Work-Life Balance: Merging NLP & SFBT for Coaching Success

Posted on August 23, 2025 by Michael Zone, One of Thousands of Life Coaches on Noomii.

A Solution-Focused Approach to Procrastination

Procrastination is a common challenge for many clients, often causing stress and preventing them from reaching their goals. As a coach, you’ve likely seen firsthand how it can stall progress. While it’s easy to get bogged down in the “why” behind procrastination—such as fear, perfectionism, or anxiety—a different approach can be more effective. Solution-Focused Brief Therapy (SFBT) provides a powerful framework for helping clients move past procrastination by focusing on solutions rather than problems.

Instead of asking, “Why do you procrastinate?” the SFBT approach shifts the conversation to “How can we start moving forward?” This method helps clients tap into their strengths, build confidence, and identify small, actionable steps they can take right away. It’s a forward-looking, goal-oriented strategy that empowers clients to see themselves as capable of change.

The Core Principles of SFBT in a Coaching Context
At its heart, SFBT is built on a few key ideas that are a natural fit for coaching:

Focus on Solutions, Not Problems: The past is important, but a client’s history of procrastination doesn’t have to define their future. SFBT encourages clients to focus on what they want to achieve and how they will know they’ve achieved it.

Small Steps Lead to Big Changes: Instead of tackling a huge, overwhelming goal, SFBT breaks it down into small, manageable steps. This makes the goal feel less intimidating and makes it easier for clients to build momentum and feel a sense of accomplishment.

The Client Is the Expert: You don’t have all the answers—the client does. SFBT is a collaborative process where you, the coach, act as a facilitator, helping the client discover their own solutions and resources.

Tools and Techniques for Coaching Procrastination
Here are some of the core SFBT techniques you can use with clients to help them overcome procrastination:

1. The Miracle Question
This is one of the most well-known SFBT techniques. Ask your client:

“Imagine that tonight, while you are sleeping, a miracle happens, and the problem of procrastination is solved. You don’t know that this miracle has occurred because you were asleep. When you wake up tomorrow morning, what is the first small sign that tells you a miracle has happened?”

This question helps clients visualize a future without the problem. Their answers will provide specific, concrete details about what a solution looks like for them. For example, a client might say, “I would wake up and start working on my project without checking my phone first,” or “I would feel a sense of calm and clarity about what to do.” These details become the foundation for creating actionable goals.

2. Scaling Questions
Scaling questions are a great way to measure progress and highlight successes. Ask your client to rate their current situation on a scale of 1 to 10. For example:

“On a scale of 1 to 10, where 1 means you’re completely stuck and 10 means you’re already achieving your goal, where would you say you are today?”

Once they give a number, say “4,” the next questions are crucial. Instead of dwelling on why they aren’t at a 10, ask:

“What did you do to get to a 4 instead of a 1? What small steps have you already taken?”

This helps them recognize their own capabilities and past successes. Then, ask a future-focused question:

“What would a ‘4.5’ look like? What is the next smallest step you can take to move up by just half a point?”

This makes progress feel achievable and less overwhelming.

3. Identifying Exceptions
Clients often assume their procrastination is constant and absolute. The “exceptions” technique helps them see that this isn’t true.

Ask questions like:

“Tell me about a time you were successful in a similar situation and didn’t procrastinate. What was different about that day?”

“Were there any times this week when you were able to start a task sooner than you expected? What helped you do that?”

By finding these exceptions, you help clients see that they already possess the skills and resources to overcome the problem. This builds confidence and provides a blueprint for future success.

Putting It All Together
Using SFBT in your coaching practice is about shifting the focus from dwelling on the past to creating a desired future. By using powerful, solution-focused questions, you can help clients:

Clarify their goals in a positive and actionable way.

Identify and leverage their strengths and past successes.

Break down overwhelming tasks into manageable, bite-sized steps.

Build momentum and confidence with each small win.

This approach empowers clients to take ownership of their own progress and find their own solutions, leading to lasting change. It’s not about fixing a broken client; it’s about helping a resourceful person find the right tools to build the future they want.