From Overwhelmed to CEO: Time Management Strategies for Direct Sellers Who Want to Actually Get Results
Hi friend! I’m Lindsay Dollinger—high school Spanish teacher, dog mom, world traveler, and direct seller who helps women grow their direct sales businesses the right way so they can earn great money, create freedom, and live a life they love.
And today, we’re diving into one of the most important skills for any business-owning woman:
✨ Time Management
(aka: how to run your business without losing your mind)
This training originally came from a live session inside my team group, but it was packed with so much value that I’m turning it into a full blog so you can come back to it any time.
Let’s dig in.
Listen to the podcast here:
https://pod.co/the-social-selling-sisterhood/team-training-recording-from-busy-to-productive
🌟 First: Time Management = Mindset
I know, I know.
You came here for hacks, schedules, and productivity tools.
But if you don’t fix your mindset around time, none of the tactics will stick.
Here are the four mindset questions you must answer:
1. What are you telling yourself about time?
Most women in direct sales say things like:
- “I don’t have time to work my business.”
- “My job/kids/schedule makes it impossible.”
- “I only have tiny pockets of time, so what’s the point?”
But here’s the truth:
➡️ We all have the same 24 hours.
Not the same resources—but the same time.
When you own your time, instead of apologizing for it, everything shifts.
Track your time for 24 hours. It will blow your mind how much disappears into:
- Scrolling
- Cleaning something that didn’t need cleaned
- Rewriting a graphic 10 times
- Random nonsense we think counts as work
Awareness is step one.
2. Are you treating your business like a business or a hobby?
Neither answer is wrong.
But your expectations MUST match your actions.
If you want:
- Consistent income
- Rankings
- Trips
- Team growth
- A business that supports your life
…then your business requires consistency and intention.
If you want a hobby?
Totally fine. Own that too.
But don’t expect business-level results from hobby-level effort.
3. What are you willing to do to make your business successful?
This might look like:
- Waking up 30 minutes earlier
- Working during your lunch break
- Using after-bedtime hours
- Inviting your spouse to take kid duty twice a week
- Cutting back on TV
- Putting systems in place
- Investing a tiny bit of money to get hours of your time back
You get to decide.
But you must decide.
4. What are your true priorities?
Ask yourself:
- What are the 2–3 things that are non-negotiable in your life?
- What matters most?
- What seasons require more business focus?
- What seasons require less?
The more honest you are with yourself, the easier your time management becomes.
🔧 Tools & Systems That Save You TIME (and your sanity)
Once your mindset is solid, now we get practical.
Here are tools that will save you hours every single week.
💡 Scheduling Tools
Schedule your parties, your posts, and your content IN ADVANCE.
Tools you can use:
- Facebook Scheduler
- CinchShare
- Planoly
- Later
- PostMyParty
Pro tip:
Do mega parties instead of multiple single-hostess parties.
One party. One set of scheduled posts. Multiple hostesses. Maximum impact.
💡 Video Tools
If you create video content, use tools like:
- StreamYard — go live in multiple places at once
- OneStream Live — upload prerecorded content and stream it as if live
- YouTube — great for tutorials, product videos, and repurposing
This is how you take ONE video and use it:
- In your VIP group
- On your business page
- On YouTube
- On Instagram
- In emails
- In onboarding
Work smarter, not harder.
💡 Virtual Assistants
This is the biggest time saver of all.
A VA can:
- Send follow-ups
- Message new VIP members
- Create graphics
- Pull reports
- Send samples
- Schedule posts
- Manage hostess coaching
- Run your team recognition
- Organize your content
- Upload your videos
- Prep your emails
And all for $15–$25/hr depending on your VA.
One “buy 3 get 1” sale can pay for their entire week.
If your time is worth more than $3/hour…
you can afford a VA.
💸 Income-Producing Activities (aka: What Actually Makes You Money)
This is where most direct sellers waste the MOST time.
Let’s be blunt:
👉 Most things you THINK are work… aren’t actually work.
These are NOT income-producing:
❌ Making graphics
❌ Scrolling Facebook
❌ Watching trainings for hours
❌ Reorganizing your office
❌ Sorting your inventory
❌ Chatting in team chats all day
❌ Refreshing your back office
❌ Planning without executing
These ARE income-producing:
✔️ Connecting with new people
✔️ Inviting to host
✔️ Sharing the opportunity
✔️ Follow-ups
✔️ Sales
✔️ Customer care
✔️ Parties
✔️ Conversations
Do more of those.
Do fewer of everything else.
🧠 How to Plan Your Time Like a CEO
Here’s the system I teach (and use myself).
1. Plan quarterly
Look at the next 90 days and mark:
- Vacations
- School events
- Holidays
- Company launches
- Conference
- Incentive trip announcements
- Busy seasons
- Slow seasons
This helps you anticipate sales opportunities and time off.
2. Plan monthly
Break down the month:
- What are you promoting?
- What sales might happen?
- What events do you want to host?
- What content themes align?
- What’s your focus for each week?
3. Plan weekly
I spend 45–60 minutes every Sunday planning my week.
I plan:
- Power hours
- Content creation
- Team time
- Personal time
- Appointments
- Self-care
- Family time
- Meals
- Workouts
- Social plans
Your LIFE belongs on your calendar, not just business.
4. Plan daily
Every morning I write:
- Top 3 priorities
- Follow-ups for the day
- Invites for the day
- Three self-care goals
- My affirmation
- Hour-by-hour schedule
I also plan FUN—yes, even if it’s “watch a movie at 10pm.”
When it’s scheduled, it happens.
🧩 The Puzzle Piece Analogy
Growing your business is like working a puzzle.
- When you start, the pieces feel confusing.
- You try things that don’t fit.
- You don’t see the full picture yet.
- You learn the edges first.
- You get faster once you have practice.
You cannot dump a 5,000-piece puzzle on a baby
and expect them to put it together.
Same with your business.
You grow as you learn.
You learn by doing.
You only fail when you quit showing up.
One puzzle piece a day = progress.
❤️ Final Thoughts: Do What Works for YOU
Your business should support your life—not suffocate it.
Time management isn’t about:
✖️ Hustling nonstop
✖️ Burning yourself out
✖️ Working 24/7
It’s about:
✔️ Intention
✔️ Boundaries
✔️ Efficiency
✔️ Systems
✔️ Priorities
✔️ Freedom
Start where you are.
Use what you have.
Do what you can.
And remember:
Done is better than perfect.
Consistency beats intensity.
You’re the CEO—act like it.