Relax, Reflect & Re-Energise: Coaching Strategies for the Summer Slowdown

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Summer holidays were always a time of celebration for me growing up. Depending on where you are in the world, it often meant six to ten glorious weeks off school—freedom!

Now, as adults, the rhythm is a little different. With kids off school and the slower pace of August setting in, many of us take time to travel, take a break, or simply step back. And with International Relaxation Day falling on August 15, it’s a great moment to reflect on the importance of relaxation, rejuvenation, and re-energising.

With burnout and workplace stress at an all-time high globally, it really does fall to each of us to take responsibility for our energy, wellbeing, and personal sustainability. A break is essential—but it doesn’t always mean doing nothing.

As I often remind my clients: "When you disconnect from work, what will you connect to?"

We get so focused on switching off from work that we forget to switch on to life. To reconnect with ourselves, our relationships, and what really matters.

So perhaps take a moment—to reflect on your own or discuss with those you love—and ask:

What does relaxation mean to me?
How will I know when I’ve truly experienced it?
And who do I want to be at the end of this break, as I come back to re-engage with work and life?

Have your clients ask the same questions. Now’s a great time to reconnect, inspire, and support them with intention. Take a moment and use National Relaxation Day as a reason to reach out to your clients or people in your network and give them the gift of re-energising.

Here Are 4 Free Coaching Tools to Help You—and Them—Do Just That.

Get your (10 Things for) Your Best Summer Ever!

1) Free Best Summer Ever Coaching Exercise

Start by simply asking your clients to make a list of what would make this their best summer ever.

Tip: as rest and relaxation are often important, remind clients that sometimes not doing things can be helpful.

Then ask your clients to choose 1-3 actions to help them create their best summer ever.

Be sure to ask them when they will complete the actions by and what could get in the way!

This exercise is super simple—but it's powerful too!

Free Blank Wheel Coaching Tool with 8 Colourful segments as a Coaching Exercise

Get your Blank Coaching Wheel Coaching Exercise

2) The Free Blank Coaching Wheel

The Blank Coaching Wheel is one of our most popular life coaching exercises. Probably because it's endlessly flexible!

Here's one idea to use it over the summer with your clients:

1. Ask your clients to label each of the 8 empty areas with something that would 'recharge their batteries' this summer.
2. Now ask them to identify an action for each one—or an action for the 3 areas they're most excited about.
3. Then coach your clients to see which actions they'll decide to work on, asking questions like:
  - Which of the areas to 'recharge your batteries' is most exciting to work on?
  - Which are the easiest actions to complete?
  - Which actions are you most likely to complete?
  - Which actions will you commit to?
  - What could get in the way of you completing those actions?

For more ideas check out our Tools Clinic Video with lots of ideas on How to use the Coaching Wheel.

Identify Tolerations Free Coaching Exercise

Get your Tolerations Coaching Exercise

3) The Free Tolerations Coaching Tool

The things we tolerate drain our energy—and can sometimes suck the life right out of us. Use this life coaching exercise to help your clients clear out energy-draining "Tolerations"!

Start by asking your clients to list out what they're tolerating in their lives. Note: often just identifying them is enough to get things moving...

Next, help your clients create a plan—and take action on some of their "Tolerations", freeing up energy for back-to-work in the fall! Ideas to create an action plan include working on:

One Toleration a week.
Their Top 3 Tolerations to get cleared up before the summer ends.
Picking the one Toleration that would have the biggest positive impact and then working on that.

Effects-of-Stress-and-Warning-Signs-Poster_500px

Get your Effects of Stress & Warning Signs

4) Use The Free Effects of STRESS & Warning Signs! Mini-Poster as a Life Coaching Exercise

Do you have clients that are still stressed out over the school holidays?

Share this resource with your client.
Ask them how many of the stress "warning signs" or symptoms they are currently experiencing.
Then coach them with questions like:

How would you LIKE to feel over the holidays/summer?
How could you use the rest of the season to slow down?
What could you do differently?
What will you do differently when you return to work in September?
If ONE thing needed to change, what would it be?
What ONE action will you commit to?

Summer Life Coaching Exercises Wrap-up

Hopefully you got some ideas on how to use life coaching exercises to help yourself and your clients relax and recharge.

So, what will you do to help your clients—and potential clients—relax and recharge their batteries? What could you do to help your clients prepare for the back-to-work and school vibe in September?

What will you do for yourself as you prepare for your own re-energising & recharging summer?

Love Coaching Exercises & Tools? Learn more about life coaching exercises, when to use them—and how they can help in our Complete Guide to Coaching Tools here >>

If you liked this article with free life coaching exercises to relax, you may also like:

This Summer Relaxation Quotes Challenge!
Our Balance & Self-Care Toolkit! With more great coaching exercises for both you and your clients.
Easy 3 Step Calming Meditation for You (and to use with your clients!)

Contributing Author:

Dr Steve Jeffs is a Master Certified Coach (MCC), business and organisational psychologist, and leadership transformation expert with over 20 years of global experience. Before becoming a full-time coach, Steve led large-scale leadership assessment and development programs, organisational change initiatives, and cultural transformation projects across the Middle East, working with government bodies, multinationals, and high-growth businesses. His early career as a registered psychologist and management consultant continues to shape his pragmatic, systems-oriented approach to coaching and leadership.

Today, Steve serves as Director of Coaching at The Coaching Tools Company, where he brings together his expertise in psychology, strategy, and personal development to create practical, impactful tools for coaches and leaders alike. He is also the Co-Founder of The Guiding Matrix, a company dedicated to helping coaches grow sustainable businesses while expanding their leadership capacity.

With over 5,000 coaching hours, Steve has worked with executives and teams in more than 20 countries, including in the UK, UAE, KSA, USA, Egypt, South Africa, and the Philippines. His coaching clients include leaders from organisations such as HSBC, Siemens, Roche Diagnostics, STC, Etisalat, Sanofi, and Dubai Holding. As one of the first MCCs in the Middle East, Steve has also trained and mentored over 1,000 coaches globally and continues to supervise coaches through their credentialing journeys.

Steve is a multi-award-winning coach, recognised globally for his work on leadership and innovation—including honours from the World Innovation Congress and CHRO Asia. He is co-author of Stuck No More: Practical Self-Coaching for Everyday Problems and Shift Up: Strength Strategies for Optimal Living, and is the creator of multiple strengths-based assessments and coaching tools, including the StrengthsMultiplier™. With a Doctorate in Leadership and a Master's in Organisational Psychology, Steve blends deep psychological insight with practical coaching to help individuals, teams, and organisations thrive.

Originally from Australia, Steve now lives in the UK having worked in the UAE for over a decade, bringing both global perspective and deep regional understanding to his work. When not coaching or creating tools, you’ll likely find him exploring deep caves or shipwrecks—he’s a certified technical diver and cave explorer who brings the same spirit of curiosity and courage to his coaching and leadership work.

Learn more about Steve & see all their articles here >>

Categories: Balance & Self-Care, Coaching Exercises, Coaching Ideas & Inspiration, Homework Ideas, Lists of Helpful Tools

Image of Client on paddle board enjoying summer life coaching exercise by Eye Em via Freepik

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