Summer is here and you may be asking yourself this all-important question: “How can I enjoy some long-overdue time off this summer without compromising the progress I’ve made in my business this year?”
I understand one of the primary reasons you chose to get into real estate was to have these three freedoms: freedom to make a difference, freedom of money and freedom of time.
As a busy entrepreneur you “technically” do have ownership of your schedule, unlike most nine to fivers. However, I know it doesn’t always feel this way when you are being pulled in a dozen directions.
This brings me to the focus of this article. I want to help give you back control of your free time without sacrificing your business productivity.
Implement these five must-do’s and start enjoying some guilt-free time off while maintaining productive business.
1. Create a results goal:
Set a goal for how many sales you would like to have generated during the summer. Then reverse-engineer your goal to determine how many listing appointments and/or buyer appointments you need to go on each week.
2. Create an activity goal:
Once you know how many appointments you need to go on, the next step is to decide what lead generating activities you need to perform to achieve this goal. How many emails, texts, phone calls, CMAs, drop ins and so on must you make to reach your goal? What marketing initiatives will you establish to help further your progress?
3. Reset your schedule for summer:
Your summer schedule will be unlike your regular schedule. While you’re at work, work. While you’re out playing, play. Staying focused isn’t limited to the office. It is just as important to focus on having fun without the distractions of work. Be protective of your time, both personal and professional time, and your productivity will soar.
Pro tip: RRI coach and top performer Bill Parnaby focuses on this schedule when it comes to taking time off to recharge: One day a week, one weekend a month and one week a quarter. When Bill is working, he’s working and when he’s off, he’s off. To do this requires advance planning and exceptional communication with clients, agents and team members.
4. Create visible progress:
This simple yet effective idea will guide you as your goals progress. Physically seeing your progress, or perhaps lack thereof, will encourage you to work smarter until the job is complete. Using tools like a whiteboard, Excel sheet or journal will keep you in line and focused on your next milestone.
5. Share your plan:
Sharing your goals with others creates what I call strategic urgency. Going public to your coach, your team, your family or your online community will give you some extra accountability and keep you on track. This step isn’t meant to put stress on yourself, it’s designed to motivate you and hold you accountable to your goals.
Pro tip: Download and use RRI’s Goal Setting Simplified Tool to help narrow your focus and determine how many weekly appointments it will take to achieve your goal.
An international speaker, author and business coach, Richard Robbins’ organization is designed to share the most advanced real estate business-building systems with the world. Armed with one goal: To help real estate agents build a business and life they love.
