Work-Life Balance for Coaches

Module: Coach Wellbeing Classroom: 3v3 Coach? Click Here… Original Location: https://www.skool.com/coachingacademy/classroom/3v3-coach Status: Published

How to Coach Without Letting Football Take Over Your Life

You’re giving your time to help others grow, and that’s huge. But when coaching creeps into every corner of your week, it can drain the joy right out of it. Especially when you’re juggling work, family, and everything else.

Here’s how to stay in control and keep football in its rightful place:

1. Make Coaching Fit Your Life (Not the Other Way Around)

You’re not a full-time pro. You don’t need to live like one.

Block out your real-life commitments first, then add football around them.
Protect evenings or weekends with family, friends, or downtime. At least one day a week.
Coaching should energise you, not edge out your priorities.

2. Time-Box Your Coaching Hours

Planning can eat up your week if you let it.

Give yourself fixed time limits for session prep (e.g., 30 minutes max).
Reuse and adapt session plans; don’t start from scratch every week.
Utilise our free sessions or our complete Game Model document if you are short on time.
Stick to “office hours” for football tasks. When time’s up, stop.

3. Say No Without Guilt

You don’t have to do everything. You’re already doing a lot.

Be clear with your club: “I can do X, but not Y.”
Don’t take on extra fixtures, events, or meetings unless you’ve got space.
Every “yes” to football is a “no” to something else; choose wisely.

You’re not the only one who cares.

Involve assistant coaches, player captains, or parents where appropriate.
Delegate small jobs (kit, cones, warm-ups) to reduce your mental load.
Don’t be afraid to ask for help, you’re a coach, not a machine.

5. Check In With Yourself Regularly

What started as a joy can become a burden if you never step back.

Ask: “Is this still fun for me?”
Take breaks during long seasons, even a week off helps.
Talk to other coaches. You’re not alone in this.

Final Word

You coach because you care. But caring doesn’t mean saying yes to everything. It means creating a balance that allows you to keep showing up. That’s not just for your players, but for yourself and your people too.

Football’s a big part of your life, but it shouldn’t be your whole life.

Note: Additional resources available within the Football Coaching Academy classroom.