Salesandcoffeedude

Business Development Representative

Valued Contributor

Personal Narrative

Struggling to time block my day and activities. Thoughts?

Starting a new role as a BDR and want to time block my day effectively for the 5 week training and then have a routine by the time I start hitting the phones. (job contract specifies that I work from 9-6, not 5)

right now:

6-7 (coffee, meditation, cook Bfast)

7-8 (get ready, write down goals and get to work)

8-9 (prospect)

9-10.30 (calls)

10.30-12 (emails and outreach tasks)

12-1 lunch?

1-2.30 (research and outreach tasks)

2.30-4 (calls)

4-5.30 (email replies and finishing any leftover admin/ tasks)

5.30-6 (prep for tomorrow)

6-7 (break + TV)

7-8 ( workout )

8-9 ( eat + learn something for personal development - sales, finance or mindset)

9-10 ( free time )

10-11 (read and go to sleep)

Any tips on how to optimize my time management or how I show up to work? Anything I should add or whether I should stop being so neurotic about this?

Would love to know how other SDRs are setting their daily calendars.

💆‍♂ Mindset

🤘 Personal Growth

☁️ Software Tech

12

30 comments

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CuriousFox

WR Officer

12

🦊

You need to schedule 10 min blocks throughout your day to go outside, walk around, and have zero screentime - including your phone. You will burn out quick, and you need to keep the blood flowing.

TonyDollaz

Opinionated

6

Account Executive

Every 20 minutes you’re supposed to look up, away from your screen (phone or computer) for 30 seconds. There’s even an app called Blink to better promote this. Just learned it last week once my wife returned from her eye doctor appt.

CuriousFox

WR Officer

6

🦊

Ooh I just learned something new. Thanks friend!

Sunbunny31

Politicker

2

Sr Sales Executive 🐰

Thank you! I learned something important. I appreciate it.

jefe

Arsonist

4

🍁

Definitely checking out blink

Diablo

Politicker

3

Sr. AE

This is new to me as well, thanks for sharing

Salesandcoffeedude

Valued Contributor

2

Business Development Representative

Thanks I appreciate this advice. Is this acceptable in an in-person working environment?

Sunbunny31

Politicker

3

Sr Sales Executive 🐰

That's what getting up for coffee and stretching legs is for. You need to get up and move around. And yes, unless you're taking 10 minutes every hour, it shouldn't be an issue at all.

Salesandcoffeedude

Valued Contributor

1

Business Development Representative

Cheers, that is true. Going to my 1st in person role so wasn’t sure.

Sunbunny31

Politicker

2

Sr Sales Executive 🐰

Well, unless you're working in a literal hell hole, they're not going to glue you to your desk. You will have a certain amount of latitude to work for sure.
Make sure the work gets done and you're not the guy who's never at his desk and is overly chatty elsewhere or hanging out in the breakroom all the time, and you should be just fine. Many places are significantly relaxed too - but there's a bit of a trap there for novice employees in that you may be given enough rope that you could end up hanging yourself. So exercise some discipline. Just because others are goofing off all the time doesn't make it a good strategy for your long term employment.

Gyro25

Notorious Answer

2

Account Executive

As a former BDR who did the role for over 2 years, you need to set ground rules for yourself and your schedule. That's what time blocks are for.

Don't sacrifice your health for a job, you'll regret it later on. My suggestion is this if you need to grind out for a few weeks with your absurd schedule, go for it. But only do that so you know where you need to spend your time.

You should block time on your calendar/schedule appropriately for revenue-generating activities and non-revenue-generating activities.

My schedule was like this a year ago.

****

1-hour block - Account/Lead outreach

break(Take a walk, eat, get some sun, do some light activity)

1-hour call block (Your top accounts/leads)

*Small break to get some food, walk around

1 hour(Cadence maintenance , prospecting activities)

*Break

1 hour(Update sfdc, respond to emails, work on outreach strategies, connect with top reps on your process and how to tweak it)

*****
This isn't how it always is/was, but you need to have appropriate time to unwind, focus on your time blocks and focus on what your KPIs are.

Salesandcoffeedude

Valued Contributor

0

Business Development Representative

I really appreciate this breakdown. Thanks a lot!

SDM

Politicker

1

Sales development manager

I agree.. atleast a 10 min break is needed, get some frsh air after 90-120 mins of focused work

Sunbunny31

Politicker

1

Sr Sales Executive 🐰

So in all honesty, you may want to be open to change as well. Get a chance to connect with the top performers, and see how they structure their days. Then tweak for your own style (such as making time for breaks, etc).

SDM

Politicker

1

Sales development manager

Ya! Breaks are equally important. To me, the schedule doesn't have breathing space so a 10 min break would be good for his mental health

TennisandSales

Politicker

4

Head Of Sales

so idk your current schedule, but i know from personal experience that if this routine is brand new, and all of these things are new, its going to be SUPER hard to stick too.

but if this isnt that new and a few of these things are being added then you could be good.

the big thing about mind set is what you do when your first wake up, and what you do right before you walk into the office.

do something positive when you get up(looks like you plan on this) also make sure you are listening to something that will put you in the RIGHT mood.

exciting podcasts, uplifting music, hype music, NOT the news NOT sad shit.

antiASKHOLE

Tycoon

5

Bravado's Resident Asshole

But.... I love the sad shit sometimes.

TennisandSales

Politicker

1

Head Of Sales

me too! just not right before i walk into work haha

Salesandcoffeedude

Valued Contributor

2

Business Development Representative

Yeah I have a schedule pretty similar to this so I don’t think it will be too hard to add the 1 or 2 different things in there. GOOD POINT on the positive stuff. something I didn’t think about - gotta make a list of music and podcasts to listen to to get going in the morning. Any recommends for podcasts that are uplifting short and motivating?

TennisandSales

Politicker

1

Head Of Sales

hmm no i dont unfortunately. im a sucker for the long form podcasts haha.

But im also more of a hype music kinda guy in the mornings.

Pachacuti

Politicker

4

They call me Daddy, Sales Daddy

Do you work best in a highly regimented schedule like that? Personally I don't but you need to do what works for you.

Sunbunny31

Politicker

3

Sr Sales Executive 🐰

I was also going to say this. I simply can't micromanage myself this much.

Kosta_Konfucius

Politicker

3

Sales Rep

I need more free time throughout the day, this schedule can work but not for the long term. At least it wouldnt for me

Salesandcoffeedude

Valued Contributor

1

Business Development Representative

Fair - I gotta try it out and see. At least for the 1st 90days I want it to be super intense like this so I can build some good habits and crush my numbers. After that I’m hoping to dial back a little since I’ll have some pipeline and will know how to be more efficient and do more in less time.

jefe

Arsonist

3

🍁

Admirable schedule, but as @CuriousFoxsaid you definitely need breaks, and it might be too regimented.

If you can keep it up though, then good on you!!

antiASKHOLE

Tycoon

2

Bravado's Resident Asshole

What is the difference between prospecting and making calls to you? Like doing the research to call? To me, calling is prospecting...

Salesandcoffeedude

Valued Contributor

0

Business Development Representative

Yeah sorry, prospecting to me was researching and finding the people i need to sequence. Calls was the ‘call task’ on outreach.

Diablo

Politicker

1

Sr. AE

What type of results are you getting from the existing routine? Are you happy with the outcome? What other BDRs are doing in your company?

activity

Politicker

1

VP, Business Development

Have a framework but leave room for flexibility.

Epictetus

Valued Contributor

1

SaaSy

This reeks of burnout. Be careful, agmio/amiga.

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