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We live in a world filled with distractions. News, entertainment, social media, and tech tools are hitting us with a rapid flow of stimuli. Information is coming at us at light speed—and much of it is useless.
Even when written by highly trained experts, headlines and articles are too often taking us off our game by stealing our valuable time, which is costing us money. This constant overstimulation is also adding stress to our lives. It creates the “fear of missing out” effect. But it’s not their fault; it’s ours. We allow the endless flow of media to distract us and consume us. We’ve become addicted to instant information and gratification. And what controls your attention controls your life.
So how do we limit distractions?
Jim Weichert, the founder and president of Weichert, REALTORS®, says, “Manage your day instead of letting your day manage you.” This approach helped Jim build a single real estate office into one of the nation’s leading providers of homeownership services. He believes in a simple three-step process that has also helped countless Weichert agents succeed. This system may help you stay focused on your real estate business as well.
1. Set your goals.
Before you begin each week, record your most important goals. Focus on the most important things that need to get done. In order to maximize our focus, we need to simplify, master our time, and limit self-inflicted distractions.
2. Schedule tasks.
Under each goal, list what tasks or activities you need to complete to attain that goal. Next, schedule these activities, and don’t let any distractions keep you from doing them. This will help you clarify the few things that matter most in order to hit the goals you set. It will also keep you from wasting time on needless activities (distractions).
3. Measure your productivity.
Self-accountability is key. Did you get the things done that you scheduled? And if not, why? Once you’ve met your goals, you can move on and set your next goals. Highly successful people don’t get it all done at once; they focus strategically on the right things and make sure they complete those tasks. They also leverage a consistent system.
At Weichert, we focus on what will help our brokers, managers, and agents save time, energy, and money, and alleviate stress. Our aim is to implement systems that eliminate trial and error, provide greater discipline and accountability, and are purposeful and focused on priorities. By staying focused and eliminating the distractions the world throws at us, success is virtually guaranteed.
