Time Management Secrets - How to eliminate time robbers

Because many supply sales people have a variety of responsibilities, it is often difficult to find enough hours during the day to make outbound sales calls.

One fact about time: it is an equal opportunity commodity; we all get the same 24 hours every day. It’s how we use time that sets us apart from each other.

Some people seem to be able to work from 8:00 to 5:00, five days a week and get everything accomplished theywant to accomplish. Others somehow don’t seem to get everything done even working a ten or a twelve-hour day. How does that happen?

TIME MANAGEMENT SECRETS

Secret #1: Put First Things First

Successful, accomplished people often share several productive habits; good time management is usually at the top of the list. Author Stephen Covey writes in "The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People" (published by Simon and Schuster): "put first things first."

Covey quotes Goethe, the German philosopher: "Things which matter most must never be at themercy of things which matter least."

Time Management Secret #2:

Use the

FOUR BASIC PRINCIPLES

Time management consists of four basic principles:

Planning

Prioritizing

Scheduling

Following your plan

How does this relate to telesales professionals?

You can PLAN how many calls you are going to make each day.

PRIORITIZE. Decide who you need to call first, second, third, etc.

SCHEDULE your calling time: 9:30 to 11:30 or 1:30 to 3:30, etc.

FOLLOW YOUR PLAN consistently.

"The Best Laid Plans. . ."

Interruptions happen. Especially in a busy supply department. But when you have a printed or written schedule of calls to make, and a planned calling time, you are more likely to stay with it and return to your calling schedule after interruptions.

Time Management Secret #3

Use

THE MAGIC TO-DO LIST

Something happens when you use a To-Do list. And when it happens, it seems almost like magic. What happens is: You will be more productive in one day than you thought possible.

When you make the time to think about what you need to accomplish on a given day, and you take the time to write it down on a To-Do list, somehow all of it (or most of it) gets done.

If you’ve never tried it, take ten minutes at the end of the day today; think about what you really need to accomplish tomorrow. To rate the importance of each task, ask yourself "what will happen if I do this?" and "what will happen if I don’t do this?" Write down and prioritize each task, putting the most important item first on the list.

Be realistic don’t list more than nine tasks. As you complete each task, put a checkmark next to it or cross it out completely. You will be surprised at what you can accomplish by using a To-Do list.

Time Management Secret #4

ELIMINATE TIME ROBBERS

Time robbers fall under two categories:

1. Factors externally imposed (Examples: meetings, co-workers’ interruptions, etc.)

2. Self-generated factors (Examples: personal phone calls, too many coffee breaks, etc.)

The best way to eliminate time robbers is to keep track of your day for five days in a row. Make a list of questions you will answer at the end of each workday. Be as detailed as possible.

Answer the following questions:

1. What went right today? Why?
2. What went wrong today? Why?
3. What time did I start making outbound telesales calls?
4. Could I have started earlier?
5. What part of the day was most productive?
6. Which part of the day was least productive?
7. What were my three biggest time robbers today?
8. What can I do to eliminate these time robbers in the future?
9. Beginning tomorrow, what will I do to make better use of my time - and begin to manage time!

About the Author

Reprinted with permission
(Copyright, 2000, Ann Barrs Selling Supplies.com) Reprint permission granted in part or whole when the following credit appears "Reprinted with permission from Ann Barrs Selling Supplies.com Weekly E-Mail Sales Tips. To subscribe free, E-mail to: annbarr@sellingsupplies.com with "subscribe" in the subject line."





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