Alvin's Musings: Time Management

In this week's blog, I want to share some time management techniques that could boost your productivity and help you conquer your daily tasks with ease—the 3/3/3 Method and the 1-3-5 Rule.?

As sales professionals, managing our time effectively is crucial. But how can we get started with prioritizing our tasks and staying focused??

Let's dive into two very similar time management techniques and discuss why they're beneficial for our success, and I'll provide you with some practical examples of how to leverage them for maximum efficiency.

What is the 3/3/3 Method?

The 3/3/3 Method is a time management technique that was described by Oliver Burkeman (author of?Four Thousand Weeks: Time Management for Mortals) in an?edition?of his newsletter?The Imperfectionist.?

He writes:

"Every normal working day, my intention is:

? to spend?three hours?on my most important current project, having defined some kind of specific goal for the progress I aim to make on it that day;

? to complete?three shorter tasks, usually urgent to-dos or "sticky" tasks I've been avoiding, usually just a few minutes each (I count calls and meetings here, too); and

? to dedicate time to?three 'maintenance activities', things that need my daily attention in order to keep life running smoothly."

In other words, he advocates planning each workday around 3 primary “buckets” of activities. First, devoting?three hours?to deep work on your most important?goal-oriented?task?(singular). Next, complete?three other urgent tasks?that don’t require three hours of focus (including meetings). Finally, do?three “maintenance” tasks, like checking out a webinar, answering emails, or scheduling other work.?

What is the 1-3-5 Rule?

The 1-3-5 Rule is a productivity technique that helps individuals prioritize and manage their tasks effectively. Though its origin is unclear, it is believed to have gained popularity in the realm of project management and time management. The rule suggests breaking down daily tasks into three categories:?one big task, three medium tasks, and five small tasks?(i.e. 1 Big Thing, 3 Medium Things and 5 Little Things).

The idea is to focus on accomplishing the big task first, followed by the medium tasks, and then the smaller ones. By applying this rule, individuals can maintain clarity, allocate their time efficiently, and make progress on their most significant objectives while ensuring smaller tasks are not neglected. It serves as a simple yet powerful framework for enhancing productivity and maintaining a balanced approach to task management.

Why Should We Embrace These Methods?

Enhanced Focus:?By structuring our day into focused time blocks, these methods enable us to concentrate on specific tasks without interruptions. This heightened focus allows us to dive deep into our work, resulting in higher quality output and increased productivity.

Prioritization:?With these methods, we gain clarity on our top priorities and ensure important tasks receive the attention they deserve. By categorizing tasks into three distinct buckets, we can allocate sufficient time and energy to critical activities, preventing them from being overshadowed by less important ones.

Efficient Time Management:?These methods promote effective time management by breaking down our workday into manageable chunks. By setting a clear limit on the number of tasks?and?a time limit for each bucket, we create a sense of urgency and prevent ourselves from getting bogged down in unproductive activities or spending too much time on a single task.

Which One Should I Use?

Combine them!

These non-mutually exclusive techniques are borne out of the fact that we have?limited time and attention spans throughout the day?to accomplish things. So prioritizing them and allocating specific time blocks for different tasks allow us to improve our focus, minimize distractions, and accomplish more in less time. It may not guarantee that we finish ALL the tasks we've listed down. But it guarantees we have a finite set of things to work on and that whatever progress we make (no matter how small) chips away at them. Little wins keep us motivated.

And given that a typical workday is typically 9 hours (including lunch), we're going to divide our day into three 3-hour chunks:

• Morning
• Early Afternoon
• Late Afternoon

How to Use these Methods: An Example

Morning:?

e.g. “Prospecting and Lead Generation for my 5 New Logo SMART Goal”?(3hrs/3/3 and the?1?Big Thing)

Allocate the first three hours of your day to your most important “project," such as driving towards your New Logo goal through prospecting and lead generation activities (your 1 big thing in 1-3-5 within the first 3 in the 3/3/3 method). This dedicated time block allows you to focus on identifying and qualifying potential customers, researching target accounts, and initiating meaningful conversations. Utilize prospecting tools, leverage social media platforms, and make targeted phone calls to maximize your effectiveness within this time frame.?Focus your attention and energy on meaningfully meeting your goal-based task. And if it takes 2 days, a week, or even a month of making this task your daily 1 big thing. Do it.

Early-Afternoon:?

e.g. Sales Outreach and Follow-up Tasks?(3/3hrs/3 and the?3?Medium Things)

Reserve the next three hours for 3 sales outreach and follow-up tasks. During this time, reach out to your prospects, schedule and conduct sales meetings, and respond to client inquiries. Craft personalized emails, make persuasive phone calls, and leverage CRM to streamline your outreach efforts. By dedicating a focused block of time to these specific activities, you ensure prompt and effective communication with your prospects and clients. And by limiting them to 3 items (e.g. 1 meeting, 1 connected client phone call, and filling out 1 opportunity plan) you ensure they're achievable during the current work day.

Late-Afternoon:?

e.g. Productivity Boosting Activities?(3/3/3hrs?and the?5?Little Things)

Allocate the final three hours of your day to 5 “little” productivity-boosting or "[self-] maintenance" tasks. This time block is dedicated to activities that enhance your well-being, skills, knowledge, and overall sales effectiveness (sharpening the saw). Engage in activities such as self-study, attending/rewatching webinars or training sessions, reviewing sales materials, or collaborating with colleagues to share insights and best practices. This?intentional investment in your professional growth?ensures you stay ahead of the curve and continuously improve your sales performance.

Don't forget: Administrative Tasks and Reporting

Within each task, allocate a few minutes for administrative tasks such as updating CRM, preparing reports, or responding to relevant internal/external requests. (e.g. for that 1 connected client call, be sure to log the activity into CRM, send a follow-up email with the information requested, and update the opportunity stage appropriately). By clearly defining your tasks?end-to-end, you prevent them from encroaching on other activities and maintain a tidy and organized workflow throughout the day.

Also: Personal Well-being and Breaks

Don't forget to factor in short breaks and personal well-being within each time block.?(Yes, I would consider lunch or a coffee break a “small thing,” leaving 3 other little things for you to do if you have both.)?Taking regular breaks allows you to recharge, maintain focus, and avoid burnout. Use these breaks to have a meal/snack, to stretch, drink some coffee/water, take a walk, or engage in activities that help you relax and rejuvenate. By prioritizing your well-being, you can sustain high productivity levels and maintain optimal performance throughout the day.

Key Takeaway:

Both the 3/3/3 Method and 1-3-5 Rule are simple time-management methods to help us rethink and reorganize the way we work. They can enable us to optimize our time, prioritize our tasks, and achieve remarkable efficiency. By adopting the combined approaches, we can enhance our focus, ensure important activities receive the attention they deserve, and make the most of our workday. Whether it's dedicating focused time to prospecting, sales outreach, or personal growth activities, these methods empower us to achieve our goals.?

So, let's give this hybrid technique a try, structure our day for success, and unleash our full potential as a sales team. Keep prioritizing, stay focused, and crush your numbers. You've got this!