Real estate is a competitive industry. You might have found yourself putting in more hours to chase after a good income, and consequently letting your home life suffer. This is especially concerning if you have a spouse and children you look after, or your team is growing faster than you can manage. If you want to begin creating a good work-life balance, read through these tips:
1. Prioritize Your Time
You might have a to-do list with a million things on it, and it never seems to get shorter. The best way to address it is not by doing everything you possibly can, as fast as you can, just to tick them off the list. Prioritize!
Identify which items need your urgent attention, which items are important but not immediate, and which items can be put off until later. This will let you use your time more efficiently compared to running around frantically. When you’re able to use your time more efficiently, you’ll also be able to devote more time to improving yourself, your work, and your family.
2. Set Boundaries
One thing that a lot of people struggle with is learning how to say “no.” It’s understandable — most people don’t want to be known as cold or unfriendly. However, this can lead to you taking on more work than you are realistically able to. Learn where your boundaries are, and enforce them. If you constantly work yourself to the bone until midnight, will your child remember that you did it because you were trying to meet a deadline, or will they remember that you weren’t there to read them a bedtime story? Similarly, will your team appreciate it if you keep taking on more transactions than they can manage? In the long run, it’s better to do limited work at a high quality, than mediocre work at a high quantity.
3. Rely on Your Team Members
Your team members are there for a reason: everyone has their own strengths and weaknesses. Ideally, these will balance themselves out, and allow all of you to lean on one another in crucial situations. If you’re feeling overwhelmed by paperwork and feeling like you’re missing out on family time because of it, ask someone tech-savvy on your team if there’s anything you can do to automate the process and cut down on the time needed.
4. Set Realistic Expectations
You will never be able to achieve a perfect work-life balance. While this may be disappointing to hear, that doesn’t make it any less true. Don’t try to chase after the elusive concept of perfection and end up creating more stress for yourself in the process. Set realistic expectations based on the demands on your time created by your work life and home life. Accept that balance will look different for different people, and focus on improving your own situation rather than theirs.
Conclusion
In a world where time seems to be in ever-dwindling supply, work-life balance is difficult but achievable. Start small with these tips, and always remember to give yourself the space to breathe. The balance of your work and home life rests on you as a fulcrum, so don’t burn yourself out before you can even spend time with the people that matter.
