MRL #019- Get Shit Done: 5 Time Management Strategies You Need To Know

In the 15+ years I’ve been in sales, I’ve noticed two common traits all top producers share:

• They prospect relentlessly

• They manage their time well

In today's issue we’re going to tackle the latter.

I hear producers say all the time:

“Max, I just don’t have enough time to make the calls.“

Bullshit.

The reality is, unless you have 70+ clients, you have the time, you just don’t manage it well.

So, let’s get you out of excuse mode and back into growth mode.

Here are 5 time management principles and strategies guaranteed to free up your calendar and get you back to producing.

1. Eat The Frog

What it is: The idea of tackling your most important or unpleasant task first thing in the morning.

The term "eat the frog" comes from a quote by Mark Twain:

"Eat a live frog first thing in the morning and nothing worse will happen to you the rest of the day."

How it works: Identify the task that you are dreading the most and make it your top priority for the day.

By completing this task early on, you will feel a sense of accomplishment and momentum that will carry you through the rest of your day.

Not only does this approach help you smash procrastination and boost productivity, but it also helps reduce stress and anxiety by eliminating the worry and uncertainty of having a difficult task hanging over your head all day.

2. The Eisenhower Matrix

What it is: A four-quadrant chart that helps you categorize tasks based on their urgency and importance.

How it works: Draw a square and separate it into four even quadrants. Along the y-axis, label those boxes with “important” and “not important”. On the top x-axis, label those boxes with “urgent” and “not urgent”.

Categorize each task on your to-do list into the appropriate quadrant.

• Urgent and Important: Do these first.

• Urgent and Not Important: Delegate these if you can. Otherwise, tackle them next.

• Not Urgent and Important: Schedule time for these on your calendar.

• Not Urgent and Not Important: Scratch these off your to-do list entirely.

Here’s an example:

3. The Ivy Lee Method

What it is: A list of the six most important things you need to accomplish in a given day.

How it works: At the end of each workday, write down the six most important things you need to accomplish tomorrow.

Do not write down more than six.

Prioritize those six items in order of importance.

When you arrive tomorrow, concentrate only on the first task. Work until the first task is finished before moving on to the second task.

Approach the rest of your list in the same way. At the end of the day, move any unfinished items to a new list of six tasks for the following day.

Repeat this process every day.

4. Time Blocking

What it is: A strategy that involves splitting your day into segments.

How it works: Create blocks of time on your calendar and assign certain tasks or groups of tasks to that specific spot every day.

For example, here's what my typical day looks like:

• 8am-9am: Drop off kids

• 9am-11am: Call block

• 11am-12pm: Email

• 12pm-1pm: Lunch

• 12pm-4pm: Office work

• 4pm-5pm: Gym

This strategy allows you to be proactive instead of reactive. It also eliminates any guesswork around what you should be doing.

5. The Pomodoro Technique

What it is: A time blocking technique that involves working for a set amount of time, typically 25 minutes, followed by a short break.

How it works: After a certain number of work and break intervals, you take a longer break.

This method can help increase focus and productivity by breaking up work into manageable chunks and giving you frequent breaks.

Ok, That's It For This Week

You get the same 168 hours each week as everyone else.

What you do with those hours determines whether you become an average producer or a top producer.

Make them count.

See you next Sunday.

Kick ass take names,

Maximus F. Revenue IV