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There are only so many minutes in an hour and hours in a day, but every four years, the intricacies of modern Western time measurement give us an extra day in the year. Leap Year won’t extend your life span or even your weekend, but it can improve your business.

As busy as modern life is, “not having time” is a convenient reason to put off ideas and practices that could save us a lot of stress in the long run. Why not use Leap Day as an opportunity to take time to make the next four years more productive than the last?

Here are some of our favorite ideas:

1. Make a four-year plan.

You want to double your brokerage business, but have you mapped out the strategy to achieve it? We don’t often think more than a year or two into the future, but looking farther down the road enables us to achieve bigger things. If your goal doesn’t scare you, it’s not big enough. Use the day to write a plan to achieve your dream. Identify tactics and objectives for the next 48 months and outline your 2020 vision for where you’ll be on 2/29/20.

2. Spend the day on long shots.

You could spend your bonus 24 hours like you would an extra $20 bill found on the sidewalk in front of the casino, and bet on a long shot or two. What do you have to lose by calling that prospective client you wouldn’t normally spend time trying to catch in her office? Spend today thinking about fresh ideas and improbabilities you’re often too busy to put effort behind, and act on them. You might surprise yourself.

3. Dive into new technology.

Clearing your schedule for a couple of hours to learn the latest and greatest technology may seem counterproductive. After all, that means those hours won’t be spent talking to employers and closing deals. However, spending the time to figure out how to use a new lead generating tool or time management program can actually save you time in the future. Learning how to make technology work for you means your team will be more productive. Start March with new tools in your repertoire.

4. Get organized.

If you’re the type to shove papers into a drawer and worry about syncing everything up later, you’re the type to find an uncalled prospect or untapped opportunity on the bottom of a stack of papers on your desk. Opportunities only have potential if they are used. Don’t waste yours because you can’t remember where their contact information is. Use your extra day this year to organize your business.

5. Read up.

Every day, new content is published on how to grow your business. It can be difficult to stay up-to-date on the latest research when you’re busy moving forward. Use a portion of this year’s extra 24 hours to catch up. Spending some time now to be better informed for the future puts success directly in your path. How else will you know that when used correctly, data analytics can provide a clearer representation of your clients’ employees? And through that delineation, you can create a tailored benefits portfolio not just based on the company, but on the employees. Don’t know where to start? Talk to your providers. They have a great handle on the market. They know the industry and your competition.

To some, Feb. 29 will be just another Monday. But to you, it will be the Monday that forever changed your business. Your future thanks you.

Instant Insights /

5 productive ways brokers can use the extra day this leap year

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