A day in the life of a coach: Helen Amery

Training as a coach can be a life-changing learning and personal development experience but what is life actually like once the training is over? We spent a ‘day in the life’ of three Barefoot Coaching alumni to help shed some light on the daily realities, challenges and rewards of working as a coach.

I start my working day…

…consistently – 5.30am meditation before getting ready, breakfast and getting the kids sorted and dropped off at school. But after that… it’s a fabulous mix.

My job involves…

…one-to-one coaching, leadership development and team coaching.

In the morning…

…Some days I go straight into a client meeting but on others I’ll go back home for business admin, finances, design work, and preparation and follow-up from my client sessions. If I don’t quite have time to do anything “productive” before a meeting, I’ll have a coffee somewhere and catch up on social media and online articles, or maybe even read an old-fashioned book!

After lunch…

…Lunch depends on where I am that day, but always with the intention of making it as healthy as possible. If I’m at home I aim to get out for a 20-minute walk to clear my head and then: back to work. I collect the children from school two days per week and afternoons can be about going to a sporting fixture, doing homework or instrument practice or going out to another after-school activity. I love not having to ask permission to be present for these things! At some time, ideally between 3pm and 8pm, I do a second meditation.

I end my working day…

…with an exercise class and sometimes, a bit more work!

The most challenging part of my job is…

…the tension between my desire to do all the work I want to do and to be there for my children. But I know this won’t be the case forever, so I try to enjoy “what is” and check myself when frustration bubbles.

The most rewarding part of my job is…

…I get to do the work I love, when I want to do it. Overall, I wouldn’t change it for the world – making a difference while having autonomy and independence – it’s ideal for me!

Helen Amery is an executive and team coach. You can follow her on Twitter or connect with her on LinkedIn.

www.wildfigsolutions.co.uk