As an agent, you probably have a crazy schedule. Many agents start their day around 5 or 6 in the morning, commute to work, put in a full day, and even then, it may not be over if there is a showing planned after hours or during the weekend. This can cause a strain on your personal life, as well as your physical and mental wellbeing. If you aren’t feeling 100% like yourself, it is the simple truth that you won’t be able to put 100% into your work. It is important to take some time for yourself, and there are a few simple things that you can do every day that may change your life as an agent:

1. Sleep, sleep, sleep.

This may seem obvious, but there are many agents out there (you know who you are) who don’t get nearly enough sleep. It is difficult sometimes to get a full 8 hours when your day ends late, your morning starts early, and you still want to take some time to be with your family and friends. Try your best to keep a set bedtime each night, and to take naps if you need to – even an hour nap before getting ready for a showing can be a godsend for the rest of the day!

2. Keep a strict schedule.

Agents must be meticulous and organized planners in order to do their jobs efficiently – there is a lot that they take on and, admittedly, sometimes it can get to be too much. Having a strict schedule can help with this, such as maintaining a set sleep/wake time each day, not going over hours at work unless absolutely necessary, and having a specific amount of “showing hours” that you are willing to show clients a home or host an open house.

3. Don’t be too much of a people pleaser.

This is difficult in the field of real estate, when hospitality and a personable nature goes a long way. However, there must also be boundaries – you are not on call 24/7 and it is okay to turn off your phone, mute notifications, and even ignore calls when you’re home – you can get back to them the next morning during work hours. This is something that a lot of agents have trouble with since clients are essential to their success, but you can be just as good of an agent (if not better) if you unplug for a bit and take some time for yourself after a long work day.