Time Management/Scheduling Questions

[MomToEli]

Not real sure where to put these questions ....

How much time to you set aside each week/day for... (day or evening?)

Host Coaching?

Customer Care Calls?

Prospecting?

CS time?

Putting together paperwork?

What am I missing?


I am really trying to get a grasp of my time. I just about have host packets put together to meet my July show (cooking and catalog) goals, so I'll be able to just grab those. Any tips would be appreciated here.

 

[chelynn]

I would be interested in this too. In order for this business to work for my family, I need to schedule blocks of time when my husband is home or my kids are busy to do PC stuff.

I just switched to Host 3-Ring Binders, so I should be able to reload those (minus monthly specials) as I get them back, and then have a few that are ready for specific months to take to shows.

 

[MissChef]

8 years and I still struggle with this! But that is me personally! I got a book yesterday called Time Management for Dummies!!!! I'm bad! Like now, I should be putting together my stuff for my show tonight, but dang I love this site!

 

[MissChef]

I'm also trying for my star so I'm posting like crazy. When I get to 700 for today, I'll be happy which is only like 2-3 more and then I'll come back and get to 800 in the next couple days!

 

[katie0128]

Not real sure where to put these questions ....

How much time to you set aside each week/day for... (day or evening?)

Host Coaching?

Customer Care Calls?

Prospecting?

CS time?

Putting together paperwork?

What am I missing?


I am really trying to get a grasp of my time. I just about have host packets put together to meet my July show (cooking and catalog) goals, so I'll be able to just grab those. Any tips would be appreciated here.

My answer to all of the above... NOT ENOUGH! But, I'll have GREAT tips for you after conference... I'm going to the time management workshop... wonder how many people will be late for this one?

 

[priscilla]

Okay, I will bite at answering this......I am doing a version of the Power Hour (Belinda Ellsworth popularized it). Take one hour each day (if you are not a director) and separate it into 15 minute blocks. Assign a task to each 15 minuts, and do THAT TASK ONLY. Host coaching calls, CCC, watever.

I look at CS a couple times during the day, but my evening work hours are set up more like a Power Hour. The tasks and 15 minute periods vary based on what day it is and what I had going on.

Some people set a day of the week per task. So, CCC on Mon, Host Coaching on Tues, et.

If you area director or above, you need to set aside a second hour for managerial stuff.

I make up my host packets for the next few months, so I have them handy. Show planner, OOF from main website, catalogs, opportunity bochure. Add a letter before I mail it out. Ready to go, and I use the USPS website to print off postage.

I work about 1.5 hours per day when I do not have a show...I want to be a director before the end of the year, so I am dedicating a little more time to adding shows to my schedule and recuiting interview. OH, and I sometimes need to contact host outside of my normal hours in order to close their show.

Okay, that was my CS time !

Robin

 

[legacypc46]

Hi Sandy,

I think this is one of the biggest challenges we face...because there is always more we can do and better ideas to implement (especially from this site). I am just now getting into a routine I think will work for me, but am sharing in case it helps you. (My background: consultant for 8 months, came out of a corporate (kinda) environment, and aim for 8-12 shows per month.)

I block two hours every morning for the 'have to's": inputting web orders into P3, checking status of shows and recruits, prepping host packets, noting calls I need to make later that day, supply orders, etc.

If I have time left over, I try to use for the "nice to do's": organizing, researching new ideas (another way of saying I go onto ChefSuccess), etc.

I try to block one hour a couple evenings a week for calls (host check-ins, customer care, HO calls, bookings, etc.). In truth, this sometimes streches to more than an hour...I'm working on that.

My biggest time investment though, is my host coaching (always in person). I generally spend 30 minutes to an hour with my hosts (especially if we get to chit-chatting). In the long run, it's worth it to me....both in terms of sales and avoiding potential aggravations. If possible, I stack my host-coaching...i.e. I did five on Tuesday. (I also like (need?) the social aspect of this business., so this approach isn't for everyone.)

My biggest time-wasters have been (are) trying to over-organize....which, given my personality, is a lost cause anyway...and forgetting that 'good enough' is, well, good enough.

I didn't allot any time to prospecting in my first five months...other than participating in the Step Up to Director program. (Learning the business was demanding enough for me.)

As for ChefSuccess...it's addicting. In my first few months I was really strict about what threads I spent time on. If it wasn't something that was going to help my business, I gave it a pass (except for the occassional indulgence on the weekends). Now I give myself the time to participate more

Okay, this is long enough....hope it helps. ?

kris

 

[legacypc46]

P.S. - I learned a lot of this from my hospitality director...who is on tap to give a class on time management during Wave 1.