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REALTOR Toolbox: How to Achieve Work-Life Balance in Real Estate
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By Melissa Dittman Tracey, REALTOR® Magazine Contributing Editor
Long work days, weekends packed with appointments, a phone buzzing at all hours—it’s not easy to work in real estate while carving out precious “me” time too. But here’s how real estate pros can find peace within the chaos.
1. Don’t fly solo. As your business grows, call in help to avoid missed messages or overlooked details that could put your reputation at risk. Consider taking on a partner or joining a team. Or, think about hiring a virtual assistant on a temporary or ongoing basis to help with any number of tasks, such as blogging, web design, writing listing ads, coordinating marketing efforts, and more. (You’ll find plenty of channels to find one, such as the International Virtual Assistants Association or the REVA Network.)
2. Prioritize and conquer. Don’t let limitless distractions lead your day astray. Identify your “core four” priorities of that day. Which tasks are the most urgent? What will push your business forward? Focus on completing one of those tasks at a time. A study from the IT firm Basex Inc. shows workers get distracted every three minutes when trying to complete a task. It then takes about 20 minutes to refocus. Turn off potential distractors. Also set specific times of the day when you’ll take care of everyday priorities, such as replying to email, text, and phone messages. Convey those times to clients.
3. Add in an “hour of power.” Take time to recharge. It’ll actually make you more productive. For example, go for a walk, meet up with friends, or consider taking a nap. Sleep.org says the optimum nap duration should be no more than 20 minutes to reap the benefits of higher alertness and better productivity.
4. Break from routine. It can be good for your brain to not be so ingrained in routine, according to research from the University of Texas at Dallas’ Center for Brain Health. “We tend to fall into the same routines and do the same things over and over again,” says Jennifer Zientz, head of clinical services. “Our brain gets excited by change. It gets tired of the same tried and true status quo. We can pump it up by doing something different.” Explore a new hobby—one that also could be used to prospect—or join a business networking group to meet new people.
5. Make technology your wingmate. OK, we get it: You have nomophobia (the fear of being away from your phone). But use technology to fill in the gaps when you need to break away. Use contact management systems that send automatic responses as leads flow in to buy more time to respond. Seek out tech programs that also offer a human touch in your absence. For example, Better Voicemail will automatically change your customized voicemail greetings based on who is calling by using their caller ID information, area code, or a call group you’ve pre-set (such as first-time callers). Once you have a tech safety net in place, take time to unplug. Tuck your phone into a sleeping bag—yes, that’s an actual thing—and keep your device out of reach to eliminate temptation.
Finding a balanced life isn’t an excuse to stop working hard. You’ll actually start working at a higher, more productive level. You’ll rid yourself of time-busters and focus your energy on what matters most—both in your work and personal life.
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34 CAPITAL AREA REALTOR ® — March/April 2020 Terms, conditions and fees for accounts, programs, products and services are subject to change. This is not a commitment to lend. All loans are subject to credit and property approval. Certain restrictions may apply on all programs. Offer cannot be combined with any other mortgage offer. This offer contains information about U.S. domestic financial services provided by Citibank, N.A. and is intended for use domestically in the U.S. A Citibank deposit account and automated monthly transfers of the mortgage payment from a Citibank personal deposit account using automated drafting will be required to receive Citibank mortgage relationship pricing. Ask a mortgage representative for details on eligible balances and the qualifying closing cost credit or rate discount. Availability of the Citibank mortgage relationship pricing for Citibank account holders is subject to change without notice. Available for clients with a minimum of $500,000 or more in investable post-close assets, and at least $50,000 in traditional assets must be on deposit with Citi at least 10 days prior to closing. This amount may be part of the $500,000 eligibility requirement. Real estate, loan proceeds, stock options, restricted stock and personal property will not be counted as part of the $500,000 or more investable post-close assets or the $50,000 in traditional assets. Net cash value of life insurance can be counted as part of the $500,000 but not part of the traditional assets. Investable assets are defined as deposit accounts (checking, savings, money market, Certificates of Deposit), unrestricted stocks, nonvested stock and restricted stock, bonds and retirement accounts held by the individual who is personally liable on the loan. These asset types held in revocable trust may be used provided the trust document meets the Trust Policy. 100% of the face value of all assets, except non-vested stock and restricted stock, may be used to calculate the amount of funds available to meet the eligibility criteria. For non-vested stock and restricted stock, the borrower must be 100% vested within 1 year of closing and a maximum of 70% of value may be used to calculate qualifying equity. Additional conditions apply. ©2020 Citibank, N.A. NMLS# 412915. Member FDIC and Equal Housing Lender. Citi, Citi and Arc Design and other marks used herein are service marks of Citigroup Inc. or its affiliates, used and registered throughout the world. Terms, conditions and fees for accounts, programs, products and services are subject to change. This is not a commitment to lend. All loans are subject to credit and property approval. Certain restrictions may apply on all programs. Offer cannot be combined with any other mortgage offer. This offer contains information about U.S. domestic financial services provided by Citibank, N.A. and is intended for use domestically in the U.S. 1 A Citibank deposit account and automated monthly transfers of the mortgage payment from a Citibank personal deposit account using automated drafting will be required to receive Citibank mortgage relationship pricing. Ask a mortgage representative for details on eligible balances and the qualifying closing cost credit or rate discount. Availability of the Citibank mortgage relationship pricing for Citibank account holders is subject to change without notice. 2 Available for clients with a minimum of $500,000 or more in investable post-close assets, and at least $50,000 in traditional assets must be on deposit with Citi at least 10 days prior to closing. This amount may be part of the $500,000 eligibility requirement. Real estate, loan proceeds, stock options, restricted stock and personal property will not be counted as part of the $500,000 or more investable post-close assets or the $50,000 in traditional assets. Net cash value of life insurance can be counted as part of the $500,000 but not part of the traditional assets. Investable assets are defined as deposit accounts (checking, savings, money market, Certificates of Deposit), unrestricted stocks, nonvested stock and restricted stock, bonds and retirement accounts held by the individual who is personally liable on the loan. These asset types held in revocable trust may be used provided the trust document meets the Trust Policy. 100% of the face value of all assets, except non-vested stock and restricted stock, may be used to calculate the amount of funds available to meet the eligibility criteria. For non-vested stock and restricted stock, the borrower must be 100% vested within 1 year of closing and a maximum of 70% of value may be used to calculate qualifying equity. Additional conditions apply. ©2020 Citibank, N.A. NMLS# 412915. Member FDIC and Equal Housing Lender. Citi, Citi and Arc Design and other marks used herein are service marks of Citigroup Inc. or its affiliates, used and registered throughout the world.
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