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The Power of Time-Blocking

The art of time blocking is not easy and it does not come naturally, which is why I love Danielle’s vulnerability in sharing what has worked and not worked for her in the past. Danielle and I go way back into our childhood, where we spent many bus rides together listening to OG Avril Levine (that’s how young we were when we met) and Brittney Spears. We have known each other since we were single digits and I’m so glad we connected and for her to share her YoPro experience with our audience. Enjoy!

 

“Real Estate has an 80% drop out rate by year three” is something I have heard over and over again. They say if you make it that far in the business, you’ve beaten the odds and have a high chance for success. I hit year three and I hadn’t made a sale in the last six months. Not that I thought I would wake up and miraculously become an HGTV sensation, selling properties and tending to my real estate empire. I did however think at this point I would be a little bit further along in my career. I was exhausted and I felt I was doing everything I should each day to be successful. “Work hard and the result will follow!” said the cheesy motivational post-it I had taped to my desk. I felt like the hard work part was there but the results clearly weren’t.

A senior agent sat me down, more like swooped in to rescue me from being a spiraling ball of stress and "what am I doing wrong?!", and that’s when I discovered the beauty of time blocking. I schedule out my day into time chunks, based on the activities I have to do in order to accomplish the goals I have set. If I wanted to make one sale a month, I needed to make five calls, send five emails, and handwrite five notecards each day. Those fifteen conversations in the game of numbers will lead to about one home sold each month. With routine stability and solid goals set, I now block out two hours every day where I focus on those activities. This means no distractions and I am not allowed to add any additional tasks in that time frame. This system allows me to truly be in the moment in conversations, give undivided attention to my work, and feel accomplished each day.

Having multiple blocked out sections each day allows me to divvy up various projects. I’m no longer running out of time to meet deadlines or trying to spread myself too thin by juggling multiple tasks at once. The work I do each day pushes me towards a goal and it doesn’t just make me feel productive, I am productive. By scheduling out time for my business each day, I also have extra time to dedicate to other things I value. In real estate, it can be hard to have boundaries because clients expect me to be available around the clock. I don’t feel guilty setting aside time for myself each day to work out, read for leisure, or grab lunch with a friend. The parts of my day I set aside for myself don't conflict with work hours and vice versa.

Taking time out of your day to do things you love is crucial. Having a work-life balance isn’t easy and is something I had to work at for a while to figure out. It’s hard to enjoy the work that you do, regardless of your occupation, if it's all you do all day every day. Overworking yourself isn’t going to get you anywhere and will just lead to burning out and being stressed. It's healthy to take time for yourself and grow your mind and soul outside of your job.

Time blocking has helped me go from no sales for six months to three homes under contract in three weeks. It has also helped me gain a work-life balance that I definitely would not have had otherwise. It can be difficult at times “being my own boss” or creating my own daily structure vs just having someone tell me what to do. Laying out a routine for myself and sticking to it has really helped with increasing my work productivity and personal life happiness.

YoPro Know's Takeaways:

– Time blocking allows you to accomplish your goals in a more efficient way

– It can be hard to enjoy your job if you're constantly overworking yourself

– Don't feel guilty for establishing a work-life boundary

Connect with the Author here: Danielle Nauman

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