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It’s fair to say the past year has been a bit of a rollercoaster. After a heady start, the market has altered, and chances are you’ve had little time for a break to reflect on the whirlwind of the past 24 months.
That makes this upcoming break critical as a chance to re-energise, refocus, and revitalise for the new year ahead.
But how do you make that happen, and why is the downtime so important?
A chance to recharge
A career in real estate requires focus and energy. For many, it’s the type of job where they’re “on” almost 24/7, assisting clients, taking phone calls, prospecting, and building their profile while achieving results.
But like any activity where intense energy is required, there must be a period of rest to recuperate and recover. Whether that’s spending time with your family, hanging out with friends, or simply indulging in a pastime, this recovery should allow you to switch off, step away and return refreshed and ready.
Here are five tips to ensure that’s the case.
Start the new year now
It’s hard to switch off if you’re worried about the return to work. To ensure you start the new year on the right footing, organise what you can now.
This involves being abreast of any listings that are set to go to market in the new year and what needs to happen before the sales campaign commences.
Whatever you can line up now, do it, whether that’s organising marketing materials, touching base with the vendor, or scheduling exact dates for open homes and photography.
In the meantime, don’t forget to plan your prospecting. List exactly what you intend to do when you return to work, including setting time and targets for what you plan to achieve.
Communicate with your clients
Now’s the time to reach out to your clients to let them know what will happen during the Christmas/New Year break.
Be clear on when you’re taking a break and when you will return, along with who they should contact if they have any queries during that period.
Now is also a great opportunity to touch base with your database and offer them well wishes in the form of a personalised message.
Alter your automated email response
Ideally, you will take a break uninterrupted. To ensure this is the case, set up your automated email responses to indicate that you’re on holiday and when you will be back.
Don’t forget to give the automated email recipient the name of someone who is available to speak with if they need to.
And if you’re truly planning on switching off, don’t forget to record a similar phone message.
Hand over anything that’s needed
If someone is covering your role or parts of it, take the time to sit down with them and share what stage everything is up to.
Let them know how they can contact you if something’s urgent, but resist the urge to make yourself too available while you should be taking a break.
Be in the moment
After the pace of the past couple of years, stepping away from the world of real estate, even briefly, can be a bit of a challenge.
But it’s important — to you, to your family, to your relationships and your health.
If winding down might be a challenge, create a routine for yourself on the last afternoon of work where you officially mark the moment that you are “off-duty” and celebrate that milestone. Maybe it’s a massage, some meditation, a walk on the beach, or a gathering with friends. Whatever that routine might involve, it should be a signal that you are now entitled to relax.
Then make it a priority to be in the moment throughout the time you are away.
Remember, you deserve this. This is what you’ve worked for.
Turn off your phone, check your emails only at specific times, and if there’s anything that you feel you need to address or even think about that’s work-related over the break, set a time when that will happen and stick to it.
The downtime should be an opportunity to step away and recharge, not stress over the next year or think about what needs to happen when you return.
So, apply the same diligence to making the most of the downtime as you do during the rest of the year at work.
Manos Findikakis is the chief executive of Agents’Agency.
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