What Does a Productivity Coach Do? (And How to Use One)

Have you ever asked yourself the question, “What does a productivity coach do?”

Are you looking for tips to find the right productivity coach online for your needs?

In this article, you’ll learn about what a productivity coach does and how you can use one in your professional or personal life.

Key Takeaways

Table of Contents

What is a productivity coach? (or what does a productivity coach do?)

A productivity coach is a professional who works with entrepreneurs, small business owners, and professionals to help them better manage their time and energy.

A productivity coach can help you learn new skills, habits, and mindsets.

They can also show you how to effectively use productivity tools, methods, approaches, and techniques.

For instance, you may consider looking for a productivity coach if you feel overworked, stressed, and burned out by your professional or personal life.

What’s more, these coaches can help you create a better relationship and mindset when it comes to productivity and getting things done.

Who should work with a productivity coach?

As a productivity coach, I think anyone who wants to improve their productivity should consider working with a productivity coach.

Generally speaking, I find people fall into two main categories when they are in need of help.

The first group of people are those who have chronic or systemic issues with productivity.

For instance, they may not have learned key skills, such as project planning or delegation. Likewise, they may not know how to properly use these skills in their professional and personal lives.

The second group of people are those who have an existing knowledge or understanding of productivity skills.

They may have learned skills and know how to use them, such as time blocking or setting boundaries. But, they may need help with their mindset so they can successfully apply these skills in their daily life.

In both cases, a coach can provide you with the guidance, instruction, and reassurance you need to learn and improve your skills.

Here are some common reasons as to why people seek out a productivity coach. They have:

• Lack of focus when it comes to their daily tasks and to-dos
• Frequent distractions and interruptions throughout their day
• Difficulty setting and meeting deadlines for their work
• Feel overwhelmed by their tasks, projects, and assignments
• Poor planning, decision making, and prioritization skills
• Fear of delegating, assigning, or letting go of tasks to others
• Rigid approach towards their work and getting things done

Even if you think you’re doing fairly well with your overall productivity levels, there might be something you’re overlooking.

A coach can help you recognize poor habits, strengthen your skills, and course correct so you can work smarter overall.

Why work with a productivity coach?

In my experience, people tend to seek out productivity coaches because they’ve come to a turning point in their lives.

They are tired of feeling stressed out, overworked, and frustrated by their work or schedule.

Now, this isn’t to say that they haven’t tried to solve their productivity challenges themselves.

They may have spent time reading books, blogs, articles, webinars, and courses.

While these are all valuable learning tools, it’s sometimes necessary to seek additional assistance.

After all, you don’t know what you don’t know. And this is how a coach can help.

When you work with a coach, you have someone who is laser-focused and dedicated to helping you overcome your challenges with productivity.

You’re not relying on generalities suggestions. You have customized guidance for your unique situation.

Let’s say you need help being punctual to meetings. A coach can help you by using a variety of different methods, from techniques, mindset, to tools.

Coaches can help you uncover underlying issues that need to be addressed when it comes to how you’re approaching your work.

Many times a client will come to me for a specific issue, such as help managing their busy calendar.

When we review things, I’ll discover their calendar is laid out in a satisfactory manner. But what trips them up is their mindset when it comes to how they are managing their calendar.

In other words, what they think is a problem, really isn’t the problem.

Part of my job is to help clients uncover what their true issues are so we can satisfactorily address their problems.

To see how this translates into real client progress, read my full productivity coaching beginner’s guide, which explains the process step-by-step.

What does a productivity coach do?

Okay, so you’ve learned a bit more about who should work with a productivity coach and why they should work with one.

But what does a productivity coach do anyway when it comes to helping you improve your productivity?

I’ve come up with five key reasons that I think will be of interest to you. Let’s take a moment to explore them one by one.

They ask you thoughtful questions about how you work

A big part of my job as a productivity coach is to ask my clients lots of questions about how they approach their work.

Most people have a pretty good understanding as to the type of work they do. For instance, a lawyer practices law, a graphic designer designs images, and a coffee shop owner sells coffee.

But when it comes understanding to how they are doing their work? Well, that’s a different situation. An individual may not realize they’ve overbooked their calendar or have little time for breaks during their day.

Part of the reason why I ask thoughtful questions is that it helps me to properly assist people. It helps me identify the type of support they may need, whether it’s mindset help, learning a new skill, or honing an existing one.

