Time stops for nobody, so It’s up to you to maintain your schedule, making the most of your days. Some days seem to go by quickly – Saturday and Sunday, in particular – and we all tend to scramble to get caught up when we’re back to work on Monday. How can we manage our time better, so that can get everything done?
Pen and Paper
Before you get started with your week, figure out how you will spend your time. Make a list of absolutely everything you want to accomplish. Even if it’s unreasonable and something that probably won’t even get started, add it to the list anyway. When you’ve written down the last item, take a long look at it and categorize the tasks: MUST DO, CAN DO LATER, or SOMEONE ELSE CAN DO. Once you’ve got the tasks sorted, now it’s time to put them in priority order. First do what you really don’t want to do. With a plan – especially one in priority order – you will make the best use of your time.
Reminders
Are you often late for an appointment? That doesn’t make a very positive impression. In fact, people have been known to cut ties with those who are time-insensitive and make them wait. How can you cure this bad habit? Set alarms. Even if it’s the timer above the stove, hearing the ring-ring-ring of an alarm reminds you that you need to get moving in order to be on time. Phones nowadays allow you to set the sound for your alarm, so you can have an assortment of them with different auditory nudges. For instance, to let you know it’s time to go to work, you may set your phone to the Motorcycle sound. That way, when you hear the motorcycle engine revving, you know it’s time to grab your keys and your coffee and head out the door.
Time Zones
Nothing worse than making a phone call and forgetting about the time zone difference. Calling someone too early or too late may completely erase the noble effort of taking the time to reach out. Time is not the same for others out there thanks to the rotation of the earth. Remember that there aren’t just time zones worldwide – there are daylight savings time changes. Did you know that there are several locations world-wide that have 30- or 45-minute time zone differences. Whew! It’s hard enough to keep track of the time in one hour increments! Make sure before you make a call that you know what time it is where they are. You’ll get more credit not only for managing your own time, but for managing theirs!
When you are wooing customers, time is the bouquet of roses. When a customer reaches out and says, “I’m interested,” you need to make certain that your response back is timely. We can help you with that. When you join Online Sales Pro, you will get a push notification Cha-Ching on your phone as soon as you get a new lead. Send a text, make a call, or write an email right away – and with your quick response, you’ve made the best use of your time.
