The objective of setting hourly goals is to produce superior results within a short period of time. By setting hourly goals, we allow ourselves to take small "baby" steps and establish a simple system. We can use this system to produce outstanding results quickly, and efficiently. We truly can allow our time to serve us, instead of us serving time by following the same normal nine to five routine. We must always "remember to remember" the objective, and not lose focus. Many of us don't get ahead in our chosen careers because we wait for things to come our way. We have to be more assertive and intend to get ahead.
You must first identify your tasks
Take time to write down your daily tasks. You may have to use your memory and visualize yourself in the workplace. What is it that you do each day? At which time? Do you feel like you're doing the same things over repeatedly? Have you fallen into a boring daily routine?
Write down the things you do on a daily basis. For example: Check emails and other mailings, return telephone messages, handle incoming and outgoing calls, attend business meetings, conferences, presentations, attend off-site facilities, take breaks, go to lunch, attend training sessions.
Once you've identified your daily tasks, you must now prioritize these tasks. Each day we perform tasks and devote a certain amount of time to each task. If you can take the time to account for your daily routine and tasks, you'll be able to determine where your attention is needed most. For example, if you are a telemarketer, your priority is to handle incoming and outgoing calls. Handling calls may be a task that requires 2 to 3 hours of your day. Prioritize your tasks in order of importance.
In an office setting:
From 8am to 9am, I check emails and messages from yesterday.
From 9am to 10am, I return telephone calls in order of importance to business contacts.
From 10am to 12pm, I'm creating new business and handing incoming and outgoing calls.
From 12pm to 1pm, I take lunch (although I usually take 15-30 minutes).
From 1pm to 4pm, I'm making more business development calls to contacts
From 4pm to 5pm, I'm in business meetings and/or interviewing contacts.
From 5pm to 5:30pm, I'm tracking my daily progress and planning my next business day in advance.
In a warehouse setting:
I opened my warehouse/office at 6:30 am.
My distributors arrived to the office at 6:45 am.
My warehouse opened at 7:00 a.m. for the distributors to receive merchandise.
By 8:00am, my distributors have received their merchandise, counted their inventory, and were ready to distribute the goods to businesses.
Between 8:00a.m., and 9:00a.m., I've met with the distributors to explain the product strategy and sales techniques which will help them improve their performance in the field.
The distributors left the office at 9:00 a.m.
By 9:15am., I went to the warehouse to re-count the inventory.
At 9:45a.m., I counted settle ups, and performed the daily master (calculate sales and inventory) for sales the business day prior.
I went to the bank each day at 10:00a.m. to make a daily deposit.
By 10:30a.m., I am either on the telephone with head office, a company Vice president, regional manager, hub manager, or in a meeting with my administrator where we lay out gameplans for interviewing and recruiting new candidates to work in our warehouse or in sales.
At 11:00a.m., I am interviewing new prospects and candidates for sales distribution positions.
I would interview until 1:00p.m., and then I would take lunch.
At 1:30p.m., I would conduct more interviews, and continue until 4:30p.m. This is the typical daily routine unless a truck came to the office to unload new products.
At 4:30p.m., I usually contacted head office to discuss product strategy and to order new products to add to my stock report.
At 5:30p.m., my distributors returned to the office.
At 6:00p.m., the warehouse opened for returning unsold merchandise. I immediately met with new prospects and engaged in one on one conversations.
At 6:30 p.m. I collected sales and met with my top distributors. During that time, I also set up sales teams for the next day along with a product strategy for the next business day.
I closed the warehouse/office building at 7:00 p.m.
Using that schedule, I generated over 400,000 in sales my first year as a business owner working on a 25% profit margin. If you notice, the first example is for someone that spends the majority of the time using the telephone. The second example is showing how the majority of time is spent conducting interviews face to face.
Recognize your tasks, and then prioritize.
By setting hourly goals, or assigning hourly tasks to your daily schedule, you will add value to your overall goal or objective. You won't feel like you are a "hamster in a wheel" that has fallen into a dull routine. You will be able to use each hour to create something new and build upon your work. This process does take discipline and self-control, but if applied correctly, can create a stress free, methodical, simple system for success. If you prioritize your schedule and break your day down into hourly tasks, you will accomplish more duties in less time.
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