It also begs them to consider what’s actually going on in their professional and personal life. I’m not quite sure why this is the case, but having someone shine a light on the raw truth of their situation can help them better understand their next steps.

Gaining insight into your work can be part of your daily routine. My Productivity Mindset Planner™ is designed as a daily check-in to help you shift out of overwhelm and into intentional action. Click the link below to download a copy of the planner:

They teach you about different tools and techniques

A key aspect of my work is giving people a variety of different techniques and tools to help them do their work.

Most likely you tend to think of your work as work that needs to get done. But there may not be any consideration when it comes to getting the work done efficiently or effectively.

When I work with people I often ask them to walk me through previous techniques or tools they’ve used.

Sometimes, the technique or tool is not well suited to their personality, temperament, or profession. We may need to find a different suitable solution.

Other times techniques and tools need to be used differently in their work. You may use a tool for say, helping you meet with clients, when the tool might be more effective to use during administrative work.

And sometimes techniques or tools aren’t quite being used at their most optimal levels. You may need some assistance with honing or upgrading your skills with that particular technique or tool.

They offer different ways of thinking about your work

How do you think about your work in your business or career? Do you only think about finishing your work for the day? Do you consider how you’ll serve clients and customers?

Or do you carefully observe and reflect upon how you actually completed your work? If you currently do (or don’t), that’s where a coach can help you see things differently.

For instance, I enjoy helping people understand the seasonality of their work. Pretty much every business, profession, or career has some sort of yearly regularity to it.

Now, you may not have thought about this consciously, and even if you have, you may not have thought about how you can use it to your advantage.

I also like to help people think about their particular industry or career. While I may not know the specific details of an industry, I can ask pointed questions, uncover themes and commonalities, and give them a new way of viewing their work.

They provide suggestions for a new and improved mindset when it comes to productivity

Part of my work as a productivity coach is helping you think about and relate to your work. Doing so will plays a big role in the actions you take.

For instance, let’s say you’re not keen to work on an important client report. You don’t particularly like the word processing program you use to write reports. You resist using it at all costs.

But if you dig a bit deeper, it’s not that you don’t like that particular program. Rather, it’s that you’re struggle with learning the bare basics of the program.

When you can take a step back and see how you can also approach your work, then the work itself changes in your eyes.

And that can mean a huge step forward. In the example above, you may decide to watch video tutorials to learn how to use the tool so you can proceed with your work…without any resistance to it.

They hold you accountable to your goals, dreams, and desires

Lastly, one of the most surprising things that I do as a coach is to keep the goals, dreams, and desires front and center for my clients.

Honestly, it’s not the first thing you think of when you ask yourself, “what does a productivity coach do?”

But sometimes it’s hard to keep our focus on our goals when we have so much going on in our lives.

When you have someone on your side, cheering you on, something wonderful happens.

Your relationship to your work changes.

You know there’s someone out there who wants you to succeed and grow.

You know there’s someone who will challenge you to be better.

This can be extremely helpful and encouraging if you want to successfully reach your goals, fulfill your dreams, and achieve your desires.

How should you use a productivity coach?

You can think of a productivity coach like any other type of coach.

For instance, if you hire a personal trainer, they may help you perform exercises. But the coach won’t work out for you.

You should use a productivity coach when you are willing to change and grow. This way, you can make the most of your time together.

Think thoughtfully about your work, how you’re showing up in your business, and where you want to be in future.

Ideally, you should use a productivity coach when you are committed to changing your business and life for the better.

FAQ: What does a productivity coach do?

Conclusion

If you’re feeling overwhelmed, disorganized, or stuck in your work, you’re not alone. A productivity coach can be your secret weapon to managing time better, developing new habits, and adopting effective mindsets.

A productivity coach can offer a fresh perspective, hold you accountable, and guide you towards smarter work routines. Whether you’re looking to boost your skills in planning or want to change how you think about your work, working with a coach can make a real difference.

If you’re looking to improve your productivity levels and gain clarity in your work, book a 1:1 Strategy Session with me today.

Rashelle Isip Productivity Coach and Founder of The Order Expert®

Rashelle Isip is a productivity coach and founder of The Order Expert®. She is a contributing columnist for Inc.com and author of four books. With over 16 years of experience in the productivity industry, Rashelle helps people work comfortably, sustainably, and joyously for the long term.

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Productivity coaching Time management coaching Mindset-driven productivity Work-life balance Organization systems Entrepreneur productivity