Time Management Tip #14: Cell Phone Use
This next time management tip might be a controversial one, and we know there are people out there that will say this is dated, or they don’t want to hear it. But we think it’s absolutely essential to insurance time management.
“Cell phones are a distraction, because most of us just don’t have the discipline to put it away and not look at it.”
We need to wrangle in our cell phone use in insurance agencies. We’re not talking about producers and owners who are doing business on their phones, but we mean having a cell phone sitting on your desk for leisure, and scrolling through it throughout your work day.
Cell phones hurt time management
While cell phones are a part of everyday life, everything is fine until it’s a problem, and cell phone use in insurance agencies is definitely a problem. We say that with confidence because agencies are always saying how busy they are, and how they are scrambling to keep up with their work.
If a phone is sitting on your desk, everytime it goes off, it breaks your concentration. We are addicted to these things as a culture, and the #1 activity that Americans do is unlock their phones.
Think of it this way: if your kid’s teacher was checking their phone and texting during class, how would you feel? You’d probably be right in the principal’s office. Your customers and coworkers deserve that same attention that you expect of other people.
How to handle cell phone use in insurance agencies
We recommend that cell phones be kept somewhere out of sight, like in a desk drawer. They should only be taken out at breaks or lunches, or checked very sparsely throughout the day. If you like to be accessible in the case of an emergency with family members, you can make sure they know the front desk phone number, so they’re always able to reach you.
If you think your cell phone use isn’t a problem, take a look at your screen time usage during your work day, or how many times you unlock your phone. The answer may shock you.
By being more disciplined with our cell phone use, we can seriously minimize distractions, and ensure that we’re maximizing our productivity. And remember: just five minutes saved every day adds up to more than 27 hours a year.
Follow Us on Social Media
Follow us on social media to get a daily dose of our 3 Minute Videos, to help you on your journey to becoming a Ridiculously Amazing agent. We share our videos on Youtube, Instagram, Facebook, Twitter and Linkedin.
