When I talk about productivity with my husband, he often repeats this quote: If you want to get something done, ask a busy person. The meaning is crystal clear. Busy people (usually) get it done.

But productivity? It’s the name of the game, the secret sauce behind every top-performing financial advisor you know, whether they admit it or not. Now, you’re probably thinking, “Mary Rose, I’m already busy!” And yes, I get it. You’re juggling clients, compliance, marketing, and everything else under the sun. But here’s the thing—busy doesn’t equal productive. That’s what we’re here to fix.

You see, the real difference between highly successful financial advisors and everyone else isn’t just the number of hours they grind. No. The difference is how they structure their day to focus on the stuff that actually moves the needle—their highest priorities. So, let me share some hard truths with you and give you the exact playbook you need to make your days more productive than you ever thought possible.

The Advisor’s Secret Productivity Weapon

Productivity isn’t just a buzzword. It’s your competitive edge, the key to making sure you’re attracting qualified leads while still serving your existing clients like royalty.

What I’m talking about here is building a foundation. A solid, productive foundation that allows you to operate like a well-oiled machine. I’m not telling you to work harder—I’m telling you to work smarter. When you master this, you’ll have more time for what really matters: growing your business and keeping clients happy. And by the way, this productivity foundation? It’s your ticket to more marketing, more lead gen, and more revenue.

Now, let’s break it down into actionable steps so you can take control of your day and stop being a slave to it.

Identify Your Top 3 Priorities – Non-Negotiables Only

One of the biggest mistakes advisors make is treating everything like it’s urgent. It’s not. You’re not a firefighter, you’re an advisor. So, instead of reacting to everything as it comes, get intentional. Every single day, you’re going to pick just three top priorities. Not five. Not twenty. Three. And these aren’t just any tasks—they’re the tasks that will move the needle for your business.

How to Spot Your Top 3:

You have to take the time to do this, preferably either before your week starts or the night before. Determine what you need to accomplish during the upcoming week or night before your workday. Consider the following and be ruthless:

• High-Impact Tasks Only: If it’s not moving the needle on your client relationships, your business growth, or hitting a major deadline, it’s not on your priority list. Period.
• Long-Term Goal Alignment: Your daily priorities should feed into the bigger picture. Got a lead-gen target for the month? Then guess what? Engaging with prospects or creating a lead magnet is a priority.
• Morning Review Ritual: If you’re waiting until 3 PM to figure out what you should be doing, you’ve already lost the day. Set 10 minutes aside first thing in the morning to identify your top three.

Look, narrowing your focus to just three daily priorities doesn’t mean you’ll ignore everything else—it means you’ll crush the most important stuff first. Everything else is just noise.

Time-Blocking: The Most Underestimated Productivity Tool Out There

Let’s talk about time. Everyone’s got the same 24 hours. How do you use it? That’s the game-changer. The concept is simple: time-blocking. The execution? Well, that’s where the magic happens.

When you block off time for your highest-focus tasks, you’re telling the world (and your inbox) to back off. You’re in control. You’ve set the agenda. Not the other way around.

How to Make Time-Blocking Work:

• Carve Out the Blocks: Take your top three priorities and give them real estate on your calendar. One hour for client emails. Two hours for strategy or client meetings. Maybe another hour to work on that lead magnet or webinar.
• Guard Your Time: You know what kills productivity? Interruptions. So, turn off notifications, close the extra tabs, and let everyone know you’re unavailable. You’re in the zone. Protect your time because it’s all you’ve got.
• Batch Similar Tasks: Why jump from task to task? Instead, group your tasks. Knock out emails in one go, batch all your calls together, and tackle marketing tasks in a block. The less you switch tasks, the more you get done.

And for the love of everything productive, stop checking your email 20 times a day. Time-block it. Once in the morning, once in the afternoon. This also ends the temptation to answer non-urgent emails.

Weekly Review: The Feedback Loop to Keep You Sharp

Here’s a hard truth. If you’re not reviewing your progress, you’re flying blind. Weekly reviews are your chance to step back, look at what worked, and more importantly, fix what didn’t. This is your secret weapon for continuous improvement.

I do a daily, weekly, and even a monthly review—religiously. This isn’t optional if you want to stay at the top of your game.

How to Do a Weekly Review Right:

Take 30 minutes on Friday (or Sunday if you prefer) to review the week. What did you accomplish? Where did you stumble? You need to know where you’re winning so you can double down—and where you’re slipping so you can course-correct.

The weekly review isn’t just about looking backward. It’s about planning forward. Set your goals for the next week, making sure they align with your long-term vision.

Something didn’t work? Fix it. Missed a time block? Shift it. Your productivity system should be fluid, adaptable, and constantly optimized.

This process keeps you proactive instead of reactive. You’ll be ahead of the curve, not chasing your tail, and that’s what separates winners from the rest.

Three Quick Steps to Lock Down Your Productivity Plan

Let’s bring it home. If you’re ready to put this into practice, here are three quick steps to get your productivity plan up and running.

1. Start with Your Top 3 Priorities: Don’t overcomplicate it. Every morning, identify the three tasks that’ll drive the biggest results that day. Write them down and knock them out. If you do nothing else but this, you’re already ahead of the game.
2. Time-Block Like Your Business Depends on It (Because It Does): Pick your most important tasks and give them dedicated time on your calendar. Make time-blocking a non-negotiable part of your day. Don’t let distractions or low-priority tasks waste your time. I have a small section in my daily schedule just for my “Top 3.” I love crossing them off with a highlighter, along with other tasks. When I see a lot of highlighted areas in my daily calendar, I know I’ve had a great day.
3. Commit to a Weekly Review: Every week, take 30 minutes to reflect on your wins, your losses, and how you’re going to adjust for the week ahead. This is where the real improvement happens.

Final Thoughts: Stop Letting the Day Run You Ragged

At the end of the day, if you’re just going through the motions, letting distractions and minor tasks dictate your schedule, you’re never going to get where you want to go. Take control. By identifying your top priorities, using time-blocking, and incorporating a weekly review, you’ll build a system that keeps you focused on what really matters—getting more clients, building better relationships, and growing your business.

Stop spinning your wheels. Start creating a productive foundation that supports your goals. The time to get focused is now.