4 Work-Life Balance Tips for Busy Real Estate Agents
For a busy real estate agent, it can be hard to separate work and real life — let alone keep the two in balance.
The truth is, the housing market never sleeps. While you’re home cooking dinner for your kids or trying to get some shuteye, your clients are browsing listings, taking virtual tours, and applying for pre-approval.
And many of them? They expect you to be up and at ‘em as well.
Though you certainly could answer calls at all hours of the night, you shouldn’t — at least not if you want to be rested, healthy, and happy in the long-term. Need help striking the delicate balance between demanding agent life and home life?
Work-Life Balance Tips to Keep Real Estate Agents Sane
- Have “office hours.” Have pre-established hours where you’re available to answer phone calls and email requests, and communicate those to clients right off the bat. Have a system in place for after-hours emergencies or, at the very least, a window in which clients can expect a reply or call back. This will keep clients satisfied, while also keeping your home and work life slightly separated.
- Use technology to your advantage. Tech can make helping your clients on-the-go super easy, so embrace it. Use texting to speed up your reply times and keep you off your computer/away from your office after hours, and utilize a chatbot tool to respond to online leads, answer questions, and get their information while you’re away. Want to know one of the best work-life balance tips? You can even hire a virtual assistant to monitor your inbox and respond to emails when you’re not able to.
- Set aside personal days. There need to be some days you just don’t work. Maybe it’s every Sunday or maybe it’s every other Tuesday. Figure out a day that typically requires low client contact, but offers ample opportunity to connect with friends, family, and loved ones — or even just do activities and hobbies you love. Set those days aside in advance — at least a few weeks — so nothing gets in the way.
- Get help where you can. Don’t want to spend your 12 hours off this weekend grocery shopping or cleaning house? Employ help where you can. Get a bi-weekly housekeeper to do the tidying. Use grocery delivery services to free up more weekend time. Hire a virtual assistant to do the menial stuff, like managing your databases and uploading listings. One of the most important work-life balance tips is to put your energy toward what you do best and what means the most to you — nothing else.
Having a reliable lender on your side can help, too. Refer your client to Embrace, and you can rest assured they’ll be taken care of — even when you’re off the clock.