October is the most productive month of the year. That makes it a great time to focus on work tasks, perhaps finally clearing your inbox or finishing that stack of paperwork. But if you aren’t sure where to begin, check out our top productivity tips to help you stay focused during the most productive time of year.
Productivity Tips for Insurance Agents and Brokers
Agents and brokers have busy jobs balancing their days to accomplish everything. And during renewal season, it gets even busier. Try our productivity tips to help you finish your To-do list:
Use the Pomodoro Technique for creative work.
The Pomodoro Technique is a great way to focus your energy. It works especially well for creative tasks, like writing or designing your social media campaign. Try this straightforward method by following these steps:
- Pick a task to focus on.
- Set a timer and work uninterrupted for 25 minutes.
- Take a (timed) five-minute break.
- Do another round of 25 minutes of focused work followed by a five-minute break.
- After four rounds, take a longer break of 25 minutes.
- Repeat as needed throughout the day.
Try this method, and it may surprise you how much you can accomplish. While 25 minutes doesn’t sound very long, you can do a lot in a short period when you focus your attention only on one thing.
Stop multitasking.
Research continues to show multitasking doesn’t make people more productive. In fact, it makes it more challenging to do anything well. Rather than focusing on accomplishing one task at a time, multitaskers convince themselves they can handle several tasks at once. But it often means tasks get done poorly — or not at all. Instead of splitting your attention among various things, try to streamline your focus and finish a task before moving to the next.
Pay attention to your energy levels.
Henry Ford popularized the standard 9-5 workday over one hundred years ago. But just because it’s traditional doesn’t mean it works for everyone. Some people work their best in the evening, while others are most productive in the early morning. Take the time to study your own energy levels.
Find the schedule that works best for you and stick with it. You might find yourself more creative in the morning and more focused on administrative functions later in the day. Or perhaps you have a rush of energy after dinner and enjoy working on leads in the evening. Whatever your natural inclinations are, work with them instead of against them. You will be more productive — and happier — if you follow your natural rhythms.
Automate routine or simple tasks.
When you identify a simple task you perform often, find a way to automate it. Insurtech vendors offer software-as-a-service (SaaS) products to make almost every task more efficient:
- Communication templates make sending emails, texts, and messages simple.
- OCR software allows you to scan large documents to extract important details easily.
- Core platforms organize claims, policy, and billing information in one easy dashboard.
- Digital solutions allow policyholders to submit a claim or payment digitally.
- Compliance management software helps agents and brokers stay in compliance with state regulations.
- Content management systems schedule social media posts and manage content calendars.
Shut down your social media while in focus mode.
When you are focusing on a task, your social media accounts notifications are an unwelcome distraction. Try setting your phone to ‘do not disturb’ mode or shutting it off altogether. The constant pings compete for your attention — and often win.
Sometimes we think we can check our phones quickly and then return back to our tasks. But often, the distraction of social media leads to more delays instead of getting back to work. Try controlling your environment by shutting down your social media alerts while you are in focus mode and see how much more you can accomplish with your limited time.
Join the American Agents Alliance for More Productivity Tips
In addition to these helpful productivity tips, members of the American Agents Alliance can access valuable discounts to make running their agencies more efficient. Our members enjoy exclusive lead generation and nurturing access through our partners.
Become a member today and learn how we’ve been empowering independent agents and brokers to thrive since 1962!
