We’ve all been there. We wake up and it’s... oh my gosh, I’m late! We run out the door halfway put together, hoping we grabbed everything we need for the day. By the time we get into the office, half the morning is gone, which is a big deal when you work in sales. Everyone has already arrived and we start the day already feeling behind. We muddle through some tasks we think might be important, and then it’s time for lunch. It’s not a good feeling. Luckily, it’s a situation that can be easily avoided with five simple sales tips.  

1. Wake up early

This means going to bed early. Make it a priority to get to bed at a decent hour. You know how much sleep your body needs, so plan accordingly. Waking up early will help you get started on the right foot and literally gives you more time in the day. With clients in different time zones, it is important that you wake up early and reach out with a phone call as soon as you can. Use those quiet hours with the office all to yourself to not only make calls to Europe (if you are based in the U.S.), but also to clear your mind and focus on the day ahead. Start your day early, and you will be surprised at how much more you get done. 

2. Read something inspiring

Working in sales is hard. We all go through ups and downs, so it’s important to start the day off feeling inspired and ready to face difficulties head on. Find a book that inspires you and read a few pages or paragraphs before you get too far into the day. Write down a quote from your reading and look at it throughout the day to inspire you when things get tough.

3. Have a plan

This is a really important one. Having a plan for your day will relieve a lot of stress while increasing productivity. Pick a few key tasks you know you need to accomplish today, write them down, and rank them by importance. Get your most important things done first, and complete the tasks diligently so you don’t have to go back and redo your work. Having a plan will give you purpose in your actions and allow you to get a lot more done than you would otherwise. Our team uses Lucidchart to plan our daily workflow, making it easy for us to see what we should do each morning.

4. Don’t get distracted

It’s really easy to get distracted at work. A friend has a funny story, someone messages you an interesting article, there are donuts in the kitchen, etc. You know what distracts you, and the best way to prevent derailing your morning is to shut out distractions. Of course, I’m not saying to ignore everyone and everything around you, but be mindful of the time you spend on things that are not helping you, your company, or your co-workers. Socialize and take time for yourself, but put it in your plan so your whole day doesn’t get sucked up in activities that don’t help accomplish your key tasks.

5. Take breaks

It is important to breathe, relax and regroup after you have accomplished your key morning tasks. Schedule out time for yourself to connect with co-workers, grab a snack, or go for a walk. These breaks will allow you to step back and regain the balance that is sometimes lost in the hustle and bustle. Remember, this is not a race to the finish line—don’t burn yourself out. Make mornings your friend. Plan your day. Get inspired. Have key tasks and execute with exactness. Take time for yourself. Everyone can be a morning person, and everyone should take advantage of those early morning hours to get their day off to a great start. And remember…