Own your hours
Scheduling: Strategies to win life!
More than most industries, you are only paid for the time you actually work.
Time is the most important resource we have. Yet many of us in the fitness and wellness industry squander it due to distraction, poor boundaries, lack of planning and more. Why, for example, do so many exceptionally skilled physical practitioners struggle to manage their schedules well?
We did a deep-dive on all things “time’ for independent fitness and wellness pros.
Strategic tips for you to improve your days are highlighted below, with full descriptions and context afterwards. These time-centered strategies are from independent fitness + wellness pros who rent wellness space and use their time exceptionally well: to be more professional, to improve schedules, to generate more revenue, to communicate well, and to help establish boundaries for both business and self.
Use these tips to improve your schedule. Your clients - and their progress to their goals - will thank you!
A / B Choice Matrix: Give your clients a choice of two options that you know can work for both of you, and let them decide which they prefer. Instead of saying “when’s good?” do a quick assessment of their preference (note: this helps your client feel listened to, important, and that you have their best needs in mind, which you do!) Then, if they prefer a morning/midday / afternoon or evening workout/session, begin with “I have openings on Mondays at 10a or 11a - which would you prefer? If that doesn’t work. I can do Wednesday if it’s at 9a or 10a. By providing a simple A/B choice matrix, you are actively guiding your clients to what works best for you and supporting them towards their goals.
Incentives for off-peak hours/weekends to train (see what we did there) the behaviours you DO want, the age-old incentive works wonders.
Batch scheduling - aim to fill three hours back-to-back rather than single random hours. How? Guide clients to hours that are ideal for you - and that they can say yes to. Use the next tip if you need help doing that.
The Traffic Light magnet
Red = clients who are tied to work/life schedules, have limited availability, and may be hard to move around
Yellow = clients who may have some flexibility at certain times/days, are moderate in their ability to switch schedules
Green = clients who are flexible and easy,
Schedule your red clients first, then start asking your yellows…then greens… if they can make the times before/after your reds. That way, you batch your schedule into clusters, like a magnet, strategically guiding clients to a schedule that supports you and empowers you to give your best.
Time blocking. If it isn't scheduled, it isn’t happening. Time block both client hours and business/admin tasks so that you can consistently attend to each area with focus and energy.
Stacking sessions - similar to the above, and a necessary stage of growth. Open up your day by aiming to get 3 sessions back-to-back in the morning, midday, afternoon, or evening. It will free up critical time to work ON your business (versus in it) so you can execute at a high standard (soap note, invoicing, scheduling, client communications, etc.) and focus on growth (outreach, marketing, sales, partnerships, etc.)
Cluster your days - think time-boxing gone daily / monthly. Choose which days are ideal for working at Arrive, from home, at various neighborhoods. There’s great power in consolidating, as it exponentially improves your focus and frees up your time.
Schedule everything - especially your own time via breaks, workouts, vacations, etc.
Apply tools like the Eisenhower Matrix (urgent vs. important - pic to the left) or time audits.
One of the biggest downfalls in the business of independent personal trainers, pilates instructors, physical therapists, massage therapists, small group class teachers, and others in the fitness/wellness industry is… distraction.
Entrepreneurship can feel like an overwhelming juggling act. Many Pros don’t balance the demands well, and end up overwhelmed - or burnt out - due to constant context switching or simply trying to focus on too many things at once - eventually it WILL take a toll! If time is not harnessed with focus and intention, attention to and on the things you truly care about suffers. It is, however, possible to be proactive and set up useful guardrails for your time, and to use the time you have available to strategically improve your business rather than detract from it.
More than just a gym space for rent or pilates studio for rent, Arrive curates insights from experts and leaders in the fitness and wellness industry. If you have tips to share, let us know and we’ll include them as part of our ongoing best practice series!
If time is not used with focus and intention, attention to what you truly care about suffers.
Feel victimized by client’s schedules?
We’ve all been there! Personal Trainers who rent gym space tend to assume that clients will only be able to work out before or after work, since 6 am-9 am and 5:30 pm-8 pm sessions are in high demand, and are strong revenue drivers. The 5 am - 9 pm hustle can feel real, causing Pros to unconsciously commit to the double-split.. For anyone working those hours, it can be exhausting. Think of it this way: if your most in-demand sessions are the easiest to fill - and you only have so many of them in a week - it is well worth your time financially to optimize your schedule around them. The easiest way to do that is to figure out which of your clients have the flexibility to schedule around others who do not have the flexibility.
But wait, there’s a twist: we’ve observed that a major block in the growth of a successful private practice lies in falling prey to restrictive client scheduling. How many trainers and therapists ask their clients when they’d like to see them - hoping for a sale - and say yes to whatever the client requests? An ineffective schedule is as much a by-product of mindset as it is time-based realities - you may be able to easily improve your schedule by simply asking some easy questions.
The faulty assumption is that your client only has one option, and you should simply jump to confirm it. They might have more options available, but you have to ask to find out. Don’t talk yourself into a hole of your own making. By taking a proactive approach, you might find simple solutions.
First off: let’s talk mindset. We’ll then look at strategies to improve schedules.
Ineffective schedules are as much a by-product of mindset as they are a time-based reality.
Mindset
You deserve - and need - a clearly structured workday, with predictable hours to do your best work: you are not on call all the time and don’t need to prove your self-worth by saying yes to your client all the time. If you find yourself busy but hating your schedule, ask yourself: Do you let clients know your hours up front and indicate when you’re free to work with them? Do you probe clients’ availability? I.e., ask them to provide 3 options for when they could see you (noting which are optimal, doable, and less likely). Or, do you ask “when would you like to see me?” and simply say yes if you can squeeze them in? Whatever habits you currently operate out of, below are tips to move things towards more enjoyment and a stronger business.
Boundaries
We’ve all seen (or been!) that trainer who is perpetually late. They/we run in 5 minutes after a session starts because xyz (train, late appointment, traffic, long line at x, etc), then waste the first minutes of a session trying to de-frazzle and socially connect. Not ideal, and often not intentional, but all too common. It often stems from a lack of clear boundaries.
Time-based boundaries are a simple expression of saying “no” or “enough.” Saying yes all the time often results from being a perfectionist or a people-pleaser. Instead, putting yourself first requires developing the awareness and discipline to say “no” or “not know,” or even simply knowing when to move on to the next thing. That’s important so you don’t shoot yourself in the foot and become, inadvertently, the reason that you yourself are running behind.
Technology saves Time - but can drain attention and focus
One of the best uses of technology is in effective time management and accountability to your goals: whether that’s tracking results of workouts, spreadsheets for finance, and notifications that act as reminders, software’s ability to keep us on track has become second nature. However, one of the less touted uses of tech is as a communications tool for following through on commitments.
Given tech’s double-edged sword of disengagement and distraction (doom scroll, anyone?), now more than ever using tech to BOOST really connections and drag clients out of distraction and into focus is key. Nearly all platforms now have built-in reminder emails, texts, etc, but they won’t do any good unless you use them! Be sure to enable settings that can help you - and your clients- stay on track with time. Some great platforms exist to help make running your practice smooth and easy, such as Arketa, Somble. Note: Arrive members get discounts to try both!
Additional resources:
https://coachmefitness.app/blogs/the-best-time-management-strategies-for-busy-fitness-coaches
https://www.fitbudd.com/post/achieve-work-life-balance-time-management-tips-for-personal-trainers
https://clinicsense.com/blog/effective-time-management-tips-for-massage-therapists
https://time.com/7200863/new-years-resolutions-set-boundaries-mental-health/