By Jeanne Olson

In the roller coaster world of real estate, it can be easy to feel like you’re spinning out of control.  As REALTORS^®, we might find ourselves experiencing exhaustion or burnout in the busy season.  In contrast, during those slow months, we are panicking due to a lack of business.  So, how do we stay motivated during the burnouts and the slumps?  It all starts with taking back control. While there may be a lot we cannot control, there are a few things we can.

1) Control Your Mind

First of all, we need to change our belief that we are only productive when we are listing and selling houses.  We need to be just as excited about reviewing our goals, managing our business, educating ourselves, and of course, connecting with people.  The mindset should be that ALL of these are major money-makers.

Second, we need to practice positive self-talk.  Start each day with inspiration; read your favorite quotes or write out and read your affirmations.  Close your eyes and remember a time when you were totally on top of your game.  What was it like?  Picture how exciting your day is going to be…even if you know you have a handful of fires to put out.

2) Control Your Body

Mind and body go hand in hand.  Start your day off with some physical exercise to get the oxygen and blood flowing.  Even if you enjoy evening workouts, try to do a short amount of activity in the morning before you start each day in order to boost your ability to think and focus.  There are several phone apps that do a great job of taking you through a 7-10 minute workout. You will definitely be able to feel a difference right away!

3) Control Your Day

 Years ago I owned and operated a preschool called Animal Crackers.  One thing I noticed early on is that if I had an agenda that was to be followed when my students arrived, we had a productive day, full of fun and learning.  On those days where there was no set agenda, it was total chaos and I was exhausted.  We all know that in real estate, things can become chaotic in an instant.  However, sticking to a morning and evening structure will make everything else in the middle much easier to handle.

Create a morning ritual that you LOVE and that gets you excited for the day.  By taking care of yourself first, you will be in a much better position to take care of everyone else during the day.  The same should be done in the evening – reflect on the accomplishments of the day, write down what you are grateful for, read something for pleasure, etc.  More importantly, plan for the next day.  Get it all out of your head so you can go to bed without thinking of all the things you have to do the next day.

One last piece of advice, don’t even let it start.  When you feel the burnout coming on or when your energy level starts to fall, don’t give it a chance!  Get up, get going, and take control of your mind, body, and day!  You can get back on track, and when you do everything else will change around you in a positive direction.

Article by Jeanne Olson  |  RRi Business Coach
Jeanne has over two decades of real estate experience and an unrivalled zest for life!  She is one of the most supportive, inspiring and intelligent coaches in the industry today and RRi is very lucky to have her on the team.  If you’d like to learn more about how RRi coaches like Jeanne helps agents excel in their business, download our brochure here, or schedule a free coaching call to see if coaching is right for you.