How to schedule your day for sales success

Pre-work routine

Back when a commute was a thing, you’d automatically have a pre-work routine without even thinking about it.

Whether it was having breakfast, catching the train or jumping in the car, there’s a repetitive sequence that let’s your brain know it’s time to get up and go.

So working from home is no different, even if you are just dragging yourself to the couch.

Giving yourself a sense of structure will work wonders for your productivity. Although the temptation to stay in your pjs all day is strong, get dressed and face the day. Your quotas will thank you for it.

Nobody is saying you have to run a half marathon every day before work, it could just be a shower and a coffee. It doesn’t matter what it is, as long as it works for you.

In doing so, you’ll find you have much more active days.

Have time to plan

For the super organised amongst us, a daily or weekly planner will help you stay on top of your goals.

But sales is unpredictable business, what you might have had planned can easily get turned on its head as something else pops up. Or that pitch you’ve been planning for all week goes to waste as meetings get cancelled last minute.

Whilst it’s good to stay focused with goals, don’t limit yourself to them. Try taking a block of your morning each day to assess what needs to be done alongside what already has been done.

It’s a much more proactive way of planning that can be flexible around your existing goals.

Getting your tasks in order before moving onto your sales actions will help your brain feel sharper. You’ll stay focused when talking to prospects later on in the day, leading to better productivity all round.

Say no to chaos

Some people thrive off it, but it’s a no from me.

Without a specific remote schedule there to help structure your day, it’s easy to fall into the trap of chaotic working.

What’s that you might ask? Most of us do it without even realising, but it looks a bit like this… You’ve started working on an email, when suddenly you get a call. While on the call, you’re thinking about your next call and the demo you’ve got lined up for later. Now you’re doing the demo, you remember the email that you never finished.

Somewhere along the line, something will fall through the cracks.

You’ll soon find yourself in the vicious cycle of distraction. Not only does it stop you from giving your prospects the time they deserve, but it’ll affect your productivity down the line.

To avoid the chaos, compartmenalize your day. Planning your day with the tip above should help, as it gives your day focus.

Planning also adds time elements to your tasks. Working with the clock or calendar lets you know that when it hits 2pm, it’s time to jump back on those emails, or type up your notes.

Ultimately, it’s all about discipline.

Take a break

Productivity is great and all, but how much use will you be when you’re burnt out? Management might not like to say it, so I will. There is such a thing as a work life balance. And it’s important.

Unless you’re the Duracell bunny, you simply can’t keep going all day. You’ll run out of steam, no doubt get sloppy, and that’s when the mistakes creep in.

But even more importantly, it’s not the best for your mental health. Or physical for that matter.

There’s only so long you can keep up the buzz. Once it starts to wane, you’ll become demotivated. Nobody wants that!

Everyone needs time away from their desk to decompress and have some headspace. Even if you’re having an amazing day, it’s time to take a break. Especially if you want the amazing days to continue…

Have transparent working hours

When you’re working from home it can be easy to constantly check your emails or pick up the phone. But if you’ve been reading this properly, you’ll understand the importance of a work life balance.

Set clear hours for when you’ll be on and off duty. Be transparent about them with the rest of the team.

This will make it easier to have a guilt-free ‘do not disturb’ session when you’re just trying to watch a bit of Netflix or have a glass of wine at night. Trust me, you deserve it!

Giving yourself that separation will allow you to wake up the next day feeling fresh, and it’s equally important for your coworkers to respect that too.

It’s nice to have that respect and trust with your coworkers that you’ll get back to them when you’re available, this makes for a better more cohesive team.

Ultimately, the best remote working schedule depends on you.

Don’t feel pressured into what normally works in the office environment. You’ve got the opportunity to tailor your day to best suit your pace.

Ask yourself, when are you the most productive? What does your morning schedule look like?

The answer to these questions lies with you. Otherwise, you’re only cheating yourself.

Now over to you! How do you schedule your work day? What works for you, what are you struggling with? Any tips you can share? We’d love to hear from you!