You know those days when you just don't feel like working your direct sales business? You have a home party and it's raining out and you would just rather stay home in your jammies and chill in front of the tv. You still show up, but you're not really there. Or every time you plan to make phone calls, you distract yourself and the calls don't get made. That's what I call phoning it in. I know that there are parts of my business where certainly sometimes I phone it in. During those times, I know that I am not doing what I know how to do.
It happens to me when I get over committed and feel like my to-do list is a mile long. It also happens when I don't have anything planned and I can't seem to clearly focus on how I should spend my time. And what I've noticed is that when I phone it in, not only does my productivity suffer, but so does my self esteem. Because I either feel horrible about myself or I make excuses for my lack of commitment, or both. Either way, my results suffer.
Here's what I do when I find myself phoning it in to snap myself out of it and start showing up 100% for the task at hand:
Check in with Yourself
Take what a friend of mine calls a "check up from the neck up" and see if something's bothering you that you need to work through or deal with. Are you hungry? Having a bad day? Maybe you feel guilty because you're working when you promised your kids you wouldn't. Or you're battling your gremlins (those little voices in your head that tell you lies about yourself and the world) about what you're doing (you know, "Why are you even bothering calling her? She doesn't want to talk to you! She hasn't returned your call, so doesn't that tell you anything?") Take a moment to check in and see what's really causing you to phone it in, and then deal with it. Take a break, have a sandwich, call a friend, put on some music.
Self care is the key to quality attention and focus. If you're feeling less than it's easy to show up with less than.
Get it Down on Paper
Got a big project you keep shuffling to the bottom of your stack of things to do because every time you think about it you feel tired? Take 30 minutes, sit down and write out everything you'll need to do to accomplish that project. Once it's out on paper, you can let it go and focus more intently on what you're currently working on, and have a clear plan of action once it's time to show up for your big project as well.
Make Sure You Have Time to Do Your Best Work
This one seems like a no brainer but it's not. Often time I find myself phoning it in when I'm working on a deadline or feeling like I don't have enough time to finish something. So don't start a project if you don't have time to finish it (or can't stop at a logical place and come back to it later). This is where planning and having a schedule come in very handy.
Ask Yourself if This is Something You Should Delegate
Is this task even something you want to (or should) be doing? If you're spending time on things that take your time and energy and aren't paying you back, find a way to delegate them. I know how to do every single task in my business. I only actually do the things that make me money or make me happy, or both. Everything else, I delegate to my business manager, book keeper, web master, or tech support person. You don't have to have a huge staff to delegate to. I have several students in my Virtual Academy who have recently discovered the amazing power of having their children buy into and help with their businesses. Think outside the box when it comes to who could support you.
Where are you phoning it in in your business? And what are you doing about it?
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Julie Anne Jones is direct sales corporate consultant, coach, and trainer, and the CEO of Julie Anne Jones, Inc. She is known for her authentic and easy-to-use scripting and specializes in specific language and tools for success in direct sales. To learn more about Julie Anne and her products and services, and to read her weekly blog posts, visit her at www.julieannejones.com.
I've noticed that I write quite a bit in this blog about time and organization – how to manage your time so you have a successful business while still maintaining the harmony in your life. That's because it's the single most frustrating thing about working from home. I've broken down the direct sales time commitment into a formula for you. Hopefully this will help you see where you're not on track (and where you are).
