The Coach's Notebook - Stories that Evoke Change
No. 1 The Opening Ceremony & The Closing Ceremony
After 15 years of coaching, I’ve noticed that the smallest shifts in thinking can unlock the biggest changes. This blog shares real coaching stories — anonymised — that have helped people reset how they work and live. My driver is to help people to think differently and I do that by steering them to practical ideas.
No. 1 - Routines & Systems
Working with Mary it became apparent that she hit the ground running as soon as she sat at her desk. She dived into Teams messages and emails and before she knew it, she was at lunchtime or sometimes beyond without a gap. This continuous attention to work meant that she never stopped and acknowledged her achievements or took a moment to reset.
As a Coach I asked Mary “What would she like her morning to look like?” The language was very positive and forward thinking, imagining she has achieved that perfect start to the day already. Mary liked good coffee and space in her head and the physical environment eg. a clear desk.
My suggestion was to begin the day how she wanted and to set the scene. I very grandly called this “Mary’s Opening Ceremony”. We agreed she wanted a cup of coffee and her to-do list and nothing else on the desk, and most importantly no screens open. I also quizzed how effective the to-do list was? Most people work to an endless task list on Outlook or a notebook that has a continuous To-do list.
Achievement underpins motivation and to get the hit of endorphin that comes with accomplishment you need to be realistic about what you can achieve daily. I suggested to Mary that she worked with a Daily Planner. This can be completed in the morning and reviewed at the end of the day.
Most planners have your top 3 priorities & might even include habit tracking and a shut down tick box.
Mary needed a Closing Ceremony which was just as important if not more so. She needed to highlight her achievements and take a moment to acknowledge herself.
By making these changes Mary began to feel motivated and back in control of her day. She was feeling more proactive and working on projects that had been neglected as she was not being led by other people’s work.
Control doesn’t come from doing more — it comes from choosing how we begin and end our day.
