Staying Productive When You Are Surrounded By Distractions

It’s spring! The real estate market is heating up and chances are, so is your social schedule.
Both of our boys play baseball and between their game schedules, vacations, conferences, local events and the general spring fever of wanting to get out and enjoy the weather, life is getting busy.
You may not have kids in sports, but for everyone that I talk to, Spring seems to be a busy time of year personally and professionally.
It’s about finding the balance of working to take advantage of a busy market while not burning out.
How do you get everything done and keep the sales rolling when there are so many other things competing for your attention?
1. Stop multi tasking: We think doing multiple things at one time makes us faster. It actually slows us down, stresses us out and produces lousy results. Researchers show that multi tasking can reduce productivity by as much as 40%.
2. Finish what you start: This goes along the lines of multi tasking, but it’s slightly different. Maybe you are working on one thing at a time, but you never quite finish it before moving on to something else. You end up with dozens of half done projects. Not only can you not get results from something that isn’t done, it drains your energy every time you look at your to do list.
3. Remember the 80/20 rule: 20% of our activities yield 80% of our results. Pay attention to the things that give you the greatest return. You are never going to get it all done, your job is to focus on the top 20% so that you can get results and move on.
4. Make 1 extra call a day: You might not have time for big projects, but you always have time for 1 extra phone call a day to a past client or potential new client. It may seem small and insignificant, but the compound effect over time will transform your business.
5. Set aside time to play: Life isn’t meant to be all work and not play. Schedule time for fun. Work can wait for a few hours.
Give these a try and let me know how they work for you.
Signup to receive Nicole's blog posts via email weekly:
Other Posts
The #1 Reason Clients Don’t Choose You
Don Miguel Ruiz said it best in his book – The 4 Agreements: Don’t Make Assumptions Find the courage to ask questions Communicate with others as clearly as you can This one agreement can completely transform your life Beautifully said. Assumptions are the #1 reason your clients don’t choose you. As agents we assume many…
Read MoreLetter to My Younger Self
Today is my birthday. For me, birthdays are a beautiful mix of celebration, anticipation and reflection. This post is dedicated to reflections. Things I wish I could tell my younger self. Imposter syndrome is normal! You’ve spent so much time doubting yourself. Feeling like everyone else knows what they are doing while you’re still trying…
Read MoreManaging the Adrenaline / Emotional Roller Coaster of Real Estate
Closings, getting mutual on a contract, receiving a referral – there are lots of wins in real estate. Each one brings a shot of adrenaline that feels amazing. However, those moments are often short lived, with a lot of space in between. If you aren’t careful that space can fill with self doubt, insecurity or…
Read MoreWhy Proving Yourself Is A Bad Idea
I competed on a listing this week that I didn’t get. It was a great one too – awesome house, great clients. It was one I really wanted. When I got done pouting I took a few minutes to ask myself, ‘where did it go wrong’? Our first appointment was amazing! The second one, not…
Read MoreThe Secret To Success: How Awareness Transforms Everything
‘The first step towards change is awareness. The second step is acceptance. Let us not look back in anger, nor forward in fear, but around in awareness.’ – Source Unknown Last week focused on letting go of the need to play catch up. The only thing that matters is focusing on the present moment. The…
Read MoreDon’t Try To Catch Up – Just Start Where You Are
I’ve spent the last few days in Virginia at my favorite real estate conference, Genuine Hustle, where I had the honor of presenting a session on asking powerful questions. It’s the most authentic, vulnerable, supportive and all around amazing group of agents that I’ve ever spent time with. They haven’t released the location or dates…
Read MoreThis Phone Call Brings In The Most Referrals
Can calls really translate into referrals? Are some more effective than others? When we work with clients it’s easy to go into ‘get it done’ mode. We focus on getting from contract to closing as quickly and smoothly as possible. And to be fair, that’s a big part of what our clients hire us to…
Read MoreWhat if EVERYTHING is Working Out For You?
What happens when you have a ‘set back’ ? Does it send you into a tail spin of fear and insecurity? Do you brush it off and move on? Or – Do you view it as confirmation that you ARE on the right path, realize it wasn’t the right opportunity or situation for you, and…
Read MoreDon’t Do This Alone
I was lucky enough to be invited to mastermind with these amazing agents for a few days this week. We talked business, but it was so much more than that. We talked about being intentional with our lives, the hours we worked, the struggles we face, our investment strategies (owning rental real estate of one…
Read MoreCollaboration Over Competition, This Is Your Chance To Learn From The Best
What if you could stop over thinking how to run your business? What if you knew exactly what other agents do to attract clients? This is your chance! Season 2 of Secrets of Attracting Clients starts January 27th and I’m super excited for this years line up! We have 12 amazing sessions, all with ideas…
Read More