Three ways to get back in focus after summer

1. Create a plan
While it is tempting to rush in and try to complete multiple tasks at once, remember that there is a difference between being “productive” and being “busy,” says Bob Simpson, president of Mississauga, Ont.-based Synchronicity Performance Consultants.

“Part of the problem some financial advisors may have is being too random in their activities,” Simpson says. “They’re not doing things with a specific purpose that will lead to the results they want to achieve.”

Give yourself a day to step back, review what has to be accomplished over the coming season and create a plan. Ask yourself what you would like to achieve over the next quarter and determine what tasks need to be completed in order to reach those goals.

2. Avoid distractions
A plan will give you the structure you will need in order to know what has to get done — contacting clients to set up RRSP meetings, for example, or planning a client event — and what can be ignored.

You will encounter many interruptions throughout the day, such as unexpected sales calls from wholesalers or other suppliers. Those distractions, as well as other tasks that do not contribute to accomplishing your goals, will make the path to those goals much longer.

So, when an issue arises that does not contribute to your efforts to accomplish your overall objective, make a note of it and return to the task at hand. You may choose to return to that idea later.

3. Be proactive
Knowing what steps you need to take in order to reach your goals means being prepared and being proactive, which in turn leads to greater efficiency.

Reactive activity takes two to five times longer than proactive activity, Simpson says.

For example, when a client calls unexpectedly with a question or a task, you have to retrieve the client’s file, which will take some time, and deal with the issue, which will take more time and perhaps require a second call. And that initial call is probably distracting you from another, possibly more important task.

However, if you take the lead and know you have to call that client, you prepare yourself, with the client’s file and ideas for discussion at hand. That call will take less time and will probably be more effective in meeting the client’s needs.

“You have just done that in a quarter of the time it would have taken if the client had initiated the phone call,” Simpson says.

There is another bonus to calling the client rather than waiting for the client to call you, says Dan Richards, CEO of Clientinsights in Toronto. Research shows clients are complimentary toward advisors who call them.

So, by being proactive, you have not only saved yourself time, but also made a positive impression on your client.