decisions to make, especially when it comes to a career choice like coaching, is whether or not to invest in certification. According to the International Coaching Federation (ICF), surveys have shown that 84% of respondents who have participated in a coaching relationship believe that coaching certification or credentials are important. Assuming this number translates similarly in the general population, not moving forward on a certification could be eliminating the majority of potential clients for a future coach. Since this is a career choice, the greatest amount of potential for future revenue lies in showing that a coach has taken the necessary training and is, in fact, certified to assist in their chosen field. In addition, coaching relationships are found to be more satisfying if the coach possesses the appropriate certification and credentials. The ICF also advises clients who are searching for a coach, to only look at candidates who possess certification to ensure that they meet the appropriate standards, ethics and are up to date with their methods. Although it is possible to coach without certification, it likely would be quite limiting and even frustrating, especially when starting out.

Once the decision for certification has been made, the next step is to decide what programs are likely to be the best suited and the format in which to take them. Some people prefer self-taught or online options, while others need the face-to-face interaction of peers and teachers to fully excel. Neither is better in general, but one might be better suited to a particular person’s learning style. In addition, there are multiple learning facilities offering accredited coaching courses, as well as a variety of specific courses. Finding a program that has high-standards, provides practical and theoretical knowledge as well as the opportunity to develop skills, is the key to success. This may require some time investment in researching the options, but the end result will be well worth the initial output. Finding the right career and training to do something that makes a positive impact in another’s life is ultimately a very satisfying decision. The proper certification will provide a greater sense of confidence for both the client and the coach.

Coaching Out of The Box® offers ICF certified programs, including our Fast Track to ICF Certification course, which includes the required 60 hours of Approved Coach Specific Training Hours for ACC accreditation and within a 6 month time span. We also offer courses individually, which allows for training at an individual pace. Our Fast Track courses start in February – find out more information here: http://www.coachingoutofthebox.com/coaching-education-programs/fast-track-to-icf-certification.

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Most situations one encounters lead to an initial gut feeling, whether it is meeting a new person or making an important decision. Deep down, the automatic body systems provide detailed information into how the body feels the situation should be handled. Whether or not a person listens to this initial reaction can depend on a number of factors, including their pre-disposition to “gut feelings”. These feelings can be associated with making snap decisions and lacking in evidence to support, which seems illogical to some, but others rely on this intuition in almost every circumstance. Neither one is inherently right for everyone, but there are times when instinct can play an important role in communication and relationship techniques, as well as providing insight into positive outcome potentials. Although there is not enough research to concretely prove how “gut instinct” works, it is acknowledged to exist and provides us with an additional tool to use in coaching. Utilize these instincts to help guide conversation and ultimately progress the relationship and outcomes for clients:

1. Clear the mind of distractions. If this requires relaxation, try and calm the mind prior to a session with a client by meditating or focusing activities. A cluttered mind can block natural instincts with distraction. This technique can also be useful for the client themselves prior to beginning.
2. Listen to the first thing that enters the mind – it is often right. It doesn’t even necessarily need to feel in line with the thought process at the time, but don’t discount it based on this.
3. Focus on how the body reacts to individual options. If one option seems to feel more relaxing than the other, this is often the body’s intuition providing an answer.
4. Learn to understand different body responses in clients as well. Reading facial expressions, increased fidgeting or clenching can provide valuable insight into the client’s gut response to things as well – they may not even realize they have these responses at the time.
5. Use common sense in deciding whether the responses are based on the options presented or the situation itself.
6. Listen to a client’s use of words about their situation – do they use words like “should”? If so, have them explain why they feel they should and what their instincts tell them.
7. Take time to reflect. After a meeting or when trying to determine a course of action, take time out to quietly reflect on the situation and options. It may take a few minutes to process everything or it may take longer, but give enough time for the brain and guts to communicate before proceeding.
8. Build up trust with the gut instincts provided. Every time they prove to be right, keep track of it. Learning to listen to and follow the body’s natural instinct will help with understanding how it can be beneficial in future situations.

Instinct or intuition is often cast aside in favor of logical reasoning, since it is based on a natural, but inconclusive bodily response. However, totally ignoring intuition can be eliminating a viable option on the basis of having no concrete physical support. The best solution is to consider intuitive responses as well as logical processes to provide the most viable options to solve any problems.

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Some clients will inevitably be more vocal than others. This isn’t a flaw but a character trait and it can become frustrating if getting to the root of their problems is blocked by a communication issue. These clients may try to speak their mind and define the issues with words, but they may not have the verbal skills necessary to make their points clear. This is where visuals may come in handy. These do not necessarily have to involve the client creating elaborate drawings, but can be as simple as inanimate objects in the room or props on hand.

Here are some examples of visuals that may help the client open up or progress past the point of being stuck:

1.  Ask them to focus on creating their dialogue in pictures or flow charts. Have them brainstorm a flow chart for how they see themselves progressing. Perhaps there are even roadblocks they could create in this flow that could be further identified and solved in conversation.
2. Have a flow chart created on hand to show clients what the process of discovery might look like. This visual may help them realize the steps necessary to progress.
3. Encourage the client to create an image of where they are now and a separate image of where they want to be by the end of the process. Help them identify the steps in between to accomplish this goal. This may also allow them some introspection on what exactly they do want, beyond what they may have already thought about.
4. Have clients create image reminders of their plan that they can keep on hand or place around their house. Visual reminders can help motivate clients to stay on target more-so than auditory or word cues may.

 Complex thought processes can be like a family tree – they are difficult to keep straight when verbalizing the relationships, but if they are sketched out on paper, everyone can be on the same page and see the proper connections. Using visuals can assist clients not only with keeping their own thought processes straight, but it can help the coach with much needed insight into how the client is thinking about the situation and what avenues might be available to problem solve these situations.

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In order to assist a client, or even build a relationship, it helps to know what values they have and whether they are similar to that of the coach. Both parties do not need to have the same values, but an understanding of these may help foster a better relationship. These values are important as they become the building blocks for how life is perceived and how a person may react in certain situations – they also guide a person’s priorities and vision for their lives. Unfortunately, a lot of clients may not have taken the time to identify what these values are. Life, family and even religion may have influenced them over the years but their values grew subconsciously and the question of “What are your core values?” may garner a blank stare. Values may also change with the client’s circumstances, such as having a family or going through a crisis.

Here are some steps to helping a client identify their core values:

1. Ask them to identify at least three peak moments in their life – times when they felt the happiest or most fulfilled. What made these moments so incredible?
2. Help them break down what values are present in these moments and choose the most important ones. For instance, if their peak moments involved hiking to the top of Mt. Everest, they may identify “adventurous”, “nature” and “challenging”.
3. Prioritize the top values into a hierarchy of most important to least important. The top 5-7 values have them write out a statement about what this value looks like to them, ie. “To me, success looks like…”
4. Help them create visual reminders of these core values. Suggest post-it notes, pictures or similar reminders that they can have in plain sight to keep them focused.

It may become apparent to the client through this exercise that they are not living according to their core values. This is not uncommon and can be a great starting point for a plan moving forward on how to improve this. Bringing their lifestyle more in line with their core values can make a positive impact on their situation and/or outlook. Although these exercises may take some time, the ultimate outcome is worth the effort and should provide the client with a better understanding of themselves and even how they interact with others.

Feel free to connect with us via email: [email protected], or at any of our social media sites:

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Coaching Out of the Box® also has several courses available this coming winter. See our calendar of events or sign up for our newsletter to learn more.