Stop Multi-Tasking (and Actually Get Sh*t Done!)

Multi-tasking is the greatest source of time suck for anyone who has ever had a busy work day. You think you are getting more done, but really you only half-completed three tasks and they are full of mistakes. And that's no way to grow a successful real estate business.

Stop Multi-Tasking (and Actually Get Sh*t Done!)

Did you know that whenever you jump between tasks, it takes your brain 15-20 minutes to get back on track? During that muddled time, you are liable to make more mistakes in your work because you aren't fully focused. When you stop multi-tasking, you can fully focus on the task at hand, which means less mistakes and less time overall doing said task.

So how can you stop multi-tasking and actually get sh*t done? By limiting distractions, scheduling your day and knowing your limits.

Limit Distractions

Distractions are constant in our digital world. Everyone has to manage multiple emails, messager apps, and social accounts while still fielding phone calls. Jan down the hall wants to show you her latest grand kid photos. Your BIC needs to discuss your business plan. And your leads manager is blowing up your phone wondering if you contacted that new lead yet. How can anyone work like that? I know I used to and while I was productive, I felt like a lot of little things were slipping through the cracks. So I had to stop. First and foremost, I talked to my team lead, BIC, lead managers, staff, and clients and told them when my unavailable hours were. They knew once I was free, they could expect me to return calls, texts and emails.

Second, I learned to put my phone out of sight and turn off desktop notifications for everything. I keep my phone on vibrate most of the time, but when I need to focus, it goes on total silence and only rings if someone tries calling multiple times within 15 minutes. Between tasks/once per hour or so, I skim through anything that came in and handle anything that can't wait. (Let's be 100% honest here, it's really rare that anything is so time dependent that it can't wait an hour. And again 100% honesty, if you were with clients, you wouldn't answer your phone constantly.)

And lastly, I invested in good headphones. When I need to focus on writing or paperwork, a loud talker in the office will cause my focus to wan. So I got a decent pair of noise cancellation headphones for about $25 and now I can listen to my favorite playlist, cafe jazz, or even just silence and keep on trucking.

Schedule Your Day

In addition to simply having a few unavailable hours a day, you need to actually plan out your day. Know what your day looks like before you start working. This can be as simple as a basic to do list or as detailed as a timeline of your day.

Because I work with multiple businesses and write several blogs, I often use time blocking to plan out my days. A typical workday for me starts at 7 AM with a block of 1-2 hours per business/blog with a break and email check in between blocks, a long break from 6 PM-8 PM and ending at about 10 PM (though at night, I am working from my phone on the couch, so I don't really feel like I am working). Additionally, I keep a daily to do list with my schedule so I know exactly what tasks have to be done during each block. At the end of the day, I write out tomorrow's schedule and to do list. I don't always get everything done, but I get a lot more done keeping to a schedule and one task at a time than I ever did multi-tasking.

Know Your Limits

As stated above, I don't always get my daily tasks done even without multi-tasking. But I don't stress. Everything will be there tomorrow. Because I plan like a mofo, I no longer procrastinate, so unless it's an emergency, I always have plenty of time to tackle a task or project.

And you shouldn't stress over your to do list either! Know your limits for each day and build your schedule around them. If you have three closings in one day, don't expect to spend 4 hours prospecting and 2 hours inputting listings. Also, if you are crazy busy, don't forget to schedule breaks and meals. It's easy to accidentally overbook and find yourself raiding the vending machines at 3 PM because you forgot to eat. In fact, I find it best to take a quick 10-15 minute break between tasks. I get up, walk around, check personal social media and email accounts, play with the furbabies, anything to clear my head before starting on something new.

Tackling your to do list doesn't require multi-tasking. Limit distractions, schedule your day, know your limits and tame the work beast one task at a time. Your fully focused brain will thank you (especially when it finishes work early for once)!

Until next time my lovelies!

-M

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