Getting back into the gym or training routine can be overwhelming for both personal trainers and clients. Whether you were on a quick vacation or needed to step away for personal reasons, these tips can help you and your clients get back on a routine with ease.
Prioritizing
On your first day back to your facility or office, start figuring out what your top priorities are. Make a list of tasks that need to be done and rank order it. Are there any clients you need to contact? Do you need to follow up with any items you were working on before your break? What items on your task list are “necessities” in order for you to get going again? Which tasks are “accessories” and would support your business or work?
Pace Yourself and Set Realistic Expectations
Think about how many days or weeks you were away. Chances are, you won’t get all caught up in a single day. Set a reasonable time-frame that you think you can catch up by. Put the date on your schedule or calendar as a tangible reminder.
Chunking and Delegating
Group similar items on your task list together. It takes time for the brain to switch gears. By focusing on completing related tasks, you can save that time your brain would need to switch tasks. Also, ask yourself which tasks can you trust others on your team and inner circle to help with? By leveraging your team, it can free you up to focus on key items on your task list.
Book-Ending or Buffering Your Trip
Consider scheduling 1-2 days as “open” no client days to readjust after your break. Just like you may feel jet-lagged if you traveled and need to physically acclimate to your time zone, it takes the mind to ‘turn back on’ and rev up its analytical and professional engines back to your work.
Using Positive Self-talk
If you’re anxious, stressed, or not in the right mindset to tackle our task list, it can become daunting really fast and feel like a chore. It’s very much like when you support a client through the last set of an exercise. By staying positive and ‘pep talking’ yourself through your task list, your mountain-sized list feels much more manageable While the list is still there, and the items haven’t changed, keeping a positive attitude helps to stay objective and to put all the other tips into play.
As fitness professionals, the more effective we become at getting back to business after a break, the more we’re able to help our clients do the same.
Take action on these points and you will do even better!
Thank you,
The NESTA/Spencer Institute Team
https://www.nestacertified.com
https://spencerinstitute.com
PS: Remember, you can choose from a long list of highly rewarding career options, and we help you choose which is best for you. Get started on your exciting new career journey!
