What are the Benefits of Accountability Coaching Hacks?
Accountability coaching hacks can be the driving force for many unmotivated people. Coaches have a special way of keeping their clients moving forward, and today, we take a page out of their book— without the price tag.
Accountability is the most powerful tool when it comes to hitting big goals. For many of us, staying focused and following through takes measured effort.
This post features accountability coaching hacks for yourself and will teach you how to stay productive like a pro.
Coach Yourself and Coach Others
We all know how easy it is to dish out advice, but how often do you practice what you preach? I’m the first to admit I’m guilty of this. I LOVE to hype up everyone around me. I’ve got a reputation as the “motivational speaker” for my friends and family.
But when it comes to following my own advice, I’m a slacker. A procrastinator. A hypocrite! But not anymore. I am writing this post for you and for me to refer back to and make some significant progress.
I have learned that, often, when I coach others, I am really projecting my own need for motivation. So I pay close attention to my own advice and actively make an effort to implement my own guidance.
Remember this when you find yourself slacking or lacking motivation. Call up a mutual who is also working toward big goals and hype each other up for a big confidence boost.
Share Your Daily Agenda
This is one of my favorite accountability coaching hacks. I have a best friend, who doubles as an accountability partner, and I text her my plan on days when I have big, important tasks to complete. 10 out of 10 times, I tackle everything on that to-do list when I do this.
If you don’t have an accountability partner yet, (I highly recommend getting one), you could post your plans to a Facebook group you follow. Or tell your mom, dad, brother, sister, cousin— anyone who is comfortable enough with you to call you out on your promises and hold you accountable.
At the very least, share your daily agenda with yourself. Write it down, old-school-style, with a pen and paper so that you have a tangible reminder of what you need to accomplish today. I use these practices regularly, and I promise that it makes a notable difference in my productivity.
Put Your Goals Up On a Whiteboard
I love this one because visual representation can be so powerful. Seeing your tasks, goals, and deadlines displayed at eye level makes them impossible to ignore.
Plus, everyone knows how cool it feels to write on the board! — Bonus if you use a variety of colors and throw in some graphs. Organize your plans in any way you connect with most and regularly check in with the board.
Cross off completed tasks, erase them at the end of the day, and refresh your goals as you go. Whiteboards add an interactive element to your creative process that breaks up the monotony of sitting at your desk looking at your digital calendar. You’ll be happy to get up and get your blood and ideas flowing!
Evening Check-ins
This one is important. Make a note of anything you didn’t finish and prioritize it for the following day. At the end of the day, take a few minutes to assess your progress.
Identify ways that your day could have been more productive and make a plan to improve. It’s okay not to check everything off your to-do list, but identifying shortcomings will help you overcome obstacles quicker.
Once you’ve analyzed your work, pat yourself on the back for the work you’ve finished, and allow yourself to be done with it for the day!
This accountability coaching practice will keep you conscious of your productivity (or lack thereof) and rapidly move you forward.
Use Siri (or Alexa, or equivalent)
Siri is a free, built-in personal assistant that is always at the tip of your fingertips. Tell Siri to “Create a Reminder” anytime you have a noteworthy thought. This is an easy, low-effort way to track your thoughts before losing them. We all know how fleeting a good idea can be. Imagine how rich we would all be if we remembered our million-dollar ideas and saw them through!
You can also have Siri loudly keep you on your toes. If you have an event that you need to be urgently reminded of, set an “alarm” and name it accordingly. For example, if I have an idea for a new blog post that I want to work on later that day, I’ll say, “Set an alarm for 2 pm to ‘write a blog post about accountability coaching.'” At 2 pm, my alarm starts blaring, and it cannot be ignored. Of course, I could “snooze” it, but you get the point.
Another great tool is the “Notes” app, where you can save longer, more detailed thoughts and ideas. Pro-tip — Use “Voice to Text” to get your words out quickly and make it easier than ever to record your thoughts.
Set Milestones and Rewards
Keep that carrot dangling! To reward yourself for your achievements, set realistic milestones and treat yourself to something affordable like a new pair of shoes or a fancy meal— (as opposed to an extravagant vacation or designer bag. Save those for the major milestones!)
Accountability coaches love using rewards as a motivator because it adds an element of fun to achieving your goals. Small milestones are just as necessary to celebrate as the big ones! Baby steps lead to seasoned success.
And the best part— your long-term goals deserve the ultimate celebration, so go ahead and start dreaming about that trip abroad or expensive luxury item. As the old saying goes, If You Believe, You Can Achieve! (P.S That mantra makes so much more sense to me now that I’m an adult with lofty goals. 😁)
Implement One New Accountability Coaching Hack Per Week
If you’re feeling overwhelmed, take a deep breath. One of the reasons people lose motivation is that there is just too much to keep up with. “Do this, do that.”
Don’t feel you need to start implementing all of these hacks at once. Pick one idea you feel would be easy and useful to you, and start with that. Set an alarm on your phone each day to remind you to check in with your new habit. (Like many women do to remember their birth control or other meds— If you know, you know.)
The bottom line is, you got this! We have big goals, and these accountability coaching hacks will make our journey much smoother and achievable!