| First things first, being a sovereign personal trainer is | | | | newsletters and videos. |
| not easy. It sounds fantastic to operate a fitness | | | | Network: Though a personal trainer needs to work |
| training facility from the comfort of your home. | | | | with people, it could be an isolating profession. Talk to |
| Fitness trainers often glamorize the design of working | | | | your clients professionally. Build interpersonal |
| as self-employed professionals. In reality, many a | | | | relationships. Join the chambers of commerce and |
| at-home and independent fitness trainer share | | | | attend community social programs. Share similar |
| common complaints like dearth of time as also a | | | | challenges with peers. Meet prospective clients and |
| imbalance between personal and professional life, to | | | | market yourself. In a nutshell, strengthen your public |
| pen a few. Lack of sufficient income, however, tops | | | | relations. |
| them all. Nevertheless, none of these problems are | | | | Breaks: You may neither have a staff meeting nor a |
| insurmountable. Laid down below are ten tips to run | | | | coffee break in the morning. Still, you need a break. |
| your training business on track. | | | | If you normally schedule back-to-back appointments, |
| Create a workplace: Get a designated office area. | | | | take a quarter-hour break following the third and let |
| You should have at least a phone, a filing cabinet and | | | | the mind and body get the long overdue change in |
| ideally a computer. This implies that you are serious | | | | focus. You can also take a stroll. |
| about your profession as a personal trainer. | | | | Flex that creative muscle: Play a game of |
| Conform to a schedule: Working at flexible hours is | | | | brainstorming. E.g. pen all marketing ideas you can |
| fine, but following a schedule is harder. Devise a | | | | think of within a few minutes. Devise a fresh |
| business map to decide upon your schedule. Calculate | | | | abdominal exercise which does not require a supine |
| the amount you require to earn. Decide how many | | | | floor workout. Scour your brain and locate the fun in |
| clients you can accommodate. Work out your fees | | | | your work. This would refresh your outlook. |
| accordingly. A schedule sets certain boundaries and | | | | Role Model: Eat properly and find time to exercise. It |
| will help you in being more focused. | | | | would show, if you don't take your care. This would |
| Request others to stick to your schedule: Working | | | | never attract clients who want you as their role |
| from your home as a personal trainer could lead to | | | | model. Devise creative workouts for your clients, if |
| interruptions and demand more of your time. Seeing | | | | you wish to be the preferred personal trainer. |
| you at home, family, friends and even pets believe | | | | Celebrate success: Review specific successes viz. |
| your time to be theirs. Thus, draw boundaries | | | | getting x new clients or earning x amount as |
| between work and leisure. While insufficient work | | | | revenue. Praise your client's looks after her Hawaii |
| could pose a problem, the contrary is also true for | | | | trip. The client would feel truly connected to you. |
| many trainers. Building a balanced personal and | | | | Lead a life: Return calls and emails as per a |
| professional life is simpler than letting your work | | | | conscientious policy. Similar to the policies in your |
| schedule dictate terms to your personal life. | | | | profession, your life too needs boundaries. You are |
| The key lies in diversity: Feed that creative gene. | | | | teaching your clients nothing if you are not role |
| Write articles, develop related educational products or | | | | modeling a full life. Never live life in sepia. |
| speak at seminars. In gist, stimulate growth. You will | | | | With commitment and dedication, one can taste |
| find your passion to last longer and find | | | | success as a personal trainer. As long as you are |
| encouragement in every enterprise. It's even better | | | | keen to put in time and willing to cater a good |
| if you can create an alternate income through books, | | | | clientele, your investment is worth your while. |