3 Things to Do When You Don't Feel Like Working

It's August. Chances are, wherever you are, it's hot. Maybe you just don't feel like working. Why? Maybe, partly, because everyone else seems to be on vacation.

(Related: Top 15 Excuses Why I'm Not Prospecting Today)

Here are three things you can do when you don't feel like working. If your manager comes around and asks questions, you will have an answer that's so logical, your manager will point to you and say: "Hey everybody, why aren't you working as hard as [your name goes here]?"

1. Call clients who left you.

Win a few, lose a few. People often leave because they think there are greener pastures elsewhere. Maybe they discovered it's the same grass. Pride keeps them from saying: "I made a mistake. Would you please take me back?"

Build a list. Call them up. Explain you understand they had their reasons for leaving. "Did everything work out like you hoped? I considered you an important client. I wanted to be certain you are all right." Stop talking. If they aren't totally satisfied, you met them halfway.

Manager explanation: I'm contacting former clients and trying to win them back.

2. Pay attention to LinkedIn.

Maybe you attended LinkedIn classes, but you didn't do anything with the service afterwards. You've got a profile page and that's it. The average LinkedIn user (and there are 500 million of them) is only on about 17 minutes per month, according to date from Omnicore.

Try being on LinkedIn more than the average user.

Invite clients and prospects to become contacts. Post a firm approved article link. Plan to post others. If your firm lets you like or comment on posts, do it. If your firm is restrictive, look under the Notifications tab and see who has a work anniversary, changed jobs or had a birthday.

Congratulate the people in the Notifications updates in the approved manner.

You want to get a dialog going, which you can likely continue via e-mail.

Manager Explanation: I'm developing LinkedIn as a marketing channel to increase my visibility and get some business conversations going.

3. Invite a retiring client to lunch.

Retiring means "about to leave the workforce," not shy.

Ask any retiring clients you take to lunch to bring along a couple of work colleagues who are retiring in the next 12 months.

Plan to pick up the tab for your foursome. Toast your client's retirement with your sugar-free iced tea. Ask each guest, "What do you plan to do on the first day of the rest of your life?" The retiring client will likely thank you for your help with getting on the road to a comfortable retirement. The other guests will think, "I'll have some of what that one's having."

Manager explanation: I'm trying to develop some business from pre-retirees. They are friends of a soon-to-be-retiring client.

You might not feel like working, but you are working. It's not busy work, either. You are prospecting. That's a good use of your time. Remember that every day starts as a blank canvas.

— Read 10 Ways to Tactfully Get Your Point Across, on ThinkAdvisor.

Bryce Sanders is president of Perceptive Business Solutions Inc. He provides HNW client acquisition training for the financial services industry. His book, "Captivating the Wealthy Investor" can be found on Amazon.

3 Things to Do When You Don't Feel Like Working

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