Coaching During the Holidays: How to Plan Your December
As a coach, you plan December by setting your last session date and time off well in advance, communicating this in writing to all clients, using the final weeks for closing and review sessions, and making clear how you can be reached over the holidays. That keeps December from becoming a race against the clock.
December feels like a full month, but it has few working days in practice. With Christmas and New Year, many coaches have at most three full working weeks left. And that is exactly when clients often want to wrap something up.
Why December Is Different From Other Months
- Fewer working days, more demand. Clients want to close the year and quickly book one more session.
- More emotional weight. The holidays bring up loneliness, conflict or grief for some clients. Themes that stayed in the background in November come to the surface now.
- Your own energy. After a full year, many coaches are running low. If you do not plan your rest, you will not get it.
Step 1: Set Your Dates by Mid-November
Decide on three dates: your last session day, your first working day in January and any days in between when you are available. Block your time off in your calendar right away so clients cannot book into it.
Step 2: Communicate It to All Your Clients
Send one clear message to all active clients. Include:
- Your last session date and your first date in January
- Whether you respond to messages in between, and if so, within what timeframe
- What a client can do in an urgent situation. Coaching is not crisis support, so refer to a doctor or helpline when needed
Repeat it in the last session before the break.
Step 3: Use the Final Weeks Deliberately
Do not plan the last sessions of the year as regular sessions, but as closing or review conversations. Look back on the year, make agreements for January and give something for the break. Read how in end-of-year review with coaching clients.
Step 4: Keep Space for Yourself
Schedule fewer sessions per day than usual. Keep a buffer of a few hours per week for clients who struggle in December. And schedule your own year-end review: one afternoon for your own reflection and one for your admin.
Example December Schedule
| Period | Focus |
|---|---|
| Mid-November | Set dates, inform clients |
| Weeks 1 and 2 of December | Review conversations, agree on closing or continuing |
| Week 3 of December | Final sessions, give holiday assignments, admin |
| Christmas to New Year | Time off, possibly annual planning |
| First week of January | Restart sessions and new intakes |
Managing Availability in FocusCoachee
In the FocusCoachee calendar you open your own available times. Clients only book within the slots you release, so your time off stays free. You can also set up actions with reminders per client, so the program keeps moving during the break without you having to be online.
Read also:
