The first thing you may notice when you start working from home as a real estate agent is that you’re working far more hours than you did when you had an office to go to.
You’re not alone.
Since the beginning of the government lockdown, work-from-home Americans are putting in, on average, three extra hours per day, compared to when they worked from the office.
Some experts claim that they’re compensating for the lack of a commute. Others say that there are so many distractions at home, it takes longer to get in a good day’s work.
Whatever the reason, those extra three hours can and should be spent on anything but work. It’s all about work-life balance and we rounded up some tips to help you achieve it when you’re working from home as a real estate agent.
Working from home as a real estate agent – Your home office
Since this is where you’ll be spending the bulk of your workday, create an office that’s not only conducive to getting work done but pleasant to be in as well. A few weeks ago, we went in-depth with how to set up your workspace.
In a nutshell:
- Choose a suitable location
- Buy the right gear
- Get in the right mind-set
Even the smallest home offers a spot to use as a home office. Get inspiration at ApartmentTherapy.com, BHG.com and, of course, Pinterest.com.
Working from home as a real estate agent – Create a schedule
Make a promise to yourself that you’re going to treat your new home office seriously. To back up that promise, create a schedule. If you ensure that the schedule accommodates others who live in the home (kids, etc.), you’ll be more likely to stick to it.
A schedule, when shared with the family, also acts as a boundary. “I’ll be working from 9 every morning until 4 every afternoon,” clearly tells everyone that you’re not available during those hours.
This is easier said than done for the single parent, so create a workable schedule around your duties as a parent.
Ensure that you work some breaks into the schedule. Sitting for long stretches of time is brutal on your body. Doctors recommend that you stand for 15 minutes out of each hour that you sit at your desk.
Use those 15-minute breaks to take a walk with the kids or the pooch, check the mail, do the dishes or whatever else needs doing. If you can’t remember to stand up and move every hour, ask Alexa to remind you.
The workday’s most important break should be for lunch. Get away from your office area and unwind for an hour when you’re working from home as a real estate agent.
Working from home as a real estate agent – Avoid distractions
Unless you live alone, working from home is a process rife with distractions. If you have trouble saying “no,” it will be even more challenging for you to avoid them.
Even those of us who’ve worked from home for a decade or more fall prey to that Netflix movie we didn’t finish last night, the laundry begging to be folded or the neighbor who invited us for coffee.
There are some tips to avoiding distractions and we offer them up in “Work from Home? Avoid these Common Time Sucks.”
Working from home as a real estate agent – Turn off the lights
Remember when you put together your new work schedule? One of the tasks was deciding when your work day is over. If you chose a specific time, stick to it by logging off your computer, getting up from your desk, turning off the office lights, shutting the door and “going home.”
Sure, you’re already home, but when you work from home, anything but the office is your true home. And quite the snappy commute, right?
Don’t underestimate the psychology of ritualistically transitioning from work to home life when your work is at your home.
Take a minute to read more about how to relax and focus on you.
Successfully making the transition from working at the office to working from home as a real estate agent requires self-discipline and lots of experimentation. Finally, you’ll find what works for you and you may just decide to never return to the office after the crisis is over.