7 Habits to Boost Productivity and Well-Being in a Complex Profession

You’re in a rewarding profession—helping people realize a significant life goal. But selling real estate comes with distinct challenges. While constantly working to fill your pipeline, manage client expectations, and achieve a sense of work-life balance, you’re likely to face moments of financial uncertainty, performance pressure and market volatility, as well as feelings of isolation and loneliness. As an educator with a mom who has been in the business 40 years, I’ve seen these challenges up close. So what can you do to counteract those stressors? 

Consciously drive for productivity. Productivity can create a positive feedback loop in which success leads to increased confidence and motivation, further reducing stress and promoting a healthy work-life balance.

What helps you be most productive might be different from what works for others. For some, it’s setting aside time each day for professional development or to contact clients with updates. For others, the best productivity tool might not be work-related. You might get a boost from a breathing exercise, taking a walk or meditating. To be more productive and stay in the moment, try these seven strategies. 

1. Listen actively.

The most effective communication requires more listening than talking. Active listeners are non-judgmental, empathizing with and striving to understand others’ point of view. They pay close attention to what’s being said and tune into the speaker’s emotions for a fuller picture of what that person wants to convey. It’s a vital skill in client relationships. When you understand others’ perspective, you can be a more productive part of the team. To practice active listening: 

• Use an emotional scale of zero to 10 to better assess others’ feelings. For example, you might say to a client, “I feel that you like this house. On a scale of zero to 10, with zero being the lowest in likeability and 10 being the highest, where would you rate yourself?” Or, say you’re trying to gauge your client’s understanding of documents, such as a disclosure or sales agreement. You might ask, “On a scale of zero to 10, zero being completely don’t understand and 10 being crystal clarity, where would you rate your understanding of the disclosure?” 
• Take notes. When you say to a client or prospect, “I really want make sure I understand what you’re saying and would like to take some notes,” it shows you care about their intent. 
• Paraphrase. Like note-taking, recapping what you heard is a powerful way to demonstrate you get and value what they’re saying, and that you’re listening, focused and invested. 

2. Remain open to continuous learning.

Curiosity helps you grow. The more skills and strategies you have in your toolbox, the more productive you can be. Here are a few ways to fit learning into your schedule. 

• Follow the 15-10-5 rule. Each day, take 15 minutes to read a real estate–related article, book chapter, or blog, or listen to a podcast, like Drive With NAR. Next, take 10 minutes to catch up with a colleague or client. You could update them on the progress of a deal, check in to see if they have any questions, or solicit feedback. Getting feedback, especially when there’s been an issue with a deal, can transform how you approach situations and relationships down the road. Finally, take 5 minutes to reflect on what went well—or poorly—in the past few days so you can plan a more productive day ahead.
• Learn with a colleague. Meet weekly or every other week to share information, experiences or ideas. Dialogue can spark new learnings. 
• Try motivational interviewing. Do you need help staying motivated? Are you procrastinating about completing an online course or updating your website? Revive motivation by interviewing yourself using a scale. Here’s how this might work:

You say, “I don’t feel like updating my website today. On a scale of one to 10, one being the lowest and 10 being the highest level of motivation, my motivation level is at a four. I want to meet up with friends instead. However, it’s not a good idea to let this go another day. If I spend an hour updating, I can get a lot done. It would be cool to change my background and post pictures of my new listing. Now, I feel like I’m at a five. I can also post that article I just read on the site. Buyers and sellers would love that information. I’m definitely at a six now. OK, I know what I need to do now. Time to get to work, and hopefully, I’ll get to a seven or eight once I start the updates.” 

3. Strive for accuracy.

This doesn’t mean “be perfect.” It means be intentional about your work, fact check and find ways to improve. Here are a few ways to stay on point:

• Create checklists. Develop a list of steps you must complete to be successful on project. Perhaps it’s a list of all the paperwork you have to finish before settlement. Crossing off tasks as you go provides motivation, fulfillment and a boost of dopamine. And it ensures you don’t miss a step.
• Identify your productivity zones. Figure out when during the day you’re most effective at accomplishing administrative tasks (phone calls, email, organizing), analytical work (deep thinking and focus), and creative thinking (planning, reflecting). Then schedule these tasks accordingly each day.
• Step away and return with a fresh mind. When your momentum flags, don’t fight it; take a break. When we’re exhausted or overworked, we tend to push through just to get it done. Even an one-hour break can make a world of difference in your ability to focus.

4. Communicate clearly and precisely.

• Poor communication leads to misunderstandings or confusion, which is unproductive. Strive to communicate accurately both verbally and in writing, use precise language, and define terms. Productive pros support their statements with explanations, comparisons, quantification, facts and evidence. A few strategies can foster clear communication: 
• Slow it down. Speaking quickly, using too many words, and forcing a point can confuse the listener. Work on pacing and pronunciation when speaking. Your words have more weight and power when you use them intentionally. It’s also helpful to rehearse your message before you meet with clients.
• Use analogies. They help clients understand complex issues and build rapport and are memorable. For instance, here’s how you might help buyers understand the importance of staging: “Staging a home is like baking a cake. You need all the right ingredients (furniture, decor) and careful preparation (arranging, cleaning) to make it look appealing and attract buyers.”
• Educate with visuals. Everyone learns in different ways. Provide clients with both visual and verbal information. Need ideas? Use the Realtors Property Resource®, the comprehensive property listing database exclusively available to NAR members, to create informative charts about properties, quality of life and trends within a market.

5. Think flexibly.

Part attitude—openness to new ideas—and part action—knowing how and when to use information—thinking flexibly encourages you to ask, “Is there another, better way I can handle this situation or project?” Here’s how to create a flexible mindset:

• Take the CTA (calm, think, act) approach. First, relax your mind and body so you can think effectively. Second, consider some possibilities that could fix the situation. Also consider backup plans so you can change course quickly if needed. For instance, you might brainstorm a backup plan with clients in case they don’t get their forever home. Lastly, put your plan into action. 
• Create what-if scenarios to prepare for various outcomes. In a profession where dealing with the unexpected is a reality, you need to think ahead so you’re ready to adapt. For instance, if your listing isn’t getting offers, ask yourself, “How can I explain to my sellers that they might have to reduce the price?”

6. Manage impulsivity.

When you’re juggling a lot of demands, it’s easy to let urgency overtake thoughtfulness. You might take the first suggestion you get or the first idea that comes to mind. Instead of responding emotionally, efficacious leaders act deliberately by considering alternative points of view. Try a few strategies to manage impulsivity when your brain gets mired in stress and chaos: 

• Investigate why you’re being impulsive. What is it about this situation that’s producing these feelings? What are your options for dealing with this situation and what are the advantages and disadvantages of each? Which of these solutions is best? 
• Use the 4-7-8 breathing technique. Inhale through your nose for a count of four, hold your breath for a count of seven, and exhale through your mouth for a count of eight. It’s a great way to calm your mind. 
• Vent to a buddy. Talk to a trusted colleague to release tensions, get new perspectives and reduce isolation. Support and encouragement help boost your resilience.

7. Persist

When faced with uncertainty, resilient leaders push forward to meet goals and client needs. Here are some tactics to keep up the momentum:

• Eliminate distractions and hyperfocus on the goal. Start by setting a timer for a task. Remove all distractions, including your smartphone. Once you begin working, your focus should be solely on the one task—nothing else. When the timer goes off, take a break. 
• Do something each day. You don’t have to be superhuman, but if you’re productive every day, little by little your success will compound.