You're spending 20 minutes hunting for notes before every session, aren't you?
Here’s what I keep seeing: coaches who deliver incredible sessions, but waste half their prep time just trying to remember what happened last time.
You close your notes and then move on to the next client. Life happens.
Then Thursday rolls around, and Sarah’s session is in 30 minutes. You open your notes, and you’re scrambling.
Wait, what was her breakthrough last week? What did she commit to? Was she working on the business plan or the pricing strategy? Where did I even write any of these down, for goodness’ sake?
Twenty minutes later, you’ve finally pieced it together. But now you only have 10 minutes to actually prep something valuable for her.
The problem isn’t your memory. It’s that your notes aren’t doing the one job they should do: help you pick up where you left off.
Here’s what works:
Before you close your notes after any session, take 2 minutes to write three things at the very top of a fresh page (or note, or doc - wherever you keep your session notes):
1. One-line win from today
Not a paragraph, just one sentence. “Sarah realized her procrastination is actually a fear of judgment from her old boss.”
2. Their commitment
What they said they’d do. “Will send 3 pitches by Friday.”
3. My prep note
One thing you need to prepare for next time. “Come with examples of how other clients handled impostor syndrome.”
That’s it. Three bullets in two minutes.
Why this works:
When you open your notes for Sarah’s next session, you don’t have to hunt. You don’t have to remember. You just look at those three lines and you immediately know:
- Where you left off
- What she was working on
- What you need to prep
No mental gymnastics. No wasted time. You go straight to prep mode.
Try it today:
At the end of your next session, before you close your notes: three bullets, two minutes.
One-line win. Their commitment. Your prep note.
See if you don’t feel the difference when Thursday rolls around.
Debbie
Co-founder, Pineway
