Do you make New Year’s Resolutions? If so, here’s a good real estate resolution for 2021: Commit to 
“Working when you work.”
“Don’t be fooled by the calendar. There are only as many days in the year as you make use of. One man gets only a week’s value out of a year while another man gets a full year’s value out of a week.”
Charles Richards
I don’t know about getting a full year’s value out of a week, but I do know that most of us can get more value out of a day or a week than we do. Perhaps this real estate resolution will help.
It isn’t always easy to work when you’re working.
If you go to an office, you’ll have dozens of opportunities for distraction. Other agents are the worst, but lenders, title company reps, and others selling their services will gobble your time if you allow it.
Of course, back when I was an agent and then a broker I saw plenty of agents who also sat at their computers playing games or shopping. But I’m sure you wouldn’t do that.
If you work at home, you have different opportunities. Since I’ve been working at home for the past 15 years I’m very familiar with them.
- “Oh, I should throw in a load of laundry.”
- “Look at that dust – I’d better remove it.”
- “The dogs really do need a long walk. I’d better take them out.”
- … and on and on.
If you have kids or dogs you can’t be absolutely rigid with your time. After all, sometimes their needs are immediate. However, you can salvage plenty of wasted minutes if you have a game plan.
Time-wasters can sneak up on you…
The easiest thing in the world to do is to waste time, and Real estate is a career that offers plenty of opportunity to do so. There are all those little gaps throughout the day when it feels like there’s not time to start working on something new, so you waste 10 minutes here, 20 minutes there, and sometimes even an hour.
To avoid wasting all those hours in 2021, create a master list of tasks that take 
only a few minutes.
When you see that you have 10 or 20 minutes before you need to leave for your next appointment, resist the urge to waste them. Instead, look at your lists and choose an activity. Then do it.
5 minute tasks.
- Write a “Hi, how are you” note to a past client or someone in your sphere.
- Pen a thank you note.
- Download the last photos you took.
- Write a comment on an Active Rain blog post.
- Reply to a comment or two on your own blog.
- Make some notes to yourself about your next blog post.
- Share one or more of your posts or pages on Facebook, LinkedIn, or one of the other social sites.
10 or 20 minute tasks:
- Make a phone call to a past client or someone in your sphere.
- Visit Copy by Marte and choose your next set of prospecting letters.
- Upload a blog post.
- Sort through those photos you uploaded.
- Review some pages on your website to see if they need updates.
- Proofread a post, letter, or article you’ve been working on.
Remember that sometimes recharging your energy is the most important thing you can do, so add these tasks:
- Call someone you love, just to tell them so.
- Set your timer, then meditate for 10 minutes.
- Get up, go outside, and take a brisk walk.
Here’s a second real estate resolution: Be with your loved ones when you’re with them.
You may not be able to eliminate evening and weekend calls or appointments, but you can set boundaries. 
If sitting down to the evening meal together is important to your family, just do it. Turn your phone off for a half hour and give them your full attention.
The same goes for kids’ events, birthdays, and vacations.
Why are you working if not to provide a good life for yourself and your loved ones? A good life may require money, but it also requires time and attention. Don’t let the good times slip away in your quest for money.
2021 & tune flies graphics courtesy of stuart miles @ freedigitalphotos.net
family Image courtesy of photostock at FreeDigitalPhotos.net
