- NEW: Replays—Insider exclusive recordings of Office Hours sales discussions
- Downloadable prospecting letters
- One killer-good intro letter only the bravest of the brave send out
- A downloadable voicemail script
- 15 on-demand video sales courses
- Archived sales content searchable by sales challenge
Complete Story
02/28/2024
Time Management is a Bag of Flour
Source: Bill Farquharson, The Sales Vault, February 26, 2024
Time management is a bag of flour.
You are sitting at your desk performing a task of some kind and an idea comes to you. You write it down. Getting back to that task, you are reminded of a thought that came to you while you were driving earlier in the day. You write it down. The day’s production meeting starts and new procedures are introduced. That means you’ll have to put some time into learning a new workflow system. You write yourself a reminder.
This kind of innocent activity is common for most of us. Seemingly by itself, a task list grows until there’s no more room to write on the piece of paper. Suddenly, you are buried in to-do’s, each an additional mental burden.
While you are able to whittle away at some of these add-on tasks, you feel frustrated at the end of the day because you did not get to any of the original priorities you had established while planning your day.
Think of this scenario as a bag of flour dropped on the floor. At the center of this kitchen disaster, there is a pile, while all around in every direction is a cloud of white. In the end, only the mess in the middle is in any way salvageable. But you can’t get to it until you clean up around it.
Look, there is nothing wrong with capturing these fleeting thoughts before they whisp away, but we cannot let them derail our day as they do. Go ahead and write them down but keep them separate from the day’s agenda. With very few exceptions, nothing is as urgent as it seems. Most of these wayward thoughts can wait.
Let them.
Work your task A-List as you would normally. That will give you an important sense of completion before you move on to List B.
And hand me the broom, will you? There is some clean-up to do.
The Sales Vault, created by Bill Farquharson, is a subscription-based resource and sales community featuring a calendar packed with live workshops, on-demand sales courses, peer-to-peer discussion groups, and 35+ years of sales training content all searchable by sales challenge. Think of it as a sales conference where the seminars and workshops, full of instantly applicable ideas, are ongoing and more programs are added constantly.
The Sales Vault is available on a monthly subscription basis, normally at a no-brainer monthly price of $45/participant, but… GMA members can take advantage of an exclusive offer: FREE membership for 30 days followed by a discounted monthly subscription price of just $40/participant.
Bill has been a friend of GMA for many years and is, no doubt, known to our members as a top sales trainer and content creator for the graphic arts.
Other Vault resources:
24 Hours Left: Don't Miss Your 2026 Wage & Benefits Report
The deadline to participate in the 2026 Wage & Benefits Survey is Friday, July 17. Returning participants can typically update and submit their information in just 10–15 minutes, while new participants gain access to one of the industry's most valuable compensation benchmarking tools. Don't miss your opportunity to contribute and receive the full report.
Read MoreJoin us for GMA's Biggest Night of the Year!
Registration is now open for the 2026 Print Excellence Awards Grand Ceremony! Join us as we celebrate this year's award winners, recognize outstanding achievement, and enjoy an unforgettable evening of great food, networking, and the very best our industry has to offer.
Read MoreMember News: Congratulations to August Grebinski on an Exciting New Chapter
Graphic Media Alliance is proud to celebrate one of our members as August Grebinski transitions from operator to owner of Print Bind Ship through IXL Graphics, Inc. Please join us in congratulating August on this exciting milestone and wishing him continued success in the years ahead.
Read MoreCould Your Workplace Be at Risk Even Without an OSHA Violation?
Many employers are familiar with OSHA's specific safety standards, but fewer understand the General Duty Clause—a broad requirement that can result in citations even when no specific regulation exists. This month's Safety Spotlight from Sedgwick explains what every employer should know to reduce risk and maintain a safer workplace.
Read MoreMember News: Tecnau Advances High-Speed Inkjet Automation with HP Certification
Congratulations to Graphic Media Alliance member Tecnau on achieving HP certification for its Revolution 50 AutoSetup solution with the HP PageWide Web Press A2200. The milestone reinforces Tecnau's continued leadership in finishing automation and integrated digital print workflows.
Read MoreProspecting for Promo
Networking events can be a goldmine for new business—but only if you approach them the right way. This week's Short Attention Span Sales Tip from Bill Farquharson explains why talking less about promotional products and more about your prospect's business can uncover opportunities you never knew existed.
Read More