Time Management For IFAs - Blog

Oct 09 - Prioritising For Profit

Most of us are tightening our belts and being careful about how and where we spend our money, in the current economic climate.  How many of us are as careful about how and where we spend our time?

Time Management might not seem like a particularly exciting subject but when you think about where you spend your time and what it's actually costing you, it puts the importance of good time habits into perspective.

One of the most relevant quotes I found and use often, is:...

To read more - just register for the free IFA Time Life Newsletter and you'll also receive my free Top Time Tips for you and your business.

March 09 - How To Manage Your Social Networking Time

With more online social networks starting up almost every day there are even more places to spend your time online. Many business people are active in places liked Linked In, Facebook, IFA Life, UK Business Forums, Ecademy and Ning.

While these can all drive traffic to your website while raising your profile as an expert in your field, they can also be a source of distraction in your working day if you're constantly popping in and out to check messages or post comments.

Manage your time online in the same way that you manage any other aspect of your work ...

To read more - just register for the free IFA Time Life Newsletter and you'll also receive my free Top Time Tips for you and your business.

IFA Adviser08 - Manchester

I know a few IFA Life members are going to be at the IFA Adviser event in Manchester tomorrow - I'll be there too. Travelling from Brighton today, to give a talk tomorrow afternoon in The Big Ideas theatre.

Boost efficiency - Proven time management techniques for Independent Financial Advisers

Phil Calvert is also doing two talks. If you're going to be there, come and visit the IFA Life stand and say hello, as I'll be there for most of the day, with copies of my book and your chance to win a signed copy and much more.

Organise Your Diary, Contacts And Tasks

I've just had a demo of a great new time management tool E-link, which enables you to link your calendar, tasks, contacts, emails and documents in one easy-to-use front-end. Impressed by the initial demo which does many of the things I've always wanted to do with Outlook, without having to buy into a full blown CRM system, which I don't need or find that either Outlook doesn't quite do what I want in the most intuitive way or that I need to purchase any number of Add-ons to get close.

Now I need to start using it in earnest with real data but I'm already excited by the possibilities of linking emails, contact history and documents. I'll keep you posted and let you know what I think.

A solution for feeling overwhelmed

An interesting article in Investment News for any financial advisers feeling overwhelmed, frustrated and ineffective - with plenty of tips on solving the most common problems to inefficient time management.

- Email
- Doing too much
- Lack of focus
- Being reactive rather than proactive

You can read the full article here.

January Newsletter

Business Planning

Every business needs to have an idea of where it's headed and it's purpose. For that reason, you need a Business Plan.

It doesn't have to be a long, detailed business plan, It can be as short or as long as you like and in whatever format you prefer, to capture the essence of your business and what you plan to achieve in the coming year.

Businesses that actually write down their plan with specific goals, objectives, strategies and tasks, are more likely to achieve their goals and be successful.

"If you fail to plan, you plan to fail."

To read more - just register for the free IFA Time Life Newsletter and get Top Time Tips for you and your business.

December Newsletter

Setting Your Goals For 2008

The end of one year and the beginning of the next is a good time to think about your goals for the year but you do this any time you need to get focused. First take a look at what you've achieved so far. What did you learn, what were the highs and lows?

Then think about what you would like to achieve in the coming year?  Do you have one BIG goal that you would like to achieve, or perhaps three or four goals that you would like to complete next year - and
no, I don't mean those New Year 'resolutions' which rapidly fade from view by about the middle of February.

To read more - just register for the free IFA Time Life Newsletter and get Top Time Tips for you and your business.

Time Management Study For More Efficient New Model Businesses

Do you want to increase your asset administration by 31%?

An international study of advisers has found that the most efficient firms are those most likely to have robust, new model businesses.

Julie Littlechild of Advisor Insight said the survey demonstrated there are three types of efficiency:

* strategic – knowing what you want to accomplish
* structural – how you deliver service and to whom
* personal – how you structure your day to ensure what you do is linked to your goals

Efficient firms were not necessarily those that had been around for longer. However, those that had cracked personal and corporate efficiency were in much better shape. In the UK efficient firms had 60% higher assets and 20% higher revenues per client.

You can read more of the article on the Universi site here.

If you want to improve your own personal productivity, increase your efficiency and grow your business  then contact me for an initial  consultation.

Your Work, Your Business

This is one of my weekly M.A.D. Moments that might be of interest to all you hard working IFAs.

What does your work and business mean to you?

• Do you enjoy the work/job that you do?
• How many hours do you spend at work - would you like to spend less?
• Do you work with people who respect and support you?
• What would you really like to doing if you weren't doing your current job/business?

Do you live to work or work to live?  As we spend approximately 50% of your waking hours at work - or possibly more if you work for yourself, you might as well enjoy it and make the most of the time you spend there, so that you actually get to spend more time on other areas of your life.

If you want to try something different, think about what it is you'd like to change.  Do you need to work smarter not harder?  Perhaps you can delegate the tasks you don't enjoy or aren't so good at to someone else, either within your team or think about employing someone else to do them.

Action:

What difference could you make to your work or business this week?

• Where could you make improvements to your business?  Take a look at your office - do you have the systems and resources in place to support you?  Take a look at your time - are you organised, do you spend the time as you wish, are you enjoying what you're doing?  If you want to take your business up a gear - get yourself a mentor, someone your respect who's where you want to be or who's done what you want to do.

• What does work mean to you?  What do you value, need, want?  How important is it in your life?  What are the things you're good at, what sort of work do you like to do?  Sometimes living from day to day is fine but it helps if you have a plan in mind.  Where do you want to be a year from now, three years from now?  Set a goal "Next year, I want to be doing …..".  Then set some specific steps to get you there.

This week take a look at what's working and what's not and take steps towards making a difference.

Find out how coaching could make a difference to your work and your business in this free Report -  What Is Coaching?, just click HERE to request a copy.