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Inspiration
One thing at a time
s payment professionals, many of us are entre- Address priorities one at a time
preneurs with businesses of our own. Our
enterprises range in size from merchant level Once you’ve delegated appropriately, prioritize your work.
A salespeople (MLSs) working alone from home Pick the top three tasks you want to complete or move
offices, to ISOs with in-house staff working helping to forward significantly, and schedule them in separate time
support several independent MLSs, to ISOs with multiple slots for early in the day. Make sure each task has its own
U.S. locations that are now expanding internationally. dedicated time, and while you are working on a specific
thing, do not allow any interruptions or distractions. In
No matter how large or small the company, however, short, do only one thing at a time, and with full attention.
business owners shoulder multiple responsibilities and It helps tremendously to have a time limit set for each task,
often have several matters vying for their attention most because even if something that seems urgent is pulling at
of the time. Also, given the power of today’s mobile your attention, you can usually put it out of your mind for
technology, it is becoming increasingly uncommon for a brief period while you focus on what you have deemed
entrepreneurs to leave business matters at the office. is most important.
Emails pour into our inboxes at The amount of time you devote
all hours no matter where we are to each task can vary, depending
located, and text messages hit on the work itself and your own
our mobile phones and tablets, inclinations. However, research
often with a beep. I just received has indicated that shorter periods
a text, and stopped writing this from 20 to 30 minutes are ideal.
to look at it. It had nothing to Then, after each allotted period,
do with the thoughts I want to take a break. Leave your desk,
convey here. It was a distraction. Stretch. Get outside if possible.
And research has shown that Do this a little longer than you’re
people who are interrupted comfortable with; it will refresh
while at work on a specific task you and make you better able
take about 25 percent longer to to concentrate when you begin
complete it than those who are work on your next project.
not.
If something must be completed
Tips for zeroing in by a certain deadline, and
will take a number of hours to
So, my first bit of advice to you complete, split the project into
is: don't do what I just did. If a segments. Devote short periods
text message comes in while you of time to each, and schedule a
are engaged in an important break after each one.
activity, ignore it until you are
ready to give it your sole attention. Here are some other Take vacations
tips to help you become more focused, and thereby more
productive, while fulfilling the significant demands of My last bit of advice is to take vacations from your
helping your payment venture thrive. business several times a year. They don’t all have to be
lengthy. Some can just be a few days. The important thing
Delegate what you can is that while you are on vacation, disconnect. Turn off the
computer and cell phone. Delegate the handling of issues
Assess what is on your work plate and consider whether that arise in your absence to one of your colleagues and
certain tasks can be delegated to someone else or handled trust that it will work out. You will return to work with
via powerful new technology. For example, if you're renewed vigor and better able to focus on one thing at a
fielding numerous calls from MLSs who ask many of time.
the same questions, have someone prepare a FAQ page
for your website and spread the word to your sales team
that it is available. Also, many online training modules
for payment professionals are now available. Test some
of them to see if you can use this technology to cover the
basics so you are freed up to give your sales partners the
kind of mentoring only you can provide.
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One thing at a time
s payment professionals, many of us are entre- Address priorities one at a time
preneurs with businesses of our own. Our
enterprises range in size from merchant level Once you’ve delegated appropriately, prioritize your work.
A salespeople (MLSs) working alone from home Pick the top three tasks you want to complete or move
offices, to ISOs with in-house staff working helping to forward significantly, and schedule them in separate time
support several independent MLSs, to ISOs with multiple slots for early in the day. Make sure each task has its own
U.S. locations that are now expanding internationally. dedicated time, and while you are working on a specific
thing, do not allow any interruptions or distractions. In
No matter how large or small the company, however, short, do only one thing at a time, and with full attention.
business owners shoulder multiple responsibilities and It helps tremendously to have a time limit set for each task,
often have several matters vying for their attention most because even if something that seems urgent is pulling at
of the time. Also, given the power of today’s mobile your attention, you can usually put it out of your mind for
technology, it is becoming increasingly uncommon for a brief period while you focus on what you have deemed
entrepreneurs to leave business matters at the office. is most important.
Emails pour into our inboxes at The amount of time you devote
all hours no matter where we are to each task can vary, depending
located, and text messages hit on the work itself and your own
our mobile phones and tablets, inclinations. However, research
often with a beep. I just received has indicated that shorter periods
a text, and stopped writing this from 20 to 30 minutes are ideal.
to look at it. It had nothing to Then, after each allotted period,
do with the thoughts I want to take a break. Leave your desk,
convey here. It was a distraction. Stretch. Get outside if possible.
And research has shown that Do this a little longer than you’re
people who are interrupted comfortable with; it will refresh
while at work on a specific task you and make you better able
take about 25 percent longer to to concentrate when you begin
complete it than those who are work on your next project.
not.
If something must be completed
Tips for zeroing in by a certain deadline, and
will take a number of hours to
So, my first bit of advice to you complete, split the project into
is: don't do what I just did. If a segments. Devote short periods
text message comes in while you of time to each, and schedule a
are engaged in an important break after each one.
activity, ignore it until you are
ready to give it your sole attention. Here are some other Take vacations
tips to help you become more focused, and thereby more
productive, while fulfilling the significant demands of My last bit of advice is to take vacations from your
helping your payment venture thrive. business several times a year. They don’t all have to be
lengthy. Some can just be a few days. The important thing
Delegate what you can is that while you are on vacation, disconnect. Turn off the
computer and cell phone. Delegate the handling of issues
Assess what is on your work plate and consider whether that arise in your absence to one of your colleagues and
certain tasks can be delegated to someone else or handled trust that it will work out. You will return to work with
via powerful new technology. For example, if you're renewed vigor and better able to focus on one thing at a
fielding numerous calls from MLSs who ask many of time.
the same questions, have someone prepare a FAQ page
for your website and spread the word to your sales team
that it is available. Also, many online training modules
for payment professionals are now available. Test some
of them to see if you can use this technology to cover the
basics so you are freed up to give your sales partners the
kind of mentoring only you can provide.
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