How to Survive Burn Out as a Real Estate Agent
Raise your hand if you have a love/hate relationship with the real estate industry. Is that hand raised? Now, raise your hand if you are just tired of it, and it is not worth it anymore. Still up? If so, congratulations. You are burnt out.
Do not worry, burn out is a part of life and completely normal to feel. Most of us will experience burn out at some point in our careers (or multiple points. No shame!). But just because we are burned out, does not mean we have to stay that way.
Here, I am going to address some life changing strategies to help you defeat burn out once and for all!
FIND THE ROOT
If it is possible, find the root of your stress at work so you can deal with it head on. Finding the cause of your burn out will help eliminate the stress in much quicker, efficient way with minimal changes. Try to pinpoint the time you started to feel “off,” and think about what was happening in that time that would result in your change of mood. Was there a structure change? A terrible client? Outside stress? Perhaps you could not close a house? Perhaps you have too many clients? Once you identify the problem, you will be more prepared to help yourself move on.
BE TRANSPARENT
If you work for a brokerage team, let your situation be known. Keeping it a secret will likely add in your stress. If you have a good team and broker, they will understand and try to help you get out of your rut. They say two heads are better than one, so let you and your boss try to come up with solutions and accommodations together. Aside from the added help and guidance you will receive, simply being able to vent about your frustrations can do wonders for your stress management and ease the feeling of your burn out.
DIAL IT DOWN
There is nothing wrong with letting go of some of your responsibilities or reducing your load. Dialing it down will give you more time to do tasks and find your groove again. You will have more time to relax and breathe and slowly build your workload back up to your past “normal.” In real estate this might look like, taking on less clients, cutting back on cold calls, or being very strict about your working hours.
TAKE A BREAK
Luckily, most real estate agents work for themselves and have the freedom to take breaks and vacations as they please. If you are dealing with a bad case of burn out, then take a break! It is better to leave for some time and decompress/have fun than to work inefficiently and angry. Take a few days or even a few weeks if that is what you really need (and can afford). Spend this time calming down, finding yourself and rejuvenating for your return. The idea is to come back from your sabbatical feeling inspired and refreshed.
TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF
Self care is key to so many things, and could be the key to your burn out. If you have noticed that your work-life balance has gone down the drain, it is a good idea to take time and adjust it. Taking time to take care of yourself will relieve so much of your stress, and help you feel better at work and at home. Partial or full, this is a solution to burning out that you do not want to skip over. Get sleep, be active, make time for hobbies, and maintain your relationships.
GET A COACH/GO TO A CONFERENCE
Maybe all you need is a little inspiration or words of encouragement. If this is the case, you might want to consider getting a real estate coach or at least attending a conference held by one. These coaches are professional speakers and know the exact words to say to get you on your feet and ready to be a top agent. This solution might be short lived, as mountain top experiences never last, but it can give you the tools and fire to hold you over until you can make more permanent changes in your work. To find a coach or conference in your area, reach out to your local MLS or colleagues for recommendations. You can also always hop on Linkedin or make a Google search.
CHANGE THINGS UP
Sometimes, all you need (or something additional perhaps) is a change of pace and scenery. If you thrive on change and know this, maybe monotony is what burned you out. Change things up. You are not limited to changing your duties and responsibilities. You can also consider changing your working hours, your marketing materials, your lead generation, your ads, or even the furniture in your office. Rearranging and redecorating can give you the energy you need to push on and make more needed changes. Who knows, changing things up might even be enough to solve the burnout completely!
SET NEW GOALS AND VISION STATEMENT
If your burn out is real serious, and stems from a place of big personal change, you might have to dig deeper to find your solution. Start from the framework and rebuild your business. Start by reevaluating your personal goals and vision statements. Make revisions or better, completely restart and set new ones. Remember to keep your goals SMART (google it), and written down on paper. After, take a look at your brand and marketing strategies. Need to make changes for your new goals and vision? Go for it! There is no problem with redefining yourself.
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