Real Estate Agents: Staying Motivated When Your Routine Has Taken a Hit

With so many agents working from home, you’d think there’d be a boom in productivity. What could be more energizing than a 30-second commute to your home office in your pajamas? But the reality is different. Dealing with new ways of working, along with the general stress of the pandemic, can actually drain your motivation.

In fact, according to an article in Forbes, the pandemic can create procrastination and lack of drive in even the most disciplined of professionals.

So, how do you turn it around?

Here are some science-based tips worth trying:

• Focus on goals ordinarily impeded by lack of time. Writing in Psychology Today, Dr. Bobby Hoffman, suggests you “think of all the projects you have put off… and all the things on your to-do list that get pushed aside.” Now is the ideal time to jump into these tasks, especially if they’re projects likely to help you generate more real estate leads and referrals. For example, you can set up a real estate marketing system to target a new geographic farm.
• Feed your brain more positive information. Turn on the TV, or open a news website, and you get fire-hosed with negative, and sometimes downright depressing, information. Sure, some of that news you need to know. Just don’t overdo it. Instead, consume more positive information that can help you become a more successful real estate agent. Here’s an idea: Read more articles on this blog!
• Revisit your goals. The goals you’ve listed just a few months ago may seem unattainable now. At least, this year. But is that really true? Sure, your game plan for achieving a goal might need need an update, but the goal itself doesn’t have to change. Say, for example, your aim this year is to generate better real estate leads. Leads provided by online services tend to have a very low conversion rate. Generating leads through your website, from past clients, and through geographic farming gets you higher quality leads more likely to convert. The point is: stay focused on your goal and explore new ways to achieve it.
• Develop a new routine. The pandemic has shaken everyone’s routine and changed the way many people work. Instead of fretting and waiting for things to “get back to normal”, create a new normal for yourself. Develop new routines and ways of working that keep you motivated and productive. For example, you can make “creating videos” a new part of your weekly routine, for virtual showings and connecting with prospects and clients. (Videos are also effective in real estate social media marketing.)
• Connect with contacts. If there’s a positive outcome of this pandemic, it’s the increase in people connecting with others. Never has there been more ZOOM meetings between people just having a chat. Connecting is not only comforting, but also motivating. So, go through your real estate CRM and reach out to contacts, especially past clients. This is a particularly good time to connect with past clients you may have lost touch with. Invite them to be added to your real estate newsletter.

Things have changed over the past few weeks. But you don’t need to let that dampen your motivation. Review these tips to re-ignite your energy and lean in to your real estate marketing goals.