Practice Lab: Making self-care a priority

(March 2008) Where do you start if you want to make a change that will improve your business growth? Before rushing out and buying the latest marketing system, we suggest you look inside first.

There is a concept in the coaching world called “extreme self-care.” Coined by coaching guru Thomas Leonard, extreme self-care is putting yourself at the top of your list and spending your time on the things you want to do. Unlike plain old selfishness, extreme self-care doesn’t have a negative impact on others. It goes back to that old analogy of the oxygen masks on the airplane — you have to put yours on before helping others with theirs.

If you have the courage to do some of the things we suggest to make your self-care a priority, then you will have the power to be of service to others, and there will be a direct impact on your bottom line.

Here are some practical ideas to get you started:

Have a clear vision.

Get a specific idea of where you want to go. Create a one- and three-year vision for your business and your life and write it down. Imagine it is December 31, 2008 — what does your business look like? Just as you advise your clients to write down their goals, you will be much more successful if you do, too.

Be true to your values.

Make sure you are operating from your values. If you look at your to-do list for the day, are you spending time on what is really important to you? One advisor found that he was spending too much time meeting with clients in the evenings because he felt it was the only way they would see him. When he explained to people that he wanted to put his family first and see clients only one designated evening a week, he found more clients were suddenly able to see him during the day. It is much easier to say “no” to things you do not really want to do if you are true to your values.

Make time for what’s important.

Have a look at the rest of the year and schedule in personal things of utmost importance first, such as time spent on family, healthcare, relationships and professional development. One person we coach is a very busy executive at a large financial company who schedules a massage each month for the year and then builds in her travel schedule around that. Even leaving the office for an hour and heading to the driving range to launch some stress-relieving balls, for example, can be a great energy boost and make you more productive when you get back to the office.

Free yourself from the nagging to-dos.

You cannot move forward with growing your business until you clear up things that are holding you back. In many cases with our clients, blocking a day to clean up a cluttered office has ultimately led to an increase in business. Even making sure you have new client packages available and room in your filing cabinets can empower you to take on new clients. Set aside some time and get rid of those nagging to-dos once and for all.

Practise what you preach about finances.

Are you doing the things you advise your clients to do? We see many advisors so focused on their business that they have neglected their own finances. If you take care of this piece for yourself, you will become a much more effective advisor. One of our clients found that putting himself through his firm’s wealth management program helped him promote the program to his clients and improve his sales.

Leverage support systems.

Do you have an adequate support system in place? It is important to have someone to talk to about the challenges of your business. This can be a manager, coach, mentor or study group.

Keep extra reserves in the tank.

Take care of your to-do items on an ongoing basis instead of trying to do everything at the last minute. This allows you to build up a reserve for the next time things get stressful. The concept of “life balance” is often a myth. You will find yourself much more able to get through busy periods if you have the financial, physical and mental reserves that are built up by taking care of yourself.

So, part of the idea of extreme self-care is to focus on things you choose to do versus have to do. By doing this, you will find it easier to focus on growing your business and attracting new clients. And you will be better able to make an impact on your clients’ lives, which is one of the key reasons you joined this great industry in the first place.

April-Lynn Levitt is a Calgary-based coach, and Kim Poulin is a Montreal-based coach. They provide one-on-one customized coaching to financial advisors, helping them to achieve greater confidence, focus and freedom. They can be reached at april@thepersonalcoach.ca or kim@thepersonalcoach.ca.

(03/12/08)