All of us struggle occasionally with time management. But if you find yourself scrambling to meet deadlines or putting off important tasks with busywork, that’s a problem. The good news is that there are ways to beat procrastination and become more productive!
Track Your Time and Change Things Up
Unlike many careers, real estate involves working in several different zones. You might some days in the office, others on-site at properties, and perhaps even work from home. Do you know if you’re more productive at one location or during a particular time of day?
The first major step to beat procrastination is to find out when and where you’re most productive. Then you can structure your day for maximum productivity. For example, you might find that Friday afternoons at the office are ideal for catching up on work, since most people go home early. On the other hand, you might need to relocate to a coffee shop instead of working from home to avoid distractions.
Surround Yourself with Go-Getters
If someone else is working hard, we’re more likely to buckle down, too. On the other hand, if you spend time with people who procrastinate, you’ll probably end up wasting time alongside them.
The people in your environment influence your behavior. Make sure that you’re surrounded by people who model positive behavior and attitude. And remember that it works both ways–you can inspire your team to work harder and do better by example.
Avoid ‘Productive Procrastination’
This might be the hardest habit to break when you try to beat procrastination. That’s because you’re technically getting things done–just not the important stuff. For instance, you might be putting off prep for a speech at an upcoming conference by stuffing envelopes to promote an open house instead.
When you create a to-do list, the most important things need to come first. Focus on the tasks you’re tempted to put off. And–this might seem radical, but it works–don’t list the less important tasks at all. That way, you’ll avoid a false sense of accomplishment when crossing off easy, routine tasks. You can always delegate those–or skip them entirely.
Forget About Perfection
Many habitual procrastinators are secretly perfectionists. They’re so wrapped up in the idea of doing something perfectly that they never get started. Or maybe they start but then tinker and tweak a project so that it doesn’t ever reach completion.
If this behavior sounds familiar to you, then there’s a simple mantra you can repeat to yourself: Done is better than perfect. It’s okay to just get the job finished and move on.
Make It Harder to Waste Time
Are you constantly tempted to check social media when you should be working? Then install a blocker in your browser to limit the amount of time you can spend on Facebook during business hours.
Is your phone a distraction? It’s okay to put it on silent–or even hide it in a desk drawer–while you focus on a task that requires your full attention. The idea is to make those bad little habits just that much harder to indulge.
