August 23rd, 2017

Ever had a bad day?

You know the ones. Where you feel like you have opposite of the Midas Touch so everything you touch falls apart, rather than turning to gold.

We all have those days in our lives when our personal problems seem to overshadow all else. However, as a real estate agent, you can’t afford to let personal issues get in the way of running your business.

Unlike traditional office jobs where there is an entire team of people working together, with real estate you are your own boss. If you don’t perform well, your business will undoubtedly suffer.

Luckily, there are ways to deal with the things going on in your personal life without letting it interfere with your business. Here’s how to do it:

1. Acknowledge Your Emotions

Trying to focus on work when you are feeling sad, anxious or angry is no easy task. Instead of trying to beat your emotions into submission and just power through, give yourself a break for 10-15 minutes.

Let the emotion wash over you so that you can really feel it. Then, tell yourself that you will deal with the problem later.

Because you have released those emotions, you’ll likely find that it easier to put them on the back burner so that you can get back to work.

2. Be Upfront with Clients

No one likes to feel like they are being ignored, so don’t cut yourself off from your clients. If you know that you will be unavailable while you’re dealing with a personal matter, let your clients know.

This way they won’t get frustrated when they can’t reach you. You’ll be surprised how understanding people can be if you just give them a heads-up.

If you know when you’ll be back at work (even if it’s approximate) let them know that as well.

3. Break Things Down

On days when you are feeling particularly overwhelmed, it can be helpful to look at each major task as a series of smaller steps. (Click to Tweet)

Here’s an example. If you need to book a professional photographer for one of your listings you might break that down into finding out what times work best for the homeowner, deciding which photographer is available at that time, and confirming the appointment with both parties.

Pixilink can make this process even easier for you with our innovative mobile app.

4. Provide Alternatives

Whenever possible, ask another agent in your firm to fill in for you. Although your clients would rather deal with you directly, having someone there who can answer their questions will help to ease their concerns until you get back.

Be sure to let your clients know that you have the utmost confidence in your temporary replacement so they don’t worry.

5. Get Some Help

Acknowledge that we all need a little help from time to time, and it’s OK to ask for it. Whether you need support from family, friends or professionals, be sure to seek out support.

Support isn’t limited to emotions either, you can reduce stress with exercise and diet. And if you need a little help calming down and de-stressing, there’s an app for that too!

Twitter’s founder, Evan Williams and Huffington Post founder Arianna Huffington both endorse Headspace. Millions of people also find peace each day using the Calm app.

6. Do What You Need

Sometimes it helps just ask yourself what you need to feel better. Even if it’s just a little bit better.

A bubble bath or a few minutes meditation won’t cure all your problems, but they might make a small difference. If nothing else you’ll feel a little nurtured, and like you’ve done something to take care of yourself.

Be sure to take care of your body too. You need to eat healthy, regular meals when you’re under stress, not reach for pizza and a stiff drink.

So think about what you need to feel better, rather than what you might want. One thing is for sure – delegating will help you boost productivity without working yourself to exhaustion.

Do what you do well and get someone else to take care of the rest – preferably an expert. It’s a recipe for success!