“All of us have exactly 24 hours in each day, and no matter how much we wish we could increase that, we can’t. But what we can change is how we choose to use them”

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“If only there were more hours in the day!” Ever caught yourself saying that? If there’s one consolation, it’s that you are not alone. All of us wish at some point that we could stretch the day and get more done.

Sadly all of us have exactly 24 hours in each day, and no matter how much we wish we could increase that, we can’t. But what we can change is how we choose to use them.

Here are some ideas on how you can better manage your 24 hours. Not all may apply to you, but putting even a few into practice may just make you more productive, profitable – and happy.

1. Start every day with a to-do list, prioritized by urgency/importance. Task management tools such as Microsoft To Do can help you corral your tasks. Even a paper list (my preferred method), colour coded with highlighters, can provide a sense of where you are in your duties.

2. Beware of time sucks: that rabbit hole about cruise agent rates that happens to be adjacent to your availability search for a client? That ‘quick glance’ at Instagram to see how your competitor is doing? We’ve all been there.

3. Focus on one task at a time and complete it (or do as much as you can for the time being) before moving on. The truly focused agent will hide notifications and put their phone on airplane mode, making it easier to resist toggling back and forth between communications. Unless you are expecting an urgent call, chances are you can phone back later. And seriously consider even putting your phone in another room to minimize the distraction (and temptation) to just have a ‘quick look’ at it.

4. Speaking of phones, if a discussion with a client is turning into a Niagara Falls of inconclusive texts or emails, here’s an idea: pick up the phone or arrange a time for a call with them.

5. You’ll be doing yourself, and your career, a big favour by setting client expectations. Do not treat every call from a prospective client as a reason to drop everything. Setting up a Discovery Call is excellent use of your time. Templates of commonly asked questions can help you work more effectively – and avoid misunderstandings.

6. At the end of each workday, if at all possible update your to-do list and tidy your desk (‘tidy desk, tidy mind’ they say). That way when you come back it will feel like a fresh start – and a great, time-efficient way to make the most of your work schedule. Even with only 24 hours in the day.