5 MORNING HABITS

5 Morning Habits to Make Your Day Super Productive

For many, most mornings begin with a rush—a rush to get dressed, a rush to find something edible for breakfast, a rush out the door and into rush hour. Likely you have heard articles advising you to set your Oftentimes, our first instinct upon waking is to check-in on our phones, tablets, or computers, to scope out the latest social media updates and e-mail correspondence. While studies show that waylaying screen time until you’re up and dressed, and have had a good breakfast, will actually make your first pass alarm early to give yourself some flexibility —which is sound advice, of course—but consider a few of these additional tweaks to your morning routine that can set a produc-

1. Keep Screens Away Until Breakfast

diving into the action might seem productive, tive tone for your day at large. at all things digital more focused, clear, and efficient. Instead of answering a few e-mails, checking out a friend’s photos, and then hurrying to shower and dress, instead make a resolution to keep the online world at bay for the first half-hour to an hour after you rise, then you’ll approach the digital world with fresh eyes, energy, and adeptness.

2. Meal Prep Sometimes hitting the snooze button is inevitable, but if you make prepping breakfast the night before a part of your routine, then grabbing something healthy on the go will be a snap—and your stomach will thank you for it. Load up your coffee machine ahead of time, so all you have to do 4. Begin with a To-Do List When work gets busy, sometimes just getting started is an overwhelming prospect. Before you dive in to your e-mails and projects, take twenty minutes and be thoughtful as you assess your daily and weekly to-do While we often rely on coffee for our morning buzz, exercise provides a potent burst of energy that can supercharge your day. But, let’s say you’re running behind and skip the gym—all is not lost! Take fifteen minutes in Everyone’s morning routine varies, but perhaps the first step is identifying aspects of your routine that could be improved, and tackling them from there. From waylaying is hit brew. Or, chop up a fruit salad, mix a smoothie, or simply put a granola bar and a grapefruit in your lunch bag, ready to be grabbed on your way out the door. Even if it’s small or basic, keeping yourself fueled will keep distractions, inefficiency, and

3. Queue Up a Podcast on Your Commute Whether you’re driving, biking, or taking your professional vocabulary—it will also public transportation into the office, a pod- wake up your brain and get your head in cast is a perfect way to brush up on indus- the game as you prepare to launch your try knowledge. Try sourcing a podcast rel- day. Use your commute time to bump up ative to your field and narrated by experts. your knowledge and conversation points, Not only will it get you thinking about the and you’ll be ahead of the curve before you topics of your industry—while expanding reach the office.

mood swings at bay. list items, then map them. By giving yourself a bullet point system of what you need to accomplish and by when, you can undo some of the anxiety that a busy schedule

5. Walk It Out, Even If You Missed the Gym

promotes. the early morning to take a walk around the block a few times. The fresh air and aerobic exercise will wake you up, get your blood moving, and provide your morning with a

natural injection of motivation. screen time distractions to getting in a little blood-pumping exercise, keep these tips in mind as you launch your most productive morning routine ever.

BRANDI & DREW LOLATO

Brandi and Drew Lolato never anticipated a career in real estate as a dynamic husband-and-wife team, but when their children came of age, it was time for their next chapter to begin. Brandi dove in first, closing an impressive 57 homes in her debut year. Soon after, Drew followed her lead and earned his license. Now in their third year of business, Brandi and Drew have risen to become one of the top eXp Realty teams in their home state of Oklahoma. What’s more, they have built a reputation as agents known for their effectiveness, approachable style, and personal touch.

Today, Brandi and Drew serve clients across Tulsa and its surrounding region. There, they have amassed a following largely driven by referral clientele who trust their proven track record. Combining Drew’s background in sales and team-building with Brandi’s knack for details and people, this duo has turned their passion into an outstanding second act career. “A lot of people may see real estate as a part-time job,” Drew says, “but you have to take it seriously. There are some 4,000 agents in Oklahoma, and they sell an average of only 4 to 5 homes a year. If you get up in the morning, you get out there and talk to people and try your best, you’re going to exceed that easily. Every day this is our lives, we love it, and we get to do it together–and that’s a whole lot of fun. We’ve been married for 30 years and have 3 successful adult children. We’ve always been a team, no matter what.”

