Crack The Code Of Time Management: 6 Tips To Achieve More In Less Time

Introduction

Ever felt like there just aren’t enough hours in the day—especially when you’re chasing quotas, clients, and KPIs? For sales professionals, the pressure to meet SMART goals is relentless. And when it comes to the “T”—time-bound—there’s no wiggle room.

The “T” is crucial if you want to be a successful salesman. You can’t reach your daily target in 2 days. It is essential to make sure you meet your daily, weekly, monthly, quarterly, and yearly targets within the set timeframes. Therefore, as a sales professional, mastering time management skills is key.

When Everything Changed Overnight

Let me take you back to the first week of the COVID-19 lockdown in India. I was working at Sharekhan Education, and everything we did—every sale we made—relied on in-person workshops. We’d host events, deliver value, and convert interest into course enrollments. It was a proven system. Until it vanished overnight.

With the lockdown in place, our entire sales model collapsed. Workshops were no longer possible. We had to act fast. Webinars became our new reality, and with them came a complete reset—new systems, new processes, and a new mindset.

The Reality of a 17-Hour Workday

In the middle of that shift, I found myself overwhelmed. My daily to-do list grew longer by the hour. I was:

• Assigning leads to the team
• Gathering feedback and analyzing performance
• Brainstorming ways to improve our webinars
• Practicing my own webinar delivery
• Handling administrative paperwork
• Training colleagues on new tools and systems
• Adapting to remote work and leading daily Zoom calls

It felt like the work never stopped. I was working 16 to 17 hours a day just to keep up. Slowly, the pressure began to mount. I was constantly tired. My performance started to dip. I couldn’t meet my sales targets.

At home, things were no better. I was physically present but emotionally absent. My wife, Manasvi, barely saw me outside of work mode. And my health started to decline—mentally and physically. I was burning out fast.

The Turning Point

What I realized later was that I wasn’t failing because I lacked effort—I was failing because I lacked structure. I hadn’t learned how to manage my time effectively.

That’s when Karan—my friend, colleague, and someone I deeply respect—stepped in. He helped me take a hard look at how I was spending my time and showed me how to restructure my day with clarity and focus. His guidance helped me find balance and build a new rhythm.

That experience changed everything.

I realized that success isn’t just about putting in more hours. It’s about managing your time in a way that allows you to perform at your best—without sacrificing your well-being or personal life.

And that’s what I want to help you with now.

6 Tips for Better Time Management

So, if you’re tired of feeling overwhelmed and want to take control of your day, here are six time management tips that actually work.

1. Prioritize Your Tasks

Not all tasks are created equal. Even Microsoft Outlook allows you to mark emails by priority. For sales professionals, it’s important to categorize tasks based on their importance and focus on the ones that will impact your sales goals most.

For example, picture yourself as a sales rep with a long list of leads to follow up on. Instead of reaching out to leads randomly, prioritize them based on their potential value. Start with the high-potential leads first, then work your way down to the less promising ones.

2. Utilize CRM

A customer relationship management (CRM) system can be a sales professional’s best friend. It helps organize customer data, track interactions, and schedule follow-ups, allowing you to manage your time more efficiently.

For instance, imagine you’re a sales manager overseeing a team of representatives. By using a CRM system, you can easily track your team’s activities, identify which leads need immediate attention, and allocate resources accordingly.

3. Establish Clear Goals and Deadlines

Setting clear, achievable goals is essential for effective time management. Break down your sales targets into smaller, actionable steps, and set deadlines to keep yourself accountable.

For example, as a salesperson, you might set a goal to close five deals by the end of the month. Break this goal down into weekly or daily targets, and create a plan to achieve them. Setting specific deadlines will help you stay focused and motivated.

4. Don’t Try to Do Everything Yourself

Being a sales professional means juggling a lot of responsibilities, but trying to handle everything on your own can lead to burnout. Learning to delegate tasks to others can help you free up time to focus on what really matters.

For example, if you’re a sales manager in charge of putting together weekly sales reports, instead of spending hours crunching numbers, pass that task off to a team member who can handle it efficiently. This way, you can concentrate on closing deals and growing your business.

5. Focus on One Thing at a Time

Multitasking might seem like a good idea, but it can actually hurt your productivity and the quality of your work. Instead of trying to do a million things at once, focus on one task at a time and give it your full attention.

For instance, imagine you’re on a sales call while also checking emails and scrolling through social media. You’re not going to be fully present in any of those activities, and your work will suffer. Instead, concentrate on making that sales call, and then move on to the next task. By focusing on one thing at a time, you’ll get more done and do it better.

I recommend watching one of my favorite movies, “The Pursuit of Happyness,” where the main character, Chris Gardner, works tirelessly during his unpaid internship at a brokerage firm. He makes phone calls with complete focus and dedication, eventually saving himself from his struggles.

6. Remember to Take Breaks

It’s important to take breaks throughout your day to avoid burnout and stay refreshed. Schedule short breaks to rest and recharge, so you can come back to your tasks with renewed energy and focus.

For example, if you’re a sales professional, try taking a 10-minute break every hour to stretch, walk around, or grab a healthy snack. Taking regular breaks will help you stay productive and maintain your mental and physical well-being.

Remember: Manage Time, Manage Life!

Friends, just a quick reminder: mastering time management won’t just make you a better sales professional—it’ll help you reclaim your time, your energy, and your life. Start small, stay consistent, and remember: every minute you manage well is a minute closer to your goals.

Frequently Asked Questions

Question 1: What is time management?
Answer: Time management refers to the process of planning and organizing how much time to allocate to specific activities, enabling individuals to maximize productivity and efficiency.

Question 2: Why is it important in 2025?
Answer: In 2025, effective time management will be crucial as the fast-paced technological advancements and shifting work environments necessitate agility and prioritization to meet evolving demands.

Question 3: Why is it important for sales professionals?
Answer: For sales professionals, mastering time management is essential to optimize client interactions, meet targets, and ultimately drive revenue in a competitive market.

For more insights on sales, marketing, and professional growth, visit AsPerVikas.

Hi, I’m Vikas Taware. After years of hands-on experience in sales and marketing, I felt a strong pull to share the strategies I’ve mastered, the setbacks I’ve overcome, and the wins that shaped my journey. That led to AsPerVikas—a blog where I cut through the noise and share real, field-tested insights to help you sell smarter, market better, and grow faster.