9 Ways to Boost Your Productivity and Mood for Real Estate Agents

As our communities and teams continue to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic, changes in our workflow and routines are necessary. But these changes go beyond the logistical adjustments we’ve made in order to work from home. We also need to make changes that will support productivity and mood – two things that will help you continue to work and spread cheer through your community!

If you’ve been feeling blue or been unsure about how to get through your work right now, here’s how we recommend making your days productive and keeping your spirits high this season:

1. Set a daily routine and stick to it. Setting a regular routine and strict schedule will help motivate you to make regular progress on all of your tasks. Without a routine, you’re more likely to put things off – something that’s especially easy to do now that we’re temporarily homebound. But with structure and organization, you’ll stay motivated and productive. Plus, not only does a routine help you make regular progress on your To Do list – it also offers health benefits!
2. Call your clients to check on them. From new prospects to those further into the real estate search, buyers and sellers alike deserve – and want – to hear from you. Now is the time to reach out and ask them how they’re doing, to answer their questions, and even offer to drop things off at their homes if possible. We all are experiencing varying levels of stress, so reaching out is a wonderful way to support your network and community – and to help plan for the future, when we’re no longer homebound.
3. Manage and utilize your mailing lists and databases. Right now, you should be investing time and energy in your mailing lists and databases – especially Engage CRM – and reviewing possible workflows and next steps needed for the people in them. Is it time for you to follow up with some of the people in your lists? Could certain programs benefit clients? Could connecting someone in a list to someone in your network be beneficial? Wherever you can take action, include that action in your To Do list, and begin following up on your existing lists and databases.
4. Share heart-warming social media content. People have a lot of time to kill right now, so give them – and yourself – some good things to read! From happy local news to beautiful graphics and videos, there are plenty of fun content options that your followers will thank you for sharing. Howard Hanna agents are also encouraged to use our own COVID-19 response graphics, which are specifically branded and include timely messages to help you further connect with your network and community.
5. Prepare a content calendar. While you’re looking for heartwarming things to share online, why not plan ahead for your real estate social content needs? Making a content calendar will help you think about what you want to share in advance. In addition to noting the dates for seasonal real estate topics, curate a list of “evergreen” social media content that can be shared at any time. If you need real estate content ideas, just visit Howard Hanna’s blog, or use our own downloadable calendars in GoHanna!
6. Get yourself outside. There’s a reason that stay-at-home orders make an exception for exercise. It’s because staying indoors all day long is linked to anxiety and insomnia – two things that will drag down your mood and productivity alike. When you map out your daily schedule, always pencil in time to get outside. Whether you sit on your porch with a book, work in your garden, or stroll through your neighborhood, the time outside will keep your mind and body in good health. Just remember to respect social distancing guidelines if you go for that stroll!
7. Schedule virtual fun with family and friends. After your day is done, schedule time for family and friends, too. If you live alone, virtual happy hours with friends will help you recharge. If you live with family members, try cooking together to unplug and spend quality time with one another. Activities like these will go a long way in lifting your spirits and helping you recharge for the coming day’s work.
8. 8. Offer to help elderly neighbors, friends, family. Giving back to the community is always recommended as something that offers benefits to you and to others alike. Now is the time to take advantage of this, and to offer to help friends, family, or neighbors. From picking up groceries and necessities to walking someone’s dog or putting up beautiful decorations for people on your street to enjoy, there are a number of ways you can be a helpful neighbor right now!
9. Learn something new! Finally, don’t forget to stay on top of your education and keep your industry knowledge fresh. From negotiating to presenting to marketing, there is always something you can learn to hone your craft and become a better agent. Not sure where to start? Use our HannaU education resources! A class of the day is being regularly emailed to all Howard Hanna real estate agents, and all of our classes are available to our agents at any time.

Work may be a little different than usual right now, but with some adjustments, work can continue and you can be successful! And through the power of these tips and adjustments, your productivity and mood can both be kept high.