How do you deal with stress in real estate? With substantial years as an agent and principal, and someone that has had to deal with many a pressure situation in the industry, Real Estate Coach on Demand, Lisa B, offers some advice:
Stress is a REAL subject and a REAL problem. Why? I came across an article that really got me thinking, and then it got me worried. This article states that real estate agents are in the top 6 professions susceptible to committing suicide.
Real estate can be a roller coaster of emotions. There are extreme highs and extreme lows and for this reason, we need to take care of our mind as much as we can. As real estate agents, we deal with everything: negotiating sales, putting deals together…and we have to handle constant rejection.
Then there can be the pressure of trying to sell a property before the bank forecloses on a family’s home. The pressure and the responsibility can be overwhelming. The highs are high and the lows can be devastating.
The real estate rock and roll
When I first started in real estate, if we couldn’t sleep at night, we used to call it the ‘real estate roll’. Tossing and turning, thinking about the properties we needed to list or sell; the deals we had to get together; the targets we had to achieve.
So… how do you switch off in real estate? Can you switch off?
I know when I was in real estate sales and I had my offices, I couldn’t. I had no idea how! I had so much to do. I had owners that were relying on me to sell their home. Back then, we didn’t delegate or outsource much either. We tried to do everything by ourselves. Not unlike a lot of real estate agents today.
We didn’t have technology either. We didn’t talk about having any kind of life balance. I always remember — and I tell everyone — we tried to work out ways to work more and sleep less. How can you begin to switch off, so that you don’t become a statistic in real estate?
Mindfulness: learning how to be present and be in the moment. This can be done through meditation and other training.
Planning: plan your day, don’t let the day plan you.
Exercise: keep your mind and body fit.
Hobbies and interests outside of real estate: real estate can become our life. We can forget to do the things that we love to do. Don’t allow work to consume you 7 days a week.
Outsourcing: get help. Outsource the things you don’t like doing. Focus on dollar productive tasks.
Watch your energy: masculine and feminine energy. What has that got to do with real estate? Everything!
If you are out of balance in your life, look at your energy. Everyone has access to both masculine and feminine energy. We all need to balance this energy. To simplify — feminine energy defines you as being in the moment, and masculine energy zeros in that your focus is in your head. We all need to learn how to balance the two and switch off.
I wrote a book last year on the topic of masculine and feminine energy, and although it is niched to a dating book, it still explains the concept of masculine and feminine energy.
Structure your day to set yourself up for success
If you are new in real estate or you decide that you need to have some structure in your day, or if you don’t have appointments for the day, below is a simple guide that may inspire you. You can substitute different canvassing sources, different times, in fact you can substitute anything which allows you to get the best out of it. Do what works for you.
Suggested default routine:
6am Wake up
6.30 Gym/ walk/ run/whilst doing this at the same time listen to an inspirational
cd/podcast
7.15 Shower/get ready/breakfast
8.10 Arrive at work
8.15 Write down your goals/plan your day
9.10 Make any urgent calls you need to make and prepare for the day
10-12 Make all the warm prospecting calls you can/call back buyers/follow up past
appraisals/call your buyer enquiry log. If you don’t have warm calls to make, then
pick up the phone and prospect
12-12.30 lunch
12.30-1 Go through your listing kit. Always work on improving your listing presentation
1-4 Send thank you cards/appointments/research to target WDFS (withdrawn from sale properties)/signs down/prospecting
4-6 Prospecting/letter-box drop/door knock/go direct to WDFS
7 Dinner/relax
9.30 Listen to 30 mins of mindfulness CD’s. Learn how to be present — be in the moment
10 Bed.
Schedule time off and schedule holidays. Make it your aim to work hard when you are at work. Have fun when you are not. If you or anyone you know needs to talk to someone, please reach out to Lifeline – 13 11 14 and/or Beyond blue – 1300 224 636
Lisa B your real estate coach on demand – The Real Estate Hotline