Coaching clients for Optimal Energy® at this time of year – when the snow in their globe is swirling just too much

For some of our clients this time of year is a time for rest but for others it really isn’t at all.

I welcome the wonderful insights and recommendations from colleagues and on LinkedIn about how to embrace winter and use it as a time to rest, hibernate and process what has come before so that you can enter the spring refreshed. For some of our clients this will be exactly how they can be at this time of year.

Whereas other clients might be thinking ‘how nice it would be to be able to do that’ but know that for all sorts of reasons (some obvious and some not so apparent) that they will enter January feeling totally frazzled. Many are in very demanding roles, will have carried out far too many diary commitments in order to finish their work in time to take time off and have given those around them a great Christmas with little consideration of self-care. Some will also be juggling other responsibilities like looking after small children or elderly relatives.

Coaching for Optimal Energy®

Helping our clients to consciously manage their energy (as well as our own) can be of great use, in order to try to preserve enough to be able to function, to have Optimal Energy® as much as is possible. And to be extra mindful of when they are getting really tired or ‘hyper’ – trying to show everyone ‘I’m fine, I’m fine – look at me!!! I’m fine’.

If we think of the metaphor of a snow globe that has been shaken, for some it will feel like the snow is whirling around in their minds like a blizzard. What can the coach enable them to consider that might let the particles settle a little? A few (very basic) basics might be:

  • Can they become more aware of how they are feeling energy-wise
  • Could they think about what is good for them, for their energy, and try to do this just once a day for a small amount of time (or more if possible)
  • Considering when something must go, when they need to say ‘no’ to someone or something that will further deplete their energy
  • Trying to get outside in the light and if possible be in nature

They might benefit from doing deeper work on the emotional and cognitive influences on their energy, exploring what is draining or leading to inappropriate high energy, for example, identifying the stories that swirl around their head which makes matters worse.

And if December and early January isn’t a time of rejuvenation for the client when might this be instead? What might recovery involve? What practices can be built into daily schedules that are rejuvenating on a regular basis?

More can be read about this in my book ‘Coaching for Optimal Energy: A guide for executive coaches’.