So the other day, I looked up and it was 3 O’clock.. While I started the day with my “perfect day” plan, this day was kicking my butt!
Interruptions, unexpected requests, etc. had completely through me off my game. Honestly – I couldn’t believe it was actually 3. I would have swore it was only 12 or 1….
Do you ever have days like this?
Recruiting has to be one of the most “humbling” professions on the face of this earth. Heck, I have been recruiting for close to 20 years now and some days I feel like it was my first.
I think the most humbling and difficult task we face as recruiters is staying on ‘offense’ during the day. By that I mean managing our time, staying focused on critical activities and making sure we get thing done in spite of all the constant interruptions, emails, changes in priorities, etc.
A ‘day’ in the life of a recruiter is like a football ‘game’. While you hopefully start your day with a game plan, once the day/game starts, anything can happen.
In football – - injuries, sacks, fumbles, interceptions, weather – all can change the outcome of the ‘game’.
For us in recruiting – - changing priorities, emails, candidates declining offers, unexpected meetings – - all can change the outcome of the ‘day’.
Throughout a football game, coaches and players are “re-planning” based on what is happening (real-time) during that game. The best teams know how to re-adjust to these changes/challenges and ultimately . . . win more games than they lose.
The best recruiters I know do the same. In spite of the all the changes/challenges, they get more done during the day then their competition.
Sooo – - as I sat at my desk the other day, it dawned on me that 3 O’clock in the afternoon is like the start of the 4th quarter of a football game. Say you work 8/10 hours a day (ok, ok… sometimes 12), A quarter of the day is around 2 1/2 to 3 hours day.
While I sat there frustrated that I was ‘losing’ at that time, I still had 25% of the day to win the game!
While I couldn’t change what happened during the first 3 quarters of the day, I could control how I finished my day. So I stopped what I was doing, got a cup of coffee and reviewed my plan. I identified the critical activities that I should focus on for the last quarter of the day. Refocused and remotivated – I attached the last part of my day with passion and accomplished a ton!
This was such a productive, positive, motivating activity . . . . I am going to do this (when I am not training and/or traveling) each day I am in the office.
I set up a re-occurring, 15 minute meeting in Outlook at 3:00 pm each day. I am going to do my best to not book that time with client meetings, interviews, etc. I am going to use these 15 minutes to help me get re-focused (and re-motivated) to finish the day strong.
I will let you know how it goes…..
PS – Does anyone have any “tips” they can share to manage your day, manage your time and stay focused & motivated during the course of the day? If so – please let me (us) know!!!!!