Time management for life insurance agents is a breeze when you utilize the time blocking method.
If you struggle to maintain focus throughout your day or if you’ve ever said the words, “I can’t find the time,” then this post is for you. What is time blocking and how can we use it to our advantage? Today we will dive into the concept of daily work schedule planning for both preneed insurance agents and final expense insurance agents alike.
“If a man has any greatness in him, it comes to light, not in one flamboyant hour, but in the ledger of his daily work.”
Beryl Markham
So where do we begin? Establish a specific time to wake-up – and stick to it! We are not going to tell you a specific hour to arise in the morning, but whatever you choose, whether be it 6:30am or 8:15am, resolve to be consistent. You will find yourself feeling more energized throughout the day as your body is able to depend on a healthy rise-and-shine.
Next, let’s get to the nit and grit of time blocking. Time blocking is a simple way to block out your daily schedule and fill it intentionally with the things that matter most. Below are two examples of time blocking and how your day may appear: Keep in mind this will look slightly different in a digital calendar, but it will give you a basic understanding of the concept. We have previously put together a more in-depth work schedule similar to below with more detail as to why certain activities are placed in specific time blocks. You can view that post here.
| 7:00am-8:00am | Wake up, eat breakfast, prepare for the day |
| 8:00am-10:00am | Work through emails, post on social media, paperwork, etc. |
| 10:00am-11:00am | Phone calls: return, place, confirm, etc. |
| 11:00am-12:00pm | Client meetings |
| 12:00pm-1:00pm | Lunch |
| 1:00pm-3:00pm | Client meetings |
| 3:00pm-5:00pm | Prospecting calls, return necessary phone calls/emails, door knocking, prepare for tomorrow |
| 6:00am-7:00am | Wake up, eat breakfast, prepare for the day |
| 7:00am-9:00am | Work through emails, post on social media, paperwork, etc. |
| 9:00am-10:00am | Phone calls: return, place, confirm, etc. |
| 10:00am-12:30pm | Client meetings |
| 12:30pm-1:00pm | Lunch |
| 1:00pm-3:00pm | Client meetings |
| 3:00pm-5:00pm | Prospecting calls, return necessary phone calls/emails, door knocking, prepare for tomorrow |
“Time blocking is transformational for salespeople. It changes everything. When you get disciplined at blocking your time and concentrating your power, you see a massive and profound impact on your productivity. You become incredibly efficient when you block your day into short chunks of time for specific activities. You get more accomplished in a shorter time with far better results.”
Jeb Blount
There are various means of time blocking whether you utilize google calendars, outlook calendars, or apple’s calendar; all are reliable and will accomplish the organization you seek. The benefit of using a digital calendar are the reminder notifications that will prompt you to move on to the next time block; however, even a written schedule is a great place to start.
Say you make the effort to carefully plan your day, so that every hour is utilized wisely. Then something unanticipated arises. What is the best thing to do? First, stay committed to your daily plan as much as possible, but also recognize you need to adapt in different situations. If a client wants to schedule a meeting during your other time blocks, this is okay! Time blocking is flexible, not rigid, and you can feel free to make adjustments to what works for you.
“All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given us.”
J.R.R. Tolkien
One thing you will find is that your days will have more hours as you begin to practice time blocking. You will achieve more satisfaction in your own personal life as you will feel more fulfilled and accomplished, even if every day does not go perfect to plan. Questions? Leave them in the comments below!