Summer’s longer days and warmer weather can make you feel as if you have all the time in the world. Yet each of us still has only 24 hours in each day – and for sales and marketing professionals, those 24 hours fly by.

How Can You Brush Up on Your Time Management Skills?

If you’re scrambling to get everything done, here’s how to rethink your approach to time management.

What is Time Management? 

Time management involves planning and controlling the amount of time we spend on specific activities. When we manage our time well:

• We can get more done in less time.
• We reduce stress by ensuring that vital tasks are always done before their deadlines.
• We increase career success by completing the work that matters most.

Because every person’s life, priorities, and career are different, good time management looks different for each professional. Yet all time management approaches have certain common features.

What Does Good Time Management Look Like?

Sales and marketing professionals who excel at time management use a set of common skills, including:

1. Goal-Setting. Achievable, measurable goals expressed with a time limit aid in planning.
2. Prioritizing tasks. Tasks are typically “important” (big impact), “urgent” (need attention now), both, or neither. Identify which descriptors fit each task, and prioritize accordingly.
3. Setting time constraints. Tasks often expand to the time allotted for their completion. For instance, if you give yourself ten minutes to answer an email, you’ll get it done in ten minutes; if you give yourself an hour, you’ll need an entire hour. Set reasonable time limits on tasks.
4. Scheduling downtime. Time to “do nothing” is as important as time to “do something.” Breaks between tasks help your brain rest and reset; longer breaks help your physical and mental health recover and boost creativity.

Addressing Challenges to Time Management

As you try to manage your time, certain challenges are likely to pop up. An unexpected call, forgotten task, or sudden urgent meeting can derail your entire schedule.

These challenges can be managed when they happen occasionally. When they disrupt your work daily, however, it may be time to look for a work environment that supports your time management efforts instead of damaging them.

Ready to Start Managing Your Time Better?

Looking for a job and career that enhance your time management skills? The experienced recruiters at SMR Group Ltd. may be able to help. We specialize in helping sales and marketing professionals connect with some of the best job opportunities and employers in the biotech, medical device, and pharmaceutical industries. To learn more, contact us today.