Sales is difficult.

On one level, you are an interruption. A disruption to whatever they had happening that day. You are asking them to change, to invest time and money, to take risks.

Faced with these challenges, you put yourself out there. You make calls, send e-mails, and reach out on social networks. You do all this knowing a large percentage of contacts are, at best, ignored and, at worst, met with hostility.

Doubt can creep in. Am I in the right profession? Do people need my product? Is the price fair? Am I taking a good approach with my prospects?

I can think of many days in my sales career where I encountered rejection after rejection. Time and time again people said no.

It shakes my confidence.

But something inside of me says keep going. Make the next call. Send that e-mail. Talk to that prospect. Stop by that trade show booth.

Oftentimes that last call led to a sale or a fruitful relationship.

As I work with sales professionals, I find that there is no shortage of information available. People know good methods for time management, call messaging, or e-mail tactics.

Why then do they get nervous when calling? Or avoid making the calls altogether?

I dig deeper. I ask about habits and practices. I find that many individuals are ignoring or avoiding the essentials. I bring up topics like self-care, meditation, exercise, and stress management for salespeople. It’s tempting to dismiss them as irrelevant to sales. I argue that they are not irrelevant, but essential for success.

1. Exercise

Most sales leaders that I follow talk at length about the importance of exercise. Many people ignore exercise despite overwhelming evidence of its benefits. My advice is to start small, with something you can achieve. Here are a few ways to get started:

  1. Start small. Take 15 minutes for a brisk walk (or other activity). This will get you in the habit of doing something for your body. You will appreciate the benefits and can grow into something more. Set an initial goal to exercise 15 minutes a day for 7 days. Don’t overwhelm yourself with huge commitments that can be easy to break. It’s much easier to walk 15 minutes than it is to drive to the gym at a certain time for a class. Especially when that class is challenging.
  2. Track your streaks. Count consecutive days to build on each other. Cal Newport discusses this idea in his book “Deep Work” for achieving goals. I use an app called “Habit List” with three non-negotiable outcomes that I’m tracking. It’s much harder to skip something when you’ve hit 51 days in a row.
  3. Find a partner. Workout with someone or have an accountability partner. If your budget allows, a trainer can be a valuable resource.

2. Meditate

I plan on writing a series of articles on this topic alone. The practice of meditation was a life-changing discovery. Most people spend their days avoiding their thoughts. On one level, they don’t even realize the thoughts are there, yet they influence our behavior and our mood in profound ways. A practice of meditation raises awareness to our thoughts and gives us power over them. For more information check out:

  1. Brendon Burchard – Release Meditation: This is what got me started on the path of meditation. It’s simple and you notice the effects immediately.

  1. Headspace / Calm / Insight Timer: There are many apps available for meditation. I used Headspace, which was a great “deep dive” into meditation after my initial excitement. Andy does a remarkable job teaching meditation in the practice sessions. There are also fun videos explaining the concepts and reinforcing the practice sessions. I had a paid subscription while I went through the beginner and advanced packs. Once I finished that I switched to Insight Timer. This is a free program with a variety of guided meditations, as well as the option to have your own timers. With this app, you can count streaks and try new things you might not have before.

3. Sleep

Again back to Brendon Burchard, I’d recommend his 5×50 productivity video. (http://brendon.mykajabi.com/p/5x50video ) I was pushing myself to the limits, and counting the lack of sleep as a badge of honor. What I didn’t realize was how much this lack of sleep was hurting my productivity.

Another good listen on this is James Altucher’s interview with Arianna Huffington. She wrote an excellent book on the importance of sleep.

Quick side note: Naps are great, too.

There are many other things to consider and add to your life. Healthy eating, journaling, and gratitude can make a big difference for your health.

Don’t try to take on everything at once. Pick one habit that’s most important and get traction. Start small with it, reward yourself, and celebrate the wins.

You owe it to yourself to take care of your mind/body. It will make a big difference in your work performance. And, who knows? You might find yourself having more fun as a result.