The Time Trap

Overcoming the Biggest Obstacle to Writing Notes

In a recent LinkedIn poll, I asked corporate and nonprofit professionals and entrepreneurs, “What are your biggest challenges when it comes to writing professional notes?” Most respondents—45%—answered, “Finding the Time.”

It’s a common concern for all note writers everywhere, especially in today’s fast-paced and high-tech work environment. Most of us would agree that professional notes can be highly effective for building relationships with colleagues, prospects, clients, and employees, but finding time can seem impossible when schedules are packed.

Good news: it’s easier than you think

Writing a heartspoken note doesn’t have to be a long, daunting task. Here are a few strategies to help you make it part of your routine:

1. Batch your note writing.
   Set aside a specific time once a week or every couple of days to write multiple notes at once. Batching your efforts streamlines the process, and you’ll find that it doesn’t take nearly as long as you might expect. Even 10 to 15 minutes is enough to write several short, meaningful messages.

2. Keep it simple.
   A professional note doesn’t need to be lengthy or elaborate. A brief, sincere message can have just as much impact. The key is thoughtfulness, not word count. Jotting down a few heartfelt sentences can make someone's day without taking too much of yours.

3. Create a template.
   Use a basic sample or template for different types of notes (thank you, congratulations, follow-up). This reduces the amount of time spent deciding what to say, and with just a little repetition, you’ll find you no longer need to refer to a these. Personalize each note with specific details, but having a starting point can make the process much quicker and less intimidating.

4. Use a checklist.
   If there’s a type of note you write often, a checklist might help. Here are my Heartspoken checklists for thank-you notes and sympathy notes:

   

   Thank You Note Checklist 2023

   372KB ∙ PDF file

   Download

   Download
   

   Sympathy Note Checklist+ Cover 2023

   205KB ∙ PDF file

   Download

   Download

5. Seize small moments.
   We often underestimate the small pockets of time in our day—waiting for a meeting to start, between tasks, or during a lunch break. Keep a stack of note cards on your desk or a notes app on your phone to jot down quick messages when you have a few spare minutes.

6. Set a goal.
   Consider making it a goal to send one note per day or a certain number per week. A little bit of structure can create the habit of note writing, and it feels rewarding to check it off your list.

Note writers who find the time…

Get inspired by other famous busy people who make note writing a top priority:

• Mary Barra, CEO of General Motors

• Richard Branson, founder of Virgin Group

• Warren Buffett, CEO of Berkshire Hathaway

• Sheryl Sandberg, Former COO of Facebook and author of Lean In

• Oprah Winfrey, media mogul and philantrhopist

Time is a precious resource, but investing just a few minutes into writing professional notes can yield significant returns in terms of relationships, trust, goodwill…and yes, even sales! Anything worthwhile requires making the time to do it. The connections forged and strengthened by heartspoken notes are well worth it.

Heartspoken Support for professional note writers

In my LinkedIn newsletter “The HEARTSPOKEN Connection,”I give corporate, nonprofit, and sales professionals handy and effective note samples and templates to build relationships.

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From the Note & Letter Writing Calendar this week

• National Dictionary Day on Wednesday, October 16. We need words to write notes, so the dictionary is a fascinating resource for finding both the meaning and the derivation of the words we may want to use.

• Evaluate Your Life Day on Saturday Aug. 19. After you’ve done some evaluating, consider writing yourself a note — to your past self or your future self — and tell those beautiful selves what you’ve learned from your evaluation time.

Don’t miss the introductory price on my new course!

It’s finally here…my first-ever Heartspoken course, and readers of this newsletter get a special introductory 44% discount using check-out code FLAIRINTRO until the end of the month. I’m pricing this to make it a no-brainer purchase and get it in as many hands as possible. With the Heartspoken Movement, we’re reviving the art of the heartspoken note, and what better way than to make our most frequently written note—the thank-you note—more fun and easy?

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Have a great week and always remember: whether written or spoken, words from the heart will never fail you!