Ask yourself… “Is what I’m doing right now making me money?”
Be honest. If you don’t like the answer to that question, it’s time to take an hard look at how you spend your working hours. Time, after all, is an advisor’s most valuable asset.
Review at your schedule so far today. Did you make something happen, or did you ferret your time away on mundane tasks? It’s amazing how much the mundane can impact our career trajectory by simply diverting our attention from “what really matters” to “what’s easy to take care of right now.” Here’s how to make a change.
1. Skip the Energy Drinks. Career success is not fueled by shots of B6 vitamins alone. Achievement is powered by the passion you have for the work you do. Feed that fire by matching your work plan to your natural energy levels. If you’re a morning person, schedule important meetings, time-intensive projects and challenging assignments early in the day. Save routinized work for later. If your energy peaks later in the day, do just the opposite.
2. The Power of One. Work off of one calendar and one to-do list that you keep in one place. Consolidating your tasks and related deadlines in one location allows you to prioritize and to schedule your time effectively.
3. Assess and Divert. As tasks cross your desk throughout the day, resist the temptation to stop what you’re doing to complete simple 5- and 10-minute projects. It’s all too easy to lose an hour or more by responding to emails as they arrive. Divert the smaller tasks to a time set aside for a large number of menial items.
4. Block Back Time. Whether it’s a major project or important on-going activities, schedule dedicated time to move them towards completion. Once you block the time in your schedule, stick to it! If you allow the smaller tasks to overrun your day, you’ll miss the opportunity to meet milestones and deadlines.
5. Learn to say “No.” Decline a routine meeting or ask the question, “Is there something we can each accomplish and then report back?” You’ll find other time-starved professionals are grateful for the extra time to focus on an important task, and you’ll successfully sidestep those who “live for meetings” every day.
6. Wear Blinders. Make like a Clydesdale and focus on the road ahead. Horses wear blinders to block out the noise, traffic and distractions that surround them. You can do the same by closing your office door, cutting out one or two extra social media sessions or turning your phone on silent. Wear the blinders that work for you.
7. Delegate…and Mean It. Assign routine tasks to support personnel on your team and empower them to accomplish them successfully. Understand that your time is best spent on projects and relationships that only you as an advisor can accomplish. Put your team to work on the rest.
8. Use hidden time. Use the 5 or 10 minute periods in between meetings and conference calls to address the smaller emails you diverted from earlier in the day. Completing one or two tasks during hidden pockets of time reduces your catch-up later.
9. Just walk away. What’s the true reward for managing your time effectively? It’s the ability to walk away from your work, with a sense of accomplishment for what you completed today. Time management isn’t effective unless you allow yourself to reap the rewards for having extra time on your hands. So, whether it’s date night, family night, happy hour or a 3 day weekend, go on and make the most of it. We’ll see you back on Monday.
IncBlot is a consultancy that specializes in applying the field of psychology specifically to the world of financial services. Please be in touch if we can assist with your training, speaking and consulting needs around behavioral finance or personal branding.
