Time Management Tips for On-The-Go Real Estate Agents
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There’s never enough time in the day to conquer everything on that to-do list. Real estate agents can’t help but work endless hours for those commissions. It’s just a part of the job… right?
Wrong! You don’t have to be chained to the office, hooked up to the caffeine drip, and working overtime to earn the commission you want. What you DO need is to learn how to master one very important thing. You must learn how to master time management.
8 time management tips for real estate agents.
We’ve all heard the phrase work smarter, not harder, but how do you apply that to your real estate business? A time management plan is a great place to start! Your time will not manage itself. When you control your time, you can better manage your business.
Here are some excellent tips you can incorporate into your time management plan to ensure that you’re winning each day!
1. Create a morning routine.
Set the tone for your day the moment your feet hit the floor by having a morning routine. Having a predetermined set of activities to start your day with helps you be more productive from the get-go. Want to up the ante? Create an evening routine too. Wind down your day in a way that gets you prepped for tomorrow. You’ll be ready to conquer the world because you already know what your day entails and how to deal with any challenges that get thrown your way.
2. Set goals and deadlines for each week.
Goals are essential to help you prioritize what you are doing well and identify the things you need to tweak. Setting goals will help you determine if your time management plan is working or if it could use a tune-up.
For example, if people aren’t answering their phones in the afternoon, maybe you need to rework your schedule and block some time for calls in the mornings. One thing’s for sure. If you don’t set goals, you’ll never be able to create the kind of schedule you need to crush them.
3. Try time blocking.
Time blocking is an excellent way for real estate agents to make sure they have time allocated for what they need to do… but it doesn’t have to look the same for everyone. Like any business that revolves around people, you also need to be flexible with your schedule. Plans can change at the drop of a hat, so it’s a good idea to have a backup plan in case you need to shuffle your schedule around.
Different types of time-blocking work for different people. Some prefer blocking time each day for the tasks they need to complete. Others like to time block by the week, with specific days of the week for specific activities like paperwork, contracts, and lead generation.
Whichever method is best for you, make sure you always block time for the following:
- Weekly day/days off
- Vacations
- Holidays and family time
- Personal time
- Personal training and development time
When you’re time blocking, make sure you keep the big picture to align your long-term and short-term goals.
4. Finder, keeper, and doer time.
The key to success is to break down your day’s responsibilities into tasks performed by three distinct roles—the finder, the keeper, and the doer.
The Finder. Finder tasks create new business by working on landing deals and expanding your clientele. When you’re in this role, you’re keeping your business in momentum. Finder activities keep things moving forward and growing.
The Keeper. The keeper is the financial wizard of the business. When you’re in the keeper role, you’re doing tasks like economic forecasting, paying taxes, creating budgets, and strategizing how to complete tasks efficiently. The keeper oversees marketing and advertising and helps budget the time spent on tasks because time is money.
The Doer. The doer executes the work brought in through finder tasks that the keeper has budgeted and strategized for. When you’re in the doer role, your tasks boil down to the day-to-day work that needs to be done for you to be successful. These tasks may include setting and attending appointments, handling open houses and processing paperwork.
These roles and the tasks in them will look different depending on where you are in your career. In the early stages, you will spend a lot of time in the doer phase. As you progress in your career, the finder, keeper, and doer work will shift.
5. Prioritize your day.
Once you have your time blocked out, you can prioritize the most urgent tasks within your day. Tackle these tasks right away while your energy levels are at their highest, and save the other tasks for later. By getting the more challenging tasks out of the way, you can accomplish anything the day may throw at you.
6. Use automation tools to your advantage.
Technology has up-leveled the game for real estate agents willing to use it. Using the right tools in the real estate world is to your advantage. A good customer relationship management system, or CRM, will help you turn leads into clients while saving you time and effort.
What can a CRM do?
- Manage and track to-do lists
- Log calls
- Send emails
- Set reminders for work tasks and clients’ special dates
- Keep track of your calendar
A good CRM helps you keep track of your clients’ home-buying journey by setting reminders of tasks that need to be completed at each stage so nothing slips through the cracks.
7. Hire a virtual assistant.
Hiring a virtual assistant is a great way to clear some time. A virtual assistant is a remote person who performs daily tasks inside your business. This gets administrative tasks like scheduling, inbox management, social media posting and more off your plate. Adding members to your team will allow you to spend more time growing your business.
8. Schedule time for yourself.
Don’t overbook yourself. You can’t do your best work when you’re burned out. Schedule time to grab a coffee, chat with coworkers or take a walk to clear your mind. Set a timer for a break every hour to refresh and energize yourself. You will be amazed how your level of production increases and becomes more accurate by giving yourself frequent breaks.
Things change, and your schedule will need to be rehashed from time to time, but getting a handle on your time will allow you to gain traction in your business. Working around the clock does nothing but wear you out and make you frustrated.
More from Sell It Like Serhant
If you want to join the work smarter not harder movement to take back time and still earn the commissions you want, our core course, Sell it Like Serhant, has the tips and tricks you need to manage your time well so you can close more deals while working fewer hours.
For more time management for real estate agents, tips and tricks from Ryan and Sell It Like Serhant, follow us on Instagram or subscribe to our YouTube channel.
