Are You a Workaholic?
Are there days, weeks, or even entire months when you look at your schedule and it seems overwhelming? This is a challenge all busy entrepreneurs have. How do you be as successful as possible at work and still have some semblance of a personal life?
In commission sales, ambition, drive, persistence, and tenacity are key factors in your success. But how do you turn it off and back on again. It’s not that easy. When you are working full out, there is a constant nagging feeling that if you stop for just a minute, you’ll miss out on an opportunity. The world seems to be moving so fast that we often fear if we stop for just a minute, we’ll get left behind.
I teach in my classes that being a workaholic is not a badge of honor, yet I rarely heed my own advice. Even during the pandemic when I wasn’t travelling every day for work, I spent my days furiously researching the market, creating new content, and doing Zoom training sessions (I’m so glad we are past that now). To all of my fellow workaholics out there, this message is for you.
Even workaholics need to recharge their batteries. If you don’t there are dire consequences. Those consequences may hit hard, disguised as a health issue, or they may sneak up on you, like a relationship that becomes distant. Either way, the effects can be devastating on your life.
Workaholics tend to keep working at a superhuman pace until they get a wake-up call. But if you wait that long, the damage is already done.
I don’t think people can change overnight. If you are a workaholic, you are not going to stop just because someone tells you that work-life balance is important. If you are a workaholic, you have total respect for discipline and scheduling. You must use those superpowers to schedule time off like you would an appointment with a seller or a buyer.
But what happens when you schedule that day off and a prospect calls and needs to see a house today? Do you give up your personal time and chase it? Most of you would, and I don’t blame you, it’s in your DNA. It is that ambition that made you successful in the first place. But be careful… any time you overplay a strength it becomes a weakness. Will you lose that opportunity if you don’t jump? Likely not. We just make ourselves believe we will.
How do we control this demon? Schedules and time blocking. People want to work with busy agents. If you are scheduled for a day off and an opportunity knocks, let them know you are busy all day, but you can squeeze them in the next day. Never tell people you are taking a day off; tell them you are fully booked today.
If you are one of those people who can’t schedule a full day off, you can schedule a few blocks of time off throughout the week. Some would say that taking a few hours off isn’t enough, but if that is all you can get, then you need to participate in a super-charged relaxation activity like yoga or meditation. If yoga or meditation is too docile for you, maybe a hard workout at the gym is better to blow off some steam. If you are somewhere in between, taking a walk while listening to music you love might be the perfect balance. Whatever your pleasure, you need to get out of your head for a few hours to let your brain rest. Sometimes we have to do things in baby steps.
Residential real estate sales are charged with emotions. Our clients often can misbehave and act inappropriately. When they have big decisions to make, it is normal for people to act out. We need patience to deal with their idiosyncrasies. If you are overworked and overtired, you won’t have the patience to deal with your clients, and you won’t have the brain power to come up with creative solutions for their problems. It sounds ironic but taking time off to recharge your batteries will allow you to think faster, act smarter, and be more sensitive… all skills we need in a busy real estate practice.
Another risk of overworking is failed relationships. When you spend all your time working, it comes with a cost. You likely have good friends you never see, kids you wish you could spend more time with, and family that you miss dearly. Relationships are one of the most important things you have in life. When you finally stop working, your relationships are all you have left. Are you spending enough time with the people in your life who really matter?
Here are a few strategies to help you get better balance. Like new year’s resolutions, we must reconfirm our commitment to time off every few months when exhaustion sets in. You can’t be your best for your clients when you are exhausted.
GIVE UP YOUR GUILT
The first step is to give up your guilt when you fall off schedule. Guilt is a powerful negative emotion. You want to focus on progress not perfection. You can schedule time off every week, perhaps it is every Sunday, but we know work commitments will creep back in. When you notice yourself getting off track, recommit to that day off a week again and hit the reset.
MAKE PLANS FOR YOUR TIME OFF
If you are a workaholic, scheduling time off with no plans makes it seem like wasted time. It is easy for us to give up “wasted time”. Instead, schedule plans for your day off. Perhaps a movie night with friends, or a hike in the woods with your partner, or book an fun event with the kids. You are less likely to give up your time off, if you already have scheduled plans with people you love.
SET PERSONAL GOALS & VISUAL CUES
Spend Time putting together your personal goals list. We often spend so much time focused on our work goals that we push our personal goals to the side. Putting your personal goals on your vision board will keep them top of mind. Maybe it is getting back in shape, so going to the gym becomes a priority. Maybe it is having an amazing relationship with your partner, so date nights become a priority. Maybe it is travelling the world, so booking vacations becomes a priority. Maybe it is being a great parent, so spending quality time with the kids becomes a priority. Workaholics need constant visual cues about what is important, so put pictures of your goals on your vision board.
Making enough money to pay for the house, send the kids to college, and retire well are a high priority, but so are your relationships and your health. Keep reminding yourself of that.The question I have for you is:
How are you living?
I challenge you to put together a bucket list of personal goals. Family, friends, health, travel. Keep the list front and center on your desk as a reminder that you need to enjoy life along the way. Schedule time off every week. If you aren’t ready to take a full day off, try scheduling blocks of a few hours at a time. Plan fun activities during those blocks so you won’t easily give them up.
To my fellow workaholics, remember that life is a work in progress.
Chris Leader
President
Leader’s Edge Training