What Is a Time Management Coach & Should You Hire One?
Successful time management has become an increasingly rare skill. A recent study by the University of California found that the average professional is interrupted every 11 minutes, and it takes around 25 minutes to return to the original task after an interruption.
Our attention is fragmented. Our focus is frayed. As a direct result, our productivity and performance takes a hit. With this backdrop, it figures that time management coaching has risen in popularity in recent years.
What Is a Time Management Coach?
A time management coach specializes in helping individuals maximize their productivity by improving how they manage their time. These professionals use proven strategies and techniques to guide clients how to prioritize tasks, eliminate unnecessary activities, and structure their days more effectively.
Through personalized sessions, a time management coach helps their clients identify specific challenges that prevent them from achieving optimal efficiency. From there, they provide actionable solutions and support for sustained productivity improvements.
Working with a time management coach is about gaining more control over your day, and as a result, your entire lifestyle. In a general sense, coaching aims to give clients a balanced lifestyle that accommodates both their career ambitions and personal life needs.
4 Strategies Used in Time Management Coaching
Time management coaching employs a variety of strategies to help individuals enhance their productivity and efficiency. While every coach offers a slightly nuanced approach, here are several common strategies you might expect to cover with a coach.
1. Prioritization Techniques
One of the fundamental strategies in time management is learning how to prioritize tasks effectively. For example, coaches may clients the Eisenhower Matrix, which divides tasks into four categories based on urgency and importance.
In this example, the Eisenhower Matrix helps clients focus on what truly matters without getting sidetracked by less critical tasks. Coaches also employ tools like the ABCDE method, where tasks are assigned a level of priority, from A (most important) to E (least important), providing a clear roadmap for the day's activities.
2. Time Blocking
Time blocking involves dividing the day into blocks of time, each dedicated to a specific activity or task. This technique helps clients minimize distractions and shift focus more effectively between different types of work.
By planning their day around these blocks, individuals can ensure they have dedicated time for both high and low-energy tasks, making it easier to maintain a steady pace throughout the day without burning out.
3. Goal Setting
Goal setting is a cornerstone strategy of any coaching engagement, and particularly so with time management coaching. That’s because effective time management is closely linked to clear goal setting.
Coaches commonly work with clients to set SMART goals (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound), which provide both direction and a metric for success. This strategy ensures that every hour spent is aligned with broader personal or professional objectives.
4. Delegation Skills
For those seeking time management coaching particularly for work reasons, learning how to delegate effectively can be a game changer. Coaches often train clients on how to identify tasks that can be handed off to others. They also support clients in the implementation of new delegation strategies. Successful delegation not only helps one manage their workload, but also aids in developing team capacity and cooperation.
While this short-list of strategies is not exhaustive, it should give you a taste of what to expect in working with a time management coach. Through consistent check-ins, clients are held accountable—and they gain a recurring thought leader whose only job is to help create progress in these key time management areas.
What to Expect from Your Time Management Coach
Engaging with a time management coach can transform your approach to daily tasks and long-term goals. But what does coaching actually look like in practice? Again, while every coach is a little bit different, here's what you can typically expect:
Consistent Live Check-ins: Regular virtual meetings (i.e. over Zoom) are a cornerstone of the coaching process. Coaching sessions allow you to review progress, tackle challenges, and adjust strategies in real time. They keep you held accountable and motivated throughout your self-improvement journey.
Between-Session Support: Your coach should be available to you outside of scheduled meetings via email or messaging platforms. This ongoing support helps address any immediate challenges that arise. It also affords you a round-the-clock cheerleader, or someone to share celebrations with as you see progress or reach new milestones.
Personalized Action Plans: After assessing your specific needs early in the process, your coach will help you develop a customized plan that addresses your bespoke situation. This plan includes strategies, tools, and resources tailored to optimize time management.
Progress Tracking: Expect to receive tools or systems for tracking your daily and weekly progress. Monitoring your development is crucial for identifying successful strategies and areas needing further improvement.
Resource Sharing: Time management coaches often provide curated resources such as articles, templates, and tools that supplement the experience. These resources support ongoing learning and implementation of new strategies.
Feedback and Adjustment: Constructive feedback is a key part of the coaching process. Your coach will provide insights into your performance and suggest adjustments to improve efficiency and effectiveness.
When exploring coaches, always be sure to get clear on what each one offers. A great coach should have clearly defined approaches and structure—there should be very little gray area when it comes to what exactly you’ll be receiving as a client.
Time Management Coaching FAQs
Wondering how long it takes to see results from coaching? Or how much it typically costs? Review our shortlist of FAQs below for some quick hit answers.
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While many life coaches are equipped to support clients with time management issues, there are coaches who specialize more intensely in this area. These specialists often possess a deeper toolkit and strategies specifically tailored for optimizing time management.
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The timeline for seeing results from time management coaching can vary depending on the coach, the client, and their specific circumstances. Typically, a few months of consistent coaching is sufficient to notice significant progress as new habits and routines become established.
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Costs for time management coaching can vary. Most coaches charge between $100 to $300 per hour. Payment is often per session rather than per hour, with many sessions lasting 30 or 45 minutes. For example, if a coach charges $200 per hour and offers 30-minute sessions once a week, you would be paying around $400 per month.
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The ideal time to hire a time management coach is when you are both able and willing to commit to the process. Effective coaching requires active participation and effort, much like how a gym membership works—you only benefit as much as you invest.
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Many clients prefer coaching due to its highly personalized approach and forward-looking focus. Unlike classes or therapy, coaching revolves around setting and achieving specific goals, changing habits, and actively creating the life you want to lead. This goal-oriented framework often makes coaching a preferred choice for those looking to make tangible changes in their life management skills.
Finding the Best Time Management Coaches
The best time management coaches not only employ time-tested strategies to boost productivity and efficiency, they also must be relatable and compatible with your style. Coaching is equal parts art and science. You should search for a coach who balances both sides of the coin.
For some pro tips on how to hire a great coach, don’t miss our seven-step guide here. And go here for the best questions to ask a coach as you’re interviewing to find the right fit. Finally, to get your search underway, check out the short-list of trusted and vetted coaches featured on CoachRanks, using the button below. Best of luck in your search for the right coach—we hope we’ve provided some help!
