With so many of us clocking in long hours at work and responding to work-related emails even during our time off, workplace burnout is inevitable. Even though we’re not physically going into the office, we’re still experiencing burnout while working from home — especially considering the added stress of the coronavirus pandemic.
So, now, we’re about six months into the pandemic, which means we’ve been working from home and pushing through for six whole months. That’s enough time to feel the exhausting impact of that burnout on our lives (and health).
There are, however, a few things you can do to avoid burnout and become a lot more productive and strategic when it comes to work. Here are four tips you and your team can use to get the most out of your time working from home.
1. Get strategic
Starting off strategically definitely pays off. When you have a strategic model in place, you’ll account for any future needs for more time, relief or having someone else who can oversee certain parts of your business as you grow.
This will give you clarity and strategy — who factors you’ll absolutely need in order to transform your existing business into one that’s structured to grow.
It will allow you to focus on the right places in your business so you can offer a top client experience to the public, while also reinvesting in your business platform.
2. Create your ‘perfect week’
We’re all living in a different reality right now. We aren’t leaving the house as much as we used to. We have different people pulling on our time. Some may be dealing with having their kids at home with them — along with other distractions.
As a real estate agent, you have plenty on your plate on a typical day, let alone a day during COVID-19 era. So, how do you adjust to these new day-to-day aspects of life?
You have to sit down and create your perfect week, not because you want to, but because you absolutely have to. You need to do yourself and your business a favor, and take control of your life again.
If you put in the effort to have the perfect week or day, it might just happen for you. This involves knowing what constitutes a “perfect” day and what’s involved in making that happen.
Write down the things you love doing, the things you absolutely hate doing, and what you’d like to find more time for. Think: What would that perfect day be like? What activities would you do? Who would you spend your time with? Where would you spend your time?
Take some time and jot those things down. Do it on a personal level first, and then on a business level. Next, expand and look at what you wrote down for your business from a weekly perspective.
Creating the “perfect” business week becomes a much more accomplishable task. You may feel some resistance from yourself at first, but once you embrace this plan, you’ll end up finding more free time for yourself.
Life isn’t perfect, but putting our “perfect week” down in writing gives us a game plan to follow, something that will guide us through these uncertain days.
3. Focus on your nonnegotiables
When planning your days or weeks, make sure you take your nonnegotiables into consideration. These are the things that don’t change, no matter what’s in your daily plan.
Now that we’re living in a time when many things are being thrown at us on a daily basis, it’s not a surprise that we’re feeling flat-out stressed and overwhelmed.
When we’re overwhelmed, we’re more prone to snapping at our loved ones, having sleeping disorders and struggling with anxiety. (The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) offers helpful tips and resources for people dealing with anxiety and stress during COVID-19)
Even though we’re more likely to want to surrender, we have to learn how to operate in this new normal.
By covering your nonnegotiables, you’re making sure that you’re keeping your cup full, and that you’re OK. When you’re OK and not overwhelmed, you’re able to be 110 percent there for your clients, loved ones and family.
4. Practice makes perfect
A lot of real estate agents overlook practicing key steps in their sales process, like scripts and presentations. This puts them at a disadvantage, especially when they try to compete with other agents who are on top of their game and constantly practicing their materials.
Set some time aside from your day so you can make sure you’re having seamless and professional conversations with your clients. Practice your craft until you master it completely.
When you master something, you know it without even thinking about it. You can access it unconsciously. This allows you to dedicate 100 percent focus on your client during a presentation. You’ll know which slide is next without even looking at the screen, and you’ll be able to give it your all.
Kathleen Black is the CEO of Kathleen Black Coaching and Consulting in Oshawa, Ontario, Canada. Connect with her on Instagram at @kathleenblackcoaching or through her website ItTakesa.Team.
