Do you have a to-do list that’s as long as your arm? Are you always behind with the things you want to accomplish?

Whether you’ve got a full day of showing houses or you’re representing a client in a sale, as a real estate agent, you never have enough hours in the day. That’s why we’ve put together some practical time management tips that can help you reclaim some of those lost hours:

• Don’t multitask. Contrary to what many believe, multitasking isn’t a good idea if you want to get things done. According to Psychology Today, it can cost you as much as 40 percent of your productivity. The reason for this is that we never actually perform two tasks at once — we switch our attention from one to the other. This results in fragmented concentration, so it takes longer to complete things. It’s far faster and more effective to concentrate fully on one task at a time until you’ve completed it.
• Schedule tasks. Set aside blocks of time to complete a specific task. For example, if you have to prepare a report, reserve four consecutive hours for it and give it your full attention. It’s advisable to limit distractions so you can focus, so turn off your phone and message alerts, and instruct your employees not to disturb you.
• Use technology to share documents and files. There’s no need to waste time printing off hard copies of everything or even sending data attached to emails. Instead, make use of a file sharing app like Dropbox or a collaboration tool like Slack that allows you to upload your files to the cloud and share them with others.
• Do batch work. Batch working can ramp up your efficiency because you group similar tasks together and get them all done at once. For example, if you have to write up descriptions for seven new properties, set aside a morning for the task. Similarly, you can reserve half an hour in the morning and afternoon to handle emails and phone calls.
• Delegate. There’s no reason to do everything yourself if you have employees who can do it for you. Just make sure before you assign a task to someone that he or she possesses the skills and tools to complete it to your standards.
• Hire a virtual assistant. A virtual assistant is usually a freelancer who completes administrative or secretarial tasks for your business, as Entrepreneur explains. His or her duties can include scheduling appointments, entering information into the database, bookkeeping and making travel arrangements for business trips, amongst other things.

If you keep these tips in mind, you’ll soon find that you’re using your time more effectively — and that in turn can result in higher productivity.

For a personalized approach to mortgage banking and a specialized solutions broker, contact Peak Finance today. We have over a decade of experience finding results where others could not.