Your business shouldn’t run your life. Barbara Betts, a realtor and broker in Long Beach, shares how to prioritize the important things to take back control of your life.
Getting pregnant at 17 forced Barbra Betts to grow up. In order to support her child, she knew she had to make money fast. When she turned 18 and officially became an adult, she became a realtor. Her drive to support her child led to her working so hard she quickly became successful. Her advice: get highly focused on what your priorities are, and choose a maximum of only three priorities to focus on at any given time.
What are your “top 3”?
CHANGE THE NARRATIVE
Betts suggests we change the conversation from “I am too busy” to “I am being productive.” Don’t get exhausted, don’t get drained, don’t put your dreams on hold. Instead of being busy, be productive. Work with a purpose!
TIME BLOCK
Put everything in your calendar, and organize your day according to what works best for you. Betts suggests you understand the difference between task management and time blocking. Time blocking is not negotiable. Task management needs to be done, but not right now. Set aside time each week to get those negotiable tasks done so they don’t pile up.
LEARN TO SAY NO
Take control of your calendar. Give clients options in your schedule. If your child has a baseball game at 10 AM, let your client know that time will not work for you. Always keep your three priorities in mind. If what you are spending your time doing does not align with either of those priorities, delegate the task.
WORK RELATIONALLY
“Get involved in your community. Do you know how many houses we sold from the baseball bleachers?” asks Betts.
Get involved in your family’s circles. Time block time to network in your market, and to connect with previous and current clients. Social media is a great tool to do this. Spend time each day sitting down and connecting virtually or physically with those who may give you business down the road.
