Are you tired of the same old, same old? Change it up!
Portrait of young man, yawning, c.1854. George Eastman House Collection.

I am noticing that this time of year I get a bit testy. I am tired of dreary clouds, tired of the same routine, and even a bit tired of my family, co-workers and clients. I cringe as I hear myself say grumpily, “When I was a kid, we got one day off for conferences MAYBE, and MAYBE Good Friday off. There wasn't any of this going skiing, or to the beach, or to a theme park for a week for us!” Yes, I have apparently become THAT “old lady!”

But we all need breaks. It is a long haul from New Year’s to that unofficial start of summer, Memorial Day. And in media sales, the probability is high that we don’t get a day off to reflect on the lives of our leaders, such as Martin Luther King Jr., or our presidents.

Ok, got it. No spring break for those in media sales. But even if you don’t use any of your coveted vacation days during the spring, it IS a good time for a break. You can attain some of the benefits of spring break – minus the tan – such as clearing your mind and refreshing your outlook, by making your own “media sales spring break”:

• Break up with some of your accounts. Set aside time to pull reports to see how long your accounts have been inactive. Prioritize your list based on true potential. If you haven’t called on them in a long time or you have that putting-off-calling-them-again feeling, break up with them! Also, look at smaller billing accounts that are time wasters. Clean up and pare down your list so you can focus on bigger dollars. Less clutter in your list will make for less clutter in your mind.
• Break old habits and make new ones. Just for your spring break time, don’t do things that waste time and bring you down, and do things that require you to change for the better. Instead of heading to the break room first thing in the morning and standing around the coffee pot talking about last night’s American Idol, get your caffeine and open your calendar. Plan for your meetings with your manager, do some research on that new client you are meeting for the first time, make a couple of calls, or send those emails to get those appointments that you have been meaning to get to. Before you go home, set aside time to put your notes from the day into your virtual or real file folders. Take a good look at your activities that have become time wasting habits. You will feel more productive if you can shed them.
• Break up the routine. During your media sales spring break, take a different route to work. Park in a different place. Go into work at start time and leave at close of business. Go to lunch at places you have never been before. Better yet, invite two clients (non-competing, of course) to join you. Ask your manager to move your afternoon one-on- one to the morning just this once. This will help you get out of your rut and help you look at things differently.
• Break out the fun. Part of the fun of a break or a trip is the planning and looking forward to it. Plan something fun for yourself, such as a dinner, movie (in a theater, complete with popcorn), or a sporting event. One of my best clients, who become a friend, did the marketing for a casino. A buffet lunch with him and 15 minutes at the slots was a treat to be savored during a grinding week. Check out your list and visit the clients you laugh with and who have goods and services that appeal to you.
• Break away from negativity and looking backwards. Spring is a time of renewal. Forgive yourself for that client that slipped through the cracks and find a system to help you feel confident it won’t happen again. Look backwards only in order to set a good path to move forwards with your customers. Spend your media sales spring break time avoiding the complainers in your building. Put a smile on your face and infuse other with your positive outlook.

So what if you didn't get to ride the boat ride surrounded by the singing pirates, or have the raccoon look made by the sun shining on a face with ski goggles? You have a great job in media sales, and you can refresh and reset by making your own spring break! [hs_action id="845"]