In sales, time is money and you know that you must optimize and maximize your day in order to get the most done. However, now that millions of people are working from home, things have changed a bit.
The good news is that while you must schedule your client and prospect meetings during regular business hours, you have an entire day from morning until night to maximize productivity based on your energy levels. Not everyone is a go-getter at 7 am. Some people hit their strides at 1 pm and others have bursts of energy prior to or after business hours. By identifying the hours that work for you and schedule your day accordingly, you can get a lot more done – and you’ll be a lot happier with your day.
How to Find Your Personal Peak Hours
Understanding when you are most productive requires self-awareness, but it also requires data. Instead of relying solely on your gut, spend a few weeks using a time-tracking app to gather personal data about how you spend your workdays.
After about a month of tracking your time, sit down, and look at the app’s data. It should be able to help you identify productivity trends. Some tools will just identify broad trends like morning, afternoon, or evening while others will drill down to precise hours.
Optimize Your Daily Tasks
Once you have identified the times of day in which you get the most done, you’ll want to optimize your schedule accordingly. During your lowest-energy times of the day, work on things like emails or internal administrative tasks. Don’t forget to incorporate breaks during those low-energy times.
During your peak hours, you’ll want to schedule activities like prospect meetings and presentations and cold calling.
Track Progress and Adjust
Most of us have deeply ingrained workday habits. And just because you’ve attempted to block and plan your day doesn’t mean you’re going to stick with that schedule. It’s ok if it takes you a while to get into a new groove. It can be strange to go against the schedule you’ve always kept.
The good news is that with this “new normal” where people are working from home, it’s acceptable if you end up sending an hour at 9 pm sending out emails or if you’re an early bird who likes to deal with emails or paperwork before sunrise. Take this unique opportunity to be flexible and work within your ideal timeframes for maximum output.
It Could Be Time for A Sales Career Change
Optimizing your schedule for personal productivity can dramatically improve your sales results. But if your company isn’t flexible about work hours or if you’ve adjusted your schedule and you still feel drained, it might be time for a change in your career.
Connect with The Expert Recruiters
If you are interested in inside sales roles in the exciting field of industrial safety equipment and PPE, contact the expert recruiters at The Charis Group today or browse our current sales openings and apply online.