Time Management and Staying Organized
Managing your time is one of the absolute most difficult things to do for agents. Not only do you have to juggle clients and unpredictable showing schedules for properties, you also have to manage an entire small business!
Here are some tips for managing your time — and for staying sane while doing so:
SET REASONABLE EXPECTATIONS
One of the biggest mistakes agents make when starting out is over-promising and under-delivering. Meeting your clients’ expectations is more important than doing things as quickly as you can.
CARVE OUT TIME
Another huge issue agents face is seemingly having to do everything, all at the same time. You are most effective when you set boundaries on your time. Moreover, carving out time for yourself, your family and your hobbies is often as important as the time you carve out for actual work.
MINIMIZE CONTEXT SWITCHING
Context switching means switching from one task to something entirely different. For example, switching from showing homes with a client to managing your accounting. Research has suggested that context switching is extremely taxing on our willpower and that we waste time re-focusing and re-situating ourselves when we switch from task to task. It’s important to minimize context switching as much as possible. When you pick up a task, finish it before you move on to something else!
LET TECHNOLOGY HELP
There are a litany of task management tools that can be a godsend. Use a task management tool, like Asana to break complicated tasks down into manageable chunks, and assign each chunk to its own deadline!
BE CONSISTENT
Consistency is better than perfection. Even if your time or life is not as organized as it could be, simply enforcing the time rules you have set is a huge start.
Use these tips to take control of your schedule and your business, and you should enjoy a renewed sense of control over your real estate career!
