I have been setting my heart on the Sales Manager’s position since day one that I worked for my company two years ago as a Sales Coordinator. The charm of my targeted position is to make connections with the clients face to face, bringing business opportunities to our worldwide hotel properties and travel internationally to showcase our products and services. I landed the job two months ago.
As one could imagine, I was extremely excited and high spirited at first. But soon enough the excitement was replaced by the stress. No wonder my manager used to joke with me and said: “be careful what you wish for!” It was really tough during the transition period. I helped to interview candidates and train my successor. In the meanwhile, I started working directly with clients from more than 50 companies. As it is also the busiest time of the year for contract renewal, I wouldn’t be surprised by 70 or more new emails every day. Things could be even more challenging if I am traveling – meeting the clients in the daytime and replying emails in the evening.
I have always been on top of my work and never left an unsolved issue to the next day. It resulted in many late nights and mood swings when adapting to my new role. To keep up on my work quality and not drown into overwhelmingness, I started to seek solutions to take back control of my life.
- “Self – Coaching
Growth is always painful. This is the time that all inspirational speeches that I have listened resonate. I tell myself that things would all fall into places eventually after the initial two to three months, and it is a valuable learning experience for me. So stay positive.
2. Time management
I used to read books or slip in a quick nap during my commute. Now I look into the task list that I jot down the day before to familiarize myself with where I am. I keep the notebook with me all the time. If any ideas hit me, I write them down immediately and follow up later. Also, I start to set a time frame for each task. For example, if I estimate that I would use one hour to complete a contract proposal, I would ignore newly received emails, if they are not urgent inquiries, to purely focus on the single task. It is amazing to see how the deadline works. Last but not the least, if it takes me more time to explain a situation in an email, I choose to make a phone call instead to avoid misconstruction and save some time for both me and the recipient. I realize that I could be more productive if I am aware of how I use my time.
3. Multi-tasks
To use time wisely, I decide to challenge myself to be a multitasker. I could complete some easy tasks quickly when someone placed my call on hold. Or when one online platform is processing, I would work on another and go back and forth. It probably saves me two minutes here and there. The bonus is that it makes my brain more active and alert.
4. Emotion management
My husband once told me that it is normal to feel down, but it is important to be aware of our emotions. He reminds me that human emotions are like tides, we should readily accept our own feelings, no matter high or low, take control and react properly. I took it as a very useful advice. For instance, when the same colleague of mine cross the Atlantic Ocean, who bombarded my inbox to chase business every day, at first, I was irritated and felt annoyed. Once I realized my emotion, I started to take control and told myself to try to understand his or her situation. I would set aside his or her emails and focus on other priorities to counterbalance my emotion until I restore my rational state of mind. In that case, I make sure that I stay professional and calm when responding emails. Also, I used to bring lunch and eat at my desk and stay in the office for the whole day. Now I take some time to take a walk, get some fresh air and enjoy some sunshine. In that way, I get refreshed and regain some energy to stay focus in the afternoon.
- Manage the expectation.
Sometimes it is just not realistic to do all at once or get things done immediately. I gradually realize that it is important to communicate with my supervisor or my clients to set a reasonable timeline. It is easier to say yes but it is not healthy to exhaust myself physically and mentally in a long run. Most of the time, people appreciate the candid feedback and are very supportive if I could provide a plan.
They say what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger. I am glad that I have survived the transitional period of my role change and have learned so much in the process. Not only have I acquired new job skills, I have also developed a personal arsenal of “secret weapons” to handle stress and help me stay on top of my game. Day by day, I feel a stronger sense of inner strength as I build self-confidence, one step at a time.