I just finished up a complimentary consultation with a new coach who is also a mother of 5. One of her biggest challenges is finding the time for her coaching business. When I asked her about her schedule she told me she blocks out two hours/day to work on her business and coach clients: 9am and 11pm. And it really wasn’t working that well for her.

After a little coaching she realized she could actually re-arrange her schedule and devote one day per week to her coaching business. Although it’s actually less blocked out time (7 hours instead of 10), I guarantee that she will be more effective during that time and gain a lot more momentum in her business.

If you are coaching part-time, here are some scheduling tips:

1. Create a schedule for your coaching business and stick with it. I know that “life” sometimes happens and you may not be able to follow your schedule exactly, but do your best. Make a commitment, put it in your calendar and treat it as sacred time.

2. Set aside blocks of time. Just like in the example above, you’re time will be most effective if you put big blocks of time in your calendar, instead of an hour here and an hour there.

3. Let others know. Once you create your schedule, tell your partner, your children, your friends and your colleagues about your coaching schedule. Then they’ll know in advance why you’re not available during those times and if you’re not being as diligent as you could be, they can give you the little kick-in-the pants you might need.

4. Having a schedule sends a powerful message. It can be challenging building a business part-time. When you set a schedule and stick with it you send a message to yourself, the universe and your community that you are serious and committed to your success.