In my 25+ years in the automotive dealership training and consulting arena, I have been exposed to numerous dealership executives, department managers, and sales and service personnel who felt the need to be “on the job” 60, 70, and, yes, even 80 hours per week. And no matter how much you love the retail business and its diversity, excitement and challenges, that level of time investment in your business career will never allow you to achieve any type of reasonable balance between your professional life and your personal life. Believe me, when I was in the retail side of the business, I learned the hard way that the car business will suck every hour out your personal life that you allow it to! 

It shouldn’t, and it doesn’t have to! In an effectively staffed dealership, with good business processes and reasonable personnel scheduling combined with sound time management practices, there should be no need for any manager or employee to “clock” more than 55 hours per week. Should we expect that all employees clock 55 hours? Certainly not! That would be totally unrealistic, particularly considering the maximum work schedules desired by most "Generation X and Y” employees who work in our industry. But for some reason, 55 hours seems to be the magic number that top performing executives, managers, and sales and service professionals know they need to work to be successful in the retail automotive business.

The key to becoming highly successful within the magical 55 hour workweek schedule is time management.  Dave Anderson, of LearnToLead.com has written many articles on this subject. Following, I have selected what I consider to be the three best things that Dave recommends:

1. Structure your day around the discipline of priorities! “First things first, last things not at all.” (Peter Drucker)

2. Leave as little unmanaged time on your daily calendar as possible! Unmanaged time is a killer. It slays drive, passion, rhythm, momentum, execution, and accomplishment.

3. Build a routine and stick to it! Structure keeps you focused. Develop highly productive habits. If you’re a leader without a solid routine, you have no credibility telling others to get their act together.

Developing and executing sound time management practices is easier said than done. That's why it's an important component of most of the NCM Institute's management training courses.  Have you got a system that works for you?  If so, share your time management tips with our readers, below.