How to use the FREE Action Brainstorming Worksheet to "Spring Clean Your Life!"

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Emma-Louise
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Click to get Your Free Brainstorming Worksheet

This Action Brainstorming Worksheet exercise is super simple—and can be used in almost any context where you want to brainstorm a list of actions!

The 5 questions on this worksheet are open, straightforward—and immediately practical.

This worksheet is ideal to identify actions when a client is stuck, to brainstorm ways to support habit change or just to get started with an action list towards any goal. And it's great to use at the end of your workshops and webinars - for your attendees to put into action what they've learned from you.

Now, we're going to specifically look at how to use this worksheet to "Spring Clean Your Life!"

Plus here's an idea:

When we're worrying or feeling powerless, taking action (of any kind) helps us feel more in control—which in turn helps reduce our fear and worry. In addition, taking positive action can also be a healthy distraction from excessive ruminating.

Use this tool as a free sample session for your fans and followers—or with existing clients. It's an opportunity for you to support people in staying positive and to take a fresh look at their lives, homes, relationships, what matters most and crucially, what is within our control...

This tool and process is also a great way to build relationships, take a leadership role and keep coaching when you may find clients and fans are focused elsewhere.

Here are 5 Easy Steps to Spring Clean Your Life with the Action Brainstorming Worksheet

Set things up

  1. Start by asking your clients, "What does it mean to you to 'Spring Clean' Your Life?"
    • You may also like to ask your clients a few follow-up questions to help them consider other aspects of their life they may not have thought of. The Wheel of Life Categories might be helpful here!
  2. Then, once your client has a good idea of what a life 'Spring Clean' would look like for them, ask them to complete their name and date. And underneath, ask them to put into their own words what they are brainstorming actions for, and complete the sentence on the worksheet.

Get Brainstorming

  1. Now, ask your clients, while thinking about their goal, to answer the 5 questions. Let your clients know the idea is for them to do their best to come up with the full 5 actions or behaviours - one for each box on the sheet. Here are the 5 questions:

1. What could you stop doing?
2. What could you do less of?
3. What could you do more of?
4. What could you continue doing?
5. What could you start doing?

    • TIP: Let the client know they can complete the worksheet in any order - so they don't feel pressured to come up with 5 actions for each question in one go!
    • TIP: If they can think of more than 5 things, that's great - just add them to the sheet or turn over and keep writing!
    • TIP: Finally, remind your client that because this is brainstorming, just because they write something down doesn't mean they have to do it - this is the IDEAS part of the exercise!

Choose Actions

  1. To begin wrapping up this "Spring Clean Your Life" exercise, ask your clients to circle:
    • The actions that inspire them
    • The actions that would feel wonderful to get completed
  2. Ask your clients to choose what actions they will CHOOSE to move forwards with. This could just be one action or it could be several. And help them make a plan to do it! As usual, help your clients understand why this goal is so important (so they feel motivated), and coach your clients around what could get in the way (removing obstacles), and finally help them turn their "Spring Clean" actions into goals with dates.

Get your Free Action Brainstorming Worksheet here

Wrap-up

This is just one way you can use this universal worksheet. There are many others! I hope you give it a try.

PS. You could also just ask these questions without the form. However, there is something very powerful about writing things down, and our clients seeing their ideas tangibly on paper.

If you liked this article about brainstorming ideas, and "Spring Cleaning" Your Life, you may also like:

Emma-Louise Elsey Headshot

Contributing Author:

Emma-Louise Elsey has been coaching since 2003 and is the Founder of The Coaching Tools Company and Fierce Kindness.com. She's passionate about coaching and personal development. Originally a project and relationship manager for Fortune 500 companies she combined her love of coaching, creativity and systems to create over 100 brandable coaching tools, forms and exercises including 30+ completely free coaching tools. She now serves coaches and the coaching world through her exclusive newsletter for coaches, Coaches Helping Coaches Facebook Group and many other great tools for coaches, plus resources and ideas for your coaching toolbox. The Coaching Tools Company is an official ICF Business Solutions Partner.

Learn more about Emma-Louise & see all their articles here >>

Categories: Actions & Brainstorming, Coaching Exercises, Coaching Ideas & Inspiration, Coaching Tips, Coaching Tools 101, How to Use Coaching Tools

Image of Tree with flowers by Larisa-K via Pixabay

12 Comments

  2. yeray

    Awesome and very useful tools!! Thank you very much.
    I recently found your website and recommended it to my coaching certification colleagues. I hope they visit it too!!

    Reply
  3. Sharyl Schaepe

    Thank you Emma-Louise

    I am thinking of ways I can engage potential clients and offer a 'free' online session to jump start their "Spring Cleaning." These are difficult times at best. Your tools are always thought provoking and creative. Thak you

    Reply
  4. Lynne Durham

    This was perfect timing! I was just on a call and having read this page earlier today.... I offered to do some brainstorming and structured it this way. THANK YOU!! It was awesome!! You are fabulous, I am happy to say I have a number of your products and I enjoy the guidance they give me.

    Reply
    • Emma-Louise

      Dear Lynne, I'm so glad you found the tool/article helpful - and practical!!! That's lovely to hear 🙂 Warmly, Emma-Louise

      Reply
  5. Lisa Della-Bosca

    Thank you so much to all the team.
    You are inspiration and supportive.
    Supplying us with your ideas and tools allows us to take time to work with our clients rather than working on everything.

    Sincerely appreciative Lisa

    Reply
    • mturcott

      Dear Lisa, Thank you for your kind words! We're so glad you're finding our tools helpful! Warmly, Mary

      Reply
  6. Virginia Reeves

    Emma-Louise - good questions to do on a regular basis. Some thoughts quickly came to my mind which means they really ought to be acted on! Thanks for this reminder.

    Reply
    • Michela Phillips

      So glad this article resonated with you, Virginia 🙂
      - Kindly, Michela

      Reply

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