Most real estate folks on social media will have experienced hustle culture—that constant rush to be as productive as possible. You know, those pictures of coffee first thing in the morning, quotes that push the importance of always working, the constant go-go-go mentality.
It’s one thing to work hard, but the constant push for more work, more hours, more dedication leads to burnout—and putting things like your personal life on the back burner.
Focusing on productivity instead can help you make more of the time you do put into working. So today, let’s look at techniques for maximizing your productivity—so you don’t have to de-prioritize your life.
Forget about multitasking.
It’s hard to ignore the appeal of multitasking, especially in such a busy industry as real estate. But there’s a price to “doing it all,” and that price is that you’re not actually doing it.
Modern neuroscience suggests that the phenomenon of multitasking, or doing multiple things at once, actually splits your attention between those things. So while it feels like you’re doing more in that time, your brain has to stop and readjust every time you switch your attention—meaning each task takes longer to do than it would take if you gave it 100%.
Not convinced? Take the test on this page and let us know how you do!
If you're curious about the difference, I got 25 seconds when focusing and 40 seconds when multitasking.
Instead, create time blocks.
Time blocking is a technique for time management where you schedule out everything in your entire day—from setting half an hour every morning to check your emails, to creating a “meeting” for your kid’s soccer game.
It sounds excessive to start with, but as you adjust to it, it usually doesn’t even feel like you’re on a schedule. It really just means that you’re on a routine—no different from turning on the morning news while you have coffee—that helps you get more done with your time.
It helps you focus on one thing at a time instead of constantly shifting your attention.
Yes, this does mean ignoring those phone notifications—and if you know you’re expecting an important call, do your best to factor that into your schedule.
Make sure you have the tools to support you.
We all know real estate is a 24-hour business, and it can be hard to feel like you can take time away from that to do what’s important to you. What if you miss a client calling to ask if you can drive over with a contract?
Using transaction management software can help you with that. The right system can send and manage your transactions without you needing to be there—so in your designated times, you can send out every contract for signatures via email, and they’ll be happily waiting for you the next time you check.
Plus, checklists mean no one ever misses a step—negating those last-minute frantic rushes to get everything done on time.
Have some strategies for balancing your productivity and personal life? Share them in the comments below!
