More Office Organization Tips - Personal Time Tracking

Do you cringe at the thought? Tracking your time? Ah but yes - it's a valuable tool to help you be a better you in your business!

Record for two weeks all the actions you do from the time you get up till you go to bed. When you look back to review, color code your actions into family time, personal time, income producing, team building or team connection time, and office work. Where do you spend the most time? Is this helping you reach the goals you have? Do you see any patterns that are working or any that are not which may need to change. Perhaps you find yourself checking emails six times a day, washing a load or two of laundry, chatting on the phone, surfing the internet. You get the idea. When you see where you are really spending your time, you can see why you are getting the results you have, good or bad.

Based on what you discover and what you want to accomplish with your business, consider what you believe would be the best schedule for you. Set it, schedule it, and then track how closely you stick with it. Ask yourself after two weeks, what has improved and what still needs to be evaluated or changed. Then track it again. The more clearly you understand how you truly spend your time, the better you can manage your time. Granted I know it’s all easier said than done, but I have done it. Sometimes it takes the help of an accountability partner or coach to help you manage the time you spend in and out of your business. The benefits are worth it!

Are You Plugged In?

As a coach to direct selling leaders, I find I too benefit from the coaching calls in many ways. It’s rewarding to hear of my clients achievements, see their growth, and watch them climb the career ladder. Today I had a coaching call with a long time client of mine, Teresa Faulhaber, who shared some great insight she’s gained and thanks to her permission, I want to share it with you.

“If you’re not plugged in to your family, your spiritual life, and your business, it doesn’t work.” The more plugged in you are to the gratitude’s you have about your family relationships, your spiritual connection, and to all the blessings of your business, the easier it is to move your business ahead. When you get bogged down in one or more of those areas, the more challenging your business becomes.

My charge to you today is to get plugged in. Are there relationships in your business that aren’t where you want them to be? What else is going on in your personal life that may be contributing? Are you feeling disconnected from your faith? Think about each area of life and ask yourself

“Am I plugged in to my spiritual side?”
“Am I connected to my family the way I want to be?”
“Am I positively in my business?”

Be turned on by what’s good in life instead of what brings you down. If you’re plugged in, you can’t stay down long and you can weather any challenge that comes your way.

Just Announced! DSWA Coaching Center Open!

Check it out! The new DSWA Coaching Center blog is ready!

There will certainly be a tremendous amount of knowledge shared there so take advantage of all our coaches knowledge. I'm excited to be a part of the coaches who will be writing too.

Neil Philips first post is a great lead for what's to come. He does mention that coaches read a lot! Here's the book I'm reading now: What Got You Here Won't Get You There by Marshall Goldsmith

Become a follower of Direct Sales Professional Blog and the DSWA Coaching Center Blog today!

Working on my Anniversary

Today is our 21 wedding anniversary!

I'm working tonight - even though it's our anniversary. I don't always do this, but this is not the first time. Years ago when I was a relatively new consultant, my sponsor was coming to our city to hold a new coordinator training. I knew I really needed the information if I was going to build my business, which at that point I never even envisioned it would grow to become a Million Dollar organization. It was our 7th anniversary and we talked it over and decided, we'll still be married tomorrow, so why not celebrate on a different day. It worked.

I'm doing the same thing now. I just finished one DSWA coaching certification call and I've got one more to go tonight to get these classes in. We both know I've made an investment in my education, in my coaching clients, and ultimately, for our family, so working tonight works for us.

So often I've heard consultants say they can't attend a training being held in their town (even when the trainer or corporate exec is coming) because it's their anniversary or birthday or a child's birthday. When the opportunity to learn and grow your business is available to you, which ultimately impacts your family positively, you take advantage of it! I'm talking here about the trainings that are not offered frequently or a special company exec or guest is coming. If your marriage can't be flexible, you've got to wonder how's that working out for you? Kids will get over it and they'll learn that they are not the center of your universe, an important part, but not the one-in-all. Find ways to make the day special, go to your training, and schedule a time to celebrate when you can be fully present.

Certainly family is a priority for me, it's one of the reasons I built a direct sales business and now coach and train. However, balance is a priority. Being present with my family when I'm with them is a priority.

I get to be on my call in a few minutes here, and then, when it's all over, I have a tray of shrimp in the fridge waiting for the two of us.

Single Daily Activities You Can Do for Your Direct Selling Business

1. Interview a hostess
2. Write Thank You notes
3. Hold a cyber show
4. Review your manual
5. Watch your training DVD
6. Download an MP3 from your company
7. Listen to training CDs
8. Make customer service calls
9. Place an order
10. Make a list of prospects
11. Make 3 follow up calls
12. Attend an area training
13. Listen in on a training teleclass
14. Do your hostess coaching
15. Ask for a referral
16. Plan for Nat'l Convention
17. Review your goals
18. Call your leader for a one on one business review
19. Review your booking & recruiting commercials
20. Get a coach (You knew I had to put that one in there!)
You can ALWAYS do something for your business every day - and these are only a handful of places to start.

Tips 9 & 10 for Direct Selling Success

9. Don't Compare your Progress or Success to Others
No matter what is happening in your life, it isn't the same as what is happening in another person's life so why use someone else as your benchmark? Set your own goals and determine for yourself what is best for you. Determine what does success really mean for you? It may not mean being #1 in your company, but instead, it may mean earning enough money to be able to stay at home full time. Success may mean that you have reached the point where you feel good about standing in front of people to do your presentation. Progress may be for you to get 6 shows on the calendar. If you do better than you have done before, that's progress.

10. Ask for Help Along the Way
When you do get stuck, you need to seek out someone who knows how to help you out. It may mean calling your sponsor or director, maybe listening to company CD's, read the company manual, read a self-help book, or get a coach. Attend national convention and go to your local meetings. You don't have to know it all to build your business. You just have to start and believe that there will always be someone who will know the answers to the questions you don't know.