Step 1: Write down what a normal week really looks like
Start with a plain inventory. For one ordinary week, note when you start and stop work, how many meetings you sit through, how often you check messages after dinner, and when you last took a full day off. Don't judge it yet; just capture it.
If you work at or alongside Colorado State University, which its About page describes as the state's land-grant university in the heart of Fort Collins with a record enrollment of 34,412, include the semester rhythm. If your work ties to an engineering firm such as Woodward, Inc., which lists its address at 1081 Woodward Way and designs and builds energy control solutions for aerospace and industrial applications, note the product and customer deadlines that drive your calendar.
Step 2: Name the two or three pressures you most want to change
Look at your inventory and circle what wears you down most. It might be constant context switching, a team that relies on you for every decision, or no time to think between meetings. Pick no more than three. A coach can help you work on all of them, but a short list keeps the first months focused.
Step 3: Decide what format you can sustain
Be honest about logistics. If you drive between Old Town, campus and an office near Harmony Road, a video coach may be the only realistic choice on weekdays. If you crave a separate space, find a coach who meets in person near where you already spend your day. Some leaders mix both: video during busy months, in person when things calm down.
Step 4: Build a short list and ask the same questions of each coach
Use this directory to find independent coaches serving Fort Collins and Northern Colorado. For each one, ask:
- What does a typical engagement look like in length and frequency?
- How do you work with leaders who have limited time?
- What do you need from me between sessions?
- If my employer pays, what, if anything, do they hear from you?
- How do we decide together when to wrap up?
This directory does not review coaches' credentials, so your own notes on each answer are what you compare. Burnout coaching is non-clinical; if you have health concerns, talk with your own doctor.
Step 5: Agree on a starting plan
In your first sessions, work with the coach to turn your short list of pressures into a few concrete experiments. Examples: blocking two afternoons a month with no meetings, handing one recurring decision to a deputy, or setting a firm end to your workday three nights a week. Agree on how you will notice whether each change is helping.
Step 6: Put rest on the calendar before you need it
Fort Collins makes this easier than most places. Larimer County describes Horsetooth Mountain Open Space as 2,711 acres west of Horsetooth Reservoir, about 4 miles from the city, with 29 miles of trails for hiking, biking and horseback riding, and backcountry camping at designated sites only. Colorado Parks and Wildlife lists Lory State Park next to the same reservoir, with 28.1 miles of trails, picnic areas and a visitor center at the north end.
From most parts of town, either is roughly a 20 to 35 minute drive, though times vary with traffic, weather and your starting point. All drive times here are approximate. Book a morning at one of them every few weeks the same way you would book a meeting.
Step 7: Plan around your known peak seasons
Look a year ahead with your coach. Campus leaders might mark late August, finals and the January return. Engineering and manufacturing leaders might mark program reviews and year-end. Plan lighter weeks or a few days off right after each peak, and decide in advance which commitments you will say no to.
Step 8: Review every month
Once a month, compare your current week with the inventory from Step 1. Are meetings down? Are evenings quieter? Did you actually take the rest days you booked? Bring what you notice to your coach and adjust the plan.
Step 9: Decide what comes next
After a few months, decide with your coach whether to continue, taper to occasional check-ins, or close the engagement. Keep the routines that work, such as the protected afternoons or regular trail mornings, and write them into your calendar for the year ahead.