When it comes to listing properties, Brandi and Drew account for every detail, beginning with high-end photography and documentation to showcase homes in a memorable light. Likewise, listings are distributed across a range of online platforms and social media outlets, in addition to mining local interest through candid communication. “We’re all about getting out there and talking to people,” the explain. “Most everyone wants to buy a house or knows someone else who wants to buy a house. You have to engage with your neighbors and talk to people, and we do it the old school way. Wee plant the seed, and from there, people seem to really like that we’re a husband-and-wife team that makes it work.”

Beyond the office, Brandi and Drew give back to their community through their work with Street School, which supports children who fall outside of conventional educational paths. In their free hours, Brand and Drew most enjoy time spent with their family and loved ones, on the lake, and for Drew—enjoying his pilot’s license. As for the future of their enterprise, Brand and Drew intend to keep momentum going strong as their business continues to grow and they eye the possibility of adding new team members to their ranks in the years to come.

Now, with three sterling years of experience, insight, and success, Brandi and Drew Lolato consider what they enjoy most about their chosen field. “I love witnessing the happiness of the people we work with,” Brandi says, “especially those that never envisioned themselves ever being able to own home.” For Drew, the sentiment is the same. “I like the joy people have when they buy a home, and it’s neat to find people who didn’t think they could do it, and we’re able to show them a path and plan to make it possible.”

To learn more about Brandi and Drew Lolato, email lolatoteam@exprealty.com, call 918.600.5769 or 918-600-9997, or visit www.eXp918Team.com

DELINCE LOUIS

Delince Louis was raised with a certain appreciation of real estate. “My mom always had property in Boston, so this is something of which I’ve always been aware and developed a passion for,” he says. Delince went on–not only to get a real estate license–but to become a real estate attorney. That was 15 years ago, and he’s never looked back.

He now works for Redfin in Boston, serving South End, Back Bay, South Boston, Jamaica Plain, Boston, and Brookline. On average, he moves 50-60 transactions per year bringing in $35 million. Delince reports that his business is 25% repeat and referral clientele. “I think clients respect my unique perspective of wearing many hats, including sales agent and attorney,” he notes. “I have the skills in sales, negotiating, building, plus I can offer legal advice.”

It’s no surprise his clients give him stellar reviews. One recent review reads: “I am very satisfied with the help from Delince Louis, and I would like to recommend others to get his help for home purchase or sale. Delince is very professional. He is very good to provide the guideline for listing price and others. My property got offers quickly, 4 days after listing. His response is always prompt, even after work hours and on weekends. He follows up to make sure every phase goes smoothly. His team is amazin,g too. Team members Shelly Maple, Stephen Mecham, and others are responsible and supportive. Thanks for the hard work from Delince and his team, the whole process of selling the property went quite well.” To stay in touch with past customers, Delince relies on Redfin’s proprietary database. “The technology enables me to reach out in a qualitative manner,” he says. “I also like to make personal calls when I can.”

Due to the current health crisis, Delince ensures that online listings are state of the art. He incorporates professional photography and videos into virtual walkthroughs, tours, and floor plans. Delince says his listings are expertly marketed through Redfin. “They reach out through multiple channels as well as through social media,” he states.

Delince says he loves what he does because he gets to be part of the ‘American Dream.’ “Every time I sell a home, it’s an emotional experience, both for the client as well as for me,” he says. “I get to watch my clients attain their goal of home ownership, which is a very joyous time. There’s a lot of satisfaction in that.”

Delince, who has one son, has been involved over the years with his local schools as a volunteer and in fundraising events. “I’m always happy to give back in that capacity,” he says.

When not working, Delince and his family love to travel. “Getting to see different parts of the world is so important to us, and we like to travel several times a year,” he says.

As for the future, Delince says he has big plans and exciting news but can’t disclose the information as of yet. “It remains my mission to be available to my clients and continue to help them reach their ultimate dreams,” he says.

To learn more about Delince Louis, email delince.louis@redfin.com, visit www.redfin.com/real-estate-agents/delince-louis, or call (617) 945-6207