I hope you have had a good week and are coming to terms of the new levels that we find ourselves in. I am not sure about you, but I think it is going to be a long winter. Chatting coaches chats monthly at the moment. It is a regular support call with no agenda between regular coaches with no agenda backed by a WhatsApp group. I am wondering about moving this to every fortnight as I know that some have valued this over the initial stages of lockdown. Are you interested? If so, please click here and let me know.

As a reminder, the next Chatting Coaches Call is WEDNESDAY at 12:00 until about 13:00.

Please do come along with your coffee and join us.

This weeks COACHd is brought to you deep from within a creative and innovation thinking session. Like many of you, my business is a limited company and I chose to have my year end at the end of October. This forces me to reflect on the year past, and the year ahead – and boy was and is this a difficult exercise this year.

Anyhows, I think in models so I share this with you – I will call this The Grid.

We all have a finite amount of time in a week.

Some of the time is taken up doing our ‘job’, some in enjoying the time with loved ones, some learning and reading, and some having a nice long bath. I would like you to imagine a 10 by 10 grid of square boxes – think chess board with another couple of rows and columns. The columns represent various projects that you are working on, and the rows, the level of activity that you are completing them with. You only have a finite number of boxes.

As a business owner, I find myself distracted. I dive down nearby distractions (shall we call them rabbit holes) only to appear a few weeks later perhaps. This activity is not always wasted and I would describe it as essential in keeping me sane. These daily activities can be defined as the activities in the grid described above.

Now consider a 5×20 grid. There are fewer activities but greater opportunities to engage at a deeper level and perhaps help form more thought-through conversations.

• What activities am I to drop?
• What projects shall I pick up?
• How can I use the greater depth to deliver greater depth for my business plan (and strategy)?

Unsurprisingly, the 10×10 grid and the 5×20 grid have the same area (100 sq. units). If we develop the time metaphor further, this means that we are focussing our efforts to deliver a more effective and focussed solution.

Not only have I used this simple method on my own business, but have also used this type of thinking with some of my clients.

• How can you use this simple concept to challenge a fixed time mindset?
• What other fixed area ideas can you use to help your stuck clients?

As we move into October, with the Autumnal fall getting more and more beautiful, take a chance to go for a walk to enjoy the peace. Enjoy the vivid colours, and enjoy the wildlife. Next Friday morning is Octobers co-coaching. It is going to be different as we go for a walk together but in isolation in our own space. Check out here for more details and get booked on. You will be guided by Zoom, and connected to the group as you explore areas that perhaps hold the answers to some challenging questions.

I am also looking to form up some new coaching development and supervision cohorts based on a similar formula that has worked so well over the past 12 months. If you are interested in this, please do just get in touch and we can arrange a chat.

Have a great weekend.

[thrive_leads id=’16606′]