How can you nourish your own wellbeing as a life coach?

“Your well-being must never become an afterthought. It must be your first act.” – Rasheed Ogunlaru

We live in tough, changing, and challenging times. That means that many of the clients you’ll be working with will face stresses, strains that can take a toll on their wellbeing. Some clients may also live with long term health conditions or disabilities and may be well aware of this. Here are some tips for your wellbeing and to help your coaching clients:-

Building a wellbeing routine as a life coach

Coaching is rewarding and energising but if coaching is your full-time business, then there are also all sorts of other demands linked to running any small/self-employed business. So, looking after your wellbeing starts with you:

1. Create your own wellbeing routine: sleep, exercise and a balanced diet

2. Spot the signs of when you’re stressed and tired – and take care and time out

3. Coach yourself - practice what you preach

4. Pace yourself – know how many sessions and clients per day is wise for you

5. Build your support network - of friends, family and other coaches

6. Keep boundaries: personal, professional and also in terms of your time schedule

7. Time away from coaching: have other interests and hobbies to keep the balance

Mindful presence: coaching beyond spoken words

“Goals are secondary to our health and well-being.”

Whatever type of coaching you do it’s important to be mindful of your clients’ wellbeing and that, when wise and required, you gently remind them to prioritise it. Here are a few tips:

1. Be present: tune in to what is and isn’t being said.  
2. Spot the signs: tired, not completed goals, apologies, body language, lethargic, disheartened? These may all be signs.  
3. Coaching tips: when life balance, stress, wellness or burnout is an issue: slow the pace; check in – how are they doing; remind clients that wellness is key; re-evaluate and re-prioritise goals; invite them to focus part or all the session on their wellness.  
4. Coaching questions: check in on their well-being routine and their support system – what help support and resources a) do they have b) might/do need. What do they feel able to do?  
5. A different type of session: where clients are struggling or going through times the session may need to be more about listening, letting them open-up, holding the space and simple steps rather than heavy goals. You may need to even park goals completely.  
6. Culture and beliefs: each client is different in terms of background, culture and how issues like gender, faith, age, race, disability, sexuality, personality play out will be unique. Be mindful of this. Early on in coaching remember to find out what their values / priorities are in life and in work. When tough times creep in it can be powerful to check in on what’s most important to them right now - they may open up in regard to their family, faith, wellbeing, health, circumstances.  
7. Specialist support and signposting: sometimes clients may need specialist help e.g. doctor, counsellor or emotional support services like Samaritans. It can be handy to collect info on support services for such occasions.

Finally, continually learn from each client – so you can best self-empower them - and all your clients so you become more mindful of wellbeing overall.

About Author: 

Rasheed Ogunlaru is a leading life coach, motivational speaker and a former Co-Director of Samaritans (Central London Branch). He is also an associate trainer for The Coaching Academy and leads a number of our online live training events, our upcoming coach training events can be found on our online coach training events calendar page.