When your day is busy, it feels like you’re being productive. Going from call to call and answering an endless stream of emails can make it seem like you’re making real progress. However, a packed calendar doesn’t tell the whole story. Just because you’re putting in the work doesn’t mean you’re actually closing deals. In fact, you might be falling for the trap of busyness — thinking that motion is momentum.

Sales Gravy’s Jeb Blount says many sales reps stay trapped in a cycle of sales activity that leads nowhere. They bury themselves in tasks that feel safe and give the illusion of productivity. The cost? Lots of energy but no forward motion. If you feel stuck in a perpetual state of busyness, read on. In this issue of PromoPro Daily, we discuss Blount’s action plan for shifting from busy to productive.

  1. Track everything you do. Blount calls this an activity audit. For 1 week, track all your calls, meetings, emails and busy work. At the end of the week, review your log and ask yourself which activities directly moved a deal forward. He says most of what you thought was productive won’t make the cut.

  2. Use the power of time-blocking. Just like you’d never cancel a meeting with a top client, you also shouldn’t postpone your most important sales activity. That’s why Blount recommends time-blocking for high-leverage work. Block off time on your calendar as non-negotiable. Protect it from distractions by shutting your office door or silencing notifications. Blount says nothing else should take priority and that this time should be sacred for pipeline-building work.

  3. Shift your mindset. The best salespeople aren’t the ones who never get rejected, he says. Instead, they’re the ones who get rejected the most because this means they’re taking the most shots. Learn to get comfortable with rejection and accept it as the path to progress. When you do, busy work loses its grip, Blount says.

Not all sales activity is created the same. Instead of allowing yourself to stay “busy” all the time, focus on what truly moves the needle. Start by tracking your current activity, blocking off time for your most important tasks and adjusting your mindset around rejection. This is how you stop the cycle of busyness and ensure your efforts are driving results.

Compiled by Audrey Sellers
Source: Jeb Blount is the CEO of Sales Gravy. He’s also a bestselling author, sales expert and keynote speaker.