Time Blocking for Real Estate Professionals - Really?
The biggest challenges to managing our valuable time include interruptions and distractions. As real estate professionals, naturally, our lives are full of these!
Distractions include anything that takes your focus away from where you intended it to be. For instance, say you’re writing a blog post and your assistant texts you. She needs approval for a draft, and now your attention is diverted to scanning the draft instead of your blog post. Or when someone sends you an urgent email and now your attention is directed towards responding to that instead of your blog.
Or when a client calls to get your opinion on a matter and yet again, your attention has been diverted. So many things depend on communication with your clients, and although we don’t categorize clients as a distraction, this aspect of the business has the same effect when it’s not managed properly. You still have a business to manage, people to lead, and operations to oversee!
Overwhelming? I get it.
You might be thinking, “Time blocking just isn’t practical” At the surface level, time blocking may seem like the last thing that could work for you.
But, before you dismiss it as an option - let’s consider the benefits, and then let me show you how effective it truly is - specifically for your career as a real estate boss.
Why time blocking is a good strategy
Time blocking is a solid strategy for taking control in a crazy life! It allows you to regain control in every facet of your day. It even allows your personal and family time to be sacred and impenetrable!
Structured Workload
To-do lists by themselves are open-ended and contribute very little to managing your time. At most, a list of tasks will help you remember everything you need to do, but it leaves the rest unclear. Task lists can also get quite lengthy and become discouraging.
Meaningful progress requires intention + direction - this is where time blocking comes in. Time blocking allows you to keep your focus exactly where you intend it to be. It takes away time wasted deciding which of your tasks you will tackle and in which order.
Enhanced Productivity
An unpredictable day will more likely cause frustration and push your long-term goals farther away.
Batching tasks and dedicating time for clients into specific slots allows you to give your best in each area. Your attention is not scattered, you are mentally present within the time you designate for your client. Your batched tasks will have your full attention enabling you to follow through from start, to finish. If initial plans get derailed you will always know what takes priority next, that isn’t contingent upon that event. And this always means better productivity.
Strategic Edge
Sure, you may give a lot of attention to your goals, in the same way you give attention to your dreams - But you may never reach fulfillment due to your lack of focus…
With a structured workload and better productivity, you open up some time for bigger picture thinking. Use your mental energy to get creative and realistic. Set goals and plan for them. Batch your tasks, start, and COMPLETE them. - and Voilà, life!
Implementing this structure yields SO MUCH value you will wonder why you didn’t do it years ago. You get all of your personal time back, you exert far less energy, and those feelings of overwhelm are instantly eliminated.
So let’s look at three easy steps to keep yourself time blocking and taking control of your schedule.
3 Easy Steps For Successful Time Blocking
Plan
Start by reflecting on the different aspects and roles of your profession and life. Categorize it by themes - For instance, here are a few aspects of Realtor life:
Family life
Personal care
Client interaction
Marketing
Strategic
Administrative
Training / Development
First, decide on days or even half days that you can dedicate to these aspects.
This allows you to stop “squirreling” through your day. A little focus on this, and then a little focus on that. Sending an email and then calling your client. Training someone on a new responsibility and then getting ready for a photoshoot. This. is. chaos. Now designating what happens on which specific day narrows your focus and helps to streamline your tasks.
Then decide on what time you want to tackle certain tasks.
This is entirely based on your individual productivity style and energy peaks. You may want to dedicate full client days, or perhaps a few afternoons per week. Perhaps you feel like Client work is best done in the mornings, or strategic thinking happens best early in the day.
Implement
Take that to-do list and break it down. When you place the things you need to do into sections you will quickly get an idea of the amount of time you need to allocate to each. I say ‘idea’ because things change all the time. You can always adjust the time allocated for tasks as you realize where you under/overestimated this.
Using an online calendar (I recommend Google Calendar) first assign ‘themes’ to days or sections of days. Do this by creating an “all day” event. Set it to repeat as you see yourself going ahead (you can change this at any time). Also, set it to “Free” so it does not block out your entire day.
Then create time blocks for your ideal week ahead. You create these blocks by creating events on your calendar. Name the event, allocate its time, and if this is a recurring event or task, set it to repeat accordingly (Daily, weekly, etc.)
For instance, if you’re scheduling Client interaction time, you might name it “Client Appointments”. Set the time, (perhaps 9 am - 11:30 am). Color code this if you like, and mark this block as “Free” so that in your scheduling tool (I recommend Calendly) your clients see that this specific time is available to schedule calls/meetings with you.
Using a calendar scheduling tool in conjunction with your calendar to automate the scheduling of your meetings is highly recommended. It assists in setting proper boundaries for clients booking their time with you. This will keep your client calls to a minimum outside of your designated “Client Time”.
Top tip: Mark blocks that are not open to Clients as “busy.” This way your scheduling tool will only show clients the appointment times you choose to be available for them!
Schedule everything from breakfast to relax time in the evening. Be realistic and balanced. Remember; this is not about perfection. Your focus here is to set your priorities and your goal is to stay within these boundaries that you set as best as you can. Eventually, your new routines will come naturally to you and become effortlessly enforced.
Review
Once a week, take some time to review your schedule. This is essential as it will help you perfect your system. By neglecting the review step, you will quickly revert to reactive mode again. You could even do this once a day until you feel you have perfected your daily routine.
Reflecting on what worked and didn’t, and more importantly, what you accomplished will help you cement your newfound focus and control.
Reflect on what worked and why.
Identify what supported your goals.
Think further than just now - look ahead and envision how the benefits of a specific action can grow into a big impact.
Plan the new week with fresh eyes and a better understanding of the time needed for your unique life.
Can you see how this process will just get better and better?
meet Sheena
Backed by two decades of demonstrated experience, I help purpose-driven women in real estate grow their businesses and achieve ultimate success with proven systems.
