Guide: How to become a more productive real estate agent

Working in real estate can be incredibly rewarding, but it takes a lot of hard work to be able to succeed in the field. Knowing how to use the 24 hours you have in a day wisely is critical in finding success in real estate, where your results are directly tied to your productivity.

Becoming a more productive real estate agent is the first step to achieving greater heights in your real estate career. But how exactly do you become more productive? Here are some quick tips you can implement that can work wonders for your productivity:

Develop a business plan

A business plan is the first thing that should be on your mind if you want to work as a real estate agent. It will lay out the foundation of your road to success and will contain your goals and how you plan to achieve them.

Your business plan is your blueprint. This will guide you in your every move and decision and will help you know what needs to be done in particular situations in order to fulfil your goals.

Make a to-do list

A business plan generally looks at the bigger picture, but in order to achieve your long-term goals, you should be putting in work daily and making sure that your short-term goals are achieved as well.

A to-do list is a proven productivity enhancement tool that will help you ensure that all bases are covered and that you don’t forget anything that you might need to do. Furthermore, how much you accomplish on your to-do list is also a great way to measure how productive you are day-to-day.

Prioritize your MITs

It can sometimes be overwhelming to work as a real estate agent because of the immense workload that you may have from time to time. You might find your to-do list impossible to complete and this might hamper your morale and productivity.

A great way to handle this pressure is by focusing on your MITs, or Most Important Tasks. List down which tasks are truly indispensable and prioritize them in order to relieve the pressure of having too much on your plate. Prioritizing around two to three MITs per day will help you feel a sense of accomplishment and will surely increase your motivation to be more productive.

Stick to a routine

Discipline is perhaps the number one skill required if you want to be productive, and training yourself to become disciplined takes hard work that extends outside your job. Having a strict routine will help you develop your discipline that will inevitably translate to your work ethic.

Setting and following a routine will help you keep everything on track and will help you budget your time better in order to maintain a healthy work-life balance.

Know when you’re most productive

Everyone has that time of the day where they’re in peak condition and are most focused and motivated. Research has shown that most people have a sweet spot for optimal performance around lunchtime, but it varies from person to person.

What this tells us, though, is that there’s actually a window in the day where we perform at our best, so try to be mindful of the time of the day when you feel like you’re performing at the highest possible level. Once you’ve figured out your pattern, incorporate that window of time into your schedule by allotting that space for your most challenging tasks.

Keep everything organized

From your phone contacts to your paperwork, maintaining organization is essential if you want to maximize your productivity. It’s important to sort everything out so that you know where to find what you need at any given moment and you work as efficiently as possible. Few things are worse than making your client wait because you can’t remember where you placed their documents.

It’s likewise important to properly sort your contacts and emails so that you won’t have to sift through non-work-related stuff that will just eat up your time. If possible, have separate devices that are exclusively for work purposes.

Use productivity software

Technology today has made it possible for us to increase our productivity and streamline our work just by downloading an app. There are plenty of applications and computer software that can help you organize your files, track your time, and perform tasks such as signing documents in less time and with more ease than if you do these tasks manually.

There’s practically an app for everything nowadays, so try to look at the things you need the most help with and search for an app that can help you improve in that aspect of your work that you think needs improving. Knowing how to take advantage of technology will definitely raise your edge and help you become more productive.

Build relationships

Networking is a critical part of achieving success as a real estate agent. Building relationships with prospective clients and colleagues in the real estate industry, even if you don’t see the fruits of these relationships instantly, will surely pay off in the long run.

Taking the time to attend events such as socials, lunches, dinners, and any type of real estate-related gathering is a great way to build up your network. Remember to be organized with your network as well, so that you’d know who to call in specific circumstances. Building a network will likewise help you cultivate a reputation that will open opportunities for you in the future.

Take breaks

Productivity isn’t about staying on all the time. Everyone gets tired, and burnout is something you definitely want to avoid.

Taking time for yourself is essential if you want to make sure that you’re performing at the best possible level. Set aside time for yourself every day to relax, and don’t forget to take short mental breaks throughout the work day. Taking breaks will help you maintain your focus throughout the day and will keep stress at bay.