It happens to everyone. We overeat during the holidays. We say: “I’ll get serious about eating sensibly in January.” Monday, January 4, arrives. We say: “I don’t need to get sensible right away. Let’s ease in gradually.” It’s the same with work. Many of us get off to a slow start.
10 ways to get yourself working at full speed
Most of this preparation can be done rather quickly.
1. Start with a clean desk. Who wants to sit down at a messy, disorganized desk every day? This can be done evenings or weekends.
2. Pull out your business plan. Identify the activities that bring in income. That’s your focus.
3. Get the right mindset. Remember that office awards ceremony video from December? Did they recognize all the top producers in the office? Guess what? On January 1, everyone is starting from the same spot. You aren’t behind!
4. Big goals, little goals. It’s simple. To hit a big goal, you need to hit a lot of little goals. You aren’t climbing 94 stories to the top of a tall building, you are climbing one set of stairs 94 times.
5. Time blocking. It’s stood the test of time. Let’s assume you work from 8 a.m. until 6 p.m. That’s 10 hours. Take out an hour for lunch and time for breaks. Break the remainder into 30-minute segments. Make a list of which different projects you will do in each segment. When 30 minutes is up, stop and move to the next project. Yes, projects will fall into several days. This way, you won’t be stuck doing a project you don’t like all day.
6. Low-hanging fruit. The year starts and ends, but business is continuous. Clients had money coming available in October, November and December. Others have money coming due in January and February. Who are they? Call them and start making plans.
7. Have an idea you can really get excited about. Imagine you found this really great wine. It tastes terrific and it’s cheap! You would share this idea with your friends. Why? Because they would benefit. It’s a good find. You are bringing them enjoyment. Now, find an insurance or investment product that gets you excited and tell people about it with the same enthusiasm.
8. Who really liked something they bought from you? You have these people! Get in touch. Ask if they want to buy more of this insurance product. They have probably told their friends. Which friends would like to learn more?
9. Prospecting is a daily, early-morning activity. The purpose is to generate leads. Have an activity you can do every day. Compete with yourself. What were your results each day? Are you getting any better? This likely takes a few of those 30-minute segments.
10. Follow up with those 2020 leads. You have prospects in the pipeline. It’s a new year. People like getting a fresh start and taking action. Bring them up to speed on previous conversations. Ask for the order.
You likely do all these things throughout the year. The holidays often slow us down. You want to get your engine running at full capacity. It makes you feel good.
Bryce Sanders is president of Perceptive Business Solutions Inc. His book, Captivating the Wealthy Investor, can be found on Amazon.
Start the year with more time management ideas
My name is Jelai from the Philippines! Very practical tips that every practitioner needs to embrace to reach full potential! More power!
Haydee, thanks for commenting on my article. Working at full speed is about being organized, getting excited about a new idea that can help people and letting that excitement come across when you contact them.
Hi, My name is Haydee from NBO Sakura. I want to be more efficient this 2021 and work at full speed. Thank you