Productivity: A Review!
It's time to wrap up our Q2 blog series on productivity! These past three months have FLOWN by. Summer is in full swing and I'm feeling more productive than ever. I'm less stressed and taking better care of myself physically and mentally. AND I'm still hitting those numbers and closing deals like wildfire. Woohoo!
Today, we'll review the topics we've discussed this month. In case you missed it, you can follow links below to the original articles! Plus, I'll give you a brief update on where I'm at now after practicing these concepts a bit more.
Time Blocking
Review
We began our productivity series with the concept of Time Blocking. Time blocking is an underutilized tool that can be extremely helpful for sales representatives. It's a well-known concept, used by "famous" high achievers, wherein you divide your day into 90 minute to 2 hour time blocks. Each block of time is designated to a particular task.
This method reduces stress since you know when things will get accomplished. Plus, it's a way to hold yourself accountable for how you spend your working day. It allows you to glance at your calendar and see how you spend your time. You can easily evaluate whether each minute of your work day contributes to your goals -- hitting your numbers and closing those deals!
Update
I'm happy to report that time blocking continues to work well for me. I've been using this method for a few years now and am glad to have revisited the concept with you all. I'm keeping myself more accountable for the work I put on the schedule. Plus, I’ve been vigilant about rescheduling when needed.
If something needs to adjust on the calendar, that's not a problem. To make sure it doesn't get forgotten, I reschedule it right away. Life happens. It's important to be as flexible as we are accountable with our calendars.
Work Warm Up
Review
Starting the work day with a warm-up period is as practical as it is kind. We wouldn't expect Michael Jordan to play the 7th game of a championship series without stretching. We shouldn't expect ourselves to dive into difficult problem solving before we've finished our first cup of coffee.
Introducing a Work Warm Up at the beginning of your day is an evolving process. Generally, it involves about half an hour where you answer emails, respond to messages, remind colleagues of upcoming meetings, and get your to-do list sorted for the day.
Update
I've continued to let my work warm up evolve over the past six weeks or so. It's been freeing to look at it as a fluid time instead of a rigid checklist. Remember, none of these concepts are set in stone dogma. Doing what's best for you is the best thing to do. While I've been using the idea of a work warm up for about two years, I've allowed myself to hold it more lightly recently. I even skipped it a couple of Fridays! And that's fine! Doing what's best for me is the best thing to do.
Another idea I've implemented relates to this one: The Cool Down. Each day (ok, almost each day!) I've had a complementary "Cool Down" time at the end of my day. During this time, NO NEW WORK CAN BEGIN. (That's important!) I flag emails for tomorrow, clear my to-do list, restructure my calendar, and push things to another day if I need to. I like having this "between time" before I step into leisure activities, a social outing, or turn on the TV.
Morning Routines
Review
The morning routine is separate from a work warm up in that it ideally has nothing to do with work. This time is for YOU. To take care of your mental and physical needs. It's also pretty personal so no two morning routines will look alike.
The idea is that morning routines calm us and make us feel secure. Humans are creatures of habit. And we have the power of choosing which habits we cultivate. So why not instill in ourselves the habit of taking care of our mental and physical health each morning?
Update
Full disclosure: When I wrote about my morning routine, I was talking myself back INTO the habits I wanted to be forming. I've had morning routines in the past but had let them go recently (not purposefully) when I took on a new job a few months ago. My routine didn't seem as important as putting in more hours in my new position. But I was dead wrong.
Since recommitting myself to a morning routine, I've felt better rested, more motivated, and (no surprise here) more productive during work hours. Next time my career takes a shift, I won't be so quick to abandon something I know is so good for me!
Deadlines
Review
In a nutshell, deadlines work and goodness gracious we need to use them more. As much as we can in fact. Deadlines are a psychologically helpful tool to improve productivity. Completing tasks before a deadline saves us from embarrassment. It makes us look good in front of our peers and keeps us employed. The trick is finding ways to integrate more deadlines into daily life so you can stay on target and do more.
We need to think about what we're really procrastinating on, because everyone is procrastinating on something in life.
-Tim Urban
Update
In my work, deadlines are only part of what keeps me hitting those numbers and closing those deals.
Two things that relate to deadlines are:
Accountability. I work best with other people. I'm not a lone wolf. I need to work with others in real time to stay on target. Having scheduled meetings with team members and clients helps me keep large projects moving forward.
Small Tasks. Big, looming, distant deadlines easily overwhelm me. Breaking a 6-month deal into miniscule tasks helps me manage my time more effectively. I can do the next right thing. I don't have to worry about closing a multi-million dollar deal five months from now. Today, I'll just email that reminder to your contact. Today, I'll review the numbers. Today, I'll brainstorm with my teammate.
All of these productivity "hacks" are only as good at the sales rep. Everything we do must be done in integrity. Yes, we do want to close more deals and hit those numbers. But MORE THAN THAT, we're here to serve our clients and solve their problems. We're here to make their lives easier.
By becoming more productive we also make our own lives easier, which, in turn, makes us better sales reps... and then we can solve more problems and serve more clients. In the end, it's all connected.
Hope you've all enjoyed this series on productivity as much as I've enjoyed exploring it. I love hearing from y'all via email or in the comments. What are your favorite productivity habits? I can't wait to hear!
References:
Tim Urban. TED Talk. https://www.ted.com/talks/tim_urban_inside_the_mind_of_a_master_procrastinator/up-next.
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It's time to wrap up our Q2 blog series on productivity! These past three months have FLOWN by. Summer is in full swing and I'm feeling more productive than ever. I'm less stressed and taking better care of myself physically and mentally. AND I'm still hitting those numbers and closing deals like wildfire. Woohoo!