How to maintain a Work/Life balance as a sales professional

Well, how do you do it?  As a sales professional, we understand that "9-5" job does not really exist.  Think about it, sales people are always on cal and always working!  So how do you balance your professional life from your personal life? 

I have been in sales for the past 6 years and I found myself going in early, leaving late and checking work emails from my Blackberry when normal humans are sleeping.  I can't put my finger on why I'm always working, but I believe that it has to do with the passion, the drive and the willingness it takes to become better at your sales career.  I have been in the staffing industry for the past 5 years and in order to be a successful recruiter, you constantly need to network.  I constantly find myself talking about my job, whether it be in or out of the office.  The first year on the job, I found myself constantly talking to friends, colleagues and acquaintances about business.  Whether I was at a small gathering of friends or at a night out on the town, I found myself taking notes on potential clients I could call on or people I could do business with.  I was so caught up in work that I had noticed a strain on my relationships with friends and family, not to mention the extreme fatigue from all the long hours.  So I took a serious look at my life and started working on a better work/life balance.  How did I do it?

First thing that I do now is get prepared.  I want to maximize my time during office hours, so being organized and having a plan of attack is a good recipe for getting things done.  Typically, I prepare the night before in order to gain a clear perspective of what I need to accomplish the next day.  Creating a daily "To Do List" is a great way to organize your tasks and prioritize them by importance.  Writing things down keeps me in line and of course ensures that nothing falls through the cracks. 

After I start to dig into my day, it is also important to not get distracted by things that are going to waste your time.  It's incredibly easy to get distracted at work.  You find yourself chatting with colleagues about irrelevant topics, checking Facebook or MySpace, or browsing your favorite websites.  It's a huge waste of time and then the next thing you know it's 4:30 and you have nothing accomplished.  Sometimes, you have to step away from your desk and take a "mental moment" and it may be better for production to take a deep breath or a quick walk outside to refresh yourself, but make sure you complete the tasks that you've outlined on your "To Do List".  At the end of the day when you ask yourself "Did I do everything that I needed to do today!?", the answer should always be "yes."

The reason that you want to push yourself so hard during the day is so you can literally leave your work at the office and take time to enjoy your own personal time.  For instance, have you found yourself skipping out on things that you typically do after work such as dinner with friends, sports league, working out, taking time to spend with your significant other or spending time with your children?  Is work your #1 priority or life outside of work? For every sales professional it should be both.  Personally, I need one to satisfy the other.  Eliminating the activities I do for myself could lead to mistakes in the office or the detrimental feeling of being burnt out.  Work hard and work smart, but don't forget to enjoy yourself and do things that make you happy!  This will certainly fuel your fire!  Remember:  All work and no play makes sales professionals dull boys and girls!