"I don't work weekends..." You can imagine my surprise when a REALTOR said that to me recently. I respect the fact that she wants to spend time with her family, I really do... but, this business doesn't stop for weekends and holidays.
My husband and I are both REALTORS, so maybe we are different. I don't differentiate Saturday and Sunday from any other day of the week, I gave up those weekday - weekend labels years ago. Except for church on Sunday morning, it is a day like any other, I show property, hold open houses and write posts.
I would say that I'm a workaholic, but I really love what I do. I help others get what they want... great satisfaction comes from seeing someone else reach their goals. I don't think that it's a bad thing.
Although I work a lot, I would also say that I have a balanced life... exercising at the YMCA 5 days a week and getting to the driving range 3 days a week is time that I invest in myself. Hanging out with friends and family keeps me grounded. I think of real estate as more of a lifestyle than a business... I don't clock out.
How would you describe your work ethic.... Do you work weekends?
Hi Debbie,
Wow, you're doing great if you work out 5 days a week, I could take a lesson from you. However, I normally do not work on Sunday, except occassionaly. 2007 was an exception, with the market slowdown I probably worked a dozen Sundays for the year. And my work day (speaking with clients) normally ends at 7:00 p.m.
Now do I ever make an exception, of course, yet imho if your don't have boundaries then everything becomes an exception. It's kept me from burn-out for decades. Bottom line, it's whatever works for you.
Debbie, IMO, it has nothing to do with work ethic. It has to do with finding YOUR OWN balance between your career and your personal life. I can assure you, I have a very strong work ethic (more-so than many of the agents working 80-100 hrs per week), yet I still make it a MAJOR priority in my life to "just say no" in order to give just as much of myself to my wife and kids as I do to my clients.
This business can easily take every moment of every day, and the next thing you know, you have no life outside of it... no friends, no family, and no leisure time. Being that you and your husband work together, you're able to combine the balance of couples time with work I'm sure, and I can't tell if you all have kids, but that's where I draw the line. Do I work weekends? Yes, but not as much as I used to. Do I work evenings? Sure, but not if I can help it. I do my best to keep my business within regular working hours, but am available to my clients needs outside those hours, and when it's a necessity will work then too. I just don't make a habit of it.
Debbie - I'm right there with you... I'm showing property tomorrow too!
Jen- I know what you mean... I love what I do too. I had a job that I didn't love, I feel privileged to be a REALTOR.
Russ - Amen, It's 11 PM and I still want to write another post!
Konnie - I couldn't agree with you more, you have to be flexible.
Lynda - Great advice... and I do take time out, you have to or you will burn out. I felt like the holidays really helped me feel refreshed and ready to kick some $%&#.
Kurt- Way to go... Flexibility really pays off in this business!
Susan - You are investing time in YOU!
John - This is a great place to learn... I've been on AR for a couple of months and it has really opened my eyes to how great I can be!
THANK YOU EVERYONE FOR TAKING THE TIME TO READ AND COMMENT...
Ryan - Well said... I agree that you need time for friends and family... I would not be able to work like I do if my husband was not in the business, we actually have to schedule time to do our "own thing' so that we get a break from one another, it's the opposite of most couples.
Debbie-
Good post. Umm, for me--I take two days off per week, typically. I take Wednesdays off and either Sat or Sun. I have hours of Mon,Tues, Thur, and Fri from 9 until 4:30. I do have floating evenings two nights a week, which means that 2 weeknights per week. I fully expect to be either showing property to Buyers or having a listing appointment. I have a date night once per week with my husband. We discuss what my week will be like every Sunday night during our family meeting so me, my husband, and my kids know when I'm available for them and when I'm working. I have a verbal agreement with them that I turn my cell phone OFF during dinnertime. That's what keeps me sane. :) I believe I have a very strong work ethic and when I'm with customers, I am 100% WITH them. When I'm with family, I'm 100% with THEM. I call-block my time on my voicemail messages so that if someone calls me during my "off" or "family" time, they know exactly when I'll call them back. Of course, I have to be flexible and all of this is subject to change for special circumstances but if I don't let everyone know my schedule, then other people will make my schedule for me, which I am not okay with having happen.
Honestly I don't want to work 7 days a week, holidays, weekends, late into the evening. No thanks. I won't chase away customers and ocasionally show properties on evenings and weekends, but that is not the norm. About 5 years ago, I learned that the way to buy back your time is to automate and delegate as much as you can. I have a full-time assistant that I pay to do a lot of the work that I don't want to do. I also use as much technology as I can to do the work for me. My wife and kids get to see me most evenings and most weekends and that is the way I like it. I have a strong work ethic, but I also enjoy my time off. Last week we took about 5 weeks worth of vacation in addition to most evening and weekends off and still closed about 20 deals. Fine by me.
Debbie- where did you get your work ethic from?
Work ethic for me was learned growing up on a Maine potato farm. My four kids learned the same lessons. Early on they found out how hard it is to make a dollar.