A challenge many of us struggle with is managing our time. We often become consumed with mundane tasks that can fill an 8 to 10 hour day yet get us nowhere. The basis to good time management for any commissioned salesperson is simple: Spend most of your time each day engaged in the highest profit activities.

Easier said than done? Maybe; but with a little effort you can make a big difference in your productivity and your paycheck. Others have done it. That means you can too!

Here's where we start. Take out a piece of paper. Start by making a thorough list of all the things you now do in a typical week or day. Leave nothing out. Put down things like answering the phone, making copies, reading memos, going to meetings, taking loan applications… everything. Next, make a list of things you are not doing that you would like to find the time to do. Again, take your time and create a complete list of activities.

When you are finished, take a look at your list. Do you have time for all that every day? No! If you don't have time for everything you must learn to be selective. This is also known as having your "priorities in order." You are now going to rank each activity based on an A-B-C scale. Those items you mark "A" are ABSOLUTELY critical activities in your business. Those you mark "B" are BENEFICIAL activities, which aren't as important as the "A list", but also help you accomplish your objectives. Everything left on your list is a "C" which stands for CONVENIENT. These are low priority, low payoff activities that should either be eliminated, delegated, reduced in frequency or done only when your A and B priorities are taken care of.

What you may realize as you scan the list is how much time and energy you are now putting into C activities every day while ignoring the most important and profitable A
and B activities. Maybe that's why your commission checks aren't as large as you'd like them to be.

Type up a list and post it where you can see it for a few weeks. Each morning when you make your to-do list, compare what you are about to spend 8 to 10 hours doing with your A-B-C list. Are you about to have an "A" day or a "C" day? Have you prioritized your A and B activities to happen first?

Time management is about priorities and discipline. Top producers in sales are clear on priorities and have the discipline to invest most of their time each day in activities which will pay off. Simply put, that's why they make so much money!

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