It’s already the end of April and if you’re anything like me, you’re wondering where the last three months just went. It’s easy to stray from the good intentions and resolutions we rang in the New Year with, but it’s not too late to get back on track. In fact, Buffini & Company is teaching real estate professionals across North America how to have their best year ever starting right now, today.
One of the trends we’ve noticed in the industry is that as we’re coming out of the fog of the Great Recession, it’s hard to let go of some of the mentalities we had to adopt in our businesses to survive. With homes sales in 2015 expected to reach their highest level in two years, it’s time to recommit to thriving again.
The problems we’re going to encounter as the market continues to improve are very different than what we’ve been dealing over the past few years. We need to manage our energy, stay focused, and get organized to avoid the pitfalls of overwhelm and burnout. Having so many clients and so many deals that we need to become systematic in caring for our businesses and for ourselves is what I like to call, a high-quality problem, and I hope it’s a problem all of you are already experiencing. Here are a couple of quick strategies you can implement to help make this your best year ever, starting today.
Manage your Energy
As a business owner, there is no greater asset to your business than you and your energy. You need to be mentally clear and physically vital. This starts with input. What are you putting into your mind and your body daily? Are you reaching for that donut in a moment of stress or watching too much late-night TV to avoid thinking about the day? Put some positive or inspirational books, CDs or podcasts into your daily routine. This will help you stay mentally and emotionally fit to face the challenges that are sure to come your way. And of course, we must care for our bodies by exercising regularly and eating healthy food. This will help you fight off sickness and generally have more energy throughout the day. I realize this is not new information for the majority of you, but I know I need to be reminded regularly of the virtues of a healthy lifestyle so hopefully this will serve you similarly.
Stay Focused
When we get caught-up in our day-to-day demands, from putting fires out to putting dinner on, it’s not always easy to remember what we’re doing all this for. Writing goals and reviewing them regularly is the best way I have found to stay focused on the bigger picture; the ‘why’ behind our efforts, if you will. If you haven’t written goals in a while, I would start by envisioning your ideal business and life and then write down the goals you’d need to achieve in order to make your vision a reality. Each time you’re feeling frustrated by the little things, review your goals. This practice will not only give you perspective in the moment but as you’re working toward having your best year ever, your goals will help keep you focused and motivated to keep persevering.
Get Organized
I realize getting organized is a tall order for many of us, but it’s crucial to our productivity. I would recommend starting with requalifying your list of relationships, or database, so that you are focusing your time and energy on people you enjoy working with and who send you referrals. Download this infographic where we have provided some proven dialogues that can help when calling through your database.
Once you have prioritized your people, then you can prioritize your time. A huge part of getting and staying organized is being discipline with your schedule. Block out time for all your non-negotiable activities and appointments first. Make sure to put lead generation as a top importance every working day. Once you have your most crucial actions accounted for, you can then sprinkle in the rest of your obligations around those “big rocks” in your weekly schedule. This type of priority-based scheduling will ensure you never lose focus on what’s most important to you achieving your best year ever.
All of these tips are wrapped in simple packages, but when followed diligently, they can have an incredibly powerful effect on your performance and your income. We all know the market has shifted and I can guarantee it’s going to keep most of us on our toes for some time. If we commit to disciplines that keep us energized, focused, and organized, we can better capitalize of the opportunities in front of us. Your best year ever starts today!
For more information, visit www.buffiniandcompany.com.
