Do you spend your days frantically running from fire to fire instead of tackling the tasks on your to-do list? Does your work day stretch into the double digits as you try to gain some semblance of control over your business? Do you vaguely remember having a family and social life, but can’t be certain because you haven’t seen them in a long time?
If you’re like many real estate agents, you may spend the day putting out fires instead of tackling the tasks on your to-do list. Instead of feeling productive, you feel frustrated, overwhelmed and uninspired.
Great CEOs run their day; they don’t let their day run them. They take the time to plan, in advance, so they can be more productive in their business and professional to their clients. Want to be the CEO of your business and life? Here’s how to make it happen…
Plan your year: At the beginning of the year (now, if you haven’t yet), take out your calendar and mark the days that are your non-negotiables. This should include vacation time, birthdays, anniversaries, seminars, client parties, etc. While you may not know the exact dates for everything, estimating and getting it on your calendar now will help ensure you don’t forget or let one month bleed into the next without making time for these important activities. You can always shift things around when it’s time to plan the details.
Plan your month: Every month, schedule your events, appointments, seminars, open houses, etc. you know about for the month ahead. Also include time off for personal commitments like attending your child’s sporting events or date night. Once you add these priorities to your schedule, you can fit in everything else around them.
Plan your week: Planning the week helps you spread your tasks and activities out and boost your productivity. Since you’re not cramming everything into one day, you’re better prepared to address urgent matters without it throwing you off. For example, instead of writing notes and visiting a few clients on the same day, write notes on Wednesday and visit your clients on Friday. Doing a little each week will add up quickly. The key is consistency!
Plan your day: Scheduling your day is the single most important thing you can do to become a more productive and effective real estate pro. When you stick to a schedule, you’re less likely to succumb to distractions. Time blocking is a powerful tool in which you schedule your day into 90-minute blocks of time with 15 minutes or so in between. During those 90 minutes, focus on one activity, whether it’s generating leads or planning a client party.
Take it to the next level and rethink your to-do list. Instead of listing everything you want to get done that day, target one or two tasks that have to get done no matter what, no excuses. These are your top priorities. Focus on completing them and when you do, single out the next most important task, and so on.
When you plan, you have control over how you spend one of your most precious resources—your time. And, when you feel in control of your time, the less likely you are to fall prey to distractions and the fires that inevitably come up. Instead of feeling frustrated and overwhelmed, you’re able to tackle challenges head-on with ease and confidence. As a result, you truly act and feel like a pro…and become the CEO of your life and business.
Want more tips sure to boost your productivity? Check out the MarTech Trends™ Conference. This one-day event is full of all of the information you need to help you incorporate the latest technology into your real estate business. You won’t want to miss it!
