The ideal real estate agent schedule + 12 time management tips for success

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9 time management tips to boost your productivity

Now that you have the framework to build your real estate agent schedule, here are some helpful time management tips to help you accomplish everything you just added to your schedule.

1. Use time blocking 

Time blocking is a simple but powerful time management strategy in which you set aside the same amount of time each day to work on one specific task. Working on one task and one task only for a set time makes it much easier to get into a flow state and become wildly productive. Think of it like muscle memory for your brain.

A little trick we learned from reading Atomic Habits: If you block 9 a.m. to 10 a.m. every day to cold call FSBOs for a week or two, you’ll eventually go into cold calling mode at 9 a.m. whether you want to or not!

Here’s how I set up my time blocks in my Google Calendar. Like many real estate agents, I schedule lead generation as my first activity of the day since that’s when I am most alert and focused.

Photo credit: Robin Brodsky

2. Automate your appointment scheduling

Once your calendar is time-blocked, the next step to building your ideal real estate agent schedule is to automate your appointment scheduling. This will give everyone clamoring for your time, attention, and, let’s face it, your emotional support an easy way to schedule appointments with you. 

Automating showing requests

If you’re a Realtor, chances are you already know — and might even like — ShowingTime. For all the new agents out there, ShowingTime is a free app used by over 950,000 Realtors to schedule and coordinate showings between the buyer’s agent, the buyer and the listing agent. 

Automating requests for phone calls and Zoom meetings

Calendly is your best bet for scheduling phone calls or Zoom meetings. This app gives you a link to add to your email signature, text messages, website or social media pages. Anyone can click on the link to book a time slot you’ve made available on your Google Calendar or iCal. You can set up multiple links that help you block time for different purposes, reserving certain hours of your week for phone consultations with new clients, meetings with current clients or calls with other real estate professionals.

Visit Calendly

3. Set boundaries with clients & co-workers

Like most agents, you probably think that you have to respond to clients immediately. However, most successful agents schedule phone calls, texts and emails. This helps them manage their day rather than letting their clients manage it for them.

Telling a high-budget client, “I’ll call you back at 4:30,” might be intimidating the first few times you do it. However, setting boundaries and managing expectations early in your relationship makes it easier for everyone. Your clients will learn when to call and when not to, and you’ll field fewer interruptions when focusing on other tasks.

Just make sure to tell your clients (and everyone else!) when to expect replies from you and when to expect radio silence. Of course, emergencies will always require immediate attention, so give your clients an alternate method to contact you should one arise.

4. Replace it if you erase it!

Urgent tasks and emergencies are par for the course in real estate. To keep your real estate agent schedule from going off the rails every time one arises, it’s crucial to move any tasks you had to skip to deal with them to another time on your calendar. For example, if you had to skip your lead generation time to deal with a needy client, you must reschedule it for another time on your calendar.

As one of my old real estate coaches used to say, “If you erase it, you must replace it.” If you get into the habit of deleting tasks instead of rescheduling them, you won’t stay consistent enough to see results. 

5. Save time by automating your lead generation & nurturing 

When managing your time, work smarter, not harder. One of the smartest (and easiest) ways to work smarter is to automate your lead generation and nurturing. This will save you precious time in your schedule and get you to the closing table faster.

While dozens of options are available, Market Leader offers the most well-rounded and affordable solution for most agents. They offer everything from exclusive seller leads from housevalues.com to social media leads for just $10 each from their Network Boost program.

Visit Market Leader

6. Avoid burnout with a realistic (and flexible) real estate agent schedule

The key to setting your real estate schedule is to make sure that it’s realistic, that you can follow it and that it works for your lifestyle. A real estate agent schedule that’s too rigid or full doesn’t do you any good. You want to ensure you can do what you set out to do. Otherwise, your productivity will suffer.

If you don’t know where to start, try the “less is more” strategy. Put one or two of your mission-critical tasks in your calendar, then block out more time for less important tasks until you get to a place where you feel like you have enough time to meet your goals each week. 

7. Find an accountability partner

Teaming up with another agent is a great way to keep yourself accountable to your business, hone your skills and have a cheerleader in your corner. Having someone who has your back and understands your challenges and the work that you do is an excellent way to keep you motivated and on top of your game.

Being there for another agent can help motivate you to stick to your schedule and develop ways to work together more efficiently. You can also hone your skills by role-playing so you can practice your scripts.

8. Create a social media content calendar

Regular social media posting is one of the most effective ways to be seen and generate business. The only problem is that figuring out what to post can be tedious. Creating a content calendar to schedule your social media posts for the week or month ahead is a great way to save time.

Coffee & Contracts makes it easier. They offer a monthly content calendar filled with high-quality social media content made for agents by agents.

Visit Coffee & Contracts

9. Delegate tasks that aren’t moving the needle

Once you realize that you’ve hit your limit for what you can do in a day, it’s time to consider delegating tasks. Passing off administrative tasks to an assistant (or virtual assistant from Upwork) takes those activities off your plate and frees up time for more important things. Delegating can also mean building a team or collaborating with another agent in your office. The key to delegating is to identify the tasks that don’t require your involvement and assign them to others with that skill set, ensuring that your high-priority items get your full attention. 

The full picture: The ideal real estate agent schedule

One of the things that I love about the real estate business is that every day is different. This doesn’t mean that the days fly by without planning. A real estate schedule that prioritizes your essential tasks and gives you a healthy work-life balance is one of the most crucial tools in your toolbox. Learning time management skills, such as setting realistic goals, blocking time, setting boundaries and finding an accountability partner can help you stay organized to build a stronger business.

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