Hey there,

The most productive part of my day starts at 4:30 PM.

I used to work late nights trying to play catch-up. My rationale? If I didn’t finish today, tomorrow’s work would compound and I’d be even further behind. I treated everything as “urgent and important” and was burning out because of it.

Just joining us? This is part 3 of 4 on mastering work-life balance as a high-performing seller. Here’s 1 & 2 in case you missed them:

Pt 1. Successful at work, mess at home - until this (How I fixed my double life with a single system)

Pt 2. How to say organized, even if you hate systems (The 2-project system anyone can follow)

Today, we're building on those foundations with:

• The 25-minute shutdown routine that transformed my productivity

• How to set this up as a recurring task in Todoist (90-sec video)

• Copy of my Daily Shutdown Checklist

Let's make your evenings yours again.

3 Steps to Leave at 5pm Without Dropping Any Balls

Your end-of-day routine is as important as your morning routine. Here's the system that works.

Step 1: The 4:30 PM Daily Shutdown

• Process inbox to zero (here’s how)

• Review today's tasks: Reschedule, delegate, or delete incomplete items

• Prep for tomorrow: Review calendar, block focus time, set meeting agendas

Step 2: The Evening Reset

• Clear your desk completely: File papers, close browser tabs, clean workspace

• Set tomorrow's priorities: Identify the top 3 tasks, block time for each, and pre-load any documents needed for tomorrow

Step 3: The Clean Break

Most important step: Actually leave at 5pm. (or whenever you plan to leave)

• No "one more thing"

• No checking email on phone

• No taking work home

Unless you’re a doctor, your job is likely not life or death.

If there happens to be a 911 issue after hours, set the expectation for colleagues to “call”, but ensure clear boundaries on what constitutes an “emergency”.

Bonus: Make It Automatic In Todoist

Watch this 90-second video to set up your shutdown routine as a recurring task, so you never have to think about it again. (click the image to watch)

That's it.

Here's what you learned today:

• Working late is often a sign of poor systems, not poor performance

• A 25-minute shutdown prevents morning chaos

• Clear boundaries create better results

Start your shutdown routine today. Download my Daily Shutdown Checklist here: [LINK]

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PS...If you're enjoying The Systematic Sales Leader, please consider referring this edition to a friend. They'll get the exact systems I use to save 10+ hours every week.

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