Establishing Work-Life Boundaries Equals Results in Sales and Business Development

I often travel for my work, taking many flights around the U.S, and hearing before takeoff the "please put your oxygen mask on first before helping others," on every flight. It makes sense to prioritize our survival first, if there was ever a loss of oxygen in the cabin. We do not question these instructions about putting ourself first.

However, as I reflected on this recently, looking at my career in sales and business development, there can be a challenge "putting on our oxygen mask first." Most often, work, the pressure to meet sales goals, exceed customer expectations, hitting project deadlines, and keeping our management happy was a challenge. Why? In this blog #2 of Habits for Sales and Success, we focus on the importance of work-life boundaries. Often called "work-life balance," I believe it comes down to something bigger than simply maintaining balance. Our boundaries can be tested daily, and today we explore how to overcome this demand.

In the high-pressure world of sales and business development, maintaining clear work and life boundaries is crucial. Without them, the lines between personal and professional life can blur, leading to burnout and decreased productivity. Here’s why setting these boundaries is essential, along with some key strategies and common pitfalls to avoid.

Importance of Work and Life Boundaries:

Establishing work and life boundaries helps in maintaining mental and emotional health, sustaining productivity, and fostering better relationships both at work and at home. Clear boundaries ensure that you can recharge after work, reducing stress and preventing the emotional fatigue that often comes with constant connectivity and overcommitment.

Keys to Keeping Great Work and Life Boundaries

1. Don’t Overcommit: It's tempting to say yes to every opportunity, but overcommitting can lead to a burnout. Be realistic about what you can achieve in a day and learn to politely decline additional tasks that exceed your capacity. I often ask myself, "is this a 100% yes?" If not, it is most often a "no."

2. Prioritize: Focus on what truly matters. Create a list of daily priorities and tackle the most important tasks first. This ensures that even if you don’t complete everything, your critical tasks are handled. Tony Robbins refers to this as RPM: result, purpose, massive action plan. A great formula for deciding what your true priorities are.

3. Get Off the Cycle of Obligation: Often, we feel pressured to work late or on weekends due to a perceived obligation. Break this cycle by setting firm work hours and communicating them clearly to your team. If you find yourself saying "I have to, I should, or I must," you may be on the hamster wheel of obligation. A better approach is find the commitments you enjoy and lead with "I get to, I choose to, I want to."

Common Pitfalls to Avoid

1. Lack of Time Management: Poor time management can blur the lines between work and personal time. Build a schedule and stick to it rigorously to avoid this issue. Prioritize tough tasks we often avoid in the morning, such as prospecting, projects that we are avoiding, or other tasks that require high focus and energy.

2. Neglecting Self-care: It's easy to ignore self-care in favor of meeting work deadlines. Regular exercise, hobbies, and downtime are not optional; they are vital to maintaining your overall well-being. I take the first hour of each day to focus on my self care, meditation, yoga, the gym, walking, reading, planning the day, journaling, are all great ways to start the day.

3. Failing to Disconnect: The advent of smartphones keeps us tethered to work emails and messages. Establish digital boundaries by setting "no work" zones or times where you unplug completely. Limit social media to scheduled time and choose to be present vs. distracted by our devices during prospect, co worker, and client interactions.

In conclusion, maintaining work and life boundaries is not just about creating physical barriers; it's about creating habits that promote a healthy, balanced life.

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My ⭐️ Northstar: My keywords are 'sales,' 'speaking,' and 'confidence.' I work with success-driven leaders and teams who want to be more, sell more, and make more with confidence. We play 2 games in sales: the 'inner game' habits and mindset, and the 'outer game' tactics and action. The best investment you will ever make is in...yourself. This is my commitment to you, my clients, and all who attend my events!

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