One of the most important skills for a Realtor to master is time management. As a Realtor, you’ll be pulled in a dozen directions every single hour. Some days will be worse than others.
If you don’t know how to properly manage your time, the clients you work with won’t get the help they need. You’ll likely feel overwhelmed all the time and you won’t be happy with the work you do.
Mastering time management takes time. However, when you understand the top time wasters and you have a few tips for time management, you can become a better Realtor.
Top 4 Time Wasters for Real Estate Agents
1. No Daily Plan
Without a plan for each day, you’re going into the day blind. When you do this, you’ll likely waste time trying to figure out what’s next, where you need to be, and what you should be doing.
The last task for each day should be to create a simple plan for the next day. For most Realtors, this plan will already be laid out from the scheduled appointments. You will just need to fill in the time between appointments with appropriate tasks.
2. Procrastinating on Menial Tasks
Realtors, just like any other professional, are prone to procrastination when the tasks are menial. Whether it’s some simple daily tasks or something you know doesn’t have to be done, you might find yourself procrastinating.
3. Using Improper Time Management Skills
One of the biggest time killers for Realtors is their time management system. If it’s scattered and doesn’t keep you very organized, it needs to be replaced. A good system goes a long way to achieving success.
4. Unnecessary Interruptions
For some, the interruptions are text messages, emails, social media posts, and other things causing noise to come from their phone or computer. For others, it’s allowing family, friends, or co-workers to become a distraction.
Best 6 Tips for Time Management for Realtors
1. Hire and Assistant and Delegate
One of the best things you can do for time management is to hire an assistant and delegate. They can set all your appointments, keep your schedule up-to-date, and handle menial tasks you don’t have time for.
2. Use Time Blocks
When you look at your schedule and you have time in between appointments, treat these as time blocks. You can use a few hours here and a few hours there to help you with marketing, paperwork, making phone calls, or any other tasks. Batch similar tasks together and practice touching things, such as email just once per day.
3. Use Time Management Tools
There are several great tools for scheduling, reminders, and taking notes. Use these tools to make your time management much easier. Our real estate sponsorship program includes a number of helpful tools to ensure you use your time wisely.
4. Shut Out The World
When you need to get something done, close the door and shut everything off. Don’t check email and turn your phone off. This will give you a distraction-free environment to work.
5. Schedule Easier Tasks for Your Less Focused Hours
If you know you’re not as good at getting certain things done after appointments, schedule easier tasks for this time. Putting your hardest tasks into the time of the say where you’re most likely to get them done will save you a ton of time.
6. Prewrite Blog Content
Instead of feeling pressured to write and publish a blog post every few days, pick a day where you have no appointments and write. If you can write five or ten blog posts in one day, you can schedule them for the next few weeks or months.
The smartest bloggers only write one day a month. Then, they will schedule out all their content for the rest of the month while focusing on other tasks.
When you use these tips and you avoid these time wasters, you can become a better Realtor.
