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You’ve heard more than one real estate expert — myself included — tell you that you have to have systems in your business if you want to reach your full potential and stop leaving money on the table. And you know what? You know it’s true. Yet for some reason, many of you reading this still haven’t taken the time to set up your business in a way that doesn’t require you to repeat various activities over and over again unnecessarily.
So why is that? I have my theories. The first is that people, as a whole, don’t really desire the great success they claim to want. Most people, by nature, just want enough to get by. That’s why complacency kicks in once you make a deal that pays your bills for the next two months. Our greatest human instinct is survival; we were created with the instinct to survive — but not necessarily to thrive.
My second theory is that most people understand the affect not having good systems in place in your business has on your overall health. Have you ever felt stressed because you are doing way too much? Stress isn’t all bad. Our bodies were created to release hormones and increase our heart and breathing rates during stressful periods so that we can deal with difficult situations more effectively. The problem that too many real estate professionals are experiencing is chronic stress. That’s a different beast — and it’s not good.
Chronic stress leads to anxiety, insomnia, headaches, over- or undereating, alcohol and drug abuse, and even social withdrawal. (The last point is probably the worst for someone who sells real estate for a living.) That’s not all: Chronic stress has also been linked to an increased chance of getting diseases such as diabetes and influenza, and it even affects the amount of time it takes to recover from sickness and injury.
It doesn’t take a doctor to understand doing anything that causes chronic stress in your life isn’t the best idea for you, both financially and from a health perspective. That’s why having systems in place in your business is so important. Systems can keep you from feeling bogged down by multiple repetitive tasks that stress you out. Here are some basic rules to follow when creating your systems so you can avoid chronic stress.
Anything You Do More Than Three Times Deserves a System
Anything you are doing over and over is a waste of your time, and it’s a good rule of thumb that if you perform an action at least three times per day or week, you need a system for it. Just as you have a system for setting up your DVR to record new episodes of shows you like, your business deserves the same systematic approach.
Have the Right Tools
Yes, having the right tools is part of having great systems, and yes, you will most likely have to spend money for this to happen. Just like having a car makes it easier for you to show houses, having a CRM makes it easier for you to implement your systems.
Don’t Wait Until You Need Systems to Put Them into Place
Chances are many of you have already passed this point, so the time is now. For the rest of you, the time is also now. Set up your systems before you’re being driven crazy with work — because by then, you won’t have the time to do it. Just as you should hire an assistant before you need one, you should implement good systems so they’re there when it comes time for you to use them.
You Must Commit
It’s not enough to implement systems because you know they are good for everyone else on your team. If you don’t commit to them and understand them, nobody else on the team will take them seriously either. Leadership starts at the top, and you can’t lead someone to a place you aren’t willing to go.
Having systems is one of the best things you can do for your business, but more important, not having systems is one of the worst things you can do for your business and your overall health.
