February 15, 2024

The one Warren Buffett time management strategy I remember

Warren Buffett has one piece of advice on time management that is simple enough for me to remember: divide tasks into two lists—A for critical items and B for non-critical ones—and focus solely on the A list. This philosophy resonates deeply with the daily challenges of entrepreneurship, where the relentless flow of tasks often exceeds the available time.

Understandably, customers take precedence—they are quintessential A list items. Beyond immediate needs, my to-do list encompasses a mix of time-critical and billable tasks, all rightfully categorized under the A list. Tasks that lack urgency or direct profitability fall into the B list category.

Among these B list items, sales calls for prospecting future business opportunities often (always) get pushed to tomorrow. While vital for long-term growth, sales calls for new business frequently take a backseat to more pressing matters.

Its mid February as I write this, I've set a goal: to email 40 qualified new builders before our March newsletter release. This proactive step aims to expand our client base, fostering relationships and generating referrals for our core painters.

Publicly announcing my intentions serves as a motivator, propelling me to action. However, sustaining motivation amidst less appealing tasks remains a challenge.

I have two questions for you that I generally don't have answers for.

How do you approach making sales calls to cultivate new business?
What strategies do you use to motivate yourself to tackle challenging or disliked aspects of your job?

I'm looking forward to hearing about your thoughts when you come see me in the store.

Paul