Structuring my day so it's productive and chill

Today, I want to share how I organise my day to be productive and relaxed.

Managing your time effectively not only ensures each sales task receives the attention it deserves, leading to better sales outcomes. It also keeps you calm and in control of the day, which is good for your inner well-being.

Unfortunately, people tend to underestimate how long tasks take, especially if things don't go exactly as planned.

Even stuff you do every day can suffer when it’s stacked back to back.

Here are a few things that can derail your entire day, which most people don't think about:

1. A potential client shows up 10 minutes late to a call.

2. A call goes on for too long because the person won't stop talking.

3. You don't get the information you need for a presentation on time.

4. You really need to use the bathroom, and it takes longer than expected.

But don't worry, you don't have to pray someone no-shows so you can have a break.

I've developed a structured daily routine that allows me to complete my core sales tasks successfully and close plenty of deals, without feeling overwhelmed.

Here's how I do it:

9am-10am: Prepare for calls

From 9am-10am (GMT+1), I get ready for my calls. Being unprepared for a 1st or 2nd call is stressful, unnecessary and hurts your chances of success.

For every discovery (1st ) call, I review the lead form, send a proposed agenda, and prepare my discovery-call template while assessing the brand's online presence.

For strategy (2nd) calls, I also send an agenda, digest the audit, personalise the presentation, and gather any other relevant supporting materials.

Both of these take no longer than 10 minutes.

10am-1pm: Conduct 1st & 2nd calls

So many people go wrong here, by stacking their calls back to back. They think more call slots, mean more sales.

In reality, calls start late and they overrun. With no margin for error, you can find yourself halfway through a call and need to either stop the call you’re on or reschedule the next call at the same time. Not ideal.

This domino effect is stressful, looks amateur and damages your chances of closing the deal.

I have three 45-minute call slots from 10am-1pm (GMT+1). People can choose any of these slots that start on the hour, leaving a 15-minute break between calls.

This time allows me to follow up and get ready for the next call (if everything goes as planned). If a call takes longer, I can use this extra time without messing up my other calls.

1 pm-2pm: Take a lunch break

I block out 1pm-2pm for lunch and a break. Sales can be unpredictable, and three calls in a row can be tiring.

So, I take an hour to eat, relax, and clear my mind. During this time, I enjoy making and eating lunch, drinking green tea, and doing a 15-minute online yoga session or a 10-minute Headspace meditation.

This practice not only boosts my energy but also provides a buffer in case anything unexpected comes up that needs my attention.

For example, I may have got a "Verbal Yes" but the client has said they are only available to sign the paperwork before 2pm. In this instance, the yoga can wait.

2pm-4pm: Conduct 1st & 2nd calls

From 2pm-4pm (GMT+1), I have two more 45-minute call slots. These slots start on the hour, leaving 15 minutes between calls. Similar to my morning call slots.

4pm-5pm: Do follow up

I use 4pm-5pm (GMT+1) to follow up.

I used to leave this time open for people to book more calls, but that caused issues.

When leads come thick and fast, every slot gets filled with discovery calls, leaving no slots available for 2nd calls.

To avoid this, I now use this time for follow-ups, pipeline management, or even finishing early.

Or if it's busy, I can free up five additional spots for 2nd calls during the week with prospects I believe are likely to convert, without any added stress.

5pm-5:30pm: Do sales admin

From 5pm-5:30pm (GMT+1), I focus on sales admin.

Before wrapping up for the day, I ensure the person I'm closing for is fully updated on the status of their deals.

This includes sending a concise summary of the calls, adding call recordings to the shared drive, updating the deal status in Pipedrive, and maintaining the sales tracker for monthly stats.

Final thoughts

By following this structure, I can maintain a high level of output and provide a seamless service to both my client and their potential clients, without too much worry.

They appreciate knowing what's happening each day, which gives me the freedom to work autonomously from anywhere in the world—a freedom I value above all else.