The 3 Time Management Techniques Every Real Estate Agent Should Learn

 

Today's breakthrough technology makes it easier than ever to keep connected. Combining social networks like Facebook and Linkedin with smartphones, Blackberries, iPhones and Twitter, laptops and iPhone's provide powerful tools for business professionals (especially agents in real estate) to build new relationships and stay connected.

While these new ways to stay in touch can offer many opportunities for expanding our personal networks, they also present challenges when it comes time to be productive and focus our energy on activities that truly improve our lives and business. This is crucial for real Sedona Homes For Sale estate agents as selling real property is all about relationships.

What can agents do to manage not only their relationships but also their energy, time and health? This article will discuss three ways you can manage your energy, time, and relationships so that your clients are as productive as possible.

1. Do not get distracted by busy work and focus on the best opportunities.

It is so easy to get lost in the "doingness" of our day that we forget what's truly important. The little things that are urgently needed call out for our immediate attention. Before we know it, the whole day has gone. Sometimes we ask ourselves "Where did all the time go?" What did I achieve today?

It is a mistaken belief, that because we do lots of stuff, we are productive. It turns out, it's not what we do that is important. This will vary for every agent. This will be determined based on your personal approach to real estate, your expertise and the areas you are most successful.

You could spend an hour designing business cards or letterhead. Or, you could call up the prospects you met at the last open houses. Which activity is more efficient in the long term? Which will best benefit your business? Most of our greatest opportunities lie in waiting, while we are busy with the mundane day to day tasks. Real progress in building a business is only possible when we can identify our biggest opportunities, and then make an effort to focus on them. Consider asking yourself "What are the biggest opportunities for me?" See if you can think of five activities that will bring about real business results.

2. You can take care of your clients and yourself by setting clear boundaries

You will likely see the ideal agent who is busy and on their phone all the time if you close your eyes. A good agent can have a phone that rings frequently, especially in this market. An agent should be available to clients as often as possible. Well, maybe.

We want to be available for important calls (e.g. a referral call, closing a deal call), but we don't want be awake at 2am to answer calls from unknown numbers or freaked buyers (so that they can freak us too). When it comes to answering business calls, where do we draw the line?

We want to be there for our clients and help them as best possible, but on the other side, we must also take care of ourselves physically and mentally. We can start to lose our health if we think that being a realtor means we have to give up everything, even our well-being, to serve our clients or get the listing. This can lead to us feeling resentful towards our clients, our work, and our lives in general.

If we do not take care of ourselves, our energy can drop and we become tired, sick, and unhappy. Imagine what this does for your business. It's not so great. How can we expect clients to take care us if we're not taking care ourselves? Find the right balance between work, rest and play. This requires setting clear boundaries for client calls and email check.

The questions are already coming in, but I know the answer. Real estate agents must be available at all times. It's part of their job otherwise they could miss out on the best deals. This kind of reasoning usually comes from an anxious part, the one that is motivated by scarcity or need.

Agents that are approachable, knowledgeable, and professional attract people. You communicate your integrity standards to your clients by setting clear hours for work and communicating them to them. Although they may not like it (especially when they are in an emotional frenzy that makes it difficult to get hold of your client), they will still respect you on a deeper level. They will respect you, and that is the best part.

It is important to set clear times when you will be checking email or taking calls. This helps you focus your energy. Our mind (and our energy) can quickly become disorganized and we feel pulled in every direction. A.D.D. is another name for it. However, it is simply a lack of focus and ability to set boundaries.

The body will often tell us when we are done. If we become tired or unable to concentrate, we can easily be distracted. Once we know when our body checks out of work, it is possible to create a schedule that will outline when we are available or when we are not.

When deals are close, it is possible to make adjustments. You must serve your clients the best while taking care of you. Consider: What boundaries must I establish with my clients in order to be able to provide the best service possible? Keep in mind that you are the dealmaker. If you are energetic and positive, then good things will happen.

3. Work to incorporate recovery into your daily work routine

This tactic is similar to the first. We must keep an eye on our energy levels if we want to achieve maximum efficiency. Real estate agents must determine when they will stop working and how to recover their energy.

Most regular jobs require that a person work Monday through Friday, then they get the weekend off. Real estate agents love the weekends because that is when all the action takes place! However, all paperwork and follow-up calls are made during the week. Agents are able to work seven days per week with no breaks. It's no surprise that many agents work under constant stress.

If we keep going at full speed, it is only a matter if we don't stop. It's important to take time for recovery. This means you must unplug completely from work for at least a few hours. The amount will vary depending on the level of your business and your personal preference. Some people may take a month off from work to travel abroad after a major deal closes. Others might go on a weekend vacation or simply take a 20 minute power nap at the end the day.

The important thing is to allow this time for recovery into your work schedule. One in which you completely disconnect from all email and cell phones. We can read, meditate or do some yoga. It is important to recharge your battery. It is best to get at least 5 to 10 minutes of sleep for each hour of intensely focused working.

Our ability to do work consistently and effectively decreases if we are not able to recover for long periods. A work-related activity can take 20 minutes but if we are tired and depleted of energy that activity could take up to 50 minutes. You can see the effect of this over time. You can bring back your work with renewed vitality and clarity by setting aside periods for recovery. While we might have less "work time", our work capacity will be significantly greater, and we will likely do much more work than we could otherwise.