How can you balance sales tasks with other responsibilities?

2 Plan your day

Another key skill for time management is planning. You have to create a realistic and flexible schedule that allows you to accomplish your prioritized tasks and also leaves some room for unexpected events or opportunities. You can use a calendar or a task management tool to plan your day and set deadlines, reminders, and notifications. You can also use the Pareto principle or the 80/20 rule to optimize your plan. This means that you should focus on the 20% of tasks that generate 80% of your results. For example, you can identify the 20% of prospects that are most likely to buy from you and spend more time on them. You can also identify the 20% of activities that are most effective for your sales process and do them more often.

3 Manage your energy

A third skill for time management is energy management. You have to take care of your physical, mental, and emotional well-being and avoid burnout and stress. You can do this by adopting healthy habits, such as eating well, sleeping enough, exercising regularly, and taking breaks. You can also use some techniques to boost your energy, such as meditation, gratitude, positive affirmations, or music. You can also leverage your circadian rhythm or your natural body clock to align your tasks with your energy levels. For example, you can do your most challenging or creative tasks when you are most alert and energized, such as in the morning or afternoon. You can do your less demanding or repetitive tasks when you are less alert and energized, such as in the evening or night.

4 Communicate effectively

A fourth skill for time management is communication. You have to communicate clearly, concisely, and respectfully with your customers, prospects, colleagues, managers, and other stakeholders. You have to set expectations, boundaries, and feedback mechanisms to ensure that everyone is on the same page and that you can deliver value and satisfaction. You can use different channels and tools to communicate, such as phone, email, chat, video, or CRM. You can also use some best practices to communicate, such as listening actively, asking open-ended questions, confirming understanding, summarizing key points, and following up.

5 Review and improve

A fifth skill for time management is review and improvement. You have to monitor and measure your results, progress, and performance and identify what works and what doesn't. You have to evaluate your strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats and look for ways to improve and grow. You can use some methods to review and improve, such as feedback, coaching, mentoring, training, or self-reflection. You can also use some tools to review and improve, such as dashboards, reports, analytics, or journals.

6 Balance your life

A sixth skill for time management is balance. You have to find a healthy and harmonious balance between your sales tasks and your other responsibilities, such as your personal, family, social, or community life. You have to respect your values, needs, and preferences and avoid neglecting or sacrificing any aspect of your life. You can use some strategies to balance your life, such as setting boundaries, saying no, delegating, outsourcing, or automating. You can also use some activities to balance your life, such as hobbies, passions, interests, or volunteering.

7